Grade 5 Canoe Build
Forsyth's second annual canoe build was smooth sailing! Experienced instructors from the Urban Wilderness Program spent this week on campus teaching and guiding our Grade 5 students as they dove headfirst into building a beautiful 15-foot skin-on-frame canoe.
The students applied science and mathematics concepts while learning to use hand tools safely, including block planes, spoke shaves, and combination squares. They experienced the age-old craft of steam-bending wood, learning about lignin and discovering why and how heat and water can persuade wood to take on different shapes. Click the photos below to see more from the week.
The finished canoe will stay anchored in Next House until the Grade 5 Challenge Day activities in April, when the class will portage the vessel for its maiden voyage.
Special thanks to Kyle and Silas from the Urban Wilderness Program, whose mission is to empower students of all backgrounds through hands-on activities that foster self-confidence and a personal connection to nature. Learning about construction can be daunting, but a challenge like boat-building helps students develop resilience, perseverance, and collaboration skills.
