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Having your own living willow sculpture
means that there will be plentiful supplies of willow rods for
classwork. Here are a few ideas:
- Cut some shoots in early spring and place them in a clear
glass jar of water. Get the children to record how long
it takes for the roots and then the leaves to appear.
- Measure the growth of new shoots from your structure
between spring and summer.
- Record the different bird species that visit the willow
structure.
- Use dried willow rods to make simple sculptures by using
masking tape to join different lengths of willow together
to form shapes. Please note that Willowpool Designs can
be commissioned to undertake sculpture workshops. See section
9 for contact details.
- Use willow cuttings to make wreathes for Christmas. Make
a circle with one rod and then weave four or five more around
it. Decorate with ribbon and attach pine cones with florists
wire.
- Do a class quiz about the numerous uses of willow throughout
time. These include:
Wicker baskets
The sides of roman chariots
First aircraft seats
Hot air balloon baskets
Aspirin
Cricket bats
Fuel for power stations
Coconut shi balls (as they were too light to dislodge the
coconuts)
- Ask children to bring in willow baskets and discuss the
various uses of baskets throughout the ages.
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