The Lost Words
With acrostic 'spells' by Robert Macfarlane and beautiful watercolour artwork by Jackie Morris, The Lost Words conjures back to glorious life some natural words fading from usage.
Published in October 2017, this beautifully illustrated book focuses on words that are moving to the margins of many children's lives and stories – bluebell, dandelion, otter, kingfisher, acorn – and presents them as both challenge and celebration.
Free resources here include:
- An Explorer’s Guide to The Lost Words
- Posters (below)
- Crowdfunder & Campaign information
- ‘In Action’ examples (below)
- Articles (below)
- A Literacy & Nature Resource Guide (from the John Muir Trust)
- Literacy & Nature for Educators: Session Guidance (for running your own training sessions using The Lost Words resources)
-
The Lost Words: Spell Songs (responses to the creatures, art and language of The Lost Words on YouTube)
Share using #TheLostWords.
An Explorer's Guide to The Lost Words
This free guide by Eva John accompanies The Lost Words. It’s for anyone with an interest in nature, words and images who wants to explore further some of the ideas and creatures conjured up by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris in their enchanting 'spell book'. It's especially useful for teachers and educators.
Free Posters
Conker PosterBramble
Bramble PosterDandelion
Dandelion PosterKingfisher
Kingfisher PosterOtter
Otter Poster
Campaigns & Crowdfunders
There’s an ever-changing array of campaigns to fund, source and donate copies of The Lost Words to primary, secondary and special schools (as well as outdoor centres and care homes). Crowdfunder/Campaign Guidance is available here.
In action
Take a look at ways in which The Lost Words and associated resources are put to use:
Watch Riley Stemp’s #TeacherEffect story on The Lost Words as shared by the Department of Education. “I was just blown away… you feel that something that you were very inspired by, has inspired some beautiful writing as well.”
Read about how The Lost Words is inspiring new audiences in accessible and inclusive ways.
Watch Knoxland’s Primary 5 pupil's songs, raps and poems about venturing into their nearby woods with Tullochan to explore The Lost Words and dream of being wild animals.
The Lost Words for Schools Padlet is a moderated online board showcasing children's work, teaching ideas, and resources.
The Scottish Book Trust blog post shows how two primary school have used The Lost Words to help their reading journey while working towards a John Muir Award.
Read how our John Muir Award Scotland Education Manager Rebecca Logsdon used a 'Wild Day' in nature to help her rediscover her own ‘lost words’.
Articles
To mark one year since The Lost Words was published, Penguin Books asked Rob Bushby to summarise the breadth and depth of responses generated. Read Rob's guest blog here.
‘Badger or Bulbasaur - have children lost touch with nature?’ Guardian article by Robert Macfarlane, 30 September 2017
‘Lost and found’ Rob Bushby explores how a new book by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris has truly captured the public’s imagination, John Muir Trust Journal Spring 2018
Jackie Morris' blog. Numerous offerings from The Lost Words’ origins to stories of support for crowdfunders
Literacy & Nature Guide
Inspiration and actions for your own journey to discover the links between literacy and nature - produced by the John Muir Trust