quest overview

Spark: Friendsgiving

As autumn arrives, our youngest heroes prepare to celebrate gratitude and friendship. Their mission: to create a joyful Friendsgiving! Working together, they learn to cook, decorate, serve, and share heartfelt thanks. From crafting table settings to practicing songs of gratitude, these little hosts discover that true celebration comes from giving, sharing, and being together.

Lower Elementary Studio: Molecules & Ions: Squeaky Clean Connections!

Calling all young chemists and creators! It’s the year 2026, and Earth has a big, dirty problem. All over the world, people are running out of clean, healthy, safe products to keep their homes and bodies fresh. Supermarkets are filled with products that use too many harsh chemicals, and now the world is counting on YOU — the next generation of eco-chemists — to help fix it.
You’ve just been recruited to the Squeaky Clean Science Squad, where your mission is to:

Learn the secrets of molecules and ions
Use the Scientific Method and experiment with safe, natural ingredients
Invent amazing cleansers, soaps, bath bombs, air fresheners, and more
And present your product to the world at the Children’s Business Fair!

But there’s a twist… to earn your spot at the Fair, you’ll need to prove you understand the chemistry behind your product. That means you’ll use your knowledge of becoming a scientist and the scientific method to:

Test solids, liquids, and gases
Observe chemical reactions (bubbles! fizz! color change!)
Discover what happens when molecules and ions interact
And make smart choices based on evidence and experiments — just like real chemists do!

Every challenge will bring you closer to creating a product that’s not only awesome… but based in the science of chemistry.
So grab your lab goggles and notebooks — it’s time to mix, bubble, fizz, test, tweak, and shine your way to becoming a real-life chemist-entrepreneur. Are you ready to get squeaky clean — and make science that sells?

Upper Elementary Studio: The Water Keepers

In this quest, learners take on the role of junior Water Quality engineers, part of a special task force working with The Forest School community to investigate how to ensure clean and safe water for all. Across the world, many people do not have guaranteed access to clean drinking water — it must be tested, treated, and protected. The Water Keepers are being trained to understand the science behind water’s unique properties, the dangers of contamination, and the technologies used to make water safe to drink. Their mission is threefold: to apply these skills for the benefit of the Forest School itself, ensuring that heroes, staff, and visitors can hydrate confidently, to build knowledge and empathy that can help communities around the world, and to help inform their own families about how to keep their water clean and safe.

Middle School: The Chemistry of Commerce

In The Chemistry of Commerce, Middle Schoolers take on the role of chemists and product designers as they create original, chemistry-based goods intended for sale at a future Business Fair. Over five weeks, teams explore how chemistry powers real-world products—like bath bombs, lip balms, air fresheners, natural dyes, and cleaning solutions—investigating concepts like chemical reactions, solubility, pH, and emulsification. Learners work in collaborative R&D teams to test, refine, and document their formulas, applying scientific methods and adjusting their prototypes based on trial results and peer feedback. Alongside their product development, they begin crafting their business plans, including branding, ingredient sourcing, cost analysis, and packaging ideas, all in preparation for launching their ventures later in the year. This project weaves together deep disciplinary learning, real-world roles, and joyful experimentation—making science relevant, hands-on, and full of possibility.

Come support young entrepreneurs at our annual Children’s Business Fair on Friday, December 6th from 1-5pm as they showcase their creativity, innovation, and hard work. From handmade crafts to delicious treats and clever inventions, every booth tells a story of curiosity and courage. It’s a joyful celebration of learning, leadership, and community — and we hope to see you there!

High School: Carnival of the Cursed

Years ago, a tragic fire reduced a traveling carnival to ashes, but the souls of its performers never left. Now they linger where they perished, cursed to relive their final act. Step inside, and you’ll quickly realize: you’re not just a guest… you’re part of the show. Escape before the spirits trap you with them, or join the carnival forever.
This Session, heroes are bringing that haunted tale to life. From story to stage, they’ll design, build, and run a professional-level haunted house, taking on roles from actors to marketers, set designers to tech crew. Along the way, they’ll navigate the real-world challenge of blending imagination, applied math, safety, logistics, and audience appeal. Their mission: to deliver a thrilling, unforgettable exhibition that proves what young people can do when they lead, without adults needing to step in and “save the day.”

Our high schoolers are gearing up to host their second Haunted House. It will be a thrilling and spooky event for ages 12 and older, as well as a kid zone for your younger kids! Heroes have been working hard to dream up a fun and creative experience. Get tickets here.

If you would like to contribute, please contact our High School Guide, Ms. Eleah by email at eleah@theforest.school. If you’d like to volunteer for our Build Team, or Kids Zone please sign up here.

Science, Storytelling, and Celebration: Inside The Forest School’s Fall Quests