Learning Together

Advisory Service Kent

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

The Aims for the Kent ProjectsThe Aims for the Kent Projects

To develop children’s and teacher’s knowledge of living things.

To develop children’s scientific enquiry skills. To develop the outdoor environment as a learning

environment. To develop teachers’ knowledge on how to use

outdoor environments safely and effectively To develop the use of a range of ICT tools. To begin to make links between school and

‘science experts’

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Birdwatch

January/February 2010 Kent Bird Watch 2010 Project Launch RSPB Survey – Which birds have visited your garden and school

grounds? Maths (Data Handling) Design and Build a Bird Box Design Technology National Bird Box Week RSPB Webcasts (3-5 minute webcasts using FlashMeeting will take

place every fortnight during Term 3 on the subjects listed below) Following each web cast pupils will have the opportunity to blog and

post questions on the micro-site for RSPB Officers to answer Winter Migration Birds in our gardens? What do birds eat? Building a nest box (Save our sparrows)

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Birdwatch

March / April 2010 RSPB Officers to visit project schools (subjects to be covered –

feathers, feeding, food chains (insects) Bird Watch World Day – A 24 hour event linking project schools across

the world Which birds have visited your school grounds today? RSPB and Environmental Experts to online to answer pupils questions RSPB webcasts Make a bird feeder Insects out of hibernation Feeding What do birds eat – Plan an experiment (science) Record and share results (numeracy)

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Birdwatch

May / June 2010 Viewing webcams How many eggs do birds lay? (numeracy) Birds and their territory Predators The life cycle of a bird Adaptation Project schools to visit Kent RSPB Centres Activities to include: Insect Sweep, land use, foodchains, ditch

dipping, Invertebrates, bio diversity and The Habitats Game

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

BirdsBirds RSPB – bird identifier -

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier/

RSPB – big school/little school birdwatch

http://www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch/

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Birds (cont)Birds (cont)

http://www.gatekeeperel.co.uk/poster.htmlhttp://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/download/hunt_birds.htmhttp://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/download/idial_bird.htm

http://www.teachers.tv/video/36468

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Build a nest using newspaper strips and tape.

Can it hold four mini-eggs?And a tennis ball (parent bird)?

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Learning in the schools Learning in the schools grounds - Saving The Gardens grounds - Saving The Gardens

of Kentof KentStructure of the projectStructure of the project

20 schools were identified who were likely to participate or had shown an interest in developing the outdoor environment.

These teachers attended training days at the two Kent Educational Environmental Centres and a primary school.

60 children from many of the schools attended a hands-on wildlife day at the 2 centres.

All schools had an opportunity to use video-conferencing as a ways of communicating with some ‘science experts’.

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

The Training The Training DayDay

Half the day concentrated on ICT.

Teachers learnt to use Flash meetings and also how to create a micro-site.

The teachers were then taken out into the grounds of the environmental centres to learn more about what they can do to encourage wildlife into their school grounds.

The final part of the day look at some of the logistics when taking children outside as well as ideas about what they can do with the children.

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Impact of project – Impact of project – School grounds, School grounds,

teachers and childrenteachers and children Nature was the winner: new habitats, food supplies

and cared for better

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Other effects Other effects of the projectof the project

Gardening clubs developed – and the children ate or sold the produce.

Experts made better links with the schools – some worked alongside children in many of the classes or ran a talk about nature.

Schools took part in national surveys. Schools took part in award schemes.

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Beach study project

20 school

½ day on beach with coastal development officer

½ day in school learning about hazards and risks and using ICT to enhance the learning

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

ICT - Plotting your route and photos using GPS (Mobile

Action- I got U)

http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/34242

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Learning Together

ICT - Flashmeeting – between schools and with ‘beach’ experts

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

ICT - Micro-site - Sharing ICT - Micro-site - Sharing Images/Findings/QuestionsImages/Findings/Questions

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Learning Together

ICT - National Education Network Gallery – Sharing images

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

ICT - Making the News – A chance for children to publish

their finds

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Improving the school habitats Improving the school habitats – What do you want? – What do you want?

http://www.kentbap.org.uk//assets/library/documenthttp://www.kentbap.org.uk//assets/library/documents/4_Habitats.pdfs/4_Habitats.pdf

Have you…

1. Bat boxes

2. Hedgehog homes

3. Bird feeders and boxes

4. Ponds

5. Bee homes

6. Ladybird homes

7. Wormery

8. Butterfly gardens9. Rockeries/log/hot spots piles for mini beasts10. Composters11. Grasslands/Meadows12. Hedgerows13. Herb Gardens14. Marshlands15. Trees16. Vegetable plots

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

The Kent Biodiversity Partnership - Countryside Management Partnerships

Creating an area for naturehttp://www.kentbap.org.uk/creatingareasfornature/When creating your area for nature, the Countryside Management

Partnerships can help you with the following: Establishing your soil type and the right kinds of plants for your

site. Advising you on the health and safety issues related to the relevant

activities, and helping with risk assessments. Putting you in contact with local contractors and suppliers as

necessary. Carrying out project planning and delivery from start to finish, if you

would prefer not to carry out the works yourself. Advising on local biodiversity and habitats. Providing volunteer power.

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Things that can be learnt outside of the classroom

A. Observations

B. Identification and classification

C. Pattern-seeking/suveys

D. Investigations over time

E. Problem-solving

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

A. Observations - Nature WalkA. Observations - Nature Walk

Could you develop a route around your habitats? Can a plaque be placed in the different habitats? Can you gather information at different times of the

year from the different places?

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

ObservationsObservations

Being a camera Touchy egg boxes Magic water! Woodland concert Canopy gazing Nature’s Palette Painter’s paradise

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

B. Identifying and classifying B. Identifying and classifying animals and plantsanimals and plants

Spend some time having a look at the different identification resources (charts and ICT). How well will these work with your children?

www.gatekeeperel.co.uk

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Diary of Events

Date Event

18th Jan – 1st Feb

Big and little school’s bird watch

12th – 21st March

National science week

21st – 27th June National Insect Week

Organisation Event

Great Plant Hunt 2010 – Year of Biodiversity

http://www.greatplanthunt.org/news

Great Plant Hunt Send in seeds

BBC – Breathing places

National nest box challenge - http://www.bto.org/nbc/index.htm

RSPB Wildlife action awards http://www.rspb.org.uk/youth/makeanddo/do/actionawards/index.asp

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre (KMBRC)

http://www.kmbrc.org.uk/information/community/wildwatch.php Kent Kids' Wild Watch is an exciting opportunity to help us

record Kent's wildlife. We need your help to map Kent's mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians this spring and summer. We need to find out what children see in their gardens or school grounds

Downloadable survey form and animal identification guides:

1. Mammals

2. Birds

3. Reptiles

4. Amphibians

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Learning Together

C. Pattern-seekingC. Pattern-seeking

What sort of information/data could you collect from different habitats throughout the year?

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D. Investigations Over TimeD. Investigations Over Time

What sort of things could you investigate outside over a period of time?

1. Growing a range of plants

2. Cover up areas of grass

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Practical IssuesPractical Issues

Planning – When, who, where, how and why? Resources – People, places and things Subject knowledge Weather – are we kitted up for working outside

regularly? Recording – how do we capture the learning? Assessment – how do we assess the children’s

learning?

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Hazards and RisksHazards and Risks CFE Health & Safety Unit (01622 694476 david.nicholson@kent.gov.uk -

Senior Health & Safety Adviser). You must carry out your own risk assessment You must draw up your own operating procedures Check your school insurance. Anything you are unsure of contact CLEAPPS. ROSPA

Things to consider1. Animals – bees, caterpillars2. Chemicals3. Hygiene4. Plants and fungi5. Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)6. Pond safety7. Tools and equipment8. Sunburn

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Use of ICTUse of ICT

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Recording

Learning log/diary (big books) Photos and video ICT – comic life Regular sharing in assemblies

Advisory Service Kent

Learning Together

Action Planning

How can you improve the use of schools grounds for children’s learning?

How can you make the most of other environments?