Wildlife and Habitats
Focus: Living things, adaptation, biodiversity, ecosystems
Small Mammal Study
Knowledge – Patience - Resilience
The aim of this 2-hour session (best aligned with the key stage 2 curriculum) is to understand the reasons for the adaptations of different small mammals. The children will begin by collecting the ‘hotel rooms’ they put out the previous afternoon. A member of Stubbington staff will then open each room so that children can see their guests. A class record of each mammal covering species, body length, tail length and mass will be created, and the children can be involved in taking these measurements. It will also be possible to identify the sex of each mammal referring to annotated diagrams (the level of vocabulary and discussion will be decided on collaboration with the lead teacher).
After a short break, the children will return to the classroom and carry out some work focused on looking closely at the mammals and their adaptations. This second part is led by the visiting staff, but worksheets and books are available.
This session is often preceded, on the previous day, by a Tracks and Signs Session and Mammal Hotel Set-up.
Pond Studies
Knowledge – Patience - Communication
The aim of this 1 or 2-hour session is to identify species using a key, explain how they are adapted to their habitat and compare these species across two different ponds. Children have an opportunity to dip in one of our ponds and look closely at the creatures living there.
The 1-hour session starts at a log circle, with the children becoming familiar with the creatures they may find as they dip through practicing using the key. They will then move to a pond to dip and finish the session sharing and discussing some of their finds.
The 2-hour session starts in the classroom, where a more in-depth look at the centre’s ponds and creatures they might find is discussed. In pairs, the children then have an opportunity to dip to collect a range of creatures. The troughs are then brought back to the classroom. During the second part of the session, the children have an opportunity to investigate what is in their trough, using a range of guides, books and magnifying equipment, before finally comparing what they have found across different ponds.
This session is best suited to the key stage 2 curriculum but can be adapted for key stage 1 learners.
Minibeasts
Independent thinking – Patience - Knowledge
During this 1-hour or 2-hour session, children have an opportunity to explore different locations within the conservation area looking for and identifying minibeasts.
The one-hour session starts with children discussing the different types and categories of minibeasts that may be found. In pairs, they will explore 6 different locations – under logs, in a stone wall, in loose soil, in leaf litter, in a tree and in long grass. Classification keys will be used to identify the minibeasts and a record will be kept.
The two-hour session covers the same as the one-hour session but then goes on to investigate the preferred habitat of some of the minibeasts found. Each pair will construct a choice chamber for their minibeast and make some close observations of it.
This session is best suited to the key stage 2 curriculum but can be adapted for key stage 1 learners.
Bird Study
Knowledge – Patience - Resilience
Spotting birds and identifying their preferred food.
The aim of this session is to recognise species using identifiable features and match them to a key.
During this 1-hour session (best aligned with the key stage 2 curriculum), children, as young ornithologists, will learn how to recognise features that vary between birds and use an identification chart to identify birds. The class will also set up an investigation to identify which food different species of birds prefer. Observations will happen from one of our hides and around the ground.
Beak Adaptation
Knowledge – Communication - Patience
The aim of this session is to recognise how animals adapt to suit their habitat and diet. During this 1-hour session (best aligned with the key stage 2 curriculum), children will look at how birds adapt to their habitat and diet with a focus on beaks. The session will start with a short video, before carrying out mini activities to match a feeding style to a bird. Children will also have an opportunity to design their own bird based on given criteria.
Owl Pellet Dissection
Knowledge – Patience - Communication
The aim of this 1-hour session is to work scientifically and use evidence to identify what an owl has been eating. Children work in small teams to carefully dissect an owl pellet. They then use identification keys to identify animals from their skeletons to work out what the owl had been eating. As a group we then record the results and answer the scientific question. This is best suited to the key stage 2 curriculum.
Tracks and Signs
Knowledge – Teamwork - Independent thinking
The aim of this 1-hour session is for children to find and record evidence of mammals in a woodland habitat and use this to identify different species. They will be challenged to become animal detectives and go out to our conservation area to find evidence of mammals living there. Their evidence will then be used to persuade the local council from building a car park on our grounds. In pairs, children will record evidence, using an identification sheet to decide which mammals have been leaving the evidence.
This activity works brilliantly alongside the building mammal hotels session, in preparation for a small mammal study. This session is best suited to the key stage 2 curriculum but can be adapted for key stage 1 learners.
Habitactics
Communication – Teamwork - Knowledge
During this 1-hour session, children will get an opportunity to explore some different elements of the links between animals and their environment. Each activity takes the form of a game or drama:
Oh Deer! To make links between life processes in deer and the environment in which they are found.
Deadly Links To use food chains to show feeding relationships in a habitat.
Bat/Moth To understand how bats have adapted to catch their prey (moths).
Build-a-Tree To understand the roles within a plant used for nutrition and respiration.
Teachers will be asked to select two or three for an hour session. Each of these activities can also be used as stand-alone activities when there is a short gap in the timetable.
This session is best suited to the key stage 2 curriculum but can be adapted for key stage 1 learners.