Essex Wildlife Trust Education
EARLY YEARS - KEYSTAGE 1 & 2- FIELD TRIPS - IN CLASSROOM - SCHOOL GROUNDS
Take a field trip to our nature reserves or book us to visit you with an outreach visit. There’s a wealth of experiences to choose from that offer essential back up to classroom teaching and give an insight into the complexities of the living world.
Areas of the curriculum covered: particularly sciences, geography and PSHE, also technology and art.
All activities are fully risk assessed and all equipment and identification keys are provided for each activity.
People and Wildlife team
A highly enthusiastic and skilled group of staff and volunteers with experience of teaching children in the outdoor environment. They provide a range of age appropriate activities designed to meet specific learning requirements and provide each child with a sense of awe and wonder for the natural world. Each site and member of staff has certain areas of interest and specialism
Donations
As a conservation charity we invest in our people and wildlife work as a way to further wildlife conservation and request the following donations: £4 per pupil for early years, KS 1 and 2.
Outreach/Community visits £200 per day + travel. Forest School sessions (90 mins) £125 + travel.
ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE AT CENTRES AND WITHIN SCHOOLS - EYFS KS1 AND KS2
Habitat comparison
Woodland, meadow, heath, pond. Identify wildlife within each habitat and use the data to establish adaptation and diversification. May include food chains and food webs games, quadrat and sampling work.
Senses
Use your senses to explore the outside environment in the current season. Follow a scent trail, tune into the sounds of nature and make your own smelly cocktail using leaves and petals. Explore natural textures.
Trees
Use leaf shapes to identify trees. Investigate the features of a tree using touch. Make a ‘leaf slide’ to explore photosynthesis and the transport systems within a leaf. Learn about decay and the nutrient cycle through the death of leaves in Autumn.
Minibeasts
Investigate habitats to explore the worlds of a wide range of minibeasts such as worms, butterflies, woodlice and grasshoppers. Identify and use the minibeasts found to explore food chains, adaptation, life cycles, self defence and camouflage.
Adaptation and interdependence
Study a habitat to identify all signs of wildlife found within. Use the data to discover how everything is interconnected and working together to maintain a natural balance. May include food chains, photosynthesis, decay and nutrient cycle.
Plants
Use keys to identify the plants in a habitat, collect plant parts and play the seed game to discover what plants need to thrive.
May include pollination, germination, plant adaptation seeds, animal and plant interdependence and life cycles.
Meadows
Sample a meadow to identify the plants, wildflowers and invertebrate life supported by a meadow habitat. May include tracks and signs of other animals too.
Soil
Explore the composition and properties of different soils and find out what lives in it. Compare different soil types
Seed dispersal
Investigate seed cases and how seeds are dispersed. Go on a seed collection trail and sort them indoors. May include germination
Bird life
Observe and identify birds in their natural habitats. Follow up with activities such as nest building, bird adaptation, communication and look at feeding stations. May include owl pellet dissection.
Pond life
Pond dip a pond to discover the underwater world of newts, diving beetles and water boatmen. May include life cycles, pond food chains and webs and pollution games.
Natural colours
Discover the importance of colour in nature though activities eg ‘artists palettes’, ‘camouflage caterpillars’, ‘colour keys’ and ‘natural world’.
Nature’s Art
From Mapsticks to mud modelling, create artwork from natural resources inspired by artists such as Andy Goldsworthy
Orienteering
Find your way around a reserve using a map and compass. We use a star trail that is ideal for KS2 groups
SCHOOLS OUTREACH
Wildlife areas.
Develop an area of school grounds for wildlife and pupils to benefit from. Pupils take ownership of the area by creating the initial plan looking at habitats, plant requirements, aspect, biodiversity and the living landscape. Includes a comprehensive Wildlife Area Management Plan.
Wildlife area management
Cut, prune and plant to create and maintain habitats in a wildlife area. Habitats may include as Nectar bars, Minibeast hotels, Stag beetle log piles, meadows, woodland edges and hedgerows. Includes a comprehensive Wildlife Area Management Plan.
Living willow structures
Create a living willow structure such as a dome, tunnel or dragon! Pupils will work in teams to plant, weave and tie it in.
Explore the local environment
Visit your local beach, wood, river or nature reserve with us to study biodiversity of a nearby area. Identify and record the animals and plants present and compare it with your school grounds.
Seashore
Bring the seashore in! Beach-comb a strand line habitat tray to discover non- living remains of seashore creatures. Use keys to identify the creatures and find out how they live.
Bushcraft
Use bush craft skills to create dens, swings, badges, necklaces and artwork and learn about the historic use of wood and trees
FINGRINGHOE WICK NATURE RESERVE
Seashore Life
Bring the seashore alive. Search for shells, seaweed, egg cases and other non-living seashore specimens in large sand filled trays. Identify and record your finds whilst thinking about how these saltwater creatures live. Go on a walk to explore our special beach.
Crabbing (tide dependent)
Fun activity catching crabs from the river Colne, waiting as the tide comes in!
Secret Wood Survey
Look for minibeasts, birds, plants and mammals, and signs such as droppings, feathers, nibbled pinecones etc. Record your findings on a survey sheet along with details of the weather, temperature, season etc. Discuss daily and seasonal changes.
Geography
Take a closer look at Fingringhoe Wick using a map and a compass.
LANGDON
Step back in time
Experience life in 1930’s at The Haven Plotland Museum. Handle household objects and discuss their uses. How has life changed? Draw the house and compare to modern buildings.
Time Detectives
Follow directions around the Plotland Trail, collecting clues from the landscapes as you go. How has the land changed over the last hundred years?
Plotland Artefact Box
A selection of artefacts from the Haven can be borrowed to continue your work back in the classroom.
ABBERTON RESERVOIR VISITOR CENTRE
Water Treatment Works visit
Visit the nearby Essex and Suffolk Water Treatment Works to learn about the water cleaning process from Abberton Reservoir to the tap. The visit includes a tour of the site and covers the cleaning process, the water cycle, issues of water use and conservation.
Water Filtration
Using natural and man-made materials, try a range of experiments to filter dirty water and record your findings.
History and Geography of Abberton Reservoir
Take a closer look at Abberton Reservoir using a map, giant aerial photograph and displays. When was it built and how deep is it?
To make a booking contact your nearest centre:
Abberton near Colchester
Ali Mann on 01206 738172 or to email click here.
Bedfords Park near Romford
Vicky Rudd 01708 748646 or to email click here.
Chafford Gorges Nature Park near Grays
Andrew Sidders or Jem Ayres 01375 484016 or to email click here.
Fingringhoe near Colchester
Duncan Coleman 01206 729678 or to email click here.
Langdon near Basildon
Karen McKay or Donna Bennett 01268 419103 or to email click here.
Hanningfield near Chelmsford
Carolyn Mallet or Lauren French 01268 711001 or to email click here.
Thorndon near Brentwood
Susanne Eaton or Penny Brewster 01277 232944 or to email click here.
Schools Outreach Officers
Laura Harvey or Laura Hopkins 01621 862992 or to email click here.
Forest School Officers
Anna Rule or Roz Wisniewski 01621 862993 or to email click here.