Wild Outings for Schools

Charges for groups of up to 30 children:

Full day £240

Half day £180

Any additional children will be charged at £8 per child (full day) and £6 per child (half day). Please note that where groups require more than one leader an additional charge of £50 may be incurred.

Timings:

A standard visit runs from 10.00am until 2.30pm.  If schools wish to book a longer day they will incur an extra charge of £50 per hour.

We make all our activities as safe as possible without diminishing the “hands on” value.

All activities are risk assessed, a copy will be sent out with booking confirmation.

All staff are first aid trained and have Enhanced Disclosure DBS clearance.

Overall responsibility for discipline and safety remains with the class teacher at all times.

The ponds in our wildlife gardens provide an excellent opportunity to study freshwater animals and plants. Observational skills are encouraged and simple keys are used. This activity also includes the opportunity to compare life out of the water in a look at mini beasts on the land.

Available at: The Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water.

Duration: 1hr 30 minutes

National Curriculum links:

• Understanding the world.

Outline:

• Children will collect a selection of pond creatures and use pictures to identify them.
• They will understand the basic life cycles of pond creatures.
• They will appreciate the importance of returning the creatures carefully back to the pond afterwards.
• They will understand how the pond environment is different from the one in which they live.

Discover more about wildlife and habitats through games and natural art activities.

Available at: The Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water.

Duration: half day (1hr 30mins)

National Curriculum links:

Science: Living things and their habitats. Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide the basic needs for different animals and plants. Identify and name a variety of animals and plants in their habitat.

Art: use a range of materials creatively to design and make products; use sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination. To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. Learn about the work of artists.

Outline:

• Pupils will understand the term habitat and will explore the local area looking at various habitats.
• They will play games to discover more about some of Derbyshire’s wildlife including their basic survival needs.
• Pupils will explore the work of Andy Goldsworthy, a well-known land artist.
• Pupils will discover the difference between sculpture and art
• They will have a go at making their own pieces of land art using natural materials

Sensory and active games to discover the habitat, food chains and what animals need to survive.

Available at: The Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water.

Duration: Half day (1hr 30min)

National Curriculum links:

Understanding the world: children understand how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants.

Communication and language: Children listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions.

Science

Working scientifically: identifying and classifying, using observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions.

Plants: Identify and describe the basic structure of plants.

Animals: Identify and name a variety of common animals. Find out about the basic needs of animals for survival. 

Living things and their habitats: Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited. Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a basic food chain

Outline:

• How to get the most from a nature walk by using all our senses (though not usually taste!) to become more aware of the natural world around us.
• During the walk we will stop regularly for nature games and sensory activities.
• Activities link with the season and age of children but have a focus on how trees create habitats and means of survival for a wide variety of plants and animals.

An activity packed day to find out more about plants and animals. Find out how plants grow, what plant parts are used for, why they are important to animals and how animals bodies are so very different to each other.

Available at: The Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water.

Duration: full day.

National Curriculum links:

Science 

Working scientifically: observing closely, using simple equipment. Identifying and classifying. Plants: identify and name a variety of common wild plants. Identify the basic structure of common plants.

Animals: Identify and name a variety of common animals. Identify and name a variety of common animals that are herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. Describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals.

Living things and their habitats: identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how habitats provide the basic needs of animals and plants. . Describe how animals obtain food from plants using the idea of a simple food chain

Outline

• How plants grow, what the different parts of a plant do for the plant, plant lifecycles.
• Identifying plants.
• Why plants are important to animals and food chains.
• A minibeast hunt, pond dip or sweep netting to study animals close up.

Through discussion and practical activities, the children will learn that animals and plants- particularly trees- change along with the seasons, and why this is so.

 Based both inside the classroom and also outside exploring, the children will be able to discover what it takes to for plants and animals to survive in different seasons. 

Available at:  The Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water.

Duration:  Half day (1.5 hours)

National Curriculum links:  Science: Working scientifically – performing simple tests, identifying and classifying, gathering and recording data to help in answering questions. Seasonal change, observe changes across the four seasons. 

Outline:  

Pupils will understand:

• Seasonal change such as day length
• Basic needs of animals to survive
• Understand the difference between evergreen and deciduous
• What plants need to survive

Discover more about the wildlife and habitats on Stones Island through games, presentations and art activities.

Available at: the Wildlife Discovery Room.

Duration: half or full day.

National Curriculum links:

Science

Living things and their habitats: Recognize that environments can change and this sometimes poses danger to living things. Describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to observable characteristics.

Evolution and inheritance: Identify how animals are adapted to their environment.

Art: Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including sculpture with natural materials. Learn about artists in history.
 

Outline:

• Pupils will understand the term habitat and will explore the local area looking at various habitats.
• They will play games to discover more about some of Derbyshire’s wildlife including their basic survival needs.
• Pupils will explore the work of Andy Goldsworthy, a well-known land artist.
• They will have a go at making their own pieces of land art
• Pupils will learn more about 5 key species commonly found within Derbyshire. They will give short presentations to the class on their species.
• On the full day activity, pupils will investigate a habitat to discover the animals that are found within it. This could be a pond dip or minibeast hunt. 

Discover more about wildlife and habitats through games and natural art activities.

Available at: The Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water.

Duration: half day (1hr 30mins).

National Curriculum links:

Science

Living things and their habitats. Recognize that environments can change and this sometimes poses danger to living things. Describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to observable characteristics.

Evolution and inheritance. Identify how animals are adapted to their environment.

Art: Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including sculpture with natural materials. Learn about artists in history.
 

Outline:

• Pupils will understand the term habitat and will explore the local area looking at various habitats.
• They will play games to discover more about some of Derbyshire’s wildlife including their basic survival needs.
• Pupils will explore the work of Andy Goldsworthy, a well known land artist.
• Pupils will discover the difference between sculpture and art
• They will have a go at making their own pieces of land art using natural materials and another artistic creation which they may take home.

Learn all about The Wind in the Willows' Ratty (aka a water vole) and determine if the local stream is a suitable home.

Available at: the Wildlife Discovery Room.

Duration: full day.

National Curriculum links:

Science

Working scientifically: Ask relevant questions, make careful observations and use results to make simple conclusions. Using straight forward, scientific evidence to answer questions or to support findings. Setting up simple practical enquiries and fair tests.

States of Matter: Observe that some materials change state when heated or cooled, identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle.

Living things and their habitats: Recognise that living things can be grouped, explore classification keys to help group, identify and name living things. Describe differences in life cycles of insects and mammals. Recognise that habitats can change and this can pose dangers to living things.

Adaptation and evolution: Recognise that living things are adapted to their environment in different ways.

Geography

Human and physical geography: The distribution of natural resources water. Understand key aspects of rivers and the water cycle.
 

Outline:

• Pupils will discover the habitat requirements of a water vole.
• They will explore adaptation by studying the features of a water vole.
• Pupils will carry out a survey to determine the suitability of a local stream as a habitat for voles.
• They will take measurements including stream width, depth, temperature and flow rate using a variety of appropriate instruments.
• Pupils will make decisions regarding the suitability of the habitat based on factual survey results.
• Pupils will discover that water creatures can be used to survey pollution levels in a wetland habitat and know the term ‘pollution indicators.’

Understand man's influence on the water cycle and have a go at cleaning up 'reservoir soup'.

Available at: the Wildlife Discovery Room.

Duration: full day.

National Curriculum links:

Geography

Human and physical geography: The distribution of natural resources water. Understand key aspects of rivers and the water cycle.

Science

Working scientifically: Setting up simple practical enquiries and fair tests.

States of Matter: Observe that some materials change state when heated or cooled, identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle
 

Outline:

• Pupils will explore man’s influence on the water cycle.
• They will understand the use of reservoirs and how water needs to be cleaned before it is piped to our homes.
• Pupils will have a go at cleaning ‘reservoir soup’ using various water filtering techniques.
• They will explore ways in which they can become water wise.

Children will spend the morning undertaking a hands-on exploration of the habitats around Carsington Water to learn about the invertebrates that live here and what they need to survive. 

The children will learn to record and present findings and then use this research along with classroom based research to inform their designs for a functional bug hotel. 

Available at:  Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water

Duration:  Full day (3 hours)

National Curriculum links:  

Science:

Working Scientifically: Gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data. Recording findings using simple scientific language – drawings, labelled diagrams. Report on findings, including oral and written explanations.

Living Things and their Habitats. Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways. Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment. Describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics. Give reasons for classifying animals based on specific characteristics.

Design and technology:

Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups. Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately. Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.

Outline:

• Students will have carried out a mini beast hunt to discover what is living in an area.
• Students will be able to talk about one animal in detail, what it needs to eat, where it lives and what it looks like. 
• Students will be able to use simple keys to group different animals.
• Students will have designed a bug home based upon research and be able to explain why they chose specific materials.

Children will explore the natural world in terms of scale and perspective to gain a better understanding of what maps show us. 

Children will use, design and explore different maps as well as gain map skills through hands-on activities in the classroom and outdoors to give them a better grasp of the use of  maps in the real world. 

Available at:  Wildlife Discovery Room, Carsington Water

Duration:  Half (1 hour 30 mins) or full day (3 hours)

National Curriculum links:

Geographical skills and fieldwork: 

Use maps to locate countries and describe features studied.

Use eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including OS maps) to build their knowledge of the UK.

Use fieldwork to observe, measure and record human and physical features in the local area using sketch maps.

Outline:

• To explore the natural environment using and creating maps.
• To be aware that different maps are used for different purposes.
• To understand that maps are used to locate features and can be used to show changes over time.
• To be able to identify some common map symbols.
• To be able to describe some features found on a map.
• To talk about how they found features using a 4 figure grid reference.
• To talk about how they found features using a 6 figure grid reference
• To gain a better understanding of scale in maps and the real world.