Welcome to our fourth e-newsletter. This autumn, the focus is upon trees and woodland. The whole winter season through to spring is the best time to plant trees - single specimens, a hedgerow or even a small wooded area.
Our new resources which are free to download include both outdoor and indoor activities for all ages. Visit our Wild Schools website for lots more resources and discover all the ways in which the Avon Wildlife Trust can work with you.
Autumn special offer
Willsbridge woods
Our woodland workshops at Willsbridge Mill are perfect for this time of year. Explore the woods of Willsbridge Valley, meeting trees and their minibeasts or try some bushcraft and tree art (£5.50 per student; prices exclude VAT).
Details
School and community news
Wapley bushes
Avon Wildlife Trust have completed a project with seven schools near this nature reserve south of Yate. We helped develop nature journals and education resources which will be used on an ongoing basis. Each school had four visits over the year as well as two INSET mornings. These focused upon woodland activities: birds, wildflowers, team games, art, literacy and trees.
"I thought the exercises were excellent, well organised and executed.
You were able to 'tune' and adapt to the needs of our pupils very quickly and manage them very well" - Steve Palmer, Culverhill School.
BBC world record tree planting - be part of it!
As part of National Tree Week, Breathing Places has launched Tree O'Clock on 5th December 2009, 11.00am to 12.00noon. Essentially, there will be two world record attempts: most trees planted in one hour in multiple locations, and most trees planted in one hour in one location by 100 people.
Details
Butterfly sculpture at Broadlands
Throughout June and July members from Broadlands School, Whitchurch Primary and their wider families were involved with six after school sessions that encouraged them to explore the wildlife in their neighbourhood. The first session which consisted of a bicycle powered animation project was followed with 2 weeks of wildlife photography and filming. People then drew animations of wildlife that were used for the final kinetic sculpture made of recycled bicycle wheels, oak and steel in the form of a butterfly.
"My sons and myself thoroughly enjoyed it. It made us realize what is under our feet and around us every day" - Janet Morris.
Moths at May Park
A great project funded by Bristol University and delivered to inner city schools. This gives people the chance to see some live locally sourced moths and have fun with a series of games focusing on feeding characteristics, predators and camouflage.
"Big thank you for today! The children really enjoyed it and so did I! It fitted in perfectly with our science life cycles topic." - Simon Thorington, Year 5 class teacher.
Schools wildlife survey
Could you help us test a new project idea? Avon Wildlife Trust is developing the first ever pupil-led wildlife survey of school grounds. The project will enable children to discover the wildlife in their school and the neighbourhood and will be a part of a report that could change the way school grounds are managed across the region. We are currently looking for schools to test the survey and the project. Full training and support will be provided if you are interested. Please email:
juliedoherty@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Free resources
Here are some tried and tested resources that you can use in the classroom or ideally outside. Just click the link to download a PDF for each activity.
Plant a tree
Guidance on planting native trees which are the best for encouraging a wider range of wildlife species to your school grounds. You can plant over the winter whilst saplings are in their dormant state. Winter doesn't have to mean inactivity!
Download
Leaf slides
Help pupils understand the significance of leaves and trees for our environment. This great sensory activity which examines the various colours, shapes and patterns of leaves and is suitable for all ages.
Download
Woodland web mobile
A fun artistic activity which builds upon any outdoor explorations and engage pupils understanding of the food chain.
Download
Schools services
Avon Wildlife Trust has over twenty years of experience of working with school children of all ages. Our educational programmes are designed to support specific areas of the national curriculum and are built around specific Key Stage targets. We offer three types of services for schools.
School trips
Both Folly Farm and Willsbridge Mill offer a range of tree and woodland related activities. At Folly Farm, Living History (Years 3&4) investigate what life was like by meeting people from the past (Celts, Saxons or Vikings) and taking part in practical historic activities. Children go back to school with a mini hurdle, a woven y-stick and a sample of felt they have made.
Go to Folly Farm
Go to Willsbridge Mill
Environmental activity days
Our team of education experts can develop tailor made activities in either your school grounds, parkland or a nearby nature reserve.
Details
Help turn your school grounds in to a mini nature reserve and fantastic educational resource for the whole school. Winter is a great time to make a willow structure in your grounds. We have helped many schools plant trees and hedgerows, often involving children in the creation of a new area alive with wildlife.
Details
Contact
schools@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Tel: 0117 917 7270
Avon Wildlife Trust - Charity No. 280422
If you would like to join our email list or send us your wildlife news, please email: schools@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk with JOIN or NEWS in the subject field. The e-newsletter will be sent out twice each term so please circulate it to colleagues who may find it useful.