Welcome to the fifth schools e-newsletter. This time we focus on helping birds, especially at this time of year. Your school can join in National Nest Box Week in February by downloading our free guide on how easy and fun they are to make.
Visit our Wild Schools website to download the latest resources and discover how Avon Wildlife Trust can help involve your pupils in wildlife and environmental education.
Seasonal education services
Willsbridge woods
Visit our centre before the end of March for the special price of £5.50 per student. Come and see what creatures are up to as they emerge from winter hibernation whilst completing key stage activities in different habitats - woodland, river and pond.
Details
Folly farm
Spend the day finding out about food chains on our farm. Dissect owl pellets and identify the bones of the animals they have eaten. Play games to enable a deeper understanding of the delicate balance between predators and prey. Residential visits include a night-time owl prowl.
School nest box sessions
We can come to your school and involve pupils in nest box building and other activities to make your school and community a haven for bird life. The event includes activities to build an understanding of food chains and habitats linked to the curriculum.
Free resources
Download these tried and tested projects to attract more birds.
Bird boxes
Encourage more birds to your school and community with this easy-to-make bird box and learn practical skills at the same time. Do your bit for National Nest Box Week starting on 14th February.
Download
Bird tables and feeding
Provide a food source for birds all year round as well as helping them maintain a good breeding condition for springtime. Pupils can enjoy observing bird behaviours and some amazing acrobats.
Download
Our news
Great Bristol Habitat Hunt
This summer pupils across Bristol and the region will have the chance to take part in an exploration of their school grounds and the local community to help work out how it can be improved for wildlife. Think about setting aside a day or so during the summer term for this project before more news in the next issue.
Education survey
We are conducting an online survey of our school services and would greatly value your opinions. Five minutes of your time could really help us make our work even more useful. You might even win a copy of 'Last Chance To See' by Mark Carwardine.
Go to survey
School news
Children help plant community orchard
The Friends of Leap Valley and Avon Wildlife Trust worked with Bromley Heath Junior School to plant a community orchard in an area which used to grow older varieties of apple and plum trees. Community Education Officer, Ruth Worsley, helped pupils learn about the wildlife in the valley and the importance of trees.
It was a good example of using environmental education to deliver cross curricula activity to key stage two across all years. Pupils created apple artworks which were used as a visual back drop at the planting event. Year six pupils had a session on global issues which examined air miles and issues to do with importing apples and other fruit.
"This represents a great opportunity for our children to participate in improving their local nature reserve and to learn about local history and food production. Our children already grow food in eight raised beds at school and this will add another dimension to their understanding of sustainable food production" - Marcus John, Head Teacher, Bromley Heath Junior School.
Contact ruthworsley@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk if you would like to plant an orchard at your school grounds or visit a local nature reserve.
Woodland pond restoration
Throughout November and December 2009 the Avon Wildlife Trust helped Hambrook School restore their once formal pond which hadn't been touched for over twelve years and was silted up and full of flag iris. It was cleared, relined and filled for pupils to plant up and create new habitats such as log and rock piles in the surrounding area to provide shelter for amphibians. A group of environmental conservation students and volunteers from BTCV also built a fence and gate around the pond. Community and School Grounds Officer, Julie Doherty, also organised games based on aquatic lifecycles, amphibian behaviour and associated mammal feeding habitats.
"We took the reception class down to the pond on Friday and they were so excited by it. They really wanted to go paddling! It really does look great down there. Thank you so much for all your work down there in the mud. I can't wait to get pond dipping in the spring" - Alison Wyman, Hambrook School.
New woodland
The children of Stoke Bishop school planted up a new woodland area in November 2009, as well as maintaining a willow structure, building bird and bat boxes and hedgehog hibernacula. They learnt about hibernation, woodland animal food webs and common garden birds. Pupils were also given logs implanted with mushroom spores so they could grow their own edible mushrooms.
School apple day and tree dressing
Willsbridge Mill staff worked with their local Parkwall Primary school to celebrate two seasonal festivals of the natural world. The whole school celebrated Apple Day in October, whilst year six students enjoyed a walk to the mill to participate in a workshop.
At school, key stage two pupils created an orchard banner using woodblock printing and tasted the difference between local and imported apples. Younger years enjoyed the tradition of apple gifting whilst other activities included storytelling and an orchard food web game which focused upon orchards. The school will also be planting fruit trees. At the mill, year six pupils eagerly rose to the challenge of designing bird feeders that hold apples in a brief set by community artist Peter Margerum. Wooden spoons, circular bread boards and egg cups were among items transformed into spectacular sculptural feeding structures.
Year five students produced a stunning visual display for the annual Tree Dressing Festival, which took a watery theme this year. Students examined past and future water levels at Willsbridge Mill. They also made sculptures from materials which had a connection with water to raise awareness of concerns over climate change.
For more information on these innovative activities that help engage children with the natural world visit the following website.
Go to Common Ground
Avon Wildlife Trust continued its partnership work with the Avon Gorge and Downs project with a number of events for children aged eight to twelve during the half term and summer 2009 holidays. The Autumn Art event helped twenty five children explore the Downs and make lanterns form materials they collected. Early booking is essential for the events which are run through Bristol Zoo. The next event is 18th February and has a Spring Birds theme.
Go to Avon Gorge
Schools services
Avon Wildlife Trust has over twenty years of experience of working with school children of all ages. Our education 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 workshops and other activities to help schools meet the national curriculum.
Go to Willsbridge Mill
Go to Folly Farm
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 into a mini nature reserve and stimulating education resource for the whole school. We have helped many schools create wildlife habitats and green spaces, involving children in the process.
Details
Contact
schools@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Tel: 0117 917 7270
Avon Wildlife Trust - Charity No. 280422
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 regularly so please circulate it to colleagues who may find it useful.