Earthwalks
Programme: EARTHWALKS (A sensory journey through nature)
Suitable for Key Stages 1 and 2 and available as a half-day activity.
The Earth Walks programme incorporates the innovative Earth Education approach to learning about the environment. The activities offer an exciting exploration of the natural environment using the senses. There are a variety of Earth Walk activities available which will allow a session to be designed to reflect a particular theme, for example; colour, pattern and smells in nature. Earth Walks makes use of the extensive grounds, including wooded areas, meadows and waterside areas.
ACTIVITY DETAILS
Earthwalks begins in the classroom with a short discussion looking at variety and diversity in both the natural and man-made world. Children have the chance to think about the different senses they might use to explore nature.
Earth Walk Activities
Guided by the session leader, children undertake a journey around the site during which they participate in a range of sensory activities. In a typical 2 – 2.5 hour half-day session we would expect to have time for between three and four of the activities described below.
1. Colour dabs - A short activity where children investigate and collect ‘colours in nature’ using a miniature artists palette.
2. Smelly cocktails- Children attend a cocktail party with a difference! ‘Smelly cocktails’ allows children to experience a woodland and grassland environment through their sense of smell.
3. Eye in the sky- Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a third eye? Children have the opportunity to view the natural environment from a slightly different perspective.
4. Touches - A tactile experience where children gain increased understanding of adjectives used to describe shape, form and texture through discovering artefacts in the natural environment.
5. Meet a tree - A fun activity where children meet a tree in an unusual way using their sense of touch and their imagination.
6. Leaf slides - This activity provides children with the opportunity to explore in detail a particular aspect of nature - the leaf.
7. Listening Stones - Using magical stones children explore different sounds in natural and man-made world.
8. Listening Postcards - Children listen to nature sounds and record them using different shapes for each sound.
9. Rainbow chips - Children are given a coloured chip and are asked to search the nearby area for similar colours occurring in nature. Colour charts are used to encourage children to investigate the variety of colours and differing shades of the same colour which con be found.
Return to the classroom
At the end of the Earth Walk children return to the classroom where the concepts developed in the various activities are reinforced. There is a discussion about the amazing variety of smells, textures and colours etc that can be found in nature and the concept of biodiversity is introduced.
CURRICULUM LINKS
Suitable for Key Stages 1 and 2 and available as a half-day activity.
The Earth Walks programme incorporates the innovative Earth Education approach to learning about the environment. The activities offer an exciting exploration of the natural environment using the senses. There are a variety of Earth Walk activities available which will allow a session to be designed to reflect a particular theme, for example; colour, pattern and smells in nature. Earth Walks makes use of the extensive grounds, including wooded areas, meadows and waterside areas.
ACTIVITY DETAILS
Earthwalks begins in the classroom with a short discussion looking at variety and diversity in both the natural and man-made world. Children have the chance to think about the different senses they might use to explore nature.
Earth Walk Activities
Guided by the session leader, children undertake a journey around the site during which they participate in a range of sensory activities. In a typical 2 – 2.5 hour half-day session we would expect to have time for between three and four of the activities described below.
1. Colour dabs - A short activity where children investigate and collect ‘colours in nature’ using a miniature artists palette.
2. Smelly cocktails- Children attend a cocktail party with a difference! ‘Smelly cocktails’ allows children to experience a woodland and grassland environment through their sense of smell.
3. Eye in the sky- Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a third eye? Children have the opportunity to view the natural environment from a slightly different perspective.
4. Touches - A tactile experience where children gain increased understanding of adjectives used to describe shape, form and texture through discovering artefacts in the natural environment.
5. Meet a tree - A fun activity where children meet a tree in an unusual way using their sense of touch and their imagination.
6. Leaf slides - This activity provides children with the opportunity to explore in detail a particular aspect of nature - the leaf.
7. Listening Stones - Using magical stones children explore different sounds in natural and man-made world.
8. Listening Postcards - Children listen to nature sounds and record them using different shapes for each sound.
9. Rainbow chips - Children are given a coloured chip and are asked to search the nearby area for similar colours occurring in nature. Colour charts are used to encourage children to investigate the variety of colours and differing shades of the same colour which con be found.
Return to the classroom
At the end of the Earth Walk children return to the classroom where the concepts developed in the various activities are reinforced. There is a discussion about the amazing variety of smells, textures and colours etc that can be found in nature and the concept of biodiversity is introduced.
CURRICULUM LINKS
Key Stage 1
Earth Walks links with National Curriculum attainment targets in English, Art and Design and Science.
English The whole speaking and listening sections.
Art and Design Knowledge and understanding (4a).
Science Life processes and living things (2g, 5a).
Materials and properties (1a, 1b, 1c).
Key Stage 2
Earth Walks links with National Curriculum attainment targets in English, Art and Design and Science.
English The whole speaking and listening sections.
Art and Design Knowledge and understanding (4a).
Science Life processes and living things (5b).
This activity sheet is available to download as a word document from the right hand side.
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