INVESTIGATING RIVERS

Tameside Cultural Services

For more information, to discuss tailored sessions

or to book,

ring 0161 343 2878 or visit ;

www.tameside.gov.uk/ countryside/education

Our Outdoor Education session, ‘Investigating Rivers’

is one of our most popular sessions.

Led by one of our experienced Outdoor Education team ,you will

look closely at the River Medlock, giving your pupils the oppor-

tunity to see first hand how rivers shape the landscape. From our

base at Park Bridge we will discover the Rocher Valley and the

River Medlock, looking at

physical features and get

‘hands on’ and into the

river for some practical in-

vestigations.

Full day for a class of 30 - £ 180

For schools outside Tameside - £200

Suitable for Key Stage 1, 2, 3

Education in and around Tameside’s countryside. “School field trips

enrich the curriculum by providing first hand

experiences.”

This very practical fieldwork day investigates the key features of a river and the effects it has on the landscape

around it.

Location: Park Bridge and the Medlock Valley

Park Bridge Outdoor Education base

The Stables, Park Bridge

Ashton-u-Lyne OL6 8AQ

Key Stage : Key Stage 2, 3

Facilitated By: Outdoor engagement Team

This session is based at Park Bridge Heritage Centre, however the days activities will take place outdoors in the

surrounding area. The River Medlock that flows through park bridge was instrumental in the industrial growth of

the area and the river valley will provide opportunities to see key features of the river first hand. The river will

provide the focus for lots of practical fieldwork, including sketching, mapping , measuring and dipping, to enable

pupils to build their knowledge and understanding of river systems and what effect they have on the landscape

around them. The workshop will focus on and investigate the physical features, what wildlife the river supports,

flow rates, pollution, water cycles, river formations, erosion and deposition.

Please note that the session includes walking over sometimes uneven unsurfaced terrain .

Objectives:

To understand and recognise key features and processes associated with rivers.

To work in a group to undertake practical, accurate investigations in and alongside a river.

To demonstrate the understanding of a fair test through the application of different investigations.

To demonstrate the understanding of key features of a river through the use of sketching and labelling.

To be able to look at results from a practical investigation and draw credible conclusions, to

What you will get during the day:

Indoor space in the for introducing the day’s activities, storing of bags and coats and eating of lunch

(weather dependent) and use of toilets.

Experienced Outdoor Education Visits Leader to lead learning activities during the day.

All field study equipment, worksheets, clip boards as required for all activities

full risk assessment of the activities to aid you with your planning

INVESTIGATING RIVERS

Times of session:

Full day session to suit the schools transport arrangements but normally anytime between 9.30am arrival – 2.30 departure. Drop off point in the morning is normally at the bottom of the hill to the Heritage Centre with a short walk uphill. ( A coach may struggle getting up the final bit of hill to the centre so best to park at the factory at the bottom.) Enter through the big archway gates where our staff will meet you.

Programme Activity and purpose

9.45—10 am

10am—12.pm

12pm - 2.45pm

1pm - 2.30pm

Welcome to Park Bridge and your Education Visits leader for the day.

Safety briefing and introduction to the topic, Park Bridge and the days activities.

Fieldwork activity: Discovering and recording river features.

The morning session will be a walk to Rocher Vale, looking at the features of the River Medlock and the valley, covering key features: the water cycle , meanders, erosion, deposition, flora and fauna and the influence of industry.

A slow, ‘stop and look’ walk of approx. 1.5 mile with a 10 minute stop at the half way point, giving with opportunities for recording features on a worksheet provided.

Lunch back at the centre or picnic on the ruins.

Fieldwork activity: A variety of practical investigations to enable pupils to further their understanding of river systems. The afternoon session takes place near Fennyfield Bridge, a 10 minute walk from the Heritage Centre. We walk along the Waggon Road to a shallow part of the River Medlock. The class will split into groups and rotate activities: kick sampling investigating life in the river with nets, measuring the speed of the river and investigating pollution and rocks.

Please note Activity timings are flexible and may vary.

As the class will be working in the river in the afternoon they will need suitable footwear

(waterproof boots or wellingtons, plus spare socks advisable)

Allow for 10 minutes at the end of the session for everyone to change footwear and pack up /collect

everything for the journey home.

If coming by coach, it is advised that the coach pics up for return at Fennyfield, rather than at the

Heritage Centre to save time and avoid the walk back to the Centre in wet footwear.

Coach drop off

Drop off point in the morning is normally at the bottom of the hill to the

Heritage Centre with a short walk uphill. ( A coach may struggle getting up the

final bit of hill to the centre so best to park at the factory at the bottom.)

Enter through the big archway gates where our staff will meet you.

River bank at Fennyfield Bridge,

Grid ref for activity site: NGR : SD 93401 01788

To Oldham Road

Park Bridge Heritage Centre