raising attainment in literacy through geography in the
TRANSCRIPT
Raising Attainment in
Literacy through Geography in the School
Grounds
Year Three
Literacy
School
Geography
Acknowledgments We would like to thank staff and pupils at the following schools for participating in the Pilot of the School Grounds Geography Projects. • Baguley Hall Primary School • Barlow Hall Primary School • Benchill Primary School • Broadoak Primary School • Crab Lane Primary School • SS John Fisher / St Thomas Moore Roman Catholic Primary School • St. Clare’s Roman Catholic Primary School • St. Dunstan’s Roman Catholic Primary School • The Willows Primary School • Victoria Avenue Community Primary School This pack was produced by
Holly Preston School Grounds Education and Development Officer Groundwork Manchester, Salford and Trafford
Brian Holmes Associate Humanities Advisor Children’s Services Manchester City Council
Contents Page Pages
Introduction
• Welcome 4
• Why use your School Grounds? 5
• What is Fieldwork? 6-7
Planning a Project
• Exemplar Plan 8
• School Planning Example 9-13
Implementing a Project
Fieldwork Activity Ideas
• Journey Sticks 14-15
• How I view the Environment 16
• Land-Use Recording 17
Case Studies .
• Year 3: Investigating the School Grounds and the School Garden.
19-23
24-25 Useful Contacts
• Environmental Quality Assessment 18
Welcome to Geography in the School Grounds This resource pack is designed to introduce you to an exciting way to teach Geography that is relevant to your pupils using your school grounds and building as the resource, whilst raising pupil’s attainment in literacy. The Geography in the School Grounds Project was piloted in 2007 with ten schools in the North and South of Manchester. This resource will guide you through the process of im-plementing relevant geographical enquiry and fieldwork into your pupils’ learning experi-ences. We have included project outlines and activity ideas along with guidance on how to make fieldwork simple. We also highlight key writing opportunities that lead on from fieldwork. The pilot was reviewed positively by all the schools who participated. We have included some examples of the work that was achieved through this pilot phase to help you see what can be achieved through the project and to inspire you to adopt some of the ideas within your own delivery of the Geography curriculum. The Aims of the Geography in the School Grounds Project included: • To raise pupils’ standards of attainment and achievement in writing. • To improve the use of the school grounds for curriculum purposes. • To improve the quality of pupils first hand experiences in geography. The Objectives of the Geography in the School Grounds Project included: • To develop geography focused activities through the use of the school grounds. • To use a geographical focus to stimulate and develop specific writing activities
linked to the literacy framework. • To use the school building and grounds to undertake geographical enquiries and
investigations. • To develop aspects of citizenship and education for sustainability through
geographical enquiry in the school building and grounds.
Literacy
Geography
School Grounds
Why use your school grounds? School grounds offer “uniquely rich and rewarding learning experiences for children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, giving them a greater understanding of the world around them”.
Education Minister Stephen Twigg, MP At the National School Grounds Week launch 2003
You may be asking “why use your school grounds to deliver the Geography Curriculum?” As the quote above indicates there is increasing evidence and support for the value of school grounds as a resource for delivering the national curriculum. The Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto (2007) cites the educational benefits of learning in the school grounds and other locations outside of the conventional classroom as offering “quality learn-ing experiences in ‘real’ situations” which “have the capacity to raise achievement across a range of subjects and to develop better personal and social skills.”
The benefits of using the school site as a subject for pupils to investigate and monitor
through geographical enquiry include:
• The investigations are relevant to all pupils participating in the project.
• Work in the school grounds offers pupils first hand experiences.
• The school grounds is a safe location for pupils to work in.
• The school grounds provide easy access to opportunities for children to learn outside
the classroom.
• Class teachers are in charge of setting the learning objectives of the lesson AND en-
suring they are delivered in a way most appropriate to each child.
• No transport is required to get pupils to the enquiry site.
• Its FREE!
What is Fieldwork? Fieldwork = A practical, hands on activity that involves children learning OUTSIDE the classroom by carrying out an inquiry. Two key elements of successful fieldwork are:
• to integrate the fieldwork activities within the unit of work and • to set the fieldwork activities within a clear context for the pupils.
Opportunities for local geography and fieldwork within the National Curriculum The National Curriculum programmes of study at Key Stages One and Two require schools
to undertake local studies in geography and to carry out practical geographical enquiries or
fieldwork.
Requirements for Key Stage One Pupils are required to study ‘the locality of the school’ and, in their study of localities to:
• study at a local scale.
• carry out fieldwork investigations outside the classroom.
The school site (encompassing grounds and buildings) is the ideal starting point for studies
of the local area.
Pupils are also required to undertake ‘geographical enquiry’ and to specifically ‘use fieldwork
skills’.
What is Fieldwork?
Requirements for Key Stage Two Pupils are required to study localities and themes at a ‘local, regional and national scale’.
This means building opportunities for pupils, where they occur and to build in case studies of
a local element in:
• ‘Water and its effects on landscapes and people, including the physical features of
rivers or coasts and the processes of erosion of deposition that effect them’.
• ‘How settlements differ and change, including why they differ in size and character, and
an issue arising from changes in land-use.
• ‘An environmental issue caused by change in an environment and the attempts to
manage the environment sustainably.’
Pupils in Key Stage Two are also specifically required to carry out fieldwork investigations
outside the classroom. The school site offers an ideal location for practical geographical en-
quiry at a local scale.
Year
Thr
ee
Title
and
Foc
us
Lear
ning
Out
com
es
Sugg
este
d A
ctiv
ities
Writ
ing
Opp
ortu
nitie
s
Inve
stig
atin
g th
e Sc
hool
G
roun
ds
Map
ping
the
scho
ol b
uild
ing
and
grou
nds
• H
ow a
re th
ey
used
? W
hat i
s th
e la
nd u
sed
for?
•
Has
it
chan
ged?
Chi
ldre
n:
• B
egin
to
as
k th
eir
own
geog
raph
ical
que
stio
ns.
• U
se o
r dr
aw a
map
/ pl
an
of th
e sc
hool
sho
win
g, u
s-in
g sy
mbo
ls a
nd a
sim
ple
key
corr
ectly
, to
sh
ow
how
lan
d is
use
d in
the
sc
hool
bu
ildin
g an
d gr
ound
s.
• U
se g
eogr
aphi
cal v
ocab
u-la
ry
corr
ectly
to
id
entif
y la
nd-u
se
in
the
scho
ol
build
ing
and
grou
nds.
•
Iden
tify
how
the
env
iron-
men
t of
the
sch
ool
is a
f-fe
cted
by
the
way
land
is
used
. •
Rec
ogni
se w
ays
in w
hich
pe
ople
try
to
man
age
the
envi
ronm
ent f
or th
e be
tter
– ho
w
the
land
-use
in
sc
hool
cou
ld b
e im
prov
ed.
• C
olou
r in
map
of
the
scho
ol
grou
nds
– cr
eate
cha
rts –
bar
, pi
e.
• Jo
urne
y st
icks
– m
appi
ng jo
ur-
neys
aro
und
the
scho
ol u
sing
th
ings
col
lect
ed o
n th
e w
ay –
lin
k th
is t
o im
prov
ing
the
envi
-ro
nmen
t – d
ropp
ing
litte
r. •
Look
at
old
plan
s an
d ph
oto-
grap
hs o
f th
e sc
hool
bui
ldin
g an
d gr
ound
s to
iden
tify
chan
ge
and
com
pare
land
-use
. •
Link
inv
estig
atin
g la
nd-u
se i
n th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
to th
e lo
cal
area
of
the
scho
ol –
wha
t is
th
e la
nd-u
se l
ike
arou
nd t
he
scho
ol –
has
it c
hang
ed?
• Li
nk in
vest
igat
ion
of th
e sc
hool
gr
ound
s to
ano
ther
sch
ool
– w
hat
are
thei
r sc
hool
gro
unds
lik
e?
Pup
ils c
ould
: •
Writ
e la
bels
and
cap
tions
for
a l
arge
-sc
ale
map
and
pic
ture
dis
play
of
the
scho
ol,
scho
ol
grou
nds
and
area
ar
ound
the
scho
ol.
• W
rite
a re
port
abou
t how
land
is u
sed
in
scho
ol a
nd th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
. •
Pro
duce
a p
oste
r or
lea
flet
abou
t th
e sc
hool
and
sch
ool g
roun
ds s
how
ing
the
mai
n fe
atur
es.
• O
rgan
ise
pen-
pals
with
a c
lass
fro
m a
co
ntra
stin
g ar
ea a
nd e
ncou
rage
pup
ils
to
keep
re
gula
r co
ntac
t- de
scrib
ing
whe
re th
ey li
ve a
nd a
skin
g qu
estio
ns in
th
eir
corre
spon
denc
e –
wha
t th
eir
scho
ol g
roun
ds a
re li
ke?
Scho
ol G
roun
ds P
roje
ct
Bro
ad O
ak P
rimar
y Sc
hool
Yr.3
.Pla
nnin
g:
Inve
stig
atin
g th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
- (I
nves
tigat
ing
our l
ocal
are
a -
Uni
t 6)
Key
Que
stio
n
Lear
ning
Out
com
e:
Pu
pils
Sug
gest
ed A
ctiv
ities
Res
ourc
es
1
Wha
t is
our l
ocal
ar
ea li
ke?
Pup
ils u
nder
stan
d th
e ph
ysic
al
& h
uman
feat
ures
in th
e ar
ea.
Loca
te th
ese
feat
ures
on
a m
ap.
• C
hild
ren
look
at t
he a
eria
l pho
togr
aphs
of t
he a
rea
and
loca
te th
e di
ffere
nt la
nd u
ses.
(Mot
orw
ay, r
iver
, ho
usin
g, e
tc.)
• Fi
nd th
ese
feat
ures
on
a m
ap.
Aer
ial p
hoto
grap
hs
of th
e ar
ea &
map
s.
2
Whe
re is
our
sch
ool?
Pup
ils b
ecom
e fa
milia
r with
th
e lo
catio
n of
the
scho
ol.
Use
geo
grap
hica
l voc
abul
ary
corr
ectly
to id
entif
y la
nd-u
se in
th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
.
• Fi
nd th
e sc
hool
site
on
the
aeria
l pho
togr
aphs
. •
Find
the
scho
ol o
n a
stre
et m
ap a
nd c
olou
r it i
n.
• W
hat i
s th
e la
nd u
sed
for i
n th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
•
Dra
w p
ictu
re to
illu
stra
te d
iffer
ent l
and-
uses
in th
e sc
hool
.
Aer
ial p
hoto
grap
hs
Stre
et m
ap.
3
Wha
t is
our s
choo
l lik
e?
Pup
ils b
ecom
e fa
milia
r with
th
e se
tting
of t
he s
choo
l, id
en-
tifyi
ng k
ey fe
atur
es.
• C
hild
ren
use
the
plan
of t
he s
choo
l to
iden
tify
the
key
feat
ures
. •
Jour
ney
Stic
ks a
ctiv
ity th
at in
corp
orat
es w
alk
arou
nd
& id
entif
icat
ion
of th
e di
ffere
nt fe
atur
es.
• Ta
ke p
hoto
grap
hs a
t the
diff
eren
t fea
ture
s th
e ch
il-dr
en id
entif
y.
• E
ach
child
pro
duce
s a
line
map
of j
ourn
ey th
roug
h sc
hool
site
as
part
of J
ourn
ey S
ticks
act
ivity
. •
Writ
e ab
out f
eatu
res
(like
s / d
islik
es).
Scho
ol p
lan.
P
aper
, pen
cils
C
amer
a Jo
urne
y S
ticks
(see
at
tach
ed s
heet
) Con
tinue
d ov
erle
af…
.
4
Wha
t is
the
land
us
ed fo
r?
Map
ping
the
scho
ol b
uild
ings
an
d th
e gr
ound
. U
sing
sym
bols
and
sim
ple
key
corr
ectly
to s
how
land
us
e.
• D
raw
ske
tche
s of
diff
eren
t lan
d-us
e.
• C
reat
e ba
r gra
ph /
pie
char
t of d
iffer
ent l
and-
use
• U
se p
ictu
re m
ap to
dra
w a
pla
n of
the
land
use
w
ithin
the
scho
ol s
ite w
ith a
sim
ple
key
– us
ing
sym
bols
.
Scho
ol p
lan.
A
map
of t
he a
rea
Stic
ks (o
ne p
er c
hild
) O
ne c
ompl
eted
line
m
ap
Col
oure
d st
ring
(5 +
co
lour
s)
Col
oure
d C
rayo
ns
Stic
ky ta
pe
A4
pape
r P
enci
ls
Clip
boar
ds
5
How
hav
e th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
ch
ange
d?
Iden
tify
the
chan
ges.
Use
geo
grap
hica
l voc
abul
ary
corr
ectly
to id
entif
y la
nd-u
se
in th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
.
• U
se o
ld p
lans
and
pho
togr
aphs
of t
he s
choo
l
bu
ildin
g an
d th
e gr
ound
s to
iden
tify
chan
ges
and
com
pare
land
use
. •
Mak
e a
map
of t
he o
ld s
ite (1
950s
) •
Mak
e a
list o
f the
cha
nges
(Now
& T
hen)
Old
pla
ns &
pho
to-
grap
hs o
f the
sch
ool.
6
Why
wer
e th
e ch
ange
s m
ade?
Und
erst
and
that
land
-use
ca
n ch
ange
ove
r tim
e.
Ask
and
ans
wer
geo
grap
hi-
cal q
uest
ions
. U
se g
eogr
aphi
cal v
ocab
u-la
ry.
• In
terv
iew
key
peo
ple
to fi
nd a
nsw
ers.
•
Look
at s
choo
l rec
ords
(old
regi
ster
s)
• W
rite
abou
t the
cha
nges
.
Key
peo
ple
Old
reco
rds
Con
tinue
d ov
erle
af…
.
Doe
s la
nd-u
se a
f-fe
ct th
e en
viro
nmen
t of
the
scho
ol?
Iden
tify
how
the
envi
ronm
ent
of th
e sc
hool
is a
ffect
ed b
y th
e w
ay la
nd is
use
d.
• Li
nk in
vest
igat
ing
land
-use
in th
e sc
hool
gro
unds
to
the
loca
l are
a.
• W
hat i
s th
e la
nd-u
se li
ke a
roun
d th
e sc
hool
? •
Has
it c
hang
ed?
How
? W
hy?
Pho
togr
aphs
& m
aps
of
the
loca
l are
a.
Writ
ing
Task
s:
C
reat
e a
wor
d ba
nk
Writ
e ca
ptio
ns fo
r cla
ss d
ispl
ay o
f the
sch
ool a
nd s
choo
l gro
unds
P
rodu
ce a
pos
ter o
r lea
flet a
bout
the
scho
ol a
nd s
choo
l gro
unds
sho
win
g th
e m
ain
feat
ures
. (D
o sa
me
usin
g th
e ol
d pl
ans
/pho
tos)
. W
rite
abou
t diff
eren
t lan
d us
es in
the
scho
ol g
roun
ds a
nd e
xpla
in it
s si
gnifi
canc
e.
Writ
e a
repo
rt on
how
the
scho
ol b
uild
ings
and
gro
unds
hav
e ch
ange
d.
IC
T:
To
pres
ent d
iffer
ent i
nfor
mat
ion.
A
rt:
• O
bser
vatio
n dr
awin
gs.
• P
enci
l / c
rayo
n ru
bbin
gs (d
iffer
ent t
extu
res
– tre
e tru
nks,
bui
ldin
gs e
tc.)
Pre
ss p
ictu
res
e.g.
flow
ers
from
the
mea
dow
or l
eave
s fro
m d
iffer
ent t
rees
in th
e gr
ound
s.
Cra
b La
ne P
rimar
y Sc
hool
C
ross
-cur
ricul
ar w
ritin
g un
it pl
an:
Scho
ol G
roun
ds P
roje
ct G
eogr
aphy
Foc
us—
Year
3
Dat
e:
Sum
mer
2 W
eek1
S
umm
er2
Wee
k2
Sum
mer
2 W
eek3
Su
bjec
t:
Geo
grap
hy
Geo
grap
hy
Geo
grap
hy
Link
ed to
: S
choo
l Gro
unds
Pro
ject
(11
hour
s):
Hou
r 1
Sch
ool G
roun
ds P
roje
ct (1
1 ho
urs)
: H
our 7
S
choo
l Gro
unds
Pro
ject
(11
hour
s):
Hou
r 11
G
enre
: N
on-c
hron
olog
ical
repo
rt: B
asel
ine
as-
sess
men
t N
on-c
hron
olog
ical
repo
rt: fi
nish
ed p
iece
of w
rit-
ing
for f
irst p
art o
f pro
ject
.
Inst
ruct
iona
l tra
il gu
ide:
fini
shed
pie
ce o
f writ
ing
for s
econ
d pa
rt of
pro
ject
.
WA
LT a
nd
WIL
F:
Writ
e a
non-
chro
nolo
gica
l rep
ort a
bout
the
Woo
dlan
d G
arde
n, fo
r vis
itors
to th
e sc
hool
.
Writ
e a
non-
chro
nolo
gica
l rep
ort a
bout
the
Woo
dlan
d G
arde
n us
ing
geog
raph
ical
voc
abu-
lary
and
the
corr
ect s
truct
ure,
for v
isito
rs to
the
scho
ol.
Writ
e an
inst
ruct
iona
l tex
t for
you
nger
read
ers,
us
ing
geog
raph
ical
voc
abul
ary.
Teac
hing
Se-
quen
ce, i
nclu
d-in
g dr
ama:
Inde
pend
ent w
ritin
g to
see
wha
t the
chi
l-dr
en a
lread
y kn
ow a
bout
the
Woo
dlan
d G
arde
n.
Thro
ugh
proj
ect w
ork
in to
pic
sess
ions
: Jo
urne
y st
icks
act
ivity
, rea
ding
, dra
ma,
pla
n-ni
ng.
In th
is s
essi
on:
Mod
elle
d w
ritin
g, In
depe
nden
t writ
ing.
Thro
ugh
proj
ect w
ork
in to
pic
sess
ions
: M
ake
the
trail,
use
the
trail,
read
ing,
pla
nnin
g.
In th
is s
essi
on:
Mod
elle
d w
ritin
g, in
depe
nden
t writ
ing.
Intr
oduc
tion:
In
trodu
ce th
e pr
ojec
t to
the
child
ren
and
info
rm th
em th
at w
e w
ill be
lear
ning
abo
ut
our s
choo
l gro
unds
ove
r the
nex
t thr
ee
wee
ks.
Intro
duce
the
inde
pend
ent w
ritin
g ta
sk to
the
child
ren.
Rem
ind
the
child
ren
of th
e dr
ama
and
plan
ning
co
mpl
eted
in to
pic
sess
ions
. Lo
ok a
t the
WIL
F ag
ain.
Tea
cher
then
mod
els
how
to w
rite
the
open
ing
to th
e N
CR
. W
hat m
ust a
gre
at o
pen-
ing
do?
Dis
cuss
in p
airs
and
feed
back
. In
tro-
duce
the
inde
pend
ent w
ritin
g ta
sk to
the
chil-
dren
.
Con
tinue
d ov
erle
af…
.
Diff
eren
tiate
d A
c-tiv
ities
(inc
ludi
ng
adul
t sup
port
):
All
child
ren
are
to w
rite
a no
n-ch
rono
logi
cal r
epor
t abo
ut th
e W
oodl
and
Gar
den
- diff
eren
t writ
ing
fram
es p
ro-
vide
d, b
ut n
o ad
ditio
nal s
uppo
rt.
Bas
e-lin
e as
sess
men
t.
HA
and
Boo
ster
1a:
Chi
ldre
n ar
e to
writ
e a
non-
chro
nolo
gica
l rep
ort a
bout
the
Woo
dlan
d G
arde
n, u
sing
thei
r pla
ns fr
om to
pic
sess
ion.
C
heck
lists
pro
vide
d as
wel
l as
wor
d ba
nk o
f ge
ogra
phic
al v
ocab
ular
y.
Boo
ster
1b
and
Boo
ster
2:
Chi
ldre
n ar
e to
w
rite
a no
n-ch
rono
logi
cal r
epor
t abo
ut th
e W
oodl
and
Gar
den,
usi
ng th
eir p
lans
from
topi
c se
ssio
n. D
iffer
entia
ted
chec
klis
ts p
rovi
ded
as
wel
l as
wor
d ba
nk o
f geo
grap
hica
l voc
abul
ary.
B
oost
er 2
with
writ
ing
fram
e.
LDD
: C
hild
ren
are
to u
se th
e te
ache
r foc
us
wor
k fro
m to
pic
sess
ion
to w
rite
sim
ple
desc
rip-
tions
of t
wo
area
s in
the
Woo
dlan
d G
arde
n.
Writ
ing
fram
e pr
ovid
ed.
Plen
ary:
P
rovi
de c
hild
ren
with
an
outli
ne o
f the
pr
ojec
t and
how
it w
ill d
evel
op.
Chi
ldre
n ev
alua
te th
eir w
ritin
g ag
ains
t the
W
ILF.
Key
que
stio
ns:
N/A
W
hat m
ust a
gre
at o
peni
ng d
o?
How
will
my
chec
klis
t hel
p m
e?
Wha
t am
I lo
okin
g fo
r whe
n I m
ark
your
re-
ports
?
Ass
essm
ent:
Can
the
child
ren
use
the
corr
ect s
truct
ure
to w
rite
a no
n-ch
rono
logi
cal r
epor
t abo
ut
the
Woo
dlan
d ga
rden
?
Can
the
child
ren
writ
e a
non-
chro
nolo
gica
l re-
port,
usi
ng th
e co
rrec
t stru
ctur
e an
d ge
ogra
phi-
cal v
ocab
ular
y?
Can
the
child
ren
use
the
shar
ed p
lann
ing
from
la
st w
eek
to w
rite
a di
ary
entry
?
Materials
This activity is appropriate for pupils in Key Stage 2. Activity Outline
Fieldwork Activity: Journey Sticks
Introduction (5 minutes)
• Discuss the journey to school and ask about specific things they might have passed on the way.
• Show children a map of the area and see if they can identify where the school is. Show them some key features which make identification easier.
• Show the children a map of the school site and see if they can identify where they are on the map, within the school.
Explain the children are now going to create their own map.
Journey (20 minutes)
• Give each child a stick or send them off into a certain area to find a stick for them-selves.
• Each adult should have a selection of wool, paper and crayons.
• Go on a journey round the school and make a journey stick to remind them of the key features that they find on the school site.
• Explain that each time the children pass something they think is important or will help them remember their journey they need to attach something to the stick. E.g. blue for water, a leaf for when you passed a tree, grass for a field etc… Use the string to attach the items to the stick.
• You could also do bark rubbings of particular surfaces on small bits of paper that the children can attach to their sticks. (I wouldn’t recommend doing this if it is windy).
As the children select key features, teacher should take photos of those trail points.
Continued overleaf...
• A map of the area • Sticks (one per child) • One completed line map • Coloured string (5 + colours)
• A4 paper • Pencils • Clipboards • Digital Camera
Line Maps (15 minutes) • Give each child a piece of paper.
• Show them your example line map.
• Ask them to draw a line map of their journey using the journey sticks as a reminder. The children should create symbols to represent their important things and then create a key to inform others what their symbols represent.
Environmental Guidelines • Children should not pick whole flowers or whole leaves from trees.
Activity Outline Continued
This
act
ivity
is s
uita
ble
for c
hild
ren
in K
ey S
tage
2.
Task
: Wha
t can
you
see
and
hea
r in
the
envi
ronm
ent?
Writ
e so
me
of th
e th
ings
you
see
and
hea
r in
the
spac
es?
Stre
et F
urni
ture
Litte
r
Noi
se
Air
Qua
lity
Link
the
wor
ds b
elow
to
som
e of
the
thi
ngs
you
have
see
n in
the
en
viro
nmen
t B
orin
g
N
oisy
U
gly
D
irty
Unf
riend
ly
U
ntid
y
Fieldwork Activity: How I view the environment?
Ta
sk: O
n yo
ur w
alk
arou
nd th
e sc
hool
site
and
the
loca
l are
a re
cord
the
diffe
rent
type
s of
land
-use
you
see
in th
e ta
ble
belo
w.
Res
iden
tial
(hou
ses,
flat
s)
Indu
stria
l
(fact
orie
s, w
are-
hous
es)
Ret
ail
(sho
ps -
food
,
clot
hing
, etc
)
Prof
essi
onal
/
Com
mer
cial
(ban
ks, o
ffice
s)
Ente
rtai
nmen
t/
Leis
ure
(pub
s, te
nnis
club
s)
Publ
ic A
utho
r-
ity
(sch
ools
,
chur
ches
Oth
er
(vac
ant p
rop-
erty
, car
par
k-
ing,
ope
n
spac
es)
Fieldwork Activity: Land Use Recording Activity (Adapted from Humanities Toolkit, 2006)
Use the following table to carry out an assessment of a site’s environmental quality. This exercise could be carried out for a school site or another location and will produce statistical information that allows two sites to be compared.
Fieldwork Activity: Environmental Quality Assessment.
Negative (bad) -2 -1 0 1 2 Positive (good)
No natural features present
Natural features improve the
appearance
Roads and pavement
dangerous
Roads and pavements are safe
Roads and pavements
congested (busy)
Roads and pavements are un-
congested (quiet)
Roads and pavements in poor
condition
Roads and pavements in good
condition
Noisy and polluted
Quiet and unpolluted
atmosphere
Lots of litter
None or not much litter
Lots of graffiti
None or not much graffiti
Property vandalised or
damaged
No evidence of vandalism
Cramped
Lost of space
Threatening
Welcoming
Unsafe
Safe
TOTAL SCORE
TOTAL SCORE
(Adapted from Humanities Toolkit, 2006)
Learning Outcomes • Pupils understand the physical and human features in the area. Locate these fea-
tures on a map. • Pupils become familiar with the location of the school. • Pupils use geographical language correctly to identify land-use in the school
grounds. • Pupils become familiar with the setting of the school, identifying key features.
Summary of Project
The focus was on developing mapping skills in the school building and grounds and investigating the land use of the grounds; what the land is used for and how it has changed? In this project the children investigated the woodland garden in the school grounds and wrote a report in which they used directional language to describe the land use in the garden.
Curriculum Areas • Geography
• Literacy • ICT • Art
Case Study: Investigating Yr 3 the School Grounds
Key Fieldwork activities • Tour the school building and grounds through the Journey Sticks activity (see Field-
work Activity Section of this resource).
• Interview key people (parents, grandparents, school staff, Head Teacher) to estab-lish how land use in the local area has changed over time.
Specific Links to Whole School Agendas (These are additional to the Generic Criteria identified earlier on in this resource).
• The project raises pupils awareness and understanding of the school grounds. • Provides opportunities for parents and carers to be engaged with the school
curriculum. Staff Members involved in Project
Head Teacher Geography Coordinator (also Year 3 Class Teacher) Other Year 3 Class Teacher Eco-Schools Coordinator Healthy Schools Coordinator
Case Study: Investigating Yr 3 the School Grounds
Complete Session Plan can be found in the Appendix.
Samples of work
Case Study: Investigating Yr 3 the School Grounds
Samples of work (Page 1 of 2)
Case Study: Investigating Yr 3 the School Grounds
Samples of work (Page 2 of 2)
Case Study: Investigating Yr 3 the School Grounds
Organisation Address/Contact Summary
Groundwork School Grounds
Development Programme
School Grounds Officer Groundwork Manchester Salford and Trafford Timber Wharf, 42-50 Worsley Street, Manchester, M15 4LD T: 0161 220 1000 F: 0161 220 1090 E: [email protected]
Main sign-posting organisation for Man-chester Schools, offering advice and infor-mation about the process and development of school grounds.
Manchester Education
Partnership
Brian Holmes Associate Humanities Advisor The Tower, Wenlock Way West Gorton Manchester M12 5DR T: 0771 1658 738 E: [email protected]
Guidance and support on developing school grounds projects in geography/humanities to plan, deliver and assess an enriched curriculum and improve pupils achievement.
Learning through Landscapes
T:01962 846 258 E: [email protected] W: www.ltl.org.uk
National charity devoted to helping schools develop their grounds. Membership entitles you to professional support and advice (very good links to curriculum etc) and regular newsletters. Separate membership available for foundation stage settings.
Eco-Schools Award Scheme
T: 01942 824620 E: [email protected] W:www.eco-schools.org.uk
Eco-schools is an award scheme for schools to become more environmentally sustainable.
Manchester Healthy Schools Partnership
T: 0161 882 2300 W: www.mhsa.org.uk
Supports schools to become healthy learn-ing communities. The award has three lev-els, Bronze, Silver and Gold and your school will have the support of a Healthy Schools Link Worker. Many of the targets are relevant to School Grounds.
Manchester Environmental
Education Network (MEEN)
Network Co-odinator T: 0161 273 8881 E: [email protected]
MEEN gives support to schools in teaching Education for Sustainable Development. Provide training for teachers, useful con-tacts and advice on resources. Also support eco-schools work.
Manchester City Council
Principal Health & Safety Officer
Bill Maynard Tel: 0161 234 7052
Manchester City Council
Environmental Education Officer
Gemma Lee or Diane Sakalas T: 0161 953 2760 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: www.manchester.gov.uk/environment/education/index.htm
Can sometimes help with small scale plant-ing and provide flowers, bulbs and trees. Can provide litter pick materials to clean up your school grounds (litter picks, gloves, bags), can also arrange to pick up larger items of rubbish. Contact point to order your copy of the Go-ing for Green resource pack for teachers.
Useful Contacts
Manchester City Council
Environmental Strategy Officer
Jon Follows T: 0161 234 1869 W: www.wildaboutmanchester.info/
Can provide support, guidance and infor-mation on a range of environmental issues.
Greater Manchester Ecology Unit
Mandy Elford T: 0161 3423596 E:[email protected]
They can offer advice and information on wildlife conservation, ecological surveys, habitat creation and management. Will offer specific advice to schools on particular species and grants.
Emerge Recycling T: 0161 223 8200 E: [email protected] W: www.emergemanchester.co.uk
Community business that will collect recy-cling from schools. They can help set up a recycling scheme in your school grounds and run sessions and work shops for stu-dents.
School Travel Plan Coordinators
Manchester City Council
Paul Davies T: 0161 234 3662 E: [email protected]
For help and advice on improving the school journey or writing a School Travel Plan
Fairfield Composting T: 0161 2312139 E: [email protected]
Deliver training sessions to schools on composting and organic gardening. They work with 6 named schools throughout the year.
Parkside Training Centre
Barbara Stafford or Roy Tattersall Manchester City Council, Leisure Services, Parkside Training Cen-tre, Sheepfoot Lane, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 0BW T: 0161 740 3419
They have a demonstration garden set up so that groups (including schools) can see what different types of trees look like. They have a self guided walk but make sure you call in advance to let them know you are coming.
Timber Recycling in Manchester TRIM
Unit 7, Chatsworth Mill, Williams Road, Gorton Manchester M18 7AH T: 0161 223 4400 E: [email protected].
TRIM collect waste timber and sorts it into re-usable grades for sale to the public for DIY and recyclable grades for making into chipboard, animal bedding etc. They offer low cost recycled timber for individual and community projects and practical advice on construction methods. We can offer a safe, open air construction space for one-off projects.
Red Rose Forrest T: 0161 872 1660 E: [email protected]
RRF advise on woodland development and can provide trees/wildflowers free of charge for community projects. May have ideas on funding.
British Trust for Conservation
Volunteers (BTCV) South Manchester
Katie Lowry Davyhulme WwTW, Rivers Lane, Urmston, M41 7JB. T: 07740 899539 W: www.btcv.org.uk
BTCV South Manchester can offer advice and assistance in schools grounds issues. Mainly help with funding or physical labour using dedicated volunteers.
Manchester University Green
Groups
T: 0161 275 2930 May be able to help with clearance and planting works etc..
The Probation Service
Manchester Community Service T: 0161 224 0231
Will provide free labour and supervision. Will do clean ups, planting, painting etc. As well as more creative projects such as sen-sory gardens. Full supervision and tools provided.