YEAR 6

"Every school needs a nature trail and every person -- adult or young -- needs a bit of wilderness if wonder, reverence and awe are to be cultivated."

William O. Douglas, former Justice of the USA's Supreme Court

Tasks, Questions, and Studies

1. Can you make a list of all the trees that you can find? It might be easier to collect one leaf off each tree. Did you know that each tree has a completely different outline to every other tree?

2. How old and how tall are the trees that you find?

3. At one time, a long, long, time ago, there were huge elephant-like animals called mammoths covered in long hair roaming in this area, along with wild pig, beaver, huge animals twice the size of, but looking just, like bulls called aurocs, and big cats the size of tigers - but the climte was very cold with summers lasting just four weeks out of the year.

Try to find out something about the ancient history of your school's area.

4. Build  a mini-pond - even just an old washing up bowl wil be fine...with some stones or a ramp around it to allow animals and insects a chance to get to the water. Some small water plants can be bought for not too much money from a garden centre. If you want a more permanent mini pond the washing up bowl can be buried up to it's lip. A large plastic storage bin like those used in the classroom can be used instead. Your area's 'biodiversity ' will become much greater! Ask your teacher the meaning of the word biodiversity.