| Key Stage
2
A
selection of the learning opportunities available
out
of doors for Key Stage 2: |
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Beach and Harbour Walk
What is the waterside part of Wells like? We walk west along the quay and all the way along Beach Road keeping our eyes open for key features in the landscape. Using a compass we annotate a map to create a record of the Wells’ main features and ask some geographical questions. We could include some bird watching with this activity.
Skill links: Mapwork and Movement & exercise
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| Beach and Pinewoods Walk
Be inspired by two key locations in the wider Wells area: the Beach and Pinewoods! This is a chance for children to immerse themselves in these localities and get creative: oil pastel beach hut artwork, sand sculptures, bookmarks, group poetry, tree based drama or story telling activities are all possibilities.
Skill links: Teamwork, developing written language, creativity, movement/exercise, sensory and speaking & listening |
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Beach Habitat
Get muddy and learn about science at the same time! We use an enquiry approach to explore life on Wells Beach. We set out to find what lives where on the beach by visiting different locations and exploring life on, above and beneath the surface. We consider the adaptations individual animals have that enable them to live in this challenging habitat. We can extend to consider beach food chains and webs. This activity links well to the ‘Birds and Beaks’ activity.
Skill links: Science investigations and biodiversity |
Birds and Beaks
We ask the question ‘why do birds on the marshes have different beaks?’ and set out to find some answers! The session will be an introduction to adaptation, focussing on how birds are suited to living in sandy and muddy habitats. We will watch birds along East Quay, and maybe on the saltmarsh, using binoculars and then undertake a team beak practical back in the classroom. This session links well to ‘Beach Habitat’.
Skill links: Science investigations, teamwork, thinking skills and biodiversity
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| Clue and Compass Trail
Explore Viscount Coke’s estate and spot one of the 800 Fallow deer! Teams of children guide themselves around a trail using a set of clues and a map. Each child has their own compass so that they can calculate bearings for their team. If done correctly the trail takes them on a circular route pas the lake, through woodlands and hopefully close to deer. This is a great chance to develop teamwork skills.
Skill links: Teamwork, application of numeracy, movement & exercise and mapwork |
Coastal Walk
Allow your children to enjoy the simple pleasure of walking in a beautiful place! The Field Centre lies within metres of the famous Norfolk Coast Path. We can use our minibus to undertake a one-way walk along the coast, perhaps from Stiffkey to Wells, experiencing the peace of the saltmarshes and maybe using binoculars to spot birds.
Skill links: Movement & exercise and sensory |
Eco-Tasks
An afternoon of participation! Pupils are assigned a task relating to our status as an Eco-Centre. Children take responsibility for undertaking their own task and reporting back to the rest of the class. Tasks can be as diverse as gardening, cooking, measuring resource use or maintaining our wormery.
Skill links: Speaking and listening, learning for sustainability, citizenship and biodiversity
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Fishing in Wells - past, present and future
This is about fishing for facts not fishing for fish! A geographical enquiry focussing on our local fishing industry. Teams follow a card trail to explore Wells town and quay, and take digital images. We also look for evidence from secondary sources before ‘solving’ a Thinking Skills mystery. This session can be used as an alternative approach to a contrasting locality study.
Skill links: Geographical enquiry, thinking skills, application of numeracy, developing global perspectives, historical contexts, learning for sustainability |
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High-Tech Town Trail
Fancy a high-tech and exciting adventure around Wells town? Teams work together to locate 5 different locations around town, navigating using GPS (Global Positioning Systems). At each location there is a secret and a team challenge to undertake that will help make the ‘big mystery’ more clear!
Skill links: Thinking skills, teamwork, application of numeracy, problem solving, mapwork and adventure |
History Detectives
What was Wells like in times gone by? In small groups we visit locations around the town to look for evidence about what these places were like, or used for, in the past. Children also use old photographs, maps, census data and stories to help build a fuller picture of what this place was once like.
Skill links: Mapwork and historical contexts |
Improving the Environment
What makes a place ‘nice’ or ‘nasty’? We use Wells as a context for considering these questions and ask whether Wells is somewhere we’d like to live. Teams each visit a different area of Wells Town to undertake a survey that measures and records the quality of the environment. Children go on to make suggestions about how their location could be improved.
Skill links: Geographical enquiry, thinking skills, application of numeracy and citizenship |
Land Yachts
Can you complete the mission impossible? Children have 2 hours to create work in teams to create a land yacht from provided materials. Teams then test and modify their yachts ahead of ‘the big race’. Team success doesn’t only come down to final race position; team work skills, design and recyclability of the yachts are also assessed.
Skill links: Teamwork, problem solving and speaking & listening |
Maptastic
What makes us look? What makes us smile? What disgusts us? What do we love? What can we smell? Who is doing what? We take a walk around Wells town, look at it with a different perspective and map the things that interest us. Children develop their understanding of scale, compass directions and navigating using maps.
Skill links: Teamwork and Mapwork |
Meet the Ancestors
Visit the Eceni Village that brings the past alive! Take a step back in time with living historians Jo and Steve. Meet the ancestors at home in the temple, warrior’s hall and shepherd’s cot. Have a go at ancient technologies common to the ancestors of many periods: wattle and daub building, spinning & weaving, milling grain and fire-lighting without matches. There will be an additional charge of £3 per child to include this half day session in your programme.
Skill links: Sensory and historical contexts |
The Mystery of Warham Camp
Have a go at some historical detective work and archaeology! After taking the bus we visit a local Iron Age earthworks archaeological site known as Warham Camp. We collect evidence, use our maths skills and examine found artefacts to work out how this site was made, who lived on this site in the past and how they lived.
Skill links: Teamwork, application of numeracy, problem solving and historical contexts |
Pinewoods – Food Chains
Who eats who in the woods? This science activity helps us understand food chains and food webs. We explore the woodland habitat, collecting minibeasts for close observation and identification using keys. We also look for evidence of other plants and animals. Upon return to the classroom we ‘fit’ all of the organisms from the woods together to show energy flows through the woods.
Skill links: Science investigations and biodiversity |
Pinewoods - Minibeasts
What lurks within the woods? This is a science activity focussing upon the identification and characteristics of minibeasts. We explore the woodland habitat and collect minibeasts. Upon return to the classroom we examine our minibeasts using microscopes, identify them using keys, research their ecology and make a line drawing.
Skill links: Science investigations and biodiversity |
Saltmarsh exploration
A chance to get muddy! We walk down East Quay and onto the saltmarsh to undertake a variety of brief activities that help us discover it’s special qualities. Binoculars are used to explore the bird life present on the marshes. We consider the adaptations birds and plants have in order to survive in this habitat.
Skill links: Developing language, creativity, movement & exercise, biodiversity and adventure |
Teamwork Challenge
Put your teamwork skills to the test! Down in the pinewoods there are a variety of team challenges to work out; from shelter building to negotiating a giant spider’s web! This will give us a chance to develop our skills of communication, compromise, cooperation and problem solving.
Skill links: Thinking skills, teamwork, movement & exercise, problem solving and speaking & listening |
Walter’s Treasure Trail
Hear the tale of what happened to Andrew one dark winter’s afternoon back in 1992! Children learn about Walter’s life, follow clues from his diary and use maps to discover what his secret buried treasure was. Children will develop their map and teamwork skills as well as developing their understanding of Wells Town.
Skill links: Thinking skills, teamwork, application of numeracy and mapwork |
What is Wells like?
Big, small, busy, quiet, high-rise, traditional, green or urban? Geographical questions are the starting point for the day's exploration about the town. We set out on a trail around Wells in teams to find answers to our questions and take images as evidence using a digital camera. We will explore physical and human features, provision of services, leisure facilities, jobs, housing and transport as well as the impact of flooding on the town. There is an option to go on to undertake a shop survey looking at land use in the town.
Skill links: Geographical enquiry, mapwork and historical contexts |
What should the Grays Building be?
An opportunity to investigate a real geographical issue. In 2005 there was a huge fire in the Grays Building and it has lain derelict since. But what should the building be turned into? What does Wells need? What do the people of Wells want? We will explore this issue and make our own suggestions – using evidence to back up our choices!
Skill links: Geographical enquiry, speaking and listening, mapwork, learning for sustainability and citizenship |
Why is Wells Beach like it is?
A chance for your pupils to become geographers! We take an enquiry approach to answering the question ‘why is Wells beach like it is?’. We’ll visit the beach and record the landscape in a field sketch, explore the features and take samples for later analysis in the classroom, as well as examining maps and images. We will use the terms erosion, transportation and deposition and look at flood prevention features.
Skill links: Geographical enquiry and mapwork |
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