Artists

Temperate Rainforest in the Pacific Northwest (Age 7 to 11)

Quality AssuredCategory:SciencePublisher:Wildscreen ARK (previously ARKive)

Henri Rousseau 1 Habitats

This resource enables the children to conduct a hands-on investigation of the living things in a small local ecosystem, catalogue their findings and then compare their findings to that of the temperate rainforest. The comparison provides children with an appreciation for the uniqueness and biodiversity of the temperate rainforest. They are able to understand that this ecosystem is the home for a range of endangered species whose survival will depend on keeping this habitat intact. This can then lead into a research study around the destruction of these habitats.

Save our home!

Quality AssuredCategory:Cross curricularPublisher:Wellcome Trust

Henri Rousseau 3 Destruction of habitats

  What is the common link between chocolate biscuits and orangutans? In this activity children learn about rainforests, their location, structure and some of the animals and plants that live in them. They look at rainforests in Sumatra and how deforestation has occurred in order to grow oil palm plantations and how this has affected Sumatran orangutans.

The children can research the reasons for and against the destruction of the rainforest habitats and the threats they are/have been faced with over the past few decades. What are  the effects that this has had on the animals, plant and people who live in the rainforests and beyond the immediate environment to a more global potential impact . Is there a link between deforestation and climate change?

Beloved Burger

Quality AssuredCategory:SciencePublisher:Wellcome Trust

Henri Rousseau 4 Destruction of habitats

 This play looks at how an increase in the demand for meat can affect tropical rainforests. It explores some of the consequences for; animals and plants living in these areas, farmers and our planet. It would great for use in an assembly or in class, when learning about rainforests, healthy eating and sustainability.  It contains roles for everyone in a class, music and sound effects and guidance for performance.

Challenge the class to think about what steps they can take to help save the rainforests. Following the research on this very emotive issue have a debate with the children taking sides as either conservationists or foresters or coffee/cocoa/rubber farmers.

The children could then discuss any local areas where habitats have been destroyed ( new building projects or bypasses etc ) and begin to research and  study how they could support the habitat with the creation of insect homes (bug huts ), wildlife gardens (butterfly friendly plants) and feeding areas e.g. bird feeders etc.

Sky have developed a range of resources based around saving the rainforest which include videos , lesson plans ,activities and  competitions.   

Snap science: teaching framework - year 3

Quality AssuredCategory:SciencePublisher:HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Andy Goldsworthy 3

This resource provides two activities which support learning about plants. Children plan to carry out six visits to an evergreen and a deciduous tree over a year to see how their leaves change over time. They choose the trees they will visit and observe and record key features about the trees, including measuring the smallest and largest leaves that they find.  In a second activity, children learn about different methods of seed dispersal and look for seeds at different times of the year in the same area. The presentation of this work can be in the style of Andy Goldsworthy and photographs taken each time of the science /art piece and then compared over the year.

Parts of a Plant and Their Functions *suitable for home teaching*

Quality AssuredCategory:SciencePublisher:Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS)

Monet Plants 1 

In the 1890s, Monet developed a Japanese-style water-garden around the pond at his home in Giverny.The garden became an ‘outside studio’ the pond become a world in itself and inspired many of his paintings.

This resource has a variety of activities which introduces the children to the structure and function of the parts of a flowering plant. The ideas are varied such as splat, loop cards and bingo

Just Add Water

Quality AssuredCategory:BiologyPublisher:Froglife

Monet Plants 2

This resource links to the topics of living things and their habitats (ponds) and changes. The colourful booklet provides a step-by-step guide to creating a pond, large or small, to provide a habitat in which frogs, newts and other wildlife flourish. It looks at the value of wildlife ponds, the plants and animals that could be added, ways to encourage children to visit the pond and how to look after it. Information is provided about the seasonal changes that occur within a pond and the types of plants and animals which may be found at different times of the year.

 Ideas for activities are suggested including: pond-dipping, observation of different animals and plants and identification and classification.

Grow Sunflowers, Make Plant Pots *suitable for home teaching*

Quality AssuredCategory:SciencePublisher:National Non-Food Crops Centre

Sunflowers 

This resource, from the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), explains how children can grow their own sunflowers and how plant oils can be made into plastic. It helps to demonstrate how sunflowers can be grown to produce a renewable supply of plant oil. This activity allows children to care for and watch sunflowers grow. Seeds are planted in Spring and can grow over the Summer. The activity sheet provides full instructions.