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Paradise Pastures: Work Scientifically to Investigate the Incredible Biodiversity Hidden in your School Grounds
This series of lessons uses the Eden Project’s Story-Inspired Learning approach to connect children with the biodiversity in their own school grounds and develop their understanding of the nature and process of scientific enquiry.
Overview of the lesson series
Quote 1
Science is the figuring out of the unknown and learning from mistakes.
Rationale Behind the Lesson Series
Quote 2
Before I thought science was just germs and antibodies and the body but now I think it’s also the living nature and the world itself.
Why do this series of lessons with your class?
It’s tried and tested! We developed this project with a year 5 class in a Cornish school during summer 2021.
In the feedback from the children showed several key trends:
- The realisation that science is a ‘doing type of thing’ – it’s active and is about finding out how the world around you works.
- Development of scientific skills and practical know how (use of equipment).
- Excitement about the living things in their local environment (biodiversity) that they don’t normally notice and the connection between our actions and the environment.
- They enjoyed taking a playful approach to science - blending a narrative with the scientific enquiry.
- They simply enjoyed being outside, getting wet, getting muddy and looking at nature.
Further information
- KS2 Science – Working Scientifically, Plants, Living things in their Habitats, Animals including Humans, Evolution and Inheritance
- KS2 Geography - use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area
- KS2 English – Writing across the curriculum
- KS2 Maths – Data collection and statistics
- Development of scientific enquiry skills and confidence when completing practical work.
- Development of contextual knowledge and understanding of topics from the KS2 science curriculum.
- An appreciation of the nature and purpose of science as an active process, driven by curiosity and a desire to better understand how the world works.
- Discover the biodiversity in their local area and connecting with nature.
- Experience of how to apply a ‘story-inspired learning’ approach to scientific enquiry to spark curiosity and engage the learners.
- Experience of replicable ideas for taking primary science outside which can be used for future classes across the 5 types of Enquiry.
- As well as science, participation in ‘Paradise Pastures’ provided several cross curricular opportunities. For example, giving the children authentic experiences to draw upon in their writing.
Lesson overview and downloadable resources
Overview
The children are introduced to the ‘Whatifs’, the fictional characters, who make Paradise Pastures their home. The Whatifs set the children a challenge which gives their scientific enquiry work over the next few lessons a clear purpose and narrative.
The children begin their practical work outside by completing a Microhike - investigating the vegetation and creatures found living on the ground in Paradise Pastures. The types of enquiry that they predominantly focus on are ‘Observation’ and ‘Identification and Classification’ as well as beginning to think about ‘Pattern Seeking’. They also begin to develop their scientific skills such as ‘observing’, ‘measuring’ and ‘recording data’.
Downloadable resources
Overview
The children delve into the ‘Invisible Underworld’ - the world of soil. They do this by collecting soil samples from Paradise Pastures and investigating them using hand lenses, microscopes and other equipment.
The types of enquiry that they predominantly focus on are ‘Identification and Classification’ as well as ‘Pattern Seeking’. They also continue to develop their scientific skills such as ‘observing’, ‘measuring’ and ‘recording data’.
Downloadable resources
Overview
In this session is based inside. The children use the internet to research the benefits of growing wildflower meadows and how to go about creating one in Paradise Pastures. The type of enquiry that they predominantly focus on is ‘Researching Using Secondary Sources’.
Downloadable resources
Overview
At this stage in the project the children will have completed 3 challenges set by the Whatifs and built up a picture of Paradise Pastures. It is the perfect moment for them to practise their persuasive writing skills in the context of Science Enquiry. The children will have a very clear purpose for their writing and a wealth of direct and recent experience to draw upon.
Extension Activity: Pollinator Pathmaker
Schools can apply to take part in the Pollinator Pathmaker project and plant their own pollinator friendly artwork and garden on their own school grounds.
Downloadable resources
Overview
This lesson describes how to work with the children in order to draw upon the learning from previous sessions and develop a suitable and authentic Scientific Enquiry of their own. There is guidance for the teacher in terms of how to develop a question to investigate, choose the most suitable enquiry type to investigate their question, plan their investigation and carry it out.
Downloadable resources
