Month: April 2018

The contents of the cache and related activities will be linked to the teaching and learning of the Food chain in and around Airthrey Loch (Stirling University very own private loch). The geocache is aimed at educating primary school aged children about food chains. This concept will be taught through the three activities provided within the geocache. The first activity will provide the pupils who find the geocache with a challenge, this will be to find a toy duck hidden in the area, the pupils will be given a single clue to help them locate the duck. This will keep the children engaged and enthusiastic about the subject as the challenge is fun and different from usual lessons they’d have in a classroom.

 

 

The activity is relevant to the loch and the educational contents of the geocache. The geocache will include two kazoos, the children will be encouraged to try and imitate the noise a duck would make using the kazoos. The kazoos give the children something fun to do whilst keeping them on the subject of the loch’s food chain. The third and final activity in the geocache will be an inquiry-based approach and will include a list of pictures and names of 7 organisms native to the loch, the children will then be asked as a group to put the animals in what they think the correct order from top to bottom of the food chain would be. (The correct order will be revealed at the end.) This should spark curiosity among the children and be the catalyst for questions. This geocache can be adapted for any habitat by changing the 4-10 animals used in activity 3.

 

 

 

 

The place in which we shall be placing our geocache lies in an area right next to Airthrey Loch under the end of the bridge. Since this is next to the loch, it is one of the many places where the ducks are going to be, for reasons such as: feeding, looking after their babies, excreting waste, reproducing or simply a place to be while walking around the loch.

 

 

 

In relation to education for sustainability, this geocache mainly relates to global goal number 12 which looks at responsible consumption as it makes the children think about the effect that one change can have in the food chain. They can also realise their own impact on the local and global environment as well and in turn they may change their actions in regard to their future actions. This geocache can also be related to global goals 14 and 15 which relate to life on land and under water. It relates to these goals as the food chain can impact both of these land forms even if the animals in that particular food chain are not in the land as the possibly infected animal can contaminate a wide variety of sources.

 

 

University of Stirling students> Design by:

Alexander Orr (3rd Yr)

Mark Revie (3rd Yr)

Glen Kelly (3rd Yr Heritage BA student)

 

We’ve got Snow Food

The geocache was located North of Airthrey Loch on the University of Stirling campus, as illustrated below. The aim of the outdoor activities in the cache was to encourage pupils to construct a food chain based on organisms specific to that habitat. This learning was then linked to  sustainability and specifically climate change and its effect on organisms in an ecosystem.

*This geocache is temporary waymarked and will therefore not be available on geocaching.com

 

 

Learning Objectives

The purpose of this geocache was for pupils to use inquiry based learning to construct and understand how food chains work using a habitat on the University of Stirling campus. We chose this location due to it allowing the geocache activities to be place responsive.  The pupils could use the environment around them to help prompt the decisions they made. Additionally, we looked at impacts on food chains and how external factors such as extreme weather can have an effect on the resulting food chain and the organisms within it. With the aid of visuals, the pupils then recalled recent weather events and discussed the impact climate change could have on our weather systems. Furthermore, how human impacts potentially lead to climate change resulting in extreme weather such as ‘The Beast From The East’.

 

 

Through this discussion the pupils were able to suggest ways in which they could be more sustainable in their day to day lives, they began to see the impacts humans have on the world around them. We specifically designed the activities to be pupil led with prompts to aid in their discussions.

 

Task One: Food Chain

The first activity involved the pupilsf constructing a food chain using pegs and string and organism cards. They worked together as a team to understand what each card represented and its position in the food chain. We then took away certain species and discussed what the effect would be on the other organism populations. We used open questioning to stimulate discussion around what happens when populations grow too large or near extinction in a given habitat.

 

Task Two: Impacts on the Food Chain

Task two followed on from our discussions surrounding the food chain. We placed a rubber duck on top of a plastic tub of water, using the lid to represent ice on the loch. The children were very quick to come up with ideas and suggestions for what this would mean for the ducks in terms of accessing their food source.

 

 

 

Task Three: Discussion of impacts on extreme weather and everyday living

The final activity progressed from looking at a hypothetical situation with the duck on top of the tub to when this would have happened in recent times. The children  related this to the recent extreme weather and independently began a discussion regarding climate change and possible consequences of it. Then with the help of the supporting adults we further questioned and considered what possible causes of climate change are instigated by humans. To finish off the geocache activity the children suggested ways in which we make our day to day lives more environmentally sustainable, for example recycling.

 

 

Links to Curriculum for Excellence Experience & Outcomes

Early/First Level:

I can explore examples of food chains and show an appreciation of how animals and plants depend on each other for food. SCN 1-02a

Second Level:

I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally- responsible way. SOC 2-08a

The geocache is designed to be linked to one of the ten big ideas in science. We felt it linked best to; ‘8. Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they are often dependent on or in competition with other organisms’.

Holly Robertson & Laura Stansfield (3rd Year University of Stirling – Primary Education with Environmental Science), Yvonne Kewell  (3rd Year University of Stirling – Heritage and Conservation)

This geocache was a temporary way-marked cache – it is not available on geocaching.com

Thanks to Mr Alan Atkinson and all the pupils from Deanston Primary School who came along to help us trial our geocache.

 

 

Geocache Blog

“Cold you Imagine” focuses on introducing the idea of improving biodiversity. It allows the children to explore and discover the environment of Airthrey Loch through the viewpoint of biodiversity. To reach a place-essential learning experience, the intentions were to utilise the area for identification and discussion towards sustainability of biodiversity specific to this loch, as well as discussing a wider perspective for the need for biodiversity. This geocache promotes developing a positive environmental ethos towards Global Goals 13 (climate action), 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land).

 

Activity One

This geocache* began by engaging the pupils in a discussion about what species they could see on and around the loch and surrounding environment. By allowing the pupils to identify that there were a variety of species and plant life visible, we scaffolded their discussions toward discovering the scientific term of “bio-diversity” from their prior knowledge, observations and discussions at the loch about what they could see.

 

 

 

 

                     

Activity Two

To demonstrate the effects of human impacts around the loch and surrounding environment, cards with an array of positive, neutral and negative impacts were sorted by the pupils onto a clothes-line scale. Negative effects on the environment, such as “littering” or “too much algae on the loch” were placed towards the larger tree. Towards the narrower tree the positive impacts were placed, such as “leaf litter” or “many different species visible”. The trees where this was tied were used as a visual representation of the scale, one was a wide tree and the other was a thin and narrow tree. This activity was pupil-led with support from the teacher to discuss the pupils’ justifications and reasoning for their choices. The images on the cards were images of the loch area where the pupils were completing the geocache and pupils were engaged in a discussion about which of the factors they could see at the loch that day, linking the activity directly to the environment where it took place.

 

 

 

           
Activity Three

Following on from the first two activities, the pupils were encouraged to think and discuss with their peers about the possible actions that can be taken to promote positive attitudes/influences about biodiversity. This began with the area around the loch, then widened to other locations where the pupils visit (i.e. their school, local park, house). This discussion is vital to the development of sustainability as a learning intention, as this shows the pupil understanding of the responsibilities and actions that can be taken to improve the quality of the environment.

 

 

Curriculum Links: Experiences and Outcomes

I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally-responsible way.              SOC 2-08a

I can sample and identify living things from different habitats to compare their biodiversity and can suggest reasons for their distribution.                        SCN 3-01a

Through contributing my views, time and talents, I play a part in bringing about positive change in my school and wider community.                           HWB 0/1/2/3/4-13a

 

*This geocache was temporarily way-marked and therefore not available on geocaching.com

 

3rd Yr University of Stirling Students – Primary Education – Environment Specialism

Kirstie-Ann Hurrell

Mhairi Donald

Kara Connelly

Natasha Miller

 

The ‘Water Great Idea’ geocache was temporarily waymarked beside a stream that flowed into Airthrey Loch, which is found in the grounds of the University of Stirling and located near the Pathfoot building. The aim of the cache was for the children to learn about hydro-electric power through dam building. The cache is place sensitive as it uses a stream on campus and a discussion was made on what would happen if the dam was built on this stream as this feeds into the loch, by doing this it added to the value of the learning.

 

 

The site is easy to access as it is located beside the public footpath and due to the woodland located by the stream it made it easier for the children to find and use natural materials in the activity. The woodland also provided a natural barrier so that the children could not get too close to the loch.

 

 

Our geocache can offer further learning on sustainability through their exploration of one of the renewable energy resources. The big idea in science that this geocache follows is sustainability and energy which links to Global Sustainable Development Goal number 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.

 

 

Cache Contents

• Instructions
• Information sheet
• Recording sheet
• Rope
• Balls
• Whiteboard markers

 

The children were encouraged to use the GPS system independently along with their knowledge of compass points to navigate to and locate the geocache.

Pupils were encouraged to open the box and explore the contents within. One pupil read out the activities for the geocache.

 

In the first activity the children were assigned roles such as ball keeper, recorder and time keeper. The aim of the activity was for the children to time how long the ball took to get from Point A to B using a pre-measured piece of string. This would show the power of the stream.

 

The second activity was for the children to build a dam using the natural resources around them. The aim of the activity was to see if the children could stop the flow of the stream.

In the third activity the children re-recorded the speed of the ball at the same point in the stream to see if it was impacted by the dam. This followed on with a discussion about what they observed and the power of the stream.

For the fourth activity we gathered the children in a circle to discuss how humans could use the power of the streams for their benefit which lead on to discussions about renewable energy and how they can be more sustainable with energy use.

 

 

Links to the Curriculum for Excellence

There are links throughout the geocache to literacy and numeracy, through discussions, recording and reading instructions.

First Level

I am aware of different types of energy around me and can show their importance to everyday life and my survival. SCN 1-04a

I can consider ways of looking after my school or community and can encourage others to care for their environment. SOC 1-08a

I can take appropriate action to ensure conservation of materials and resources, considering the impact of my actions on the environment. TCH 1-06a

I understand how technologies help provide for our needs and wants, and how they can affect the environment in which we live. TCH 1-07a

Second Level

I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally- responsible way. SOC 2-08a

I can analyse how lifestyles can impact on the environment and Earth’s resources and can make suggestions about how to live in a more sustainable way. TCH 2-06a

 

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Water Great Idea was a temporary way-marked cache – it will not be available on geocaching.com

Thanks to Mr Atkinson and all the pupils from Deanston Primary School who all came along to help us trial these. We had a great day with you all.

By Megan Skeldon, Christie Allan and Emma Morrison (3^rd year University of Stirling – Primary Education)