Steve Backshall Learning Resources

CFE Second Level

Resources created by Linda Murray

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Contents

About Steve Backshall Page 2Tiger Wars and Ghosts of the Forest Page 3Make the most of the Authors Live event Page 3Cross-Curricular Activities Page 5Eco-Schools and Outdoor Learning including Forest School Page 10John Muir Page 11Commonwealth Games Page 12Transition Activities Second from to Third Level Page 12

About Steve Backshall

Steve Backshall is a BAFTA winning British Naturalist, writer and television presenter. From his early childhood he has been interested in all things wild. He studied English and Theatre Studies at Exeter University before embarking on an amazing merry-go-round of wild and exciting adventures. He has studied martial arts in Japan, travelled around Indonesia, writing for the Rough Travel Guides series and carved out his early career in adventure naturalist programme presenting in Columbia!

He has been the National Geographic Channel International’s ‘adventurer in residence’ before moving to the BBC’s Natural History Unit where he presented ‘The Really Wild Show’. Reading over his biography details on his official website you begin to appreciate the breadth and depth of his experiences in the wild. He is best known for BBC's Deadly 60. On camera he has been seen making first ascents of mountains, exploring unknown cave systems, being bitten by snakes, a crocodile and even a shark!

He has published a number of non-fiction books including The Wildlife Adventurer’s Guide and Looking for Adventure. He is now writing The Falcon Chronicles, a series of 4 adventure novels for older children (and adults!). This resource focusses on the first 2, Tiger Wars and Ghosts in the Forest, where Steve draws from his experiences in these wild and untamed lands.

● The official Steve Backshall website: http://www.stevebackshall.com/

● The Meet Our Authors Scottish Book Trust event with Steve Backshall: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/authors-live/authors-live-events/steve-backshall

Note to teachers using this resource

It is assumed that when completing the suggested activities teachers and learners will have considered facts relevant to the task or will make research part of the learning.

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Websites have been suggested in many of the activities as starting points, but as we all know there is a wealth of information out there; some sources are more reliable than others. Internet safety and source reliability should also be addressed during these activities. We are assuming too, that books are available to most classes but have not made any recommendations as not everyone will have the same texts available to them.

Introducing The Falcon Chronicles

Tiger Wars

Saker is on the run from the only life he knows. From India to the Himalayas and Tibet he’ll be pursued by hunting dogs, mercenaries, spies, thieves, and assassins in his quest to set free the most majestic, lethal and valuable of all the predators – the Tiger

Saker’s story comes from my imagination, but is set in the very real wild world I know from my expeditions. I’ve tried to fill Tiger Wars with intrigue, danger, adventure, exotic wildlife and dramatic location. I hope I’ve made these things come to life, and that you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it. SteveOrion Books

Ghosts Of The Forest

Saker and Sinter have split up. Sinter is a nurse in the shanties of Ho Chi Minh city. Saker is with the peace-loving Penan, deep in the lush jungles of Borneo. But they are being watched. And pursued. The Prophet has not forgiven them their betrayal. The Clan will take their revenge…On their most dangerous, daredevil and audacious mission yet, Saker and Sinter fight to save not only themselves, but orangutans doomed to become ghosts of the forest.

The jungles of Borneo are the true dark heart of adventure, peppered with unknown species, forgotten tribes, unexplored forests, mountains and caves. But they are under attack. Runaways Saker and Sinter are on a lethal mission…I hope that you enjoy reading their story as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. SteveOrion Books

Make the most of Steve’s Authors Live event

Note: If you miss Steve’s live event, you can still view it via our Watch on Demand section: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/authors-live/watch-on-demand

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Prepare for watching the video by finding out about Steve Backshall: what is important to him? What is he doing that you find inspiring? Read extracts from interviews with Steve to discover more about him. Plan to send your question in for the live event.http://www.ngkids.co.uk/did-you-know/WATCH-CBBCs-Steve-Backshall-Deadly-60-clips-and-interview http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/articles/interviews/steve-backshall-deadly-60-interview?page=all LIT 2-07a, LIT 2-10a

Watch Steve in action in his programme Deadly 60 and look at his presenting style. Consider his presentation skills and why he is so popular. What skills do you have – or will you need - to help you make it on your own show? http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/deadly-60 ENG 2-03a

Steve is likely to discuss predators as they feature heavily in his novels. What is a predator? What are their traits?

He is passionate about conservation and the protection of wildlife and both also feature in his novels. Try to familiarise yourself with some of the language or ‘buzz words’ around these subjects before the live event. This should help you to follow any discussions which involve these issues.http://www.actforwildlife.org.uk/ http://www.tcv.org.uk/ ENG 2-03a

Read the reviews of Tiger Wars – whilst readers have a different point of view about the plot and the novel in general, there are some common themes emerging from the comments – what are they? Why do you think the reviews are varied? What do you think? Write your own reviews and compare them as a class. Watch this short video clip of Steve talking about the book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Z6vC_5d88

During The Event

Watch Steve’s delivery: this is a live broadcast, so no rehearsals! Is this any different to his programmes? What differences are there and is he just as engaging, or does he have even more of a ‘presence’ in a live situation? Discuss this afterwards.

Take notes on any aspect of the natural world you wish to learn more about. After the event research this further. ENG 2-03a, LIT 2-05a

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Cross-curricular activities

● Tiger PoachingIn Tiger Wars, the horrors and relative futility of poaching feature heavily: how this is leading to the near extinction of certain animals. Research the ever-growing issues of poaching (and smuggling) and design the paperwork required for an anti-poaching campaign. This might include posters, leaflets and a filmed infomercial. Set up a debate on the subject to help raise awareness of this issue.LIT 2-26a, ENG 2-27A, SOC 2-15A, HWB 2-37Ahttp://www.savetigersnow.org/problem http://www.wpsi-india.org/tiger/poaching_crisis.php

● DeforestationSteve Backshall brings home the shocking reality of the effects of deforestation in Borneo. He raises these issues through describing raids by local Penan tribesmen on logging company equipment. Investigate what is happening around the world and prepare a report which you will present in a special eco-assembly. Plan the whole assembly including appropriate songs and interactive activities as well as your report.

You could use our John Muir resources and explore creative responses to areas of natural beauty: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/teaching-resources-cpd/john-muir

Think carefully about your overall aim – perhaps you wish to organise fundraising to adopt an endangered animal, sponsor an area of natural beauty or buy a piece of rainforest. There are opportunities here for whole-school involvement through vertical learning.SOC 2-08b, SOC 2-13ahttp://borneoproject.org/borneo/introduction-to-borneo

● Novel scene theatre box Watch the Teachers TV video link and observe teacher Tracy Anderson’s demonstration of how she uses theatre boxes to assess her history topic. Adapt this to recreate a chapter or scene in the novel or, as more of a challenge, the ‘missing chapter’: suggest that Steve Backshall may have had too many chapters to include in the final novel and had to cut one. Ask your class to think about what that might have been and have your learners write the chapter or scene.EXA 2-02a, LIT 2-04a

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http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Teachers-TV-History-Theatre-Boxes-6084867/

● The Saker FalconSaker is so named because of the qualities he shows during his challenge. Look into the plight of the Saker Falcon and develop a fundraising and awareness campaign for the survival of this falcon. Make posters and brochures and prepare presentations to convince others of your cause.LIT 2-24a http://www.savethesaker.com/

Every member of The Clan has a tattoo indicating their given name. They are awarded their names by their leader, The Prophet. They are given a challenge to prove themselves and use all their skills. They are all named after animals, the animal they most closely resemble in the challenge. Thinking of the animal you would be if offered a similar challenge:what would your tattoo look like?

Alternatively, why not create your own challenge?LIT 2-09a, LIT 2-27a

● Bug Recipe BookSaker and Sinter have to fend for themselves in the wild when they are on the run. They eat an interesting variety of bugs and beasts. Look through the novels and find any reference made to their outdoor cooking. Can you transfer these into a recipe booklet and make them sound attractive. Find out about other edible bugs and create recipes for them. Hold an ‘I’m a Celebrity’ style cooking contest where people try to eat foodstuffs they currently don’t like e.g. tripe or liver.LIT 2-28a, HWB 2-34a, Eng 2-27a

● Fears and PhobiasSteve Backshall offers us an insight into the often debilitating fear of small spaces; claustrophobia. He is very frank about how he came to suffer from this and in an almost autobiographical account, has Saker suffer the same. What do you fear? Write a story which involves the main character suffering from a phobia or fear, finding they are in a situation where they must try to overcome this. How did they triumph?LIT 2-20a, ENG 2-30a

● Sink Hole AdventureSteve Backshall’s novels feature some amazing settings. Some of the action in his novels takes place in or around either sink holes or caves. Imagine you have fallen down a sink hole! What happened next? Where did the hole take you? Think about

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all the features a journey through the ground might include: the scent and feel of the earth, the roots and undergrowth which may have followed you down and the impact when you finally reach the bottom. What did you find when you came to a stop? Caves…tunnels? In Ghosts in the Forest Saker and Sinter find themselves using a series of tunnels to be able to cross the border undetected. The tunnels have been abandoned after being used as hiding spaces, even living quarters and are riddled with booby-traps. Could this be part of your adventure? For a quick comparison, read the extract from Stig of the Dump by Clive King where Barney falls down a quarry cliff edge and falls into Stig’s cave.LIT 2-20a

● Lost CitiesSaker and Sinter come across a lost city in the forest where nature was taking over; ‘statues, buildings and stonework…consumed by the jungle’. If you were to come across a lost city, what would it look like? Who would have lived there and in what period of history? Investigate an appropriate period in time and write a descriptive story about discovering the city and what you find as you walk through the once teeming streets. If you wish to write about something a little closer to home, consider creating a story around a lost or hidden garden, looking at either The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, in written or film form, or the real-life Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. Heligan is very appropriate for a World War One project as its demise is attributed to the gardeners heading off to the war. http://heligan.com/the-story LIT 2-20a

AlternativelyCity in a box: create a lost city model using recycled materials and a shoe box. Can you make it look similar to the one in the novel, or perhaps your own city story?EXA 2-06a

● Deadly ArtNot sure where to start when drawing wildlife? Try to follow some of the directions given for the Deadly 60 animals. Create a wildlife gallery. Think about animals not featured on the website. Can you create your own set of instructions and then test them out on another class by getting them to follow your instructions?EXA 2-06a, EXA 2-04ahttp://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/deadly-art

● Jungle MasksChoose one particular predator named in the novels and complete a design study using an ideas board: the board should include a photograph of your animal’s

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head/face, a colour swatch, material samples and a few different testers e.g. papier mache, collage, oil pastels, paper layers. Select the most successful medium and make a full-sized mask. Display these for other classes to view and hold a vote for the most successful. Write a shape or acrostic poem to accompany your board.

Take it further and hold a ‘predator ball’. You can use Classic FM’s list of music inspired by animals to create dances and artwork: http://www.classicfm.com/discover/fast-and-friendly-guides/classical-music-inspired-animals/ EXA 2-02a, EXA 2-03a

● Surprise! Tiger ArtStudy the painting Surprise! Tiger in a Tropical Storm by Henri Rousseau. There is a whole art project planned around it. Details including lesson plans and a downloadable image of the painting are available to help you plan your project. Look for other jungle art by Rousseau and plan a whole art project around them.EXA 2-07ahttps://public.rgfl.org/picturethis/2011%20Surprise%20Tiger/2011%20Surprised_Tiger_In_A_Tropical_Storm.aspx

● Good versus Evil? Form a Counter-ClanSaker is brought up by an organisation called The Clan. They are trained to the highest degree to be able to complete dangerous missions which have a decidedly illegal or unethical nature – they are trained to kill. Create a Counter-Clan, one whose sole purpose is to do good in the world. Where would this clan live and what would they need to be trained in? Their training would have to be as intense as that of The Clan, but how will it differ in terms of the treatment of clan members? What sort of missions would they be given? Perhaps they could be an eco-based or conservation group? Could your eco committee be another clan making a positive difference?HWB 2-10a

● Meditation and Relax KidsThe pace of these novels is fast and furious; the action stressful and charged with emotion. Sometimes our lives can feel a little like this and everyone needs to be able to find a way to release tension. Meditation features in this book series. How can we find ways to help us relax, release anxieties and worries and generally find a sense of well-being? Why not try some yoga activities and breathing techniques, or use Relax Kids Meditations. Relax Kids has a range specifically for second level. Some items are free and others cost a small amount.HWB 2-02ahttp://www.relaxkids.com/UK/Downloads

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● Ethical TradingInvestigate what is meant by ethical trading. Look into companies listed on the ethical trading top 100 companies list, perhaps as part of an enterprise project. Why are they considered to be the best and what does this mean for you? Look into Fair Trade and its impact around the world. Sign up for One Planet Picnic and contribute towards your Eco Schools project.LIT 2-09a, HWB 2-35a, SOC 2-15ahttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/one-planet-picnic

● Dark Sky StatusSaker and Sinter emerge from the forests to look over to the west, to the city of Phnom Pen where they see ‘the sky…more yellowy grey then elsewhere, the taint of human pollution’. Investigate dark skies and look at what is required to achieve Dark Sky Status: there are lots of resources including lesson plans and mini projects to be found in the Education section of the site. Plot out international dark sky places – where can they be found in Scotland? What did these areas have to do to qualify? Coll and Galloway Forest would be a start. Links can be found through the UK site.SCN 2-20bhttp://www.darksky.org/ http://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/int_dark_sky_places.html http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

● The Penan Tribe and the BajauSaker is accepted by the Penan tribe in Borneo and tries to help them to protect their sacred homelands from the loggers. Investigate this tribe and write reports on them: their lifestyle, their beliefs and culture and the threats from the modern world. What more can we do to help preserve these special spaces and people? There are many sites and articles which will offer research information. There are opportunities here to discuss reliable sources and subjective/objective journalism.SOC 2-15a/c, SOC 2-16bhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/tribe/tribes/penan/

Later, Saker seeks help from ‘sea-gypsies’ or Bajau people. They are another example of an indigenous race whose lives are threatened by what is happening to our planet and partly, by what they are doing to it too. Research the problems facing the Bajau and write a report for your Eco Newsletter. Again, there is lots of information available online.A possible first web-stop might be

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http://amazingstuff.co.uk/humanity/bajau-laut-sea-gypsies/#.U2UF2aKVhvA SOC 2-15a/c, SOC 2-16b

Eco-schools and Outdoor LearningConsider how you and your class might contribute to your school’s eco work. If one of your current flag campaign’s two main topics is Biodiversity or Sustaining Our World, perhaps you could consider how you can use the inspiration found through these novels to help you implement a project which would dovetail with the work currently being undertaken. If neither of these topics feature in this flag, try to develop an action plan which may be used for your next flag: remember to consider the results of your most recent Environmental Review before you begin as this will help you to appreciate what needs to be addressed. When you click on the ‘Further Information’ link in each topic you will find the Objectives and Learning Outcomes. These are very useful when creating focus.

Biodiversity

http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/sustainable-development-education/eco-schools/ten-topics/biodiversity/

Sustaining Our Worldhttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/sustainable-development-education/eco-schools/ten-topics/sustaining-our-world/

Take part in World Earth Hour or hold your own event. Use their resources to make your Earth Hour wish for the world, making a constellation with stars you have made. The WWF have provided information and resources about a number of endangered species and now have ‘beyond the hour’ activities as well as sign up for 2015.http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/

For more cosmic activities, see our Lucy Hawking learning resources: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/teaching-resources-cpd/second-level-upper-primary/author-resources/lucy-hawking SOC 2-08a, SCN 2-04a/b, TCH 2-12a/b

● Outdoor Learning and Forest School If you have a Forest School Leader in your school or local area, arrange a block of sessions and liaise over the planning. Forest School is pupil-led and through studying any of Steve Backshall’s adventure books, your learners will be brimming with ideas. This is a great way to bring the action to life! Never think you are in an area which does not lend itself to Forest School: there is a school in London which has their Forest School based around the one tree growing in their playground. If you do not have a

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Forest School Leader available, contact your local authority and find out what is possible in terms of outdoor ‘survival skills’ activities. Don’t forget to prepare fully detailed risk assessments. Write a Forest School diary if you are able to have a few weeks out there in Forest School.

Saker and Sinter build lean-to shelters to cope with nights out in the wild: get your learners to build their own shelters, either with string and tarpaulins, or if possible, natural materials only.

Tool skills – look at the range of tools available for Forest School activities including fixed blade knives and bow saws. Use these to make other tools, or try some simple whittling. Vegetable peelers are a good starting point for this.

Saker builds a fire most nights for warmth and to cook food. Replicate this at Forest School in small groups. Think about what foodstuffs you could cook with limited utensils and have a go. This could also be done using a barbeque grill if this is more accessible. A storm kettle would be another easy to use utensil which would at the very least give you hot water to then use to make nettle tea, etc.

Giving your learners choice, help them to select other bushcraft skills explained in the books and try some of them out.

Saker has a huge knowledge of fauna and flora for the areas in which he lived. Encourage your learners to do the same for your local area. You could also try to introduce mapping skills for the area.

A mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the Universe. Research this artform and make your own mandalas on the ground using natural debris and leaves. For inspiration, look at an artist such as Kathy Klein at http://www.danmala.com/ HWB 2-02a, 04a, 08a, 16a

Some useful websites for the above activities:https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/ http://www.foresteducation.org/country.php?page=src&ctry=s http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/

John Muir

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John Muir was born in Scotland and left to live a new life in the States. He is one of the most influential conservationists to hail from Scotland and went on to become known as the ‘father of national parks’. Spend some time researching his life and work and how this has influenced conservation today.

Consider developing a project for the John Muir Award. Developing a project is easy to do, and doesn’t have to involve much travelling or introductory work. The four themes of any award challenge are Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share. This can dovetail with other eco work in the school and may cover areas required for Green Flag status. http://www.jmt.org/jmaward-home.asp

The John Muir Way was opened in April 2014. It stretches 134 miles across the heartland of Scotland and maps out a route from the town of Dunbar, his birthplace, through Scotland’s first national park and on to Helensburgh where Muir sailed to his the States. Map out the way and pinpoint all areas of natural beauty or conservation along the way.AlternativelyDesign your own ‘Way’, mapping out places of interest, fine landscapes and accessible routes. The websites for the John Muir Way and the national parks should help to give you some ideas. http://johnmuirway.org/ http://www.visitscotland.com/about/nature-geography/national-parks/

We have a graphic novel and teaching resource available for John Muir. The novel has been sent to every secondary school in Scotland, but you can also download it for free from our site . The activities suggested are aimed at Third Level but many can be adapted to suit the needs of a Second Level class and will lend themselves to a transition project. http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/teaching-resources-cpd/john-muir SOC 2-08a, SOC 2-09a, SOC 2-14a, HWB 2-07a

Commonwealth GamesWith Glasgow 2014 fast approaching we are all looking for interesting ways to engage our learners. The link below takes you to the ‘Green’ page for the Games which holds a lot of information about why Glasgow is set to be the most eco-friendly Games to date.

https://www.glasgow2014.com/press-releases/going-green-glasgow-2014

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Why not consider think about how to pass all this information on to a younger class? Create a powerpoint which explains the main features of the Green Programme. You’ll have to unpick all the information and decide what you can rewrite into child-speak.

Map out the city of Glasgow and plan a ‘green day’ during the Games. Where would you go, what transport would you use and how long would it take you? You might need to arm yourself with timetables for both the Games events and the public transport.

The city’s buildings are being reutilised as state of the art sports venues. What would you do if the Games came to your town? Which buildings could you convert and how would you do it? Make models of the buildings and produce a proposal presentation for the rest of your class. Invite an architect to come in and discuss how you would go about the conversion. Write to different sports organisations to ask them what their requirements would be and try to include all of this into your design.http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/http://www.swimming.org/britishswimming/

Design an athlete’s eco-friendly room at the Games village. What would you do to make it feel welcoming? How could you incorporate a Scottish flavour into the design?

You have been asked to take part in the Opening Ceremony. What would you choose to do? Design a dance to reflect an aspect of Scotland you would like to showcase. Produce the music and costumes and perform this in front of your whole school. Record your performance to consider later. Use this to start your school sports this year.

Create an assault course which might be used as initial training by eco warriors wishing to be fit enough to go out on exploration projects or to be able to battle against members of The Clan. What might the eco warriors need to be able to cope with - tunnelling or rope climbing perhaps?Alternatively

Create a circuit training programme designed to improve your fitness levels over the course of a 6 week block. Set yourself a target for each station and record your results each time. What is your PB for each exercise?SOC 2-08a, 2-09a, 2-14a, TCH 2-03ahttp://commonwealthgames2014.com/legacy/going-for-green-at-the-2014-games/

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Transition Activities from Second into Third Level

● Research indigenous peoples around the world whose way of life is threatened through ‘progress’. Use this as a transition activity by allocating a different tribe/people to each feeder school before coming together to create a display during a secondary school transition day. The secondary school activities on that day could be linked to this to create a large-scale cross-curricular event including English, Social Sciences and Art.HWB 2-12a, HWB 2-19a

● Tribal Art. Link up with all primary 7 classes from the feeder schools and agree a tribal art project with each school taking a different tribe. Research their art and culture and choose which areas you wish to take further. Make some examples before planning drop-in workshops which will be set up as a large-scale market place at the secondary school. Classes design a rota to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be both an exhibitor and a visitor. EXA 2-06a, HWB 2-11a

● Plan a survival skills problem solving event or wide game. There are lots of examples on the web, or you may want to make use of one of Molly Potter’s activities in her Outside the Box series. The teams could be made up from a selection each of the primary 7 classes.HWB 2-14a, HWB 2-19a

● See the footprint idea in the accompanying document ‘If you only do one thing…’ for a transition activity with the theme of going on a journey – the next phase. You’ll find the document on the same page at which you accessed these resources.

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