STREAM/

POND LIFE

Session Focus Children will learn how to stream/ pond dip safely and considerately. They will learn to describe, identify and name some stream/ pond species.

Curriculum Links

Geography: Study their local environment.Science: Identification & Classification; Describe the differences in the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird; Describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals; Recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs; Reporting and presenting findings from enquiries.

ResourcesPond dipping nets & trays, water binoculars, magnifying glasses, ID sheets (scroll down for example)Risk Assessments Generic Site RA; Stream & Water activities RA; Stick Activities RA. You may need to write an additional RA

depending where you take this activity out.

PIONEER SCHEME SECTION OBJECTIVES

LEVEL 8

WELLBEING & EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

• Develops a love and passion for the outdoors around their personal interests.

SELF MANAGEMENT OF RISK

• Shows a good level of responsibility and experience during risky activities.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

• Show respect for the environment in a variety of ways.

RESILIENCE & PROBLEM SOLVING

• Understand they can develop their abilities through dedication and application.

BIODIVERSITY • Aware of impacts of outdoor sessions throughout various seasons due to species life cycles.

• Suggests adaptations of activities and practises in different seasons based on this knowledge.

• Initiates ideas to improve biodiversity.

ENVIRONMENT • Suggests adaptations of activities and practises in different seasons to minimise impacts on the environment.

• Initiates ideas to improve the environment.

PHYSICAL & PRACTICAL SKILLS

• Learns how to be safe by the river/ water.

• Starts to understand and identify a wider variety of plant & wildlife species throughout different life-cycle stages.

• Understands some life cycle patterns and differences between mammals, amphibians, insects and birds.

• Shows a genuine interest in the outdoors during reviews.

CORE

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Session OutlineYou may need to arrange a special visit to a local

pond or shallow stream if you do not have these facilities on site.• Discuss with your group what kind of hazards exist

near to ponds, streams and rivers. How can we manage our risks to keep safe? Explain these procedures with regard to this session.

• Recap on what plant & animal species need in order to survive - explain that some are very reliant on water.

• Discuss with your group what kind of species they know which love to live in or near to ponds and streams? Can they name some animals and plants, including those that live in or around the water?

• Explain that they are going to explore the plants and animals which like to live near water and show them how to pond dip safely and considerately, including transferring any creatures to their water trays.

• Allow lots of investigation and exploration, prompting descriptions and comparisons of creatures. Can they spot creatures at different stages of their life cycle? How do they think their findings would change with the different seasons?

• Ensure all creatures are returned carefully and considerately, discussing why this is important.

• Discuss why water pollution is such an issue and the knock on effects. How can we help?

Differentiation: HA- Able to describe & ID species.LA- Describes creatures ExtensionCan you create a graph to show the different species

that you found?

ENVI

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PLENARYACTIVITIES

WATER & RIVERS

OUT

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ID

OUTDOOR SKILLS

SPECIESIDENTIFICATION

OUTDOOR LEARNINGSITE SUSTAINABILITY

PLAN

STREAM/ POND LIFECan you spot any of these species?

WATER & RIVERS

CaddisflyDamselfly Dragonfly

FrogTadpolesFrogspawn

Mosquito MayflyToad

NewtWater boatman Pond snail

Minnow Bullhead fish Shrimp

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