Meadow and Woodland Minibeasts

Learning objectives

Explore the meadows and woods to discover animals and their adaptations to the environment and compare habitats.

Opportunities for

Curriculum

• Sc 2b plants and animals in the local environment
• Sc 2c variety of living things
• Sc 4b habitats
• Sc 6a adaptations

Learning skills

• Independence
• Assessing risk
• Communication
• Observation

Starter

Introduction to Lepe – sense of place, what we will do, what do you think you will find, where will we find them, what risks are there.

Main

Explore the habitats to collect and identify a range of insects using simple keys and discuss adaptations and species interactions.

Review

Recap on species and adaptations, questions and answers, true or false game.

Expectations

Most children will – be able to identify and name a number of species found, use a simple key with help, name some adaptations that help them survive here, use some key words.

Some children will have progressed further and will – be able to identify species using a key, understand species interactions, describe differences between two habitats.

Additional activities

These activities can be built into this session as extension tasks or fun additions:  scavenger hunt, tree faces, woolly worms, mirror walk, sticky pictures, I-spy sheets (insects, trees etc), birds and beaks games, food webs, microscope investigation, describe and measure environmental variables.

Resources

White trays, tanks, ID keys, magnifying pots, plastic spoons, magnifying glasses, cones (additional: hoops, sensory bag, scavenger list, I-spy sheets, games equipment, food web, microscopes).

Post visit ideas

Compare habitats to school grounds, design your own mini-beast and describe what adaptations it would have and why.