Primary School Studies
This is a chance for you to compliment classroom learning with the great outdoors. We have a selection of ideas and topics that cover many different curriculum areas and subjects. Here are a few examples that you could integrate into your week at Trewern, either undertaken as a separate activity or alongside your outdoor activity programme. However we do welcome new ideas or topics that you would like to incorporate into you course
MINIBEASTS (Freshwater invertebrates)
Pupils use nets to hunt for minibeasts in a variety of watery habitats. This study can be done throughout the year by using our own pond and the local stream. The captured minibeasts (beetles, bugs, newts, frogs, insects etc) are examined in more detail in the classroom using magnifying glasses, binocular microscopes ansd a visualiser. Resources include a good range of suitable keys and books providing great opportunity for pupils to get to grips with keys and themes such as adaptations, food chains, food webs, pyramids and pollution tolerance.
CAVING
An adventure day with an opportunity to get inside the rocks for a close up view. On the journey to the cave we pass through the Brecon Beacons National Park where the pupils can see the mountains, valleys and waterfalls and learn about the origin of sandstone and limestone. In the cave pupils will climb, wriggle and slide through a variety of passages giving instructors many opportunities to teach them about rocks, fossils, soils and also the creatures that live in the cave and how they survive.
NIGHT SKY
In the absence of street lights the night sky at Trewern can be appreciated in all its glory. Pupils can learn about our moon and the solar system, our galaxy and other galaxies - and then see them for themselves. In autumn and spring term we can often see planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn), shooting stars, nebulae and the Andromeda galaxy.
WATERFALLS WALK
Full day forest walk to find the beautiful waterfalls of the Rivers Mellte and Hepste - some of which they can walk behind. During the walk pupils will see deciduous and coniferous forests, waterfalls, cliffs and streams. The learning opportunities will change throughout the seasons but the pupils will learn about river features, variety and interdependance of life and habitats.
MOUNTAIN WALK
Trewern lies at the foot of the Black Mountains - within an hour the pupils can walk from the remains of the largest stone circle in Wales to the top of Hay Bluff (2220ft, 677m). This is just one of many beautiful walks they can do in the Brecon Beacons National Park. On route there are opportunities to discuss the geology, the wildlife, bones and skeletons, (usually a few lying around!), climate and health (pulse rates normally go up a bit on this day!).
CANOEING
Pupils will paddle their canoe teams of two or three along the Brecon Monmouth Canal or down the River Wye. They will work on cooperation and coordination and learn about the benefits of teamwork to maneuver their boat. They may see birds such as kingfishers and dippers, or mink hunting for fish like the salmon.
GORGE WALK
A walk alongside and in a river is always great fun. If the river happens to flow within a gorge the challenges faced will are much more exciting and unforgettable. The educational benefits of such an experience can be considerable. Local rivers offer a range of possibilities for groups of all ages and experience. This activity can be a full day or half a day and conbines well with riverstudies or mountain walking
ROCK CLIMBING
Trewern has recently opened a purpose built, indoor climbing wall. This facility and a variety of outdoor venues within an hours drive of the Centre mean that we can run climbing course for all levels. Working in small groups, children are encouraged to face their fears, communicate with others, trust others and develop physical skills.
ORIENTEERING
This can be undertaken in the Centre grounds or in a local forest and involves way finding around a preset course. This competitive activity combines navigational skill with athletic ability
National Curriculum Targets
TOWN STUDY
Hay on Wye offers many options for fieldwork. We currently have a comprehensive study pack that can be accessed with pre and post visit lessons already planned. Hay on Wye could be studied as a ‘contrasting Locality’ to the students home town or investigated to see whether the town is a ‘Tourist or Locals’ town, mapping the shops and services under ‘T’ for Tourist or ‘L’ for Local to decide on the function of the town.
Industrial Trails
There are various trails that explore South Wales; heritage. Around Llangattock and Clydach; pupils can discover and piece together the remains of the iron industry of the nineteenth century . The town of Blaenavon, the ironworks and Big Pit mining museum are preserved to show what life was like in the Victorian era.
BIG PIT
A great opportunity to visit this World Heritage site in South Wales. This museum offers tours of the mine led by ‘real life’ miners, A virtual tour of mining through the ages and a fantastic recreation of life as a miner including the restored baths. Entrance is FREE! This could be used to compliment Victorian Britain module in History or a chance to look at industrial location or the effects of industry in Geography.
GOING WITH THE FLOW
This is an excellent half-day study that compliments the Year 5 Rivers module.
A local river is used and we investigate the changes from Source to the confluence. Channel depth and width are measured alongside velocity.
The pupils can gain an understanding of the changing landscape and river valley and the processes such as erosion,
transportation and deposition that drive these changes. Pupils have the opportunity to make predictions on how a stream changes down the mountain, then to
carry out measurements to test their hypotheses.
MAP WORK
We can build map reading and understanding of Keys, scales and map orientation into our mountain walking days and orienteering. We also have a ‘Treasure Hunt’ a classroom exercise where pupils follow clues to find their way around the map to the final destination. This integrates Grid References, direction and distance measuring.
SETTLEMENTS
We are surrounded by different size settlements with a variety of functions. Why not investigate what shops, services and houses you might find in these different settlements. Or undertake our problem solving activity visiting a hamlet, a village and a town to decide where a family of four may like to move, this involves carrying out an environmental survey and recording shops and services before deciding on the which settlement would be most suitable. (They could also include their hometown to add a fourth size settlement, or visit the city of Hereford.
MICROCLIMATE
Why not use your visit to investigate the microclimates. Compare a variety of sites including a built up area, open farmland, woodland, and the low lying river valley progressing up to the high mountaintops. This is a great activity to combine with mountain walking for example, taking measurements as you climb in altitude. Measurements will include temperature, wind speed, humidity and cloud cover.
WEATHER
Keep a weather diary for a week; this could be combined with the students who remain behind in school also keeping a weather diary and a comparison being made during following week. The Centre has its own weather station continuously monitoring rainfall, temperature, atmospheric pressure wind direction and speed. he reading and displays from the weather station are uploaded on to our website and can be used back at school. Identicle equipment is also collecting date within Barking and Dagenham.
Castles
South Wales is rich in cultural heritage and there are many castles to visit including Crughywel, Tretower Court and Raglan Castle.
