Key Stage 2
The following activities last for approximately one hour. Pick your own selection of three activities for a full day or two for a half-day. Please feel free to contact the Education Team for advice, further information or to discuss your particular needs. Programmes can be tailored to your specifications.
Wild About Art
All year
Let the natural world inspire your creations. Use natural and/or recycled materials to make sculptures, collages, masks, dream catchers, musical instruments, mobiles…..the list is endless! Sessions can be themed to focus on colour, texture, sound, leaves, myths and legends or whatever takes your fancy!
Download detailed lesson plan.
Exploring Attenborough
All year
Use your senses to explore Attenborough through the eyes, ears and nose of our wild inhabitants. Test your observation skills to the limit by taking the Attenborough Trail. Create maps of your own mini nature reserve and explore alternative ways of recording a journey.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Patterns and Numbers in Nature
All year
Take our Maths trail to look for patterns and numbers in nature. Use a variety of statistics to get the vital statistics of a tree and with an eye to the sky take some weather readings.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Woodland Myths and Legends
All year
There are many myths and legends associated with woods and trees. Use drama and storytelling to uncover the truth behind the tree tales and create a Green Man to represent the character of your tree.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Terrific Trees
All year
Ever wanted to hug a tree? Get up close and personal as you make your very own leafy friend! Use your senses to explore the woods and discover which animals make their homes in and around trees.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Marvellous Meadows
Apr-Sept
Find out that it’s not all grass as you get down with the bugs to explore the diversity of plant lfe in our meadow. Go on a minibeast safari and see just who is hiding under that log. In the summer we’ll get a look at buzzy bees and other pollinators.
Download detailed lesson plan
Wonderful Wildfowl
All year
Attenborough is famous for its wildfowl. Check out what is on the lake using binoculars and telescopes and find out that it’s not all plain sailing! Get the low-down on wildfowl adaptations and get the inside story of a Year in the Life….
Download detailed lesson plan.
Brilliant Birds
Oct-May
Visit us in the winter to find out what is the dish of the day by watching our bird feeding station. Take up our Hot Chick Challenge and make a simple bird feeder to take away with you.
Download detailed lesson plan for winter programme
Visit us in the spring to find out just why birds are so busy at this time of year as you try to hatch your chicks before the sparrowhawk gets you! Make your own birds nest and collect some yummy bugs for tea!
Download detailed lesson plan for spring programme
Life in Water
Apr-Sept
Get the nets out and have a go at the ever popular pond dipping! Use pond magnifiers and id charts to explore the amazing diversity of life in the water. Discover some weird and wonderful life cycles and find out why food chains have never been so blood thirsty!
Download detailed plan.
Plantastic
Apr-Sept
OK, so they aren’t furry, but plants have never been so plantastic! Head off on a plant scavenger hunt or get a bee’s eye view of a flower. See how many shapes and colours of flower you can spot in our meadows – you’ll be surprised! Find out why bees (and other insects) get in such a buzz over flowers as you “Be a Bee”. What’s next after flowers? Start all over again as you find out just how tough life is for a seed!
Download detailed lesson plan.
Rain or Shine
Autumn and Winter
Make your own weather prediction by interpreting signs - both meteorological and in the natural world. Take temperature and wind readings and explore animal homes and shelters.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Meet the Rotters
All year
Play our compost game and find out how we can all make a difference if we compost our waste. Find out what minibeasts are turning our waste into compost and plant a seed to take home.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Suggested Day Programmes
The following activities have been put together as ideas for a full day visit. Feel free to mix and match with other sessions or book them as they stand.
Wild Places of Attenborough
Apr-Sept
Explore three of the habitats of Attenborough Nature Reserve – Ponds and Lakes, Grasslands and Woodland.
- Life in water,
Marvellous Meadows,
Terrific Trees.
Saving Our Planet
Apr-Sept
Find out why Attenborough Nature Centre and Reserve is good for the environment and how you can do your bit to save the planet.
Download detailed lesson plan
Water, water everywhere:
Take the Water for Wildlife Challenge and see if you survive. Become a water droplet and travel though the water cycle, but watch out for those dirty raindrops. Have a go at our water quiz and show us how much, or little, water you use.
Making the world smile:
Discover the diversity of life under the water or above ground by going pond dipping or on a minibeast hunt. Play the food chain game and discover why biodiversity is important. Make your own mini nature reserve and think about how you can look after it.
Rooting through the rubbish:
Take the Low Waste Lunch Challenge and lunchtime will never be the same again! Transform a load of old rubbish into useful objects such as a deluxe minibeast home to encourage biodiversity at school or home. Make a pledge for the future and hang it on our wishing tree.
The Future is Green!
All year
Aimed at upper KS2 and lower KS3 this exciting programme provides a hands-on experience to learn about climate change, renewable energy (solar and wind) and to consider sustainable building practices. Solar and wind power kits will be used to explore the practicalities of exploiting renewable energy and to show how we can all do our bit to combat climate change.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Wild Science - New for 2012!
September to March
Become a scientist for the day. Record the weather to find out how a changing climate will affect our wildlife, find out more about owls and their diet through dissecting owl pellets and assess what impact we have had on our woodland area. Thanks to funding from HSBC a transport subsidy is available for this programme. Contact us for more information.
Download detailed lesson plan.
Autumn and Winter
Autumn Days or Winter Wonderland Trail:
Take a walk on the wild side to discover seasonal signs in nature. KS1 children will use their senses to look at the colours, textures, smells and sounds of Attenborough. KS2 children will search for seeds and fruits (in autumn) and complete a series of challenges designed to test their observational skills.
Wonderful Wildfowl:
Attenborough is famous for its wildfowl. View birds from our hide and at our garden bird feeding station and discover why Attenborough is a popular winter holiday destination! Get the low-down on wildfowl adaptations and find out how birds survive the cold. Make a simple bird feeder to take away with you.
Winter Woodlands:
Explore the woods to discover who is still up and about as you search for tracks and signs. Who’s hibernating? Find out who is missing the cold, how they go it and where? The leaves may have fallen but the place to be in the winter is below ground. Discover decomposition and decay and learn about nature’s recyclers!
Wild About Christmas
Autumn and Winter
Get away from the pressures of Christmas plays and carol concerts with a fun but educational visit to Attenborough. We’ve designed a special seasonal day programme to discover a different side to Christmas. Take a bracing walk and find out about winter wildlife and mid-winter myths and legends on our Christmas trail. Use natural materials to make mid-winter decorations and gifts to decorate the trees where you will hold your own woodland celebration!
