Education
The Cotswold Water Park Society has been running educational programmes for more than 10 years, offering both outside learning opportunities and roadshows which visit your school
Key Facts
- Gravel is Great - a unique rocky roadshow brought to your school
- Learning at Lower Moor Farm - outdoor environmental education
Choose from:
Gravel is Great - a rocky roadshow which visits your school!
We have received funding from Natural England to create an exciting and innovative roadshow called Gravel is Great - taking the story of the Cotswold Water Park into local primary schools.
This interactive roadshow covers:
- Science - Materials and their Properties / Living things
- Geography - Environmental change / Sustainable development / Understanding of places
- History - Local history / Investigation / Interpretation / Romans / Anglo Saxons / Fossils
- DT - Planning and developing ideas / Understanding processes and materials
- English - Communicating, group discussions
plus ECM, PSHE, Creative Curriculum and Enrichment Enhancement
Download Gravel is Great leaflet
Gravel is Great leaflet (inside)
Gravel is Great leaflet (outside)
For more details go to the website www.gravelisgreat.co.uk
Gravel is Great latest news
The Gravel is Great roadshow has now been delivered to over 500 KS2 pupils and the reactions from staff and pupils have been really positive.
"I never knew that something like gravel could be so interesting"
"This was the best lesson ever"
"It was great fun as the models were really realistic and the children could make their own choices "
"Thank you for today - we all had a great time"
"We loved it when you let us excavate like a real archaeologist"
Contact Jill Bewley, Events and Education Officer on 01793 752413 for more information or email jill.bewley@waterpark.org
Learning at Lower Moor Farm 2010 - come and learn outdoors!
Learning at Lower Moor Farm offers a safe and stimulating programme of environmental education sessions, for KS1, KS2 and community groups such as Rainbows, Brownies and Beaver Cubs.
The varied and exciting programme is designed to complement the National Curriculum, whilst providing an opportunity to learn hands - on about some more unusual topics such as beavers and fossils.
All staff and volunteers are fully trained and CRB checked.
Lower Moor Farm Nature Reserve is owned and managed by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and has excellent safe facilities, including a purpose built classroom plus specially designed boardwalks, bird hides and pond dipping platforms.
Programme for 2010
Birds are Brilliant !
New for 2010
- Come and meet the local birdlife, whilst finding out some amazing bird facts
- Discover how to identify birds through song, shapes and colour
- Learn how to use binoculars and record what you see
- Have a go at building your own birdÂ’s nest
- Investigate how birds are adapted to survive
Watery Workshop
New for 2010
What better place to learn about water than on a nature reserve in the Cotswold Water Park, and have some fun along the way ? Test the water, take the Make a Lake challenge, and sail your own boats for the Boat Race!
Through hands on investigations, activities and crafts children will discover:
- Where water comes from
- Why clean water is important
- Who and what needs water
- What effect water has on the landscape
Marvellous Minibeasts
Exciting session with hands-on experience to:
- Compare the similarities and differences between habitats ? hedgerow, grassland, ponds etc
- Discover how animals have adapted in order to survive
- Identify the various mini-beasts found by using key and hand lenses
Wild Art Workshop
Develop art skills outdoors by:
- Exploring the environment using all your senses
- Using a variety of natural materials
- Create your very own imaginary minibeast, using colour, texture and camouflage
- Take what you make back to school with you
Potty about Plants
Discover the plant life at Lower Moor Farm and learn:
- The different parts of a plant
- Magic methods of pollination
- The secrets of photosynthesis and seed dispersal
- Create your own nature reserve for your chosen wildlife
Fantastic Fossils
The Cotswold Water Park is famous for an incredible range of fossils, like the woolly mammoth skull! Through a range of exciting activities, explore the world beneath your feet:
- Hands on session Fossils and Rocks, including mammoth teeth and tusks
- Time line game
- Make and take your own fossil
Busy Beavers
Beavers are alive and thriving just two miles away on a private estate. Take part in this unique hands-on session to understand more about these fascinating and surprising creatures, such as their
- Physiology, including their amazing teeth!
- Unique way of adapting their habitat
- Build your own beaver dam and beaver lodge!
- Optional class discussion on reintroduction of extinct native species
Children will leave with a great deal of knowledge about the amazing European beaver, whilst having some fun along the way!
Orienteering
Introduction to maps, symbols and orientation
Following simplified maps, the children will explore a set orienteering route around Lower Moor Farm.
The session can be designed to be competitive if required.
Additional challenges based on the theme of wildlife and environment can be added for older children
Download Lower Moor Farm leaflet 2010 (pdf, 400kb)
Cost
£5.50 per child
No charge for adults
£85 minimum charge
Some of the comments received from teachers:
"In 22 years of teaching this is the best school trip I have ever been on. I would recommend this trip to any teacher - well organised, good hands-on activities",
" A really super day - we will definitely return and recommend to others"
'We all had an absolutely super day - very informative, engaging and enjoyable. We could have stayed longer!"
" Thank you so much, you were incredibly helpful, friendly, calm, knowledgeable and brilliant - we will definitely be back"
Location of Lower Moor Farm, near Oaksey
From A419 Swindon to Cirencester, take B4696 Spine Road in direction of Oaksey and Minety. Follow Spine Road until you reach a crossroads. Go straight ahead following signs for Minety, Oaksey and Keynes Park. After about 3 miles, past Friday Island on right and Goodman Bros Motors on left , the road takes two slight turns. After second turn, the entrance into Lower Moor Farm can be found on left, immediately after house on left.
Using Google Maps, type in postcode of site SN16 9TW.
If you are interested in finding out more about the programme, and would like to make enquiries about booking please contact the CWPS Education and Events Officer, Jill Bewley on 01793 752413.
E: jill.bewley@waterpark.org
T: 01793 752413
M: 07855 399267
