North York Moors National Park
 

Learning Zone

Visits to groups

 

Our staff may be able to visit you and present the following selection of activities in local schools, youth hostels, hotels, community centres etc. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Welcome to the Park

MoorlandThis interactive PowerPoint presentation introduces children to the concept of National Parks.  The special qualities of the North York Moors are described and we explain how moorland is managed and how human activities such as tourism affect the area. We then look at things which are threatening these special qualities, including climate change and what actions pupils can take to help care for this special place.  The session includes the use of sound effects and finishes with a section on wildlife, where children can meet and handle some furry and feathered friends from our collection of stuffed animals and birds.  

Main curriculum links:

  • English - Listening and responding 
  • Geography – managing environments in a sustainable way 
  • Science – living things in their environment
  • PHSE and Citizenship – making responsible choices and caring for the environment

Every Child Matters: Increased awareness and understanding of local and global environmental issues, our individual and collective responsibilities towards the environment, developing a sense of respect and care for the environment.

Age Range: Years 3 to 6 (Age 7 to 11)

Duration: Quarter day (about an hour)

 

JURASSIC PARK

Rocks and Fossils

AmmoniteInvestigate the real Jurassic Park and use rocks and fossils to discover what the North York Moors was like up to 180 million years ago!  This indoor session is divided into four short 'hands on' activities and includes investigating the rocks that form local coastal cliffs, identifying rock specimens, using a key to identify fossils and matching specimens of glacial erratics with descriptions to show where the glaciers came from during the last ice age.

Main curriculum links:

  • Science - describing, identifying and grouping rocks, identifying fossilised plants and animals using a key
  • Geography - explaining why a place is like it is in terms of geology

Every Child Matters: Enhanced enjoyment through participation in inspiring learning opportunities, achieving through a range of different styles.

Age Range: Years 5 and 6 (Age 9 to 11)

Duration: Quarter day (up to an hour and a half)

See also 'Seashore Habitat Study'

 

NAVIGATING SKILLS AND STAYING SAFE

Derek's Day Out

This ‘hands on’ session includes several fun activities which demonstrate how to stay safe in the countryside. Children learn what to wear to stay warm and dry, what to pack in a rucksack, how to follow a route on a map and identify possible hazards along the way and how to call for help in an emergency.

Main Curriculum Links:

  • Citizenship - recognising risks and behaving responsibly

Every Child Matters: Staying safe - awareness of risks and how to minimise them, independence and self reliance, taking responsibility for one's own actions.

Age Range: Years 3 to 6 (Age 7 to 11)

Duration: Quarter day (about an hour)

 

HABITAT STUDIES AND BIODIVERSITY

Brilliant Biodiversity

This innovative, indoor activity demonstrates the concepts of classification, variation and adaptation. The session is fun and highly interactive with children participating in ‘Battle of the Beasts’, ‘Body Building’ and ‘Chain Gang’. Children learn how an identification key works by using a gigantic floor key to identify moorland birds.

Main curriculum links:

  • Science – how animals are identified and assigned to groups; using keys; adaptations; habitats, food chains.

Every Child Matters: Enhanced enjoyment through participation in inspiring learning opportunities.  Achieving through a range of different learning styles, team working skills, developing good working relationships with others.

Age Range: Years 5 and 6 (Age 9 to 11)

Duration: Quarter day (up to an hour and a half)

 

SUSTAINABILITY AND DECISION MAKING

Points of view

This fun, indoor session demonstrates how different people use the countryside and how conflicting demands on the environment can arise. Children are provided with props and work in groups to identify the needs of different types of countryside users such as farmers, hotel owners, local children and tourists.

Main curriculum links:

  • Geography – managing environments sustainably
  • English – group discussion and collaboration
  • Citizenship – understanding the needs of others.

Every Child Matters: Increased awareness of environmental issues and understanding what managing the environment sustainably means.  Team working skills.

Age Range: Years 5 and 6 (age 10 to 11)

Duration: Quarter day (up to an hour)

Planning for Sustainable Energy

This interactive, indoor session considers the conflict between conserving the National Park landscape and promoting renewable energy from wind turbines.  Children work together to deliver two pre-prepared presentations; one introduces the importance of the National Park and why it is protected.  The second introduces climate change, the main threat to the National Park, and how we need to reduce our reliance on burning fossil fuels and turn to renewable energy sources.  The children then work in small groups and consider whether they would give planning consent for three wind turbine developments within the Park.  The groups are finally brought together to share their thoughts and ideas.

Main curriculum links:

  • Geography - knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development
  • English - speaking, listening, group discussion and interaction
  • PHSE and Citizenship - preparing to play an active role as citizens

Every Child Matters: Increased awareness and understanding of local and global environmental issues, developing a caring attitude towards the community and environment, decision making.

Age Range: Year 6 (age 10 to 11)

Duration: Quarter day (up to one and a half hours)