Second level 2-02b Self-led information
The following information is for groups who intend to undertake activities without a countryside ranger present, either within the country park, school grounds (if suitable) or a local green space. Each activity has a general description together with an equipment list. The majority of the activities are duplicates of the countryside ranger led ones described earlier but more detail is provided on subjects and games. There are notes for teachers leading their own outdoor learning activities outwith school grounds in appendix 2 and an example risk assessment can be found in appendix 3. It is important to remember there will be additional hazards related to specific sites, groups and variables which will not be included in the example risk assessment. Make sure you carry out a full risk assessment before your trip. Blank risk assessment forms can be downloaded from
www.damstodarnley.org/pack. Additional advice on risk assessments can be sought from the Dams to Darnley countryside ranger service even if they are not going to be leading the group. If you do not have the required equipment it may be possible to borrow this from the countryside ranger service (contact details can be found in appendix 4).
Self-led activities
1. Discuss where your group’s food comes from. Ask what they have had for breakfast and work backwards until you get to plants (even if they had meat the animals would have eaten plants). Time: 10mins.
2. Depending on the time of year forage for wild food. In spring/summer look for ramsons, primrose, summer lousewort, cuckoo flower, hawthorn, dandelion, cleavers, jack by the hedge and lime. In autumn search for berries, seeds and nuts. Put what you find in a bowl and explain this is what our ancestors would have gathered for food. Avoid fungi, many species are poisonous. Ask your group what their favourite food is and work backwards to see how it is related to a plant. Time: 30mins.
3. Make cord out of nettles (if in season) to demonstrate that they can be used to make clothing or to help build shelters. Using gloves each child picks a tall nettle. They remove the leaves and run their gloves up and down the stem to crush the stingers. The nettle is then flattened, especially at the nodes. Split the nettle open and lay it flat. Bend it in the middle so that the pith inside splits upwards. Strip the pith from the fibres. Separate fibres, select two and twist together, fold in half and form a natural twist, keep twisting and encourage this natural twist. Twist the end fibres again and continue. Time: 30mins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQHvqWCN5Eo
4. Lead a discussion around the other ways that plants have benefited society. Get your group to think about their clothing, cooking and homes. You can discuss fuel (cooking, power and warmth), medicine (nettles, hawthorn, foxglove, poppy, willow and daffodil) and shelter. Round up the discussion and check learning through questioning. Time: 15mins.
Equipment: • Bags for collecting plants. • Gloves.
www.damstodarnley.org
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