walkitcornwall biodiversity environmental education species ident day walking cornish culture natural history

It's been a busy 2009 providing workshops and lessons for various local and international

schools and higher education faculties. Extending these partnerships continues in 2010.

We share our understanding about nature and especially the uniqueness of Cornish habitats

and species and how our local land management is important to our collective wellbeing.

We listen to what teachers want and integrate our knowledge into the specific content

of our programmes.

At walkitcornwall we think that Environmental Education is as important as anything anyone

can learn at all stages of life whether in the school curriculum, at the workplace or on holiday.

It doesn't have to be a lecture but an entertaining eye opening to a world many have forgotten

how to access. And boy, it is easy and a heck of a lot of fun. Make a link to nature with us.

To gaze in awe at the wonder of nature that is right outside ones door, car window, office,

B&B or hotel.

Our main guide, Paul cut his teeth as education officer with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

when they opened their site in London at Barnes in 2000.

Childrens activities at the Centre were linked to cross curricular key stages.

Blood, guts and poo are always good starting points to gain attention.

We use props, think laterally and invite enquiry.

Engage, enquire and enjoy......

The 10 v 10 challenge

The 10 v 10 club is a challenge taken to schools and for families on a walkitcornwall walk.

We recognise that most children and many adults can name 10 sports people, pop stars,

film actors or cartoon characters but probably not 10 trees, flowers, insects or birds.

You will be able to do both by the time we've finished with you. It's for all ages.

It's a lighthearted game and to tell you the truth it's meant as a bit of backdoor

education which is often the best way.

Come on folks take up the challenge!

Do you know your Chough from your Clough? Adder from your Addlington?

or your Oasis from your Oystercatcher?

Education programmes

3 hour programmes for morning or afternoon in and around your school will be with

Paul Simmons (MA Cornish Studies and ex Education Officer WWT) and can include:-

1. A timeline of the Earth's existence based on its 4.6 billion year history using a toilet roll.

20 million years per sheet..........so folks where do blue green algae, single and multicellular

lifeforms, oxygen, boned fish, ferns, plants, amphibians, dinosaurs, grass and grains,

hominids and humans appear on the toilet roll?).

2. Animal Olympics.

Physical activities to demonstrate how amazing the animal world really is.

Wing beats, jumping so far, even an ability to camouflage.

Measure humans against the animal and insect kingdom.

3. The uniqueness of Cornwall. A physical and cultural analysis.

Starting with a geological history of how Cornwall began south of the Equator,

how did the Lizard start 10kms under the sea and annex itself to the southern part of Britain.

We also explore the uniqueness of Cornish rocks, the soil, variety of habitats

and resulting unique biodiversity of Cornwall.

We study its mining heritage and the reliance on mining, farming and fishing over the centuries.

The tourism landscape of Cornwall and land use: Its history and modern practices.

4. Your own schools species ident

What trees and flowers surround your school? How do you identify trees in winter?

What cultural/physical uses were made of the local plants?

What are the local soils and rocks and how have they influenced the farmland/land use?

How do they differ from other soils, flowers and biodiversity in Cornwall and the UK?

Fees are £60 per session.

Ring Paul and Ceri 01209 860186 for a chat on how we can integrate

local biodiversity into your curricular activities.

Here's a challenge (The 10v10 challenge)

Give me a class full of children (and teachers)

Inside the classroom

Outside in the open

Thirty photos of sport stars, pop stars

celebrities and brand logos

Thirty photos of trees, flowers, insects, animals

What percentage of each will they recognise?

Guess which predominantly is 50-75%?

Guess which predominantly is 25% or less?

Sad.

Let's go outside and redress the balance.

The 10v10 challenge.. Call us..

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What is Environmental Education?

Recognising species?

Knowing why the landscape is as it is?

Understanding your locality.

Knowing a jackdaw from a crow from a rook

Knowing that an oak has 500 associated species

Nature starts from your school's doors.

It's here not out there.

Humanities role in the world?

Habitats, ecosystems, biosphere?

Local effects on the global and vice versa

The big question.

It's all that.........and more

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Nature MUST be on the curriculum

Talk to us

How can we incorporate nature into yours.

There's a saying

I cannot leave the Earth to my children

I am just borrowing it from them

What is our legacy?