darwin’s footsteps/media/files/r/rolls... · answer (pill woodlouse) ... the aim of the game is...

www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resourceswww.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources

Darwin’s FootstepsFor pupils aged 7-11

Developed with the help of St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School and the Association for Science Education

Teachers’ extension activities

www.ase.org.uk

www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources


Extension activities for Darwin’s Footsteps

BackgroundThis on-line game and series of related teaching activities are based on the winning entry from St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School in the Rolls-Royce Science Prize.

The team used the life of Darwin and his voyages to enthuse pupils in science lessons. Pupils followed Darwin’s journeys around the globe before taking their own expedition in the local area. The study of local fauna and flora carried out with the help of Bolton University was then compared with details of a study carried out 100 years previously held at Bolton Museum.

Pupils own interests and ideas were used to generate the experiments and scientific hypotheses used during the project. The encouragement of pupils driving the learning was used as a central theme.

The following notes explain how you can carry out many of the extension activities developed by St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School.

ACTIV

ITY

1




Tracking Down DarwinWhat is it about? In these activities, children find out about Darwin’s journey on the Beagle. They use Google Earth and other sites to find out about the places he visited. They mark his route on a large map of the world and plant flags to show what they have found out about that area or about what Darwin did there.

What will the children learn?The children learn about the activities undertaken by one famous scientist (Charles Darwin) and the variety of places visited. They learn to use IT to help them gather information.

How are they being scienti ic?They gather information and find out about the type of activities undertaken by a real scientist.

Resources • Large class map of the world

• Blu-tac and sticks (e.g. lolly sticks/pencils) or string and map pins

• Paper

• Access to the internet - Google Earth

• Other sites such as:www.aboutdarwin.comwww.darwinday.orgwww.galapagosconnection.net/page_darwin.html

Things to watch out for and further suggestions If, due to lack of room, a large map of the world cannot be placed horizontally so that information flags can be stuck onto it, then hang the map vertically and ask children to place information around the edge of the map with string or cotton linking the information to the place in question.

NC LinksPupils should be taught:

Sc1 1a That science is about thinking creatively to try to explain how living and non-living things work.Sc1 1b That it is important to test ideas using evidence from first hand observation and measurement.Sc2 5b About the plants and animals found in different habitats.


ACTIVIT

Y 1

f


www.aboutdarwin.com

www.darwinday.org

www.galapagosconnection.net/page_darwin.html


What to do

Divideupintogroups

.Each

grouphastoindout

abouta

differentplacethatDa

rwinvisited

onhisjourneyinthe

Beaglesuch

asBrazil,Peru,Galap

agos

Islands,Australia,New

Zealand,CapeTown.

1

Usetheinternettoindoutthingsabouteachplace

Darwinvisitedandwhathedidthere.GoogleEarthwillgiveyouanideaoftheenvironment.OthersiteswillhelpyoufndoutwhatDarwindidthere.

2

Your group now has to choose

four things to tell other people. You

must include a description of the habitat

that Darwin found (or print a picture of

the habitat and label the main features).

You must also include what Darwin

did there and something he found

out.

3

Workinyourgroups.Puteachpieceofinformationonaseparatepieceofpaper.Stickeachpieceofpapertoafag(lolly)stick.Placetheinformationfaginsomeblu-tacintherightplaceonthemap.

4

Rememberthatyoudon’t

havelotsofroomsoyouwill

needtothinkhowtosaythings

clearlywithjustafewwords

anddiagrams/pictures.

5

When the map is finished each group will get a chance to

look at it and study it. They will have

to tell us three things they have learnt/found interesting in the

information given by the other groups.

6

ACTIVIT

Y 1

f

i

f

ll

ACTIV

ITY

2

ACTIV

ITY

2



Getting to Know the NeighboursWhat is it about? In these activities, children play two games which highlight the features of small invertebrates and different plants they are likely to encounter on an expedition into the school grounds.

What will the children learn?The children learn to identify different species of animals and plants by recognising different features.

How are they being scienti ic?In order for scientists to find out what is happening to the animals and plants around them, they need to be able to identify different species by picking out relevant features.

ResourcesPictures/charts of animals/plants in your locality e.g. mini-beasts such as worm, snail, ant, spider, woodlouse, millipede, centipede, aphid, grasshopper, beetle, ladybird, slug, earwig or plants such as grass, clover, plantain, buttercup, gorse, nettle, blackberry (bramble), herb robert, dock, forget-me-not, dandelion, silverweed, birdsfoot-trefoil (bacon and eggs).

Game 1 - Sticky labels (one per child) with the name of a local small invertebrate and/or plant on them. Repeat names until you have enough labels.

Game 2 - Cards bearing a picture and name of a local small invertebrate or plant. Enough cards for one per child or pair of children. Dice.

Things to watch out for and further suggestions Play different versions of the dice game by changing the features linked to the numbers and getting children to swap pictures. Work in pairs to make up descriptions entitled ‘Who am I?’ using the web to collect interesting information (example below). Others have to guess which animal is described.

NC LinksPupils should be taught: Sc2 4b How locally occurring animals and plants can be identified.

I can roll up in a ball

I hate hot dry placesWho am I? Answer (pill woodlouse)

I love eating rotting plants and fungi

I have two tubes at the back of my body which I use to help me steer

I have 14 legs I have a segmented body

My ancestors lived in the water and I am related to crabs

ACTIVIT

Y 2

ACTIVIT

Y 2

f



Game 1 – The labels game

Putalabelonyourpartner’sback.Don’tletthemseewhatitis.Theaimofthegameistofndoutwhichmini-beast/plantisonyourlabelbyaskingquestionsthatcanbeansweredwitha'yes'ora'no'.

Moveroundtheroom.Meetupwithsomeoneelse–seewhattheirlabelsays.Theycanaskyouonequestionandyoucanaskthemonequestion.Thenmoveontoanotherperson.

Whenyouknowwhatyourlabelsays,sitdown.Peoplesittingdowncananswerquestionsfromthosestillstandingup.

Game 2 - Match the features

Eachpairhasacardwiththenameandthepictureofananimal(orplant)onit.

These six features match a number on the dice e.g.

1 – no legs2 – two antennae or feelers3 – segmented body4 – six legs5 – two wings6 – more than six legs

ACTIVIT

Y 2

No!

Yes!

Hang on I’ll

check that one

out.

What to doACTIV

ITY

2

We’ll see who are the last pair left standing.

Your teacher will roll the dice. If your animal has the feature that matches the number on the dice you sit down. Check the picture if you’re not sure.

Onlyanswer‘yes’or‘no’ifyouaresureyouknow.

Ifyouareunsurereply–‘Hang on I’ll check that one out.’Thengoandlookattheposter/picturesoraskyourteacher.

i

ACTIV

ITY

3



What’s Beneath Your Feet?What is it about? In these activities, children think about where soil comes from and then shake sugar cubes in clear plastic pots to make links to the wearing away of rock to form soil. They also think about a job description for a worm living in soil. They attempt to estimate the number of worms beneath the school field by counting how many in a sample.

What will the children learn?The children learn that soil is formed by the erosion of rocks over a long timescale. They also recognise that worms help to put air in the soil and break down plant material. They estimate the number of worms under the school field by taking a sample.

How are they being scienti ic?Scientists often think about what might be going on by imagining something else that could work in the same way (a model) such as the wearing away of sugar cubes to form sugar granules is similar to rock wearing away to form soil. Scientists also have to estimate how many of each species is likely to be living in an area by counting how many in a sample.

Resources Clear plastic pots with lids (one per small group/pair), containing sugar cubes or lumps (if possible using different types of sugar in different pots) Large paper and pens for posters Bucket containing soil and worms dug from under school field, plastic sheet, gloves and calculators

Things to watch out for and further suggestions Children call soil many different things such as mud, dirt, earth. Explain that scientists call all that stuff ‘soil’. Help them recognise that soil is everywhere beneath shopping centres schools roads etc. and not just in fields and flower beds.

Darwin recognised the importance of earthworms in improving the soil. He estimated that there were 26,886 per acre of soil.

Some of the calculations may be quite complicated – it may help to work out the acreage of the school field in advance.

NC LinksPupilsshouldbetaught: Sc2 5bAboutthedifferentplantsandanimalsfoundindifferenthabitats.Sc3 1dTodescribeandgrouprocksandsoils.

ACTIVIT

Y 3

f



How soil is formed

Work with a partner. Draw a poster of what you think is beneath your feet. Where did all the soil come from?

How many worms are in the soil under our school f eld?All put on the gloves. Here’s some soil from the school field spread out on this plastic. Your teacher will tell you the volume of the soil in cubic centimetres. How many worms can we count in this bit of soil?

How could we estimate how many worms live in the top half metre of soil under the school field? Work with a partner to suggest ways of working it out. What would we need to do?

Charles Darwin estimated how many earthworms lived under an acre of field – can you use the web to find out the number? How does this compare with our answer? How big is our field compared with an acre?

What do earthworms do? Find out using secondary sources. In pairs, draw up an advertisement for a job as an earthworm. What skills would you need? What would you have to do? Where would you work?

ACTIVIT

Y 3

What to do

It’s always been there.

It came up

from underneath

the rocks.

The cubes are

like the rocks.Different sugar cubes make different sugar granules so I think different rocks might make different types of soil.

And bashing them

about means little bits come

off so the sugar granules are like

soil being made when rocks get

bashed.

Your teacher will hand out some sugar cubes in pots. Look at the sugar cubes in the pot. Now shake them hard for about a minute and look again. What do you notice? What do you think this has to do with rocks and soil and how soil is made?

i

ACTIV

ITY

4



Expedition into the School GroundsWhat is it about? Children suggest different places to put a quadrat/hoop and make a record of animals/plants found there. They display their results and make comparisons between the living things found in the different habitats. They display where they found various animals on a map of the schools grounds.

What will the children learn?Children learn to observe, record and compare living things found in different habitats.

How are they being scienti ic?Scientists keep careful records of living things so that they can find out about them, study their behaviour and see what changes are taking place.

Resources Pictures/charts of animals/plants in your locality Quadrats or hoops Magnifiers Notebook Plastic gloves for working in grounds Large map of the school grounds

Things to watch out for and further suggestionsMake sure children wear plastic gloves when working in the grounds.Encourage them to make notes of the position of their quadrat, the time and date, as well as a list of the animals/plants found there and an estimate of the number found. Use GPS to pin point where they placed their quadrat so they can return to the exact position at another time. Encourage use of stickers or map pins to show where things were found on the map of the school grounds.

NC LinksPupils should be taught: Sc1 2f Make systematic observations. 2h Use a wide range of methods to communicate data. 2i Make comparisons in their observations and measurements. 2j Use observations to draw conclusions.Sc2 5b About the different plants and animals found in different habitats.

ACTIVIT

Y 4

f



ACTIVIT

Y 4

What to do

Let’s divide up, put our quadrats down in different places and do a survey to see what living things we find there. How could we display our information to make it easy to compare one area’s wildlife with the other areas?

On the short grass,

where it’s light.

Under the trees where there

are lots of old leaves and bits of old wood.

In the damp stony

patch.

Next to the hedge.

In the long grass.

What have we found out? How much can we trust our results? How can we use the map of the school grounds to show where we found different living things?

When scientists want to compare which living things are in which area they often use quadrats to make sure that they look at the same size area. Talk in groups. Can you think of at least three different places where we could place our quadrats (hoops)?

We’ve been round the school grounds and now we’re going to check out the local wildlife with an expedition to different places in our school grounds.

ACTIV

ITY

5



Weird and WonderfulWhat is it about? Children look at insectivorous plants. They look at information on a table about when a Venus Fly Trap closes and work out a pattern. They invent their own weird and wonderful plants.

What will the children learn?Children will learn to observe a plant carefully and look for patterns in data. They will use their imaginations to create plants with unusual features.

How are they being scienti ic?Scientists make close observations of plants and their behaviour. Charles Darwin was fascinated by the Venus Fly Trap and how it might have evolved. They try to find patterns in results about what causes the trap to shut and re-open.

Resources Venus Fly Trap - real plants are available to buy on the web e.g. www.essexcarnivorousplants. com, www.littleshopofhorrors.co.uk, www.venusf ytrap.co.uk

Large paper, pens etc. for creating unusual plants Tables showing observed results of Venus Fly Traps

Observations of Venus Fly Traps

Things to watch out for and further suggestionsDigital microscopes can really enhance observations. Follow instructions for looking after your insectivorous plant – do not trigger the closing mechanism. yourself as this can harm the plant.Research plants using secondary sources – what weird plants exist?

ACTIVIT

Y 5

Number of trigger hairs touched

Number of times trigger hairs were touched

Did trap close? Did closed trap How long did it take to re-open?

2 1 yes yes 9 days

1 1 no no 1 day

0 0 no no 2 days

2 1 yes yes 7 days

1 1 no yes 12 days

1 1 no yes 7 days

1 2 yes no 1 day

1 2 yes no 1 day

3 1 yes no 2 days

1 1 no yes 10 days

2 1 yes yes 14 days

2 1 yes yes 14 days

2 2 yes yes 10 days

NC Links

Sc1 2f Make systematic observations. 2i Make comparisons and identify simple patterns in their own or other data.

Pupils should be taught:

f

ly?contain f

l

www.essexcarnivorousplants.com

www.littleshopofhorrors.co.uk

www.venusflytrap.co.uk



Look carefully at the Venus Fly Trap (real thing or pictures). With your partner, find at least six different things you notice.

Look at the table. Can you find any patterns? When does the plant close its leaves to make a trap?

Look at the second table about how long it stays shut after it has closed. Can you spot any patterns?

What to doACTIV

ITY

5

• The Venus Fly Trap traps flies.

• It snaps its leaves round the fly.

• There are trigger hairs on the base of the leaves.

It closes when

a fly touches one hair

two or more times.It also closes

when two or more

hairs are touched.

If it hasn’t got a fly it

doesn’t stay shut very long

- only one or two days.

If it has caught

a fly it stays shut for

much longer.

It stays shut for

over a week when it

has caught a fly.

Plants that can walk on their roots.

You could have plants covered in fur that

grow in cold places.You could have

plants with teeth on their petals.

Plants that can tickle anything that

goes near it with their leaves.

The Venus Fly Trap is a strange plant. It behaves more like an animal than a plant in trapping flies which it uses for minerals. What other strange plants could you imagine? What features could they have?

Work with your partner to create a picture of a weird plant. Put labels on to explain what it does.

Let’s make a list of all our observations. Draw and label the plant.

ACTIV

ITY

6



Wonderful WormsWhat is it about? In this activity, children suggest investigations to carry out with worms and test out their ideas.

What will the children learn?Children learn to offer their own ideas and decide how to test them out. They plan what to do and draw conclusions from their results.

How are they being scienti ic?Scientists need to study animals and test the way they behave. Darwin became fascinated by worms and studied them for decades.

Resources Buy live worms from fishing bait shops or online e.g. • www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk • www.scottishworms.com Plastic gloves Pieces of plastic to use as matting for the experiments Torches to shine on worms to make them move Other equipment as required by ideas suggested

Things to watch out for and further suggestionsUse bought live worms – each group will need many worms for experiments.Make sure plastic gloves are used.Talk about how to treat worms once tests have been carried out.Discuss ethics of using live worms for tests – bait worms are likely to die anyway etc.Make a wormery.Find out about the use of worms in composting.Find out what Darwin did in his investigations into earthworms.

NC LinksPupils should be taught: Sc1 2a Ask questions that can be investigated. 2c Think about what might happen or try things out when deciding what to do. 2f Make systematic observations. 2i Make comparisons in their observations and measurements. 2j Use observations to draw conclusions.Sc2 5a About ways in which living things need protection.

ACTIVIT

Y 6

f

www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk

www.scottishworms.com



ACTIVIT

Y 6

What to do

What do you think worms can do? Talk with your group. What would you like to find out about worms?

Do worms like some colours better than others?

Are worms

scared of water?

Can worms

see?

How could you test out your ideas? Remember worms move away from light.

Put four different colours round the edge of

the plastic and underneath it. Put the worms in the middle of the plastic. Shine the light above them

and see whether they go to one colour more than another.

Put four different colours round the edge of the

plastic and underneath it. Put the worms in the middle of the plastic.

Shine the light above them and see whether they go to one colour

more than another.

Have three sections on the plastic

sheet. Put some worm food on one, then a strip of very

damp plastic. In the third section put worms. Shine a torch on the

worms. If they go over the wet strip they don’t mind

water.

Put the worms in the middle of two piles of food (leaf

litter etc.). Block off one pile so they can’t see it but could still get to it. Shine

a torch on them and see where they move to. If they can see they should

go to the side without the block.

ACTIV

ITY

7



Celebrity Mini-BeastsWhat is it about? In this activity, children develop an interview with a common invertebrate, as if they were a celebrity.

What will the children learn?By doing this activity, children learn about their creature’s appearance, habitat, food and behaviour. They get information from first-hand observation and from secondary sources.

How are they being scienti ic?Scientists need to study animals in detail to find out about the way they live.

Resources Reference books/web pages about small invertebrates. Magnifiers and real specimens of various mini-beasts in clear containers where possible, plastic gloves and paintbrushes for handling specimens.

Things to watch out for and further suggestionsDigital microscopes can really enhance observations. Encourage children to make their responses look as much like an interview with a human celebrity as possible – adding photos, pictures of others who live near them, ‘gossip’ about their lifestyle (and if doing reproduction) their ‘love-life’.Ask children to decide on how to care for animals and make sure they are returned to their original habitat.

NC LinksPupils should be taught: Sc2 4b How locally occurring animals and plants can be identified and assigned to groups. 5a About ways in which living things need protection. 5b About the different plants and animals found in different habitats. 5c How animals and plants in two different habitats are suited to their environment.

ACTIVIT

Y 7

f



What to doACTIV

ITY

7

Where do you usually hang out? Why

do you like it there?

Could you describe your home to

me?

Is there anything that makes you special

– how are you different to all the other celebrity mini-

beasts?

What is your favourite food?

Who do you hang around with or

are you a loner?What’s your

favourite activity?

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to other mini-beasts of your species to help them

live a happy life?

How do humans react to you? Do you think that they understand you?

Get ready to show others your celebrity mini-beast interview.

One of you take the part of the journalist,

the other is the mini-beast.

What questions do celebrities get asked in magazine interviews? Imagine your mini-beast was doing a celebrity interview.

Get into pairs to work out what questions to ask your mini-beast and what they might reply. You can observe your mini-beast and use other sources to get information.

ACTIV

ITY

8



Night-Time RambleWhat is it about? In this activity, children go out at night and walk round an unlit area (wood, park etc.) near to the school. They decide how they can make sure no-one gets lost. They prepare their route in advance, adding objects at key points on the route that make sounds when touched or that reflect light well. They listen for sounds of animals in the dark.

What will the children learn?By doing this activity, children learn about the steps needed to ensure safety for all the party. They apply their knowledge of sources of sound and things that reflect well to help them place markers in the day to find their way around their route at night. They listen for sounds of animals in the dark and learn how quiet they need to be to hear animal life at night.

How are they being scienti ic?Scientists need to study animals in the day and at night. Scientists also need to apply their knowledge to make things.

Resources Recycled materials including reflective materials e.g. foil and things that could become sources of sound e.g. things to make wind chimes from, things that rustle when touched. Map of suggested route to pinpoint where markers should be placed.

Things to watch out for and further suggestionsCarry out a risk assessment and ensure there are enough adults.Allow children to go in groups, ‘leading’ their adult round the route. Adult carries torch and whistle to be used in an emergency.Children know to check numbers in the group and what to do if they should get separated.Check times of moonrise and set (less light if moon is not visible at time of ramble).Make sure children wear suitable footwear and clothing.Combine with a sleepover in the school hall.

NC LinksPupils should be taught: Sc1 2e Take action to control risksSc4 3c That light is reflected from surfaces 3e That sounds are made when objects vibrate

ACTIVIT

Y 8


f



What could your group make? Each marker needs to be different. We need to use recycled materials.

What to doACTIV

ITY

8

We need to use markers that make a

noise.

Or things that reflect light really well.

We’re going on a night walk to listen to animals in the dark. We won’t be using torches unless there is an emergency. How can we make sure that no-one gets lost? What route should we take? How can we put down markers so that people know where they are at night when they won’t be able to see much as there is only a little light?

Or things that feel different.

We’ll hang metal spoons on string so that when you hit them they

make a noise.

We’ll stick old CDs onto canes and

plant them.

We’ll use strips of foil hanging down

from branches.

Wehavetodecidewhereweshouldputeachmarkersothatweknowwhereweareaswegoroundtheroute.Whichwouldbethebestplacestoputthem?


These notes have been compiled for Rolls-Royce plc with the help of St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School, Bolton and the Association for Science Education.

Special thanks to Robert Moores, Colin Walton and Anne Goldsworthy.

Further information about St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School’s prize winning entry is available on-line at:www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize

..................................................................................................The interactive games and accompanying teachers’ notes hosted on the Rolls-Royce Science Prize website are to be used for the benefit of schools and colleges only and a third party must obtain the written approval of Rolls-Royce plc if they intend to use any of the resources.

Helpline for teachers:0800 028 07659

www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize..................................................................................................

About Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air. We operate in four global markets – civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. We employ 38,000 people in our business worldwide and operate in 50 countries.

Rolls-Royce in Education Rolls-Royce is investing in education in order to: Raise standards Promote engineering, science and technology Develop our employees Influence policy and strategy in education Support future resourcing needs

For more information and access to our resources for schools, visit: www.rolls-royce.com/education

© Rolls-Royce plc 2007

Rolls-Royce plc 65 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6AT England

www.rolls-royce.com

–––––

R R

www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize

www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize

www.rolls-royce.com/education

www.rolls-royce.com

darwin’s footsteps/media/files/r/rolls... · answer (pill woodlouse) ... the aim of the game is...

Documents