Parks & Open SpacesEducation Programme

Leisure, Culture & Community Learning

Parks & Open Spaces Education Programme

Forward

Welcome to Blackpool Council’s first Parks Education Programme. This programme aims to be a guide for teachers, providing information on how parks can be used as an educational tool and shows the link to the National Curriculum. The idea is to bridge the gap with pupils concerns with the environment and make them aware of the threats to their surroundings and the opportunities for making a difference. Parks and Open Spaces provide a varied and exciting learning environment. Parks provide schools with a living, breathing, fully interactive and ever changing outdoor classroom. By helping to facilitate educational programmes to support the National Curriculum, Leisure Service’s is helping to enrich the education of Blackpool’s children. This will not only help pupils to obtain knowledge of the natural environment, social and urban development, but also awareness of the concepts of citizenship and stewardship. This will provide a firm basis on which to develop and foster a sense of civic pride and ownership, helping to secure the future of Blackpool’s parks and open spaces for future generations.

Aims of the Parks Education Programme

To encourage greater use of Blackpool’s Parks and Open Spaces

To find new ways to educate and increase young people’s level of awareness of the Environment

To facilitate the teaching of different areas of the curriculum to schools

To illustrate nature in their urban environment

Parks Education Programme

Parks and Open Spaces

Science English

Art

Geography

Citizenship

Design Technology

y

PE

History

Maths

Guide to layout of activities

KS – Suitability for key stages

NC links – National Curriculum Links to Subject Area

Park – Where session is available

Time of Year – When Activity is Available

Activities are only guidelines and these can be adapted to suit a particular school’s needs

Where Sessions are available

KER –Kincraig Ecological reserve KP – Kingscote Park ML – Mossom Lane

MM – Marton Mere SP – Stanley Park MP – Moor Park WR – Watson Rd Park

DRRG – Devonshire Road Rock Gardens

Topic Areas Health & Well Being Health and fitness Grow your own food

Environment Think globally, act locally Trees

Nature Studies Birds Minibeasts Ponds

Topic areasHealth and Wellbeing

• Health and Fitness

History WalkKS: 1,2,3,4, NC links

PSHE,Citizenship,History,PE. Park: SP,DRRG, Time of year:

All year round

A walk around your local park to find out it’s history

OrienteeringKS: 2,3,4, NC links

PSHE,Citizenship,PE, Geography Science.

Park: SP,DRRG,MM Time of year: All year round

Map reading Skills

Dance ActivitiesKS: 1,2,3,4,

NC links,PE. EnglishPark: All Time of year:

Spring/Summer

Create a short dance based around Nature

Topic areasHealth and Wellbeing

Grow your own Food

Dig for Victory

KS: 1,2,3,4 NC links: PSHE,Citizenship,History,Science

Park: Allotment Sites Time of Year: Spring/Summer

Take a step back in time and help the war effort.

Growth & Change

KS; 1,2,3,4 NC links:PSHE,Science

Park SP(wgg) Time of Year: Spring/Summer

Take a look at the different stages of plant growth

Gardening

KS: F,1,2,3,4 NC links: Science,Citizenship

Parks: All Time of Year: All year Round

Learn different skills and techniques.

Topic areasEnvironment

Think Globally, Act Locally

RecyclingKS:1,2,3,4

NC links PSHE,Citizenship,Science,geography.

Park: SP,DRRG,Time of year: All year round

What is recycling and why is it importantRecycled InstrumentsKS: 1,2,3,4,

NC links

PSHE,Citizenship,Music,Technology. Park: SP,DRRG,

Time of year: All year round

What sort of instruments can you make from recycled materials

Wind EnergyKS: 1,2,3,4,

NC links Geography,maths,Art. Park: SP,DRRG,

Time of year: All year round

Make your own wind turbine

Topic areasEnvironment

Trees

Signs of the SeasonKS :1,2,3,4, NC links: Art, Science, Technology

Park – All Time of Year: All year Round

Take a look at the seasonal changes

Reproduction

KS:1,2,3,4. NC links:Science Maths

Park: All Time of Year:Autumn

Activities based around how seeds are dispersed.

Collect seeds for growing

Tree Dressing

KS: 1,2,3,4. NC links: PSHE,Citizenship,Art

Park: All Time of Year: National Tree Week(Dec)

A celebration of the trees in our place of which we take for granted

Topic areaNature Studies

Birds

Bird Watching

KS: 1,2,3,4. NC links: Science

Park: All Time of Year: Best in Spring

Learn to recognise some of our common garden birds.

Bird Feeders

KS: 1,2,3,4. NC links: Science,Maths

Park: SP(wgg) Time of Year: All year round

Make a seasonal bird feeder to take home

Bird Boxes

KS: 2,3,4. NC links: PSHE,Citizenship,Maths,Technology

Park SP(wgg) Time of Year: Autumn/Winter

Work in teams to make the birds a special home

Topic areaNature Studies

Minibeasts

The Great Ladybird Hunt KS:F,1,2,3,4 NC links: Science,MathsPark: All Time of

Year:Spring/SummerHave fun foraging about looking for this delicate creature.

Hide and SeekKS:F,1,2,3,4 NC links: Science, MathsPark: All Time of

year:Spring/Summer

They hide you seek

Design a MinibeastKS: 1,2,3,4 NC links:

Science,Art,TechnologyPark:SP(wgg) Time of Year: All year Round

Having seen them forreal, make your own from natural materials

Topic areaNature Studies

Ponds

Safety by the Water

A short talk on how to keep safe next to water

Pond Dipping

KS:,2,3,4 NC links:PSHE,Citizenship,Maths

Park: SP,DRRG,KER,MM

Time of Year: Spring/Summer

Learn to identify the different creatures that live in

and around the water.