Woodland Habitat StudiesRoe Valley Country ParkActivity Books for KS1 & KS2

Our aim is to protect, conserve and promote thenatural and built environment for the benefit ofpresent and future generations.

Northern Ireland Environment Agency Klondyke BuildingCromac AvenueGasworks Business ParkBelfast BT7 2JAT. 0845 302 0008

www.ni-environment.gov.uk

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WOODLaND WORKSHEEtS

ROE VaLLEY COUNtRY PaRKKS1 & KS2

OttER

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fOx

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WOODLaND WORKSHEEtS

Teachers' Notes:

This booklet has been designed as follow-up material after a visit to a woodland. The themes covered are those suggested by the National Curriculum. The visit and the booklet should help to reinforce the work teachers are required to do in class. The first pages are suitable for KS1 children. The later pages are better suited to KS2 children.

The booklet does not try to cover everything that may be mentioned during your visit. There is merely a selection of some of the ideas. The biggest problem is seasonal variations. To simplify matters the booklet generally deals with the woodland as it would be found in summer, which is the time when most groups would make a visit.

Some themes are repeated at KS2 but in a slightly more complex way. There is additional material in the KS2 pages which KS1 children will not normally have been expected to cover. However, teachers will naturally use whatever material suits their children.

Each section has information. This serves as revision of what the children will have discovered during their visit. This information is followed by a variety of simple tasks. These are all explained in the text and require little further explanation.

The game in the section entitled ‘Woodland Connections’ needs a little further explanation. Playing cards can be made by making photocopies from stiff card. The children can then play a variety of games either in pairs or small groups. Perhaps the simplest would be a form of ‘snap’. Children would gain cards as in the usual form of ‘snap’ , but would have to explain the connection between the cards gained. An obvious one would be between the bee and the flower. However, some pictures would have more than one connection, e.g. squirrels live in trees but will also eat acorns, berries and fungi. The purpose of the game is to bring about discussion of possible connections. Teachers can invent their own variety of the game.

You will find pictures of the birds and animals mentioned in the text at the end of the booklet. These are included for colouring by the pupils. You will need books from your school library for this exercise. Pupils can complete the pictures by drawing the background to each of them. They can also be used to make a larger picture for the classroom wall. You can discuss the differences between the spring and autumn pictures.

Hopefully your visit will have been a small inspiration to the children to appreciate the countryside in general. Michael Conway 2003

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MY VISIt tOROE VaLLEY COUNtRY PaRK

tREES fLOWERS

fUNGI MINI-bEaStS

bIRDS MaMMaLS

KS1

2

LONG EaRED OWL

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SPaRROW HaWK

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MY VISIt tO ROE VaLLEY COUNtRY PaRK

My name is ________________________________

My school is called ________________________________

The park is called ________________________________

You should have enjoyed your visit to Roe Valley Country Park. You have learnt a great deal about the woodland: trees, flowers, mushrooms, mini-beasts, birds and animals. You will also have learnt how they need each other to live.

Trees: Trees can only grow if they have: sun, water, soil and air. A tree grows very slowly from a seed. A seed will not grow under the tree as it gets no light. Seeds must be spread by birds, squirrels or wind.

Flowers: are brightly coloured. The colour and smell brings bees to the flower. The bees get honey from the flower. The bee helps the flower to make a seed.

Mini-Beasts: The tree has many leaves. The leaves fall off some trees in autumn. The mini-beasts eat the dead leaves. Small birds eat the mini-beasts. The sparrow hawk eats the small birds. This is called a ‘food chain’. Mushrooms also help rot the leaves.

Birds: There are many kinds of birds in the woods. Springtime is a very busy time for the birds. The male bird sings to attract a mate. They form pairs. Then they build a nest. The female bird lays eggs. They sit on the eggs until they hatch. They must then feed the chicks until they are big enough to fly away from the nest.

Animals: Most of the animals in the woods are difficult to see. They are frightened of people and mostly only come out at night. The big word for this is ‘nocturnal’. You will have seen many signs that they are there - nibbled seeds, holes in the ground and droppings. Animals must find enough to eat and avoid danger. They do this by using their bodies especially their senses.

Remember that every living thing in the wood depends on everything else.

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LIVING tHINGS

There are many things living in the park. Write in the correct words.

__ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __

__ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Words: flower, tree, beetle, Mushroom, fish, bird, Squirrel

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ROb

IN

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fROG

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tREES

Here is a picture of a tree. Fill in the missing words in the correct place.

Words: Leaf, trunk, bark, branch, Roots, fruit

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LEaVES

Here are some pictures of leaves and fruits. Put them in the correct box.

Oak

Holly

Ash

Beech

Sycamore

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WOODLOUSE

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tREE

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An insect always has six legs. Only one of these creatures is an insect. Which is it?

Answer: _____________________

MINI-bEaSt HUNt Complete the chart

Name DrawingLegsParts

1. Slug

2. Snail

3. Millipede

4. Woodlouse

5. Spider

6. Beetle

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birds

Here are six pictures of birds you learnt about during your visit.

Robin Blue Tit

Thrush Jay

Long Eared Owl Buzzard

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Autumn

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SPRING

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Here are six pieces of writing about the birds on the last page.Which bird does it describe.

1. I am very small. I have a blue head. I eat seeds and caterpillars. I often visit bird tables. I am a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

2. I am small. I have a red breast. I eat mini-beasts. I sing all year round. I am a _ _ _ _ _ .

3. I am medium sized. I have a pink breast and blue wings. I eat acorns in winter. In springtime I eat other birds’ eggs and

chicks. I am a _ _ _ .

4. I am medium sized. I have a spotty chest. I mostly eat worms, but also berries in winter. My eyes are at the side of my head so I can look out for danger. I am a _ _ _ _ _ _ .

5. I am a big bird. I have special eyes and ears. I have very soft feathers so that I can fly silently. I hunt mice at night. I am an _ _ _ .

6. I am a very big bird. I have sharp claws and a hooked beak. I fly high in the air. My eyes are like binoculars. I can see things from high in the sky. I hunt rabbits but I mostly eat dead things. I am a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

Colour in pictures of the birds. Your teacher will give you a copy.

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Mammals

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ Name _ _ _

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Name _ _ _

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Name _ _ _ _ _

1. Write these names next to the correct animal: Otter, Squirrel, bat, Hedgehog, fox, badger

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COLOURING tHE WOODLaND HabItat

On the next two pages there are pictures of a wood in spring and autumn. The pictures show differences between the two seasons. Discuss the differences between them. Try and find at least ten differences.

You will also find a number of creatures, which you can colour in : woodlouse, frog, robin, sparrow hawk, long eared owl, fox, otter and bat. You can draw in a suitable background or use the pictures to make a collage of the woodland.

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fINN MC COOL aND tHE SaLMON Of KNOWLEDGE

L ong ago in Ireland there lived a giant called Finn Mc Cool. Not only was he very big but he was also very clever. When he was a boy he trained very hard to grow

up strong and bright. To complete his education he was sent to a wise old man called Finn Eigeas. Finn Eigeas lived by the banks of the River Boyne. Finn Eigeas told Finn Mc Cool that he had for many years been trying to catch a special salmon, which lived in the river. Finn Eigeas said:

‘It is a very special salmon. It is the ‘Salmon of Knowledge’ . If I can catch the salmon and eat it, I will be the wisest man in the world. I will know everything there is to know’.

Shortly after Finn Mc Cool arrived, Finn Eigeas caught the ‘Salmon of Knowledge’ . He asked Finn Mc Cool to cook the salmon but said he must not eat it. Finn Mc Cool began to cook the salmon and Finn Eargas went for a walk. To test if the salmon was cooked Finn Mc Cool poked the salmon with his thumb. It burnt his thumb. Without thinking Finn Mc Cool stuck it in his mouth to cool it.

When Finn Eargas came back he realised straight away that Finn had eaten the ‘Salmon of Knowledge’. He was bitterly disappointed but knew he could do nothing about it. He spoke to Finn.

‘ I have no more to teach you. The ‘Salmon of Knowledge has given you all the learning you will ever need. Go now and use the knowledge well. Help others as well as yourself.’

Finn Mc Cool took these words to heart and became the most famous giant who ever lived in Ireland. He is remembered even today.

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MY VISIt tO ROEVaLLEY COUNtRY PaRK

Flowers

Mushrooms

Birds

Invertebrates

Trees

Mammals

KS211

a VISIt tO a WOODLaND - SOME IDEaS tO tHINK abOUt

During your visit to the wood you will have studied many living things: trees, flowers, mushrooms, invertebrates, birds and mammals. You will also have learnt how they depend upon one another. The study of how they rely upon each other is called ‘ecology’. During your visit you were ecologists. Here are some ideas to think about.

Photosynthesis: All life depends upon the sun. Plants are able to use the power of the sun. Plants combine sunshine with water, air and minerals from the soil to make their own food. This allows them to grow. This complicated process is called ‘photosynthesis’. Animals cannot do this. They depend upon the plants for their food.

food chains:Plants can make their own food through photosynthesis. Animals cannot so to stay alive they must eat plants, either directly in the case of a rabbit eating grass or indirectly in the case of a fox eating a rabbit. The vegetable eaters are called herbivores. The meat eaters are called carnivores. We can trace the original source of an animal's food. We call this a food chain. Here some examples: Tree - Leaf- Woodlouse - Blackbird - Hawk

Grass - Rabbit - Fox

Plankton - Small Fish - Salmon - Otter

Potato - Crisp - Girl/Boy

In the end everything derives its energy from the sun. Also remember that we are dependent on food chains.

Seed DispersalSeed dispersal is good example of how living things depend upon one another.Seeds will not grow directly beneath the parent tree. They need sunlight and water and soil, which is not available too close to the parent tree. The seed needs to be spread away from the tree. This process is called 'seed dispersal'. The wind will spread the seeds of the sycamore tree. Birds will spread the berries of the holly tree and squirrels the acorns of the oak tree. Birds get food from the holly tree and the holly tree benefits from the birds. They depend upon one another for their survival. This interdependence is true of all living things. The flower and the bee are another good example.

Habitat & EcosystemsAll animals and plants need a place to live. This is called their habitat. The habitat you have studied is the woodland habitat. You should now understand how the woodland habitat works and how each living thing depends upon others.This interdependence is called an ecosystem. Ecology is the study of ecosystems.

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tHE KING Of tHE bIRDS

A long time ago the birds decided they wanted a king. The bird, which could fly the highest, would be the king. The eagle was the best flyer. It flew

higher than all the other birds. The eagle thought it was to be the king. The cheeky wren had hidden on the eagle's back. Just as the eagle could fly no higher the wren jumped off his back and flew just a little higher. The wren was the king of the birds.

There is twist in the tail of the story. When they got back to the ground the eagle told all the other birds that the wren had cheated.

From that day to this all the birds hate the wren. The wren can never show its face. It spends its time hiding in the bushes.

tHREE LEGENDStHE DOGLEaP - How Limavady Got Its Name

A t one time the countryside around the park was owned by a family called O’Kane. One day their enemies came. They pushed the O’Kanes to the edge of a big rock.

You can still see the rock in the park today. The O’Kanes were in a real fix. Fortunately they had big dog with them. They tied a message around the dog’s neck. The dog made a big jump and landed on the far side of the river. It ran to a castle. Here other members of the O’Kane family read the message. They ran down to the rock. They rescued the O'Kanes on top of the rock. The dog leap had saved them.

Since that time the place has been called the “Leap of the Dog”. This name is not in English but in Irish. That was the language people spoke at that time. The Irish for “jump” is “leim”. The Irish for “of the dog” is “an mhadaigh”. So the name of the place is “Leim an mhadaigh”. Over time this name has become “Limavady”.So that is how Limavady got its name.

Question: Your town has a name. Find out what it means.

Question: What is the real meaning of the story? Cheat and you will do well.Nobody will like you if you cheat.

Bee

Hed

geho

gM

ushr

oom

Holly

Thru

sh

Squirr

elBr

amble

Aco

rnOak

Slug

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tREE

Here is a diagram of a tree. Fill in these missing words in the correct place: Leaf, trunk, bark, branch, Roots and fruit.

Complete this passage by filling in the missing words:

Trees like all plants can make their own food. They do this by taking in the energy of the _ _ _. Plants take up _ _ _ _ _ through their roots. The water contains _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from the soil which are needed to help the tree take in the strength of the sun. Trees also need _ _ _. The tree needs the air to grow.

Words: air, minerals, sun and water

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fLOWERS

We are attracted to wild flowers by their colour and beauty. You will have learnt that flowers play a very important role in the reproduction of the plant. You will have studied the different part of the flower. Not all flowers are the same but many have these features.

The sepals protect the flower when it is a bud. The petals are often brightly coloured to attract insects. The anther is a stalk at the top of which is the stamen. The anther and stamen form the male part of the flower. The stamen contains the pollen. Pollen must be carried to the female part of the flower known as the stigma. Once the pollen reaches the stigma, it is able to travel down the style to the ovary. Here it meets the female part of the flower known as the egg. When this happens the flower is said to be fertilised and a seed can grow. This allows another plant to grow.

In some flowers pollen is carried to the stigma by the wind. Many other flowers need insects to fertilise. Insects are attracted to flowers by their colours and smell. They come to feed on nectar and pollen. You will know that bees make honey from the nectar. The bees get food from the flower but at the same time they help the plant to pollinate and produce seed. Bees and flowers depend upon one another for survival. If there were no flowers, bees would die of starvation. If there were no bees, flowers would not be able to fertilise.

Name the different parts of a typical flower using these words: petal, sepal, anther, filament, stigma, style and ovary.

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WOODLaND CONNECtIONS - fOOD CHaINS

Food Chains: All life on earth depends upon the energy it gets from the sun. Plants, such as trees, need water, air, and minerals from the soil. They are able to absorb sunlight in their leaves and produce their own food. This process is called photosynthesis. The food the plant produces enables it to grow. This food is used by other living things. You will have seen how dead leaves under the trees are eaten by mini-beasts, they are eaten by small birds which are in turn eaten by hawks. This is known as a food chain. There are numerous examples of food chains in the woods. Here is an illustration of just one of them.

Decomposers: Some living things, mushrooms, mini-beasts and bacteria, do a special job. They break down dead plants and animals returning the essential minerals to the soil. Without these minerals the trees would not exist. Decomposers depend upon the plants but the plants depend upon the decomposers.

Ecosystems: Throughout nature this pattern of one thing depending on the other is repeated. Holly berries help feed birds and the birds disperse holly seeds. Bees make honey from flowers and flowers need bees for pollination. All the living things in the forest are linked to one another in a complicated web. This is known as an ecosystem.

Discussion: Below are pictures of some living things from the forest. Use the pictures to discuss the connections between them. There may be more than one answer. Make playing cards from the pictures. You can play a game of ‘snap’.

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Mammals

Discussion:Examine the map below try to identify the best habitats for the mammals discussed above: badger, fox, otter, hare, hedgehog, weasel, squirrel and bat. The boxes will help you find the correct place.

1. Draw your own sketch map. Draw each animal in the best place for it to live.2. In your own words write a few lines about each animal. - Describe what it looks like - What special adaptations it has - What special habits it has - Its habitat - where it would be best suited to live - What signs you would find of its presence.

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fLOWERS

There are an enormous number of flowering plants in the woods. Different flowers appear at different times of the year. Here are three flowers, which grow in summer time.

Germander Speedwell BrambleHerb Robert

Make your own list of the flowers you saw on your visit.

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Invertebrates

It is easy to find mini-beasts or invertebrates among the leaves under the trees. They help to maintain the mineral content of the soil by eating the leaves. They also form an important part of the food chain: Leaves - Invertebrates - Small Birds - Hawks. We can put the invertebrates into different categories. The easiest way to do this is by counting the legs.

Name DrawingLegsParts

1. Slug

2. Snail

3. Millipede

4. Woodlouse

5. Spider

6. Beetle

Category

Key: No legs = mollusc, Many legs = myriapod, 14 legs = crustacean, 8 legs = arachnid, 6 legs = insect

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Hedgehog Length 27cms. This is a peculiar animal. Its most obvious adaptation is its spikes, which it uses for protection. When it feels threatened it rolls into a ball. This normally works but not when lorries are passing. Hedgehogs mostly eat slugs and other invertebrates. In autumn they eat fruit to fatten themselves up for hibernation.They roll themselves into a ball among dead leaves.

Weasel/ Stoat Length 30 cms. This animal is known as the weasel in Ireland but as the stoat in England. The weasel is a carnivore. It uses its sinuous body to go down burrows to eat rabbits. Although much smaller than rabbits it easily disposes of them because of its sharp teeth and muscular body. This may seem cruel but carnivores like weasels are needed to control the number of rabbits.

Grey Squirrel Length 50 cms. This is the easiest mammal to see as it is not nocturnal. The grey squirrel spends most of its time climbing trees. It lives in a nest called a drey. The grey squirrel was brought into Ireland from America 100 years ago. This has had a very bad affect on the native red squirrel. Its numbers have been reduced. Grey squirrels may scare them or eat their food or pass on a disease.

bat There are eight kinds of bat which live in Ireland. They are all very small from 35 mm to 65mm. Bats are all nocturnal. They are the only true flying mammals. They see very well. They need a special means of finding their way at night. They use high pitched sounds to navigate and find the insects they eat. Bats are like hedgehogs. They hibernate during the winter. There are many bats in the park. More than 200 roost in one building.

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badger Length 90 cms. The badger is a stout strong animal. It has two obvious adaptations. Its claws help it dig. Its dull fur camouflages it at night. During the day they sleep in underground tunnels called a set. Only at night do they emerge to find food. They are omnivores. This means they both eat plants and meat.

fox Length 130 cms. The fox is a kind of dog. It has very keen senses. It is mostly a carnivore but it will eat berries in autumn. Foxes are solitary animals except in the breeding season. It uses its den to raise its young. Unlike the badger's set, the den can be smelly as a result of rotten meat left there. Foxes have begun to live in towns.

Otter Length 100cms. The habitat of the otter is the river They have special adaptations: waterproof fur, webbed feet and a thick tail to switch direction quickly. They mostly eat fish. To hunt for them they use their sense of touch through their whiskers. Otters have hiding places under the river bank called holts. Otters are very shy creatures so they are rarely seen.

Hare Length 56 cms. Hares are more generally seen on farmland. The hare is related to the rabbit but is about twice the size. Both are plant eaters or herbivores. Hares differ from rabbits in that they do not use burrows. They rely on their speed for protection. They are an endangered species as their numbers have been much reduced because farmers now make silage not hay.

MaMMaLS

The woods are the home of many mammals. To survive they need a number of things.Habitat: Without a suitable home animals cannot live.Senses: These are much sharper than ours. They help them find food and avoid danger.Adaptations: These are the various things on their body to help them survive.Habits: Each type of animal has different tricks.

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bIRDS

Birds are interesting to study. Birds differ greatly from one another. This is most obvious from their colour, beaks and claws. Their different body types are known as 'adaptations'. These adaptations allow them to find food and avoid danger. Birds also need a place to live. This is known as their habitat. We will look at birds of the woodland habitat.

Especially in springtime they are very active raising their young: singing, building nests, sitting on eggs and feeding their young. Many birds are very beautiful and their singing delights us. There are about two hundred kinds of birds in Ireland. Over sixty have been seen in the park at one time or another.

Robin Length 13 cmsThe robin is easily recognised by its red breast. Its feet are adapted for perching. We often see the robin during our mini-beast hunt. It eats the same creatures we are looking for. Its beak is slim which indicates that it is an invertebrate eater. Unlike other birds, the robin sings all year round to protect its territory.

Song thrush Length 23 cmsThe thrush is easily recognised by its spotty chest. Thrushes eat worms, slugs and snails. In winter they also eat berries from holly and hawthorn trees. This helps with the dispersal of seeds. The eyes of the thrush are placed at the side. This gives it all round vision that allows it to watch out for danger. Its main danger is sparrow hawks.

Jay Length 35 cmsThe Jay is a really beautiful bird with a pink breast and blue wing. Unfortunately they are very secretive so they are rarely seen. The jay is part of the crow family. Its thick beak allows it to eat a wide variety of food. In winter they feed on acorns. In spring they eat the eggs and chicks of smaller birds. This may seem cruel, but it is all part of the balance of nature.

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Sparrow Hawk Length 35 cms

The sparrow hawk is a bird of prey. All birds of prey have roughly the same design. They have sharp claws called talons. They have hooked beaks and their eyes face forwards. These adaptations allow them to catch their prey. Sparrow hawks eat smaller birds, which they catch on the wing. It is at the top of the food chain.

Long Eared Owl Length 37 cms

The long eared owl is a bird of prey. It is nocturnal. The owl has special ears to pinpoint its prey. It also has very soft feathers to allow it to fly silently. Without these adaptations it could not catch its prey, mostly mice. The owl has a smaller beak than the hawk. It does not tear its prey but swallows it whole. It regurgitates the parts of its food it cannot digest in pellets.

buzzard Length 60cms

The buzzard is a large bird of prey. It roosts in the woods at night. By day it soars high above the fields using updrafts of air. It mostly eats dead things but it can hunt rabbits. Buzzards were once poisoned and shot because it was thought they ate lambs. Now they are no longer persecuted so their numbers have increased.

You have read the short pieces of writing about the birds. You also have the pictures to help you. Below are eighteen clues about the birds. They have all been jumbled up. Sort them out and name the bird they refer to. There are three clues for each bird. Draw each bird and write the clues below it.

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Which bird am I?

I have a spotty chest. Robin:

I have a red breast.

I have sharp talons.

I have bright blue wings. Song thrush:

I have long ear tufts.

I am very big.

I mostly eat dead things. Jay:

I hunt at night.

I eat small birds.

In spring I eat birds’ eggs. Sparrow Hawk:

I eat worm, slugs and snails.

I do my own kind of mini-beast hunt.

I am part of the crow family of birds. Long Eared Owl:

I sing all year round.

I help young trees to grow.

My special adaptations help me hunt at night. buzzard:

My numbers have increased in the last few years.

I am at the top of the food chain.

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