Primary Education Visits

All of our programmes are assessed on a regular basis to ensure they meet the requirements of the National Curriculum with a particular emphasis on Geography, Science, Art and History.

TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC

(4 HOURS) – KEY STAGE 1

This programme helps younger children understand about the things that 'Teddy Bears' and all living creatures need to survive. The children:

• investigate the environment using their senses in an Earthwalk^TM
• discover the secret meaning of P.A.W.S.
• discover that the 'needs of life' are in limited supply
• see the story about 'the Lady who hugged the Trees' come to life in a Puppet Drama
• create their own habitat for 'Castaway Teddies'

Transport is not required during the day.

INFANT EXPLORERS

(HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 1

The children are invited to adopt a creature that lives in and around the river bank in order to become explorers for the day.

In role as water voles, great diving beetles, freshwater shrimps and herons they will:

• Experience the natural world in unusual ways using their senses in an Earthwalk^TM
• Investigate other creatures that live in the water environment during a River Dipping session at the stream
• Examine and identify creatures using simple microscopes and keys
• Discover how living things protect themselves in the environment by following an un-nature trail
• Understand how all living things have survival needs and the part they play in looking after those needs

These activities encourage investigation and sensory stimulation in a fun and enjoyable way.

Transport is not required during the day.

ART IN THE PARK

(STANDARD DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

This popular day is an opportunity for children to gain an understanding and appreciation of the natural world within a framework of fun and creativity. This full day is an artistic adventure which explores environmental issues, shared concerns and individual responsibilty.

The programme builds upon three creative and imaginative elements which combine together at the end of the day in a celebration of all living things at the Council of All Beings. The children present their own opinions and suggestions which they have explored during the day.

Three activities for artistic interpretation include:

• Mask making
• Land art
• Sculptural mobiles

The programme uses art to inspire and challenge children to understand the world, their place in it and the positive contribution they can make to its future.

No transport is required during your stay

EARTHKEEPERS^TM

(2 DAY PACKAGE) – KEY STAGE 2

(Available from YHA Ravenstor only)

Earthkeepers is a two day residential programme for 9-12 year olds that is continued at home and in school. The residential experience is highly motivating and aims to stimulate active interest in pursuing the programme aims after leaving the Youth Hostel.

The aims of the programme are to encourage the children to:

• understand how energy and materials tie all life together
• experience good feelings for the natural world, the landscape of the Peak District National Park and the things which live there
• reduce the impact of personal lifestyles on the natural systems which support life
• help others increase their understanding of, and feelings for, the Earth and its life

The children participate in activities to earn keys to unlock four boxes. Two of them - the K and the E boxes for Knowledge and Experience - are opened during their stay, the other two - the Y and S boxes for Yourself and Sharing - are opened after completing activities at home and school. The programme covers various ecological concepts such as flow of energy (food chains and energy loss) and cycle of natural materials e.g. water.

Before the children arrive at the Youth Hostel they receive a map and a letter from a mysterious character called E.M. (pronounced Em), an Earthkeeper. E.M. invites them to become Earthkeepers, and help look after the Earth and its life.

TM - Institute for Earth Education Activities and Programmes.

No transport is required during your stay.

GUARDIANS OF THE FUTURE (F.A.R.)

(STANDARD DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

This programme focuses on ancient and recent changes in the landscape.

The children:

• discover the secrets of the FAR symbol
• travel back in time to discover hidden 'time capsules' which give clues about the sequence of changes in the landscape over the past 360 million years
• discover the ingredients needed in soil formation in 'Mother Nature's kitchen'
• experience how rocks become colonised by plants at the 'Unclimbable Cliff'
• use their senses to experience changes around them in the 'Wood of Magic'

Back at school and at home they consider their own influence on future changes and learn to become Guardians of the Future.

Transport is required during the day.

EARTH CARETAKERS^TM

(STANDARD DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

This programme begins and finishes at school and focuses on energy flow, food chains and our use of energy and materials.

The programme is designed to:

• increase understanding of the processes that govern life on Earth
• encourage positive feelings for the natural world
• lead to positive environmental action at home and school

Activities include 'Throwaway Planet', an Earthwalk^TM, Munchline Monitors^TM, Microtrails and Magic Spots^TM. (An activity called Food Factories is interchangeable with Munchline Monitors for Upper Key Stage 2).

Available from several Youth Hostels without the need for transport.

DALES DISCOVERY

TIDESWELL SITE -
HARTINGTON SITE -
(STANDARD OR HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

The focus is on understanding limestone scenery past and present and involves a walk through the beautiful landscape of the White Peak area.

The children learn about:

• the geological history of limestone
• the relationship between bedrock, land forms, ecology and land use
• the contrast between dale and plateau scenery
• the aesthetic qualities of the dale

They become explorers on the 'Trail of Discovery' in a limestone dale with the aid of clues and equipment discovered at the start of the day. A range of interactive activities are used to illustrate the learning points.

This activity can provide a good vehicle for investigating landscapes and the importance of protecting them for the future.

Available from YHA Ravenstor and YHA Hartington Hall without the need for transport

UP HILL AND DOWN DALE

DALE ONLY -
MOOR ONLY -
(STANDARD OR HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

The children meet the 'Old Man for the Moors' and are challenged to unravel the mystery of the rocks and landscape from high up on the gritstone moorland to way down in a limestone dale.

In role as a team of scientists, they investigate the soils, plants and animals that are typical of these two contrasting Peak District landscapes. They finish the day with the opportunity to present their scientific findings and consider what this might mean for the environment.

The children will:

• solve a theory in the form of a riddle that connects the rocks with the landscape
• collect evidence using soil augers, pH kits, quadrats, collection pots, magnifiers and I.D. charts
• record the changes that demonstrate the impact of people on the landscape
• present and justify their own findings
• discover the decisions they can take which might impact on the landscape of the future

Transport is required during the day.

The programme also runs as a half day in either Tideswell Dale or at the Haywood site

A RIVER’S TALE

(STANDARD OR HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

Available from a number of different sites across the Peak District National Park, this programme is composed of two elements:

1. How rivers affect the landscape

The children:

• investigate the water cycle and how rivers are formed
• use simple fieldwork techniques to investigate the way the river works as it creates landscape features

2. Living things in the water environment

The children:

• investigate how living things are adapted to their environment
• examine river creatures using field equipment and identify them with simple keys
• understand the importance of food chains and inter-relationships in the water world
• consider how and why people should manage and sustain this habitat

Transport is required during the day.

The element ‘How Rivers affect the landscape’ is available as a half day visit from YHA Gradbach without the need for transport.

LANDSCAPE DETECTIVES

(STANDARD DAY) – KEY STAGE 2 and 3

This programme investigates the locality of Castleton in the Hope Valley and explores the changes that have occurred there as a result of the relationship between people and geology.

The children:

• become landowners, tourists and local people in order to explore some of the conflicts that arise in the Peak District National Park
• undertake survey work to find out the economic activities that take place in Castleton and how its location impacts upon provisions made for visitors and local residents
• investigate the different types of land use in the area
• discover how geology and topography affect land use
• consider human impacts on the area
• will be encouraged to understand the need to manage and sustain the landscapes of the Peak District

Transport is required during the day

A shortened version of this programme is also available as a half day activity.

HARTINGTON VILLAGE STUDY

(HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

This programme focuses on the village of Hartington as a settlement in the Peak District. The children become detectives in order to explore village characteristics and consider the issues surrounding visitor pressure in a National Park.

The children:

• follow a phototrail to investigate features of the village and the human impact upon them
• undertake survey work to discover the facilities, economic activities and environmental quality of this location
• formulate their own ideas concerning visitor pressure and consider solutions that will provide for a sustainable future

Available from YHA Hartington without the need for transport

PEOPLE PLACE AND TIME

(STANDARD DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

This programme is a journey from Neolithic times to the present day. It describes how national events shaped history and the legacy that this left on the landscape of the Hope Valley.

The children:

• meet a storyteller who introduces them to the people and events from the past
• use a variety of sources including pictures, photographs and artefacts as they travel in time with the Romans, Anglo Saxons, Vikings, Normans and Victorians up to the present day
• meet characters from the past and discover contemporary lifestyles, farming and new technologies through the ages
• consider their own impact on the environment and the legacy they will leave for the future

Available from YHA Castleton without the need for transport.

Programmes available from Litton Mill Study Centre

‘ALL IN A SPIN’

(HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

The children investigate clues to unravel the history of Litton Mill, an eighteenth century cotton spinning mill. They discover why the mill was built here, what it was used for in the past and what life was like for the children who lived here.

This introduction leads into a Role Play of characters involved in the history of the mill until its present day re-development. The children will investigate clues at the site and also use ‘Investigation Boxes’, in order to develop informed opinions ‘in role’ as child apprentices, mill owners, reformers of the child labour system, visitors and ‘local residents’.

The activity aims to encourage children to recognise the value of their own decision making and the impact this can have on the future.

Available from YHA Ravenstor without the need for transport.

Neil Henery, Headteacher of Alpington VA Primary School, Norfolk.

"It is great to come to such a beautiful area and be able to cover so many aspects of the curriculum, such as geography, history and outdoor education.  This is the second time the children have taken part in the "All in a spin" role play activity. The programme is creative and fun and helps children to grasp historical and geographical issues associated with the local area."

TIME TRAVELLERS

(1 - 1.5 hours) – KEY STAGE 2

The children experience an exciting adventure from the beginning of time to the present day, meeting volcanoes, tropical sea creatures, dinosaurs and stone age people. They discover hidden time capsules and piece together the events that have shaped the landscape and nature of the area since time began.

Available from YHA Ravenstor without the need for transport.

Shorter Activities

ENVIRONMENTAL ART

(1-2 HOURS) – KEY STAGES 1 OR 2

This session enables children to explore and understand the natural world within a framework of fun and creativity. Experimenting with colours, textures and patterns, they create art and sculpture using natural materials.

EARTHWALK^TM

(1 HOUR) – KEY STAGES 1 OR 2

An Earthwalk^TM is composed of a series of light hearted sensory activities. They can be used simply for sensory exploration and fun, or to take a fresh look at a particular theme, for instance; trees, habitats, exploration and discovery.

FARM VISIT

(2 HOURS OR HALF DAY) – KEY STAGE 2

A visit to a typical Peak District farm that will encourage children to:

• understand where food comes from
• experience the lifestyle of the farm
• understand that the landscape is constantly changing and the role that the farmer plays in this
• reflect upon the links between the products that they buy and the maintenance of a countryside that is both attractive and economically viable

A more detailed look at farm land use and the physical environment can be made with the help of some simple measurement and recording - please enquire with our Education Visits Administrator at Losehill Hall.

Many groups choose to combine a farm visit with a Peak District National Park talk.

RIVER DIPPING

(1 HOURS) – KEY STAGES 1 or 2

The children see for themselves the way creatures are adapted to life in the water and identify finds using simple microscopes and keys.

They investigate the inter-relationships between organisms and plants in this ecosystem and understand the importance of sustaining the delicate balance in a watery environment.

THE PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK TALK – ‘HATS ROLE PLAY’

(APPROX 1 HOUR) – KEY STAGE 2 UPWARDS

Following a short introductory talk, the group become landowners, tourists and local people and start to explore some of the issues in the Peak National Park. This is the ideal introduction to the area for all groups, aged eight years and upwards.

Location: Various venues including Losehill Hall, Litton Mill Study Centre, Youth Hostels, Information Centres, your school (if within a one hour's drive) etc.

CONNECTOR INSPECTOR^TM

(APPROX 1 HOUR) – KEY STAGE 2

The group discovers the ways in which natural things are connected to each other. The children build their own intricate web linking sun, air, soil, water and either woodland or water creatures. They find out what happens when something breaks the web and consider their own responsibility in ensuring that connections remain intact!

MUNCHLINE MONITORS^TM

(APPROX 1 HOUR) – KEY STAGE 2

The children investigate feeding relationships in a woodland habitat. They discover food chains and food pyramids as they complete their training to become ‘Munchline Monitors’.

FOOD FACTORIES

(APPROX 1 HOUR) – KEY STAGE 2

The children become molecule messengers as they discover the process of photosynthesis and the importance of the sun’s energy in powering the supply of energy for all living things. They compare nature’s food factory with a factory created by people and are invited to become ‘factory inspectors’ to ensure sunlight energy supplies remain uninterrupted for the future.

GEOLOGY TIME TRAIL

(1 - 2 HOURS) – KEY STAGE 2

Visit an old quarry and travel back in time to find out how the rocks in Derbyshire were formed. Hidden 'time capsules' give clues to the sequence of events that have shaped and changed the landscape over the last 360 million years. The children look at how rocks have influenced today's landscape and how human use of rocks affects this.

This activity can be combined with a ROCKS AND MINERALS session to include a special focus on lead mining in the Peak District and an opportunity for a fossil and mineral hunt.