Recent News / Events
Year 8 Residential trip to Folly Farm
Mon 14 Jun, 2010
The whole of Year 8 took part in a very successful and enjoyable residential trip last week, to The Folly Farm Centre, a stunning 250-acre nature reserve close to Bath and Bristol which is owned and managed by Avon Wildlife Trust.
The trip combined team building activities with some serious scientific endeavour, enabling the students to develop some investigative study skills and enjoy getting to know each other better.
On the first morning the students completed a 'CSI' style investigation on soil samples taken from across the nature reserve to discover "Who stole the biscuits?" This allowed the students to learn about ecological sampling techniques, experimental variables and taught them how to analyse Soil pH in the field. As well as a good walking tour of the nature reserve and its different habitats.
In the afternoon each tutor group was split up into 5 different groups and they were each given their own investigation to plan and carry out. This included the comparison of plant and animal species in different types of woodland or different types of meadow or different pond locations. Students designed their own experiments and carried out measurements using quadrats, temperature probes, light metres and pH tests. Students were also asked to take a photo diary using the Folly Farm cameras.
In the evening each group prepared and gave a presentation of their investigation.
The second day featured a Ray Mears type Bush Craft agenda. The party spent the whole day out in the woods, learning survivalist skills such as building a shelter, making and baking bread over an open fire and starting a fire without matches.
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