Learning Packages at Wicken Fen
Contact Details
Please get in touch via:
[email protected]
or call 01353720274
Living Things (and their habitats)
Summary
Explore a variety of habitats at Wicken Fen and discover the relationships between the
habitats and the animals and plants within.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and name a variety of common animals.
- Establish most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how
different kinds of animals and plants depend on each other.
- Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of
a simple food chain.
- Use of simple scientific equipment (pond dipping nets, sweep nets, quadrats).
- Identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores,
herbivores and omnivores.
Activities on the day Pond Dipping, Minibeast Hunting, Choice of Boardwalk or Wild Art
Key Stage
1
National Curriculum Science
links
Living Things (Classification, ID and Recording)
Summary
Discover what lives in a variety of habitats at Wicken Fen, and how to identify and
classify simple plants and animals. Students will practise basic sampling techniques
across plant communities.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways.
- Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living
things in their local environment.
- Explore the requirements of plants for life and growth.
- Identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways.
- Construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers,
predators and prey.
Activities on the day Pond Dipping, Minibeast Hunting, Fen Flora.
Key Stage
2
National Curriculum Science
links
Sensory Day
Summary
Explore how senses enable humans and other animals to explore Wicken, thinking about
what it means to be alive. Discover the different habitats that we have at Wicken Fen, and
be inspired to create your own clay creature to take home. Cross curricular activity.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and name a variety of common animals.
- Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited
- Identify and name a variety of everyday materials.
- Explore the differences between things that are living, dead and things that have never
been alive.
- To use drawing and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and
imagination, and record their observations.
Activities on the day Sensory Boardwalk, Wild Art, choice of either Pond Dipping or Minibeast Hunting.
Key Stages
1 and 2
National Curriculum Science, Art and Design
links
The Fens
Summary
Discover the history of the Fens, starting with how they were formed and focussing on
the local way of life and how people lived and worked on the fens.
Learning Outcomes
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
- Gain historical perspective by
understanding the connection between
local, regional and national history.
- Identify similarities and differences between
ways of life in different periods.
- Significant historical events, people and
places in the locality.
- A local history study.
- Understand the processes that give rise to
key physical features.
- Develop knowledge of students’ locality.
- Note connections, contrasts over time
and learn appropriate historical terms.
- A local history study.
- Understand the processes that give rise
to key physical features.
- Name and locate geographical regions
and identify physical and human
characteristics, and how these have
changed over time.
Activities on the day Boardwalk, Fen Cottage, Fenman’s Workshop and, depending on numbers, a separate
activity.
National Curriculum History and Geography
links
Importance of Water
Summary
Explore the importance of water for both physical and human processes in this
cross-curricular activity day. Find out how water has shaped the history of the Fens, and
discover what lives in the waters of Wicken today.
Learning Outcomes
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
- Observe closely using simple
equipment.
- Identify and name a variety of common
animals.
- Gain historical perspective by
understanding the connection between
local, regional and national history.
- A local history study.
- Understand the processes that give rise
to key physical features.
- Identify how animals are adapted to suit
their environment in different ways.
- A local history study.
- Understand the processes that give rise to
key physical features.
- Name and locate geographical regions and
identify physical and human characteristics,
and how these have changed over time.
Activities on the day
Pond dipping, Boardwalk, Fenman’s Workshop
National Curriculum
links
History, Geography and Science
Fen Explorer
Summary
A fun cross-curricular activity day exploring Wicken Fen with GPS, and developing
teamwork skills working to create shelters and dens in the wild.
Learning Outcomes
- Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger and more stable.
- Develop skills and confidence in outdoor and adventurous activities.
- Compare duration of events.
- Compare, describe and solve practical problems.
- Develop geographical and recording skills using GPS equipment.
- Recognise that environments can sometimes pose dangers to living things.
Activities on the day Geocaching, Den building
Key Stage
2
National Curriculum Geography, Numeracy, Design and Technology, Science
links
National Trust
Registered charity number 205846