Reception pupils from Awsworth Primary & Nursery School swapped the classroom for the canal bank recently as part of a hands-on outdoor learning adventure linked to their topic on minibeasts.
Cedar Class headed out on a pond dipping trip last Monday afternoon, braving the rain for an activity-filled visit that saw children exploring habitats, identifying pondlife and getting up close to nature.
Ahead of the trip, pupils had created special “leaf packs” using small mesh bags filled with fallen leaves and twigs collected from beside the canal. The packs were then secured in the water for a couple of weeks to create temporary habitats for tiny creatures.
When the children returned to collect them, the experiment proved a huge success.
The leaf packs were carefully lifted from the canal into trays, allowing pupils to closely examine the wildlife hiding amongst the leaves using identification sheets.
Among the creatures discovered were:
- Water louse
- Water boatman
- Leech
- Midge larva
- Caddis fly larva
- Damselfly nymph
- Dragonfly nymph
- Water snail
- Diving beetle
During the afternoon, the children split into groups to take part in a variety of activities including pond dipping with nets, pond dipping from the bridge using buckets and making nature bracelets using double-sided sticky tape and natural materials collected along the route.
Teachers said the children were “So well behaved and sensible”, remembering all the safety rules discussed beforehand while making the most of the outdoor experience.
At the end of the visit, the leaves were carefully returned to the canal and the nets taken away to be recycled for next year’s trip.
Staff also thanked the parents and carers who supported the visit in the wet weather.
The school said the afternoon was packed with adventure, discovery and fun – even if everyone ended up a little muddy and soaked by the end of it!
A lovely example of children learning about nature first-hand while exploring one of the area’s local outdoor spaces.
