There’s a world of science out there to explore, so get to it

Children will soon tire of studying that same small patch of greenery in the playground, it’s time to turn a new leaf

“We’re going outside for today’s science lesson. Take a clipboard and pencil and line up quietly. Let’s go!”

Picture the scene: it’s a primary classroom with a teacher (plus a TA, if you’re lucky) and 30 or so children shuffling their feet and chattering excitedly. Ask yourself – what might they be about to do outside? If it were your class, what would be the three most likely options?

The chances are your list will contain at least one of the following: a bug hunt, plant identification, habitats, tree identification, seasonal changes (new for 2014!), quadrant work, data collection, shadow work. That’s certainly how my list would have looked a couple of years ago, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Lessons about plants and minibeasts have long given teachers an opportunity to take learning outside the classroom and into the local area. But following my introduction to the Let’s Go! Science Trails project (funded by the Primary Science Teaching Trust), my colleagues and I have found many more opportunities to escape the building in search of learning. Space, sound, electricity, materials, light, senses, evolution – pretty much every aspect of science can be taken outdoors.

I’m certainly not advocating taking children outside for every science lesson, but making the most of the surrounding environment, whatever that might be, will result in learning experiences that are more meaningful and memorable. And we can have some fun at the same time – it is allowed.

For example, one day, following a particularly heavy downpour, we took the children outside to see the water cycle in action. As the sun emerged, we could see moisture on fences and roofs evaporate and condense. Later that same term, during a maths lesson, one of my Year 5 boys suddenly rushed to the window shouting, “Look, Miss. I can see part of the water cycle!” The learning had stuck. Fabulous!

There are similar opportunities all around us. What about walking past buildings and investigating the materials used in their construction? This could easily be linked with a local history study to find out why certain resources are more common than others. Or you could just focus on the science and examine hardness, porosity and conductivity.

School playtime equipment has lots of potential. You could find out which surfaces are the most slippery, or absorb the most heat. And where do all those materials come from? Can they be recycled?

Think about all that equipment gathering dust in cupboards – data loggers and cameras. Data handling becomes so much more meaningful when it’s related to real experience. Which colour flowers attract the greatest number of bugs? Okay, that’s plants again – but what about finding out from how far away you can hear the traffic on a nearby road, or which materials muffle the noise from the road / playground / local farm most effectively?

Further afield, local shops and businesses will almost certainly be keen to be involved. School trips don’t just need to be for history topics; trips to the coast, to a river, to a world heritage site can all be the stimulus for a wealth of activities.

What are the pitfalls? The glorious unpredictability of our weather can scupper the best-laid plans, but as long as it’s not too severe you can still carry out most experiments with the correct equipment. In fact, sometimes the extremes of our climate can lead to unexpected lessons taking place: which trees are affected by heavy winds? Which plants can survive a drought?

The perception is that practical work can be tricky with certain areas of science, such as space, for instance. But outdoors, with giant models and a sense of scale, these topics can come to life. Electricity isn’t just about small circuits. Take a walk around the local area to see where the substations are, to track the cables and appreciate the enormity of it all.

Outside science can really take you just about anywhere. Try it to see how you can relate familiar, everyday places to the scientific concepts learnt in class. Invite people in from local businesses to talk about how they use science in their daily lives, and don’t be afraid to have a go. Learning is not just for the children.

About the author

Katrina Halford is a PSTT fellow (pstt.org.uk) and science subject leader at St Andrew’s CEVC Primary School.