Delivering the Curriculum for Excellence through creative, outdoor learning. Water of Leith Visitor Centre 24 Lanark Road Edinburgh EH14 1TQ Tel: 0131 455 7367 Email:admin@waterofleith.org.uk www.waterofleith.org.uk School Programmes
Primary School Programmes at the Water of Leith Visitor Centre All Year All our workshops are 9.30 am to 2.15 pm for P3 to P7 and 9.30 am to 12.30 pm for P1 and P2 Cost: 5.00 per pupil. OUR PROGRAMMES COVER Science: Biodiversity and Interdependence, Energy Sources and Sustainability, Processes of the Planet, Forces, and Earth s Materials. Social Studies: People, Past Events and Societies and People, Place and Environment. Technologies: Technological Developments in Society. Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Literacy and Numeracy across Learning. LIVING THINGS, WILD PLACES, OUR ENVIRONMENT Water and Rivers P3-P7 Explore the Water of Leith. Learn about the diversity of its wildlife and its rich human history. See the water cycle in action, and consider ways to conserve this valuable resource. Activities: interactive exhibition, activity walk, river dipping, surveys and art workshop. Woodland Places: Seasonal Changes P1-P7 Explore the rich diversity of woodland habitats, investigate life cycles and food chains, consider the adaptations of woodland plants and animals and understand the importance of plants to life on earth. Activities: interactive exhibition, sensory and discovery walk, surveys and art workshop. Bugs and Beasties P1-P7 Explore the world of invertebrates. Investigate their habitats and learn about food chains and life cycles. Find out about their important role in nature. Activities: interactive exhibition, sensory and discovery walk, surveys, river dipping and art workshop.
Active Citizens - Sustainable Rivers P3-P7 Join our river charity for a hands-on day to find out how we look after the river, explore the biodiversity of the ancient woodlands and investigate the impact of human activity upon the river and woodland habitats. Activities: interactive exhibition, conservation activity, environmental investigation of the Water of Leith, river dipping, Active Citizens classroom activity. Biodiversity Matters P3-P7 Investigate the importance of the interdependency of all living things, with an emphasis upon the wide variety of plants and animals in our local environment. Activities: interactive exhibition, environmental walk to river and woodland habitats, river dipping and shadow puppet art workshop. PEOPLE AND PLACE: PAST AND PRESENT Jacobites in Edinburgh P4-P7 Take a step back in time to re-live and explore the issues and consequences of the 1745 occupation of Edinburgh by the Jacobite army. Activities: classroom activity and slide talk, Jacobites at Grays Mill drama activity trail and encampment, and art workshop. Water, Sustainability and Our Milling Heritage P4-P7 Explore Edinburgh s milling legacy on the Water of Leith whilst looking at the river s future use for sustainable energy production. Activities: interactive exhibition, drama activities and renewable energy art workshop. Canals and Transport: Past and Present P2-P7 Explore Edinburgh s Union Canal: become an urban archaeologist to look for traces of its past; find out about the people who built it and why. Investigate the canal s wildlife and its current uses. Activities: slide talk, canal activity walk and boat building workshop.
WINTER OUTREACH PROGRAMME (November to April) Your Local Environment (for schools within walking distance of the canal or river) P3-P7 What did the environment around your school look like 12,000 years ago? Or 120 years ago? What are some of the animals and plants that grow and live along the waterside? Who were some interesting or famous people who used to live right next door? In this bespoke programme, our Education Officer spends the day with your class to help you find out more about your Local Environment. Activities: interactive timeline, guided walk along the river/canal and art workshop. Cost: Full-day 75, Half-day 50 Plants and Wildlife. Food Chains. The Water Cycle P1-P7 Choose one from these three topics for a hands-on, interactive, one-hour workshop bringing the plants and animals of the Water of Leith right into your classroom. Activities: PowerPoint presentation, interactive classroom activities and games. Cost: 25 per hour session OTHER PROGRAMMES All Year JASS at the Water of Leith P5-S2 Come to the ancient woodlands of the Dells to earn the Adventure/Me and My World section of the JASS award. This three-hour outdoor programme explores the woodland habitat and develops survival skills through orienteering, shelter building and even fire-making. Contribute to the health of the river by participating in a conservation challenge. 9.30 am-12.30 pm (Schools are welcome to eat lunch in the classroom after the programme.) Cost: 5.00 per child Nursery School Programmes We also offer seasonally adapted one-hour storytelling workshops for nursery groups on the topics of invertebrates, life cycles, river, sustainability and woodlands. Activities: exhibition, storytelling and guided outdoor walk. Cost: 2.00 per child
Secondary School Field Studies at the Water of Leith Visitor Centre All Year Cost: 5.00 per child Water and Rivers S1-S3 Visit our interactive exhibition before exploring the river in the ancient woodlands of The Dells. Identify river features and conduct experiments to measure river velocity and to map the river bed. Investigate the health of the river through freshwater invertebrate sampling and learn about the rich human history of the river as well as conservation issues facing the river today. Rivers and Valley Field Studies for Physical Environments National 4 & 5 Geography Students work in small groups to measure and to record the river velocity, river depth, and bed load at three different locations on the river, as well as analyzing the water quality through kick samples of invertebrate life. All equipment and worksheets for student data collection are provided. The study also explores the influence of the river upon the formation of the landscape, the human history of this urban waterway, as well as current land use and conservation issues facing the river. Both programmes can be conducted as a full-day study from 9.30 am to 2.15 pm or condensed as a half-day programme at the convenience of the school. We also offer bespoke programmes for senior stage Biology and Environmental Science. So if you don t see exactly what you are looking for, give us a call and we will develop a programme which meets your needs. Youth Volunteering Opportunities The Water of Leith Conservation Trust offers support to schools and individuals to help achieve The John Muir Award and The Duke of Edinburgh Award through practical work, volunteering and hands on 'wild' experiences. We also offer a limited number of work experience placements for those interested in a career in the environment.
Water of Leith Visitor Centre 24 Lanark Road Edinburgh EH14 1TQ Tel: 0131 455 7367 SAINSBURY S Email:admin@waterofleith.org.uk www.waterofleith.org.uk Thanks to Bryce Morrison, Charles Everitt and Helen Brown for their kind permission to use photographs. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust is a registered charity (SC000015) and our Schools Programme is supported and funded by City of Edinburgh Council s Children and Families Department.