Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2008 | Page 71

COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING are encouraged to invent names and situations for their tree monsters - ideas we can take back to the fire circle and develop into oral stories - hey presto! An al fresco Literacy class, often led most enthusiastically by children who struggle to write a few lines of a composition in class.” Curriculum links are sometimes set up in the lesson plan but often occur spontaneously and Kathy outlines a good example with maths. “Estimating lengths of wood as we cut them; working out in our heads how many 30cm pieces we'll get out of a length. Using mathematical language regarding shapes when we're making things like mallets - first we make a 'cylinder' and then we cut a 'square' handle. We cut the corners off that to end up with an 'octagon'. We talk a lot about angles as well, getting the correct angle of the knife to whittle wood.” All this is all especially important for people who learn by doing. Often for them, things don't really make much sense until they use the information in a physical way. Through observation, Forest School leaders can identify Water Vole habitat by Graham Roberts Your local Wildlife Trust The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust works to create a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Island. As the leading local wildlife conservation charity, it looks after 57 wildlife reserves, has 27,000 members and 1,000 volunteers. The Trust manages its own land and advises other landowners how to manage their land with wildlife in mind. Staff and volunteers also carry out surveys and gather data to monitor how our local wildlife is doing. Find out more at www.hwt.org.uk. that children shouldn’t miss out on the fantastic natural resources we all have on our doorstep.” With Lottery funding it is hoped to expand the project and make use of suitable Forestry Commission and Wildlife Trust sites. For further information contact Kathy Grogan on [phone] or email [email protected]. life Want Birds in your Garden? Read This. If you are interested in learning more about how to encourage birds to your garden and getting help to identify the birds you see, the new book written by Royal Horticultural Society and The Wildlife Trusts may be able to help. Birds in Your Garden shows you how to turn your garden into a haven for birds and is packed with advice from experts. It focuses on garden bird species, and has accounts of 60 birds with key facts and identifying features along with lots of amazing images. Copies are available from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust at a cost of £12.99. Tel: [phone], www.hwt.org.uk Local Businesses Support Wildlife Trust different kinds of learners and make sure activities in each session are suited to t