Resource #V105001

Précis

Students read an extract from Robin Hill's Nature Notes on Mammals and answer questions, demonstrating their understanding of information contained therein.

Contextual Summary

This pre-visit activity enables students to engage with a venue- relevant text, encouraging them to practise their reading and comprehension skills. The main focus of the task is reading for information, and being able to synthesise and summarise their understanding. The task links to specific information about the features and biology of local species and other interesting facts relating to nature in the environs of the park. Students read a nature fact sheet on mammals, birds or butterflies that are found locally, and could be seen during a visit to the park, and they answer questions on the content. The resources available are relevant to students in both lower and upper years of key stage 2 (years 3-6). There is a crossover with Science due to the topic contained within the text.

Curriculum Relevance

English → Reading → Comprehension

Implementation

This is a peripheral pre-visit resource, which could also be used post- visit if required. Ideally, students complete the activity before they visit. This enables students to not only practise their English skills in reading, but to also gain an enriched view of the subject and venue context as relating to local nature, both at the Robin Hill Country Park and on the Isle of Wight. Students will hopefully explore the venue with a view to identifying these species and also with a greater desire for knowledge.

Key Skills Practised

• Reading for meaning and information
• Interpretation skills
• Summarising skills

Learning Opportunities

Pre-Visit

Completion of the English: Reading - Comprehension resource/s linked to this document

On Site

Activities could be completed on-site if a suitable space could be found, however this resource is designed as a pre-visit classroom or homework activity.

Post-Visit

This task could be completed post-visit if required

Learning Outcomes

The task will prepare students for visiting the park and gardens as they will have gained an insight into the kind of nature attractions they could discover there, enriching their entire experience. Students will have practised their reading and interpretation skills. Students will have gained additional knowledge about mammals, birds or butterflies in the park?s vicinity (depending on the resource chosen); this will support their learning in Science (crosses over with aspects of units such as ?Plants? and ?Living Things and their Habitats? etc.)