Have you done Big Schools birdwatch and you’re wondering what you could do next as part of your Wild Challenge award? Or maybe you’ve yet to discover all Wild Challenge has to offer?
It might still be cold outside, but you can wrap up warm and make the most of the season! Venture into your school grounds to help pupils develop observation skills, explore senses and be creative with activities like Weather wizard, Sensing the world and Wild Writing. Be inspired by these real-life descriptions of the Wild Challenge activity Wild writing:
‘The pupils went into their Forest School area and discussed how the area made them feel and how different it was to the main part of the playground with a netball court and very little planting areas. They then wandered around the Forest School in pairs and discussed what they could see and what they heard and how they felt about being in the nature in the Forest School. They then came up with sentences about the experience which we put together as a collective poem.’
‘It really got the children thinking about their senses. They started by planning what they would write and spent time outside using their senses and making notes. Some wrote stories and some wrote poems.’
Remember that for each award (Bronze, Silver then Gold) groups need to submit evidence for three different Experience Nature activities and three different Helping Nature activities. Why not search for wildlife friendly features with Habitat explorer and then get started on your Helping Nature activities by creating a Biodiversity Action Plan to implement throughout the year. Other activities that can be done in the winter include Planting for wildlife (trees) and making homes for different creatures.
Visit our revamped webpage to browse through some activities and plan ahead for spring: rspb.org.uk/schoolswildchallenge
By completing your WC award this academic year you will also be eligible for the SfN certificate signed by Sir David Attenborough. Follow Schools for Nature Facebook page where we celebrate schools taking action for nature #SchoolsForNature