Join a ranger in exploring the different habitats found around ponds and the adaptations of the species found there.

To begin with the children are taken on a short orienteering walk around the pond and stream, where they can see all the different animals and plants that live in this habitat. Clennon valley offers students an excellent opportunity to explore the pond environment and to investigate the concepts of zonation, competition and habitat. The distribution of a species within a pond will depend on a number of factors such as the depth of water, the gradient of the bank, the amount of shade and the presence or absence of emergent vegetation. The children will dip for creatures in several different locations around the pond, compare their findings and account for the differences.

• Learn:

  • Different habitats – microhabitats within one area i.e. ponds with reeds and woodland and open areas.

  • Seeing the adaptations of the animals to their environment

  • How they utilise different materials such as natural waste and human waste.

  • Pond dipping collect animals from the water and ID them.

  • Look at different areas within the pond- exposed / sheltered / within reeds etc.
     

Help the rangers to locate and identify freshwater creatures. Observe the adaptations and study the life cycles and feeding relationships in freshwater habitats. Explore the different habitats found in one locality and examine zonation of plants and animals around the pond. This activity can also be repeated i a stream to allow comparisons to be made between different types of freshwater habitats.

Aims of Activity

To locate, observe and identify aquatic animals and plants.

To carefully note prominent features.

To classify specimens.

To examine zonation in the pond habitat.

To study the feeding and movement of freshwater creatures.

To examine localities with different habitat features and account for the different species found.

• Time: 1.5 hours.

• Maximum group size: 1 ranger to every 20 participants.

• Age: All ages.

Relevant Parts of the National Curriculum.

SCIENCE

Primary

• Unit 2B: Plants and animals in the local environment.

  • To treat animals and the environment with care and sensitivity.

  • That there are differences between local habitats.
     

• Unit 2C: Variation.

  • Suggest questions relating to differences between living things.

  • Recognise similarities between animals and between plants and differences within these groups.

  • To observe and recognise some simple characteristics of animals and plants.

  • To treat animals with care.

  • To make careful observations to identify similarities.

  • That living things in the local environment can be grouped according to observable similarities and differences.

• Unit 4B: Habitats.

  • To identify different types of habitat.

  • That different animals are found in different habitats.

  • That animals are suited to the environment in which they are found.

  • Using keys to identify local plants and animals.

  • To pose questions about animals and the habitat in which they live.

  • To identify the food sources of different animals in different habitats.
     

• Unit 5B: Life cycles.

  • Words and phrases associated with life processes e.g. reproduction / life cycle etc.

• Unit 6A: Interdependence and adaptation.

  • Different habitats depend on each other and are suited to their environment.

  • To explain feeding relationships in a habitat.

  • That animals and plants in a local environment are interdependent.

  • Use of keys to identify local animals / plants.

  • To construct food chains in a particular habitat.

  • How animals and plants in a second habitat are suited to their environment
     

Secondary

• Unit 7C: Environment and feeding relationships.

  • Different habitats have different features and support different organisms.

  • The distribution of organisms in a different habitat is affected by environmental factors (e.g. light, nutrients or water availability).

  • That some animals are adapted to daily / seasonal changes in their habitat and that adaptations may be to avoid climatic stress.

  • To summarise and make connections between key ideas about adaptation to a habitat.

  • That animals have adaptations against predators.

  • That animals are adapted to their particular food source.

  • Characteristics of prey / predator species.

  • All organisms in a habitat can be linked via food webs which are made up of a series of food chains.

  • To link animals together in food webs.

  • Adaptations of plants against predators etc.

  • Factors influencing the number of organisms in one part of a food web have an effect on other parts of the web.
     

• Unit 7D: Variation and classification.

  • Explore variation within and between species.

  • Consider why classification is important and are introduced to scientific classification of animals.

  • How environmental differences can result in variations in a species.
     

• Unit 8D: Ecological relationships.

  • Living things within a community influence each other and are affected by the environment.

  • That organisms only survive in a habitat where they have all the essentials for life and reproduction.

  • To use scientific knowledge and understanding to raise questions about habitats.

  • To observe organisms which comprise the living community in a habitat.

  • To work safely with living things and show sensitivity to their environment.

  • Different habitats support different living things and have different environmental features.

  • That organisms show adaptations to environmental conditions.

  • That both plants and animals are adapted to ensure the survival of the species.

  • That abundance and distribution of organisms in habitats is affected by environmental factors such as light, water and nutrients.

  • The size of the population depends on resources.

  • That all feeding relationships within a habitat are interconnected.
     

• Unit 9A: Inheritance and selection.

  • That characteristics are inherited and how this is used in selective breeding.

  • The importance of selective breeding and that selective can produce individuals with particular characteristics.

  • Variations arising from environmental differences.

  • To identify reasons for variations between individuals.

  • To bring together ideas about inherited characteristics and selective breeding.