People and environment - New Primary Biosphere Educational Resources
‘ People and environment' is the name for a new suite of learning and teaching materials for primary schools focused on North Devon's Biosphere Reserve - its past, present and future.
The materials have been written to the requirements of the new (2009) primary curriculum and have been planned to make creative and challenging links between Citizenship, History, Science and Geography. They encourage children to consider how the biosphere and its people, economy and culture has changed in the past, is still changing today and the challenges of sustainable development that await in the future.
The resources are enquiry based and investigative, with children being encouraged to find the answers to ‘big' questions such as: ‘Why is there a Biosphere Reserve in north Devon?', ‘What do O.S. maps tell me about the north Devon Biosphere Reserve?' and ‘How should Seven Brethren be developed in the future?'.
Teachers from 14 schools attended the resource's launch in June 2009. They tried out the learning and teaching activities and considered how they might be best adapted to the context of their own schools. All of the teachers attending the launch day gave the highest overall rating for the course in their evaluations and written comments included: ‘Fantastic range of resources to take back to school' and ‘Best course I've been on in ages - thank you!
| Bishops Tawton Primary School |
| Bolham Primary School |
| Bridgerule Church Of England Primary School |
| Horwood And Newton Tracey Community Primary School |
| Instow Community Primary School |
| Manor Primary School, Ivybridge |
| Newport Community School |
| Royal Albert Memorial Museum |
| South Molton United Church Of England Junior School |
| Tedburn St Mary School |
| Uplowman Church Of England Primary School |
| West Croft Junior School |
| Willand School |
| Woolsery Primary School |
Further training opportunities for primary will be organised in the new school year, by which time the resources will have been compiled in electronic form onto a single CD.
The ‘People and their environment' materials were written by David Weatherly, Adviser for Geography and Education for Sustainability and Jamie Byrom, Adviser for History at the Devon Learning and Development Partnership.
