People and environment - New primary level Biosphere Educational Resources

Developed by the Devon Learning and Development Partnership, ‘ 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. They are based on "Key Questions", which are listed below.

Key Questions on which schemes of work are based

Example schemes of work

What do all of these places have in common? Why is there a biosphere reserve in north Devon? How and why does the River Torridge change from source to mouth? What were the causes and effects of the Lynmouth floods? What should happen at Westward Ho! with reference to sea defence What do O.S. maps tell us about the north Devon biosphere reserve? What is sustainable development? Should a wind farm be built on Challacombe Hill? How should Seven Brethren (a brown field site in Barnstaple) be developed in the future?

Example KS2 work scheme - Question 2 Example KS2 work scheme - Question 3 Example KS2 work scheme  - Question 7 part 1 Example KS2 work scheme - Question 7 part 2

Other resources

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 20 schools have now attended familiarisation days to try out the resources and sample teaching activities and are using them in their own schools. For more information contact Matt Edworthy (01237 423655)

Schools using the People and Place resources, June 2010

Bishops Tawton Primary School	Royal Albert Memorial Museum
Bolham Primary School	South Molton United Church Of England Junior School
Bridgerule Church Of England Primary School	Sticklepath Community School
Buckland Brewer Community Primary School	Stockland Church of England Primary School
Fremington Community Primary and Nursery School	Tedburn St Mary School
Goodleigh Church of England Primary School	Uplowman Church Of England Primary School
Horwood And Newton Tracey Community Primary School	West Croft Junior School
Instow Community Primary School	Willand School
Manor Primary School, Ivybridge	Woolsery Primary School
Newport Community School
Parkham Primary School

View People and Environment in a larger map

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.