World of ... Workshops

These are two new field-based workshops, led by naturalist Dave Emley, looking at the World of Insects and of Trees. They are based on the Keele campus where they make use of the Arboretum and the extensive grounds.

The workshops are designed to give pupils an introduction to trees and animals that they may come across in other workshops while at the same time instilling in them the art of observation.

There are two workshops:

The World of Insects

Insects are near the bottom of many food chains and have a profound influence on our lives too, yet few people know much about them.

This workshop introduces pupils to the world of insects, starting with an illustrated discussion. We look at insect anatomy and how it can give us clues as to their way of life – how they feed, how they attract mates, where they live.

We will also look at how long they live, how many there are and which are useful to us and which most certainly are not.

The natural world can only really be appreciated by being outside!

Practical work will include :

Using an illustrated key to identify the major insect groups.
This will initially be carried out with museum specimens after which we will go out to find our own!
This will teach pupils to make careful and critical observations of sometimes very small structures. It will also give them the chance to observe in detail the anatomy of the insect.
Weather permitting we will be going into the field to look at ways of surveying insects such as moth traps, pit fall traps, sweep netting, looking on flowers, under logs etc.

Download a leaflet

The World of Trees

Trees are vital to our well-being. They provide food, shelter, amenity value and above all, the oxygen that we breathe. Without them we would not be here!

This workshop explores the world of trees, starting with an illustrated discussion where pupils are introduced to the workings of a tree before going on to discuss the importance of trees in our lives and in the landscape.

We will look at how they fit in with the rest of the ecosystem - how they spread, the other wildlife that depends on them for food and shelter... We will also consider how long they live, how tall they grow and where the roots go and the problems that they can cause!

The natural world can only really be appreciated by being outside!

We will be focusing on these main themes:

How we age a tree by counting tree rings on cut sections or by using cores and by measuring the girth of living trees.
measure the height of a tree. Pupils will construct a simple clinometer which they will use in the field and test against other methods discussed.
We will also look at the bark, fruits and leaves to help us to identify common species and also look at how other animals utilise the various parts of the tree.

Download a leaflet