Practical 7: Seasonal changes in the plants and animals of the school grounds
In this practical lesson we observe the living nature of the school grounds together with the teacher. The observation has three parts. 1) Plants: find which trees, shrubs and herbs grow in the yard, which of them bear fruit and which stay green in winter, and write down how many there are. 2) Animals: choose one tree and watch from a distance which birds and insects visit its branches and trunk; follow an ant trail and notice what the ants carry. Only adults loosen the soil; any earthworm found is gently returned, because it loosens the soil. 3) Damp places: look at algae by the canal, mosses in the shade and tadpoles in the water only from a distance, without touching. Record observations in a table: date, place, weather, what you saw. If you repeat the observations in autumn and spring you can compare seasonal changes (leaf fall, blossoming, arrival and departure of birds). Conclusion: changes in nature are linked to temperature and the length of the day.
Go out into the yard with the teacher, observe by the steps above and complete the table. Safety: only with adults; do not pick or taste unknown plants, fruits or mushrooms; do not touch ant nests or bee nests, and do not approach birds’ nests; keep away from water bodies; only adults use the spade; wash your hands with soap afterwards.