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A bank of outdoor learning resources developed by the Newport Outdoor Learning Wales Network Group, for all teachers across all age ranges

Maths Pack

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Table of Contents

Introduction to the Pack .................................................................................................................... iii

What is Outdoor Learning? ............................................................................................................... v

Risk Benefit Assessments ................................................................................................................. vi

Maths Pack ...........................................................................................................................................

Collecting and Sorting ..................................................................................................................... 24

Money, Money, Money .................................................................................................................... 26

Map Skills ........................................................................................................................................ 28

Measuring ....................................................................................................................................... 30

Shapes, Symmetry and Patterns .................................................................................................... 32

iii

Raising Standards through Outdoor Learning Introduction Welcome to Newport’s Outdoor Learning Wales Network Group’s resource pack. A group of Newport teachers and other outdoor education practitioners have been working on the pack throughout 2014, and we hope you like what you see. Outdoor Learning Wales (formally the Forest Education Initiative) awarded the Newport Cluster group a grant to complete this pack, which covered supply costs for the working party, printing costs and a launch day in the summer of 2014. What is it for? The idea of the pack is to provide you, as teachers, with a whole range of ideas for activities which you can take outside. We hope this will encourage you to venture outside more often than you do now, and that in time it will become second nature for you to take your class outside. Hopefully your confidence will increase, and your activity repertoire will expand. We hope that we can show you how outdoor learning can be just as rewarding, if not more so, than inside learning. We want to show you that the whole curriculum could be taken outside and that all activities can link to the Literacy and Numeracy Framework. If you are a Headteacher, we hope that this will give you confidence to know that when your teachers want to take their class outside, they are not ‘just playing’, but rather are taking part in some really memorable learning. Perhaps it will encourage you to put more emphasis on outdoor learning across the school. How the pack works The Outdoor Learning pack is divided into a number of themes – Literacy; Maths; Nature; Seasons; Festivals & Celebrations; Through the Ages – and within each theme is a range of different activities. Each activity sheet is divided into Red, Amber or Green suggestions, so that you can chose whether your children are less-able or more-able, regardless of their age. You could pick and choose from each coloured box if you would rather. Suggested resources are highlighted, as well as ICT links or useful apps, websites and some Welsh vocabulary. On the reverse of each activity sheet you will find the Literacy and Numeracy Framework strand(s). An example sheet can be seen on the next page. At the end of each theme you will find an appendix, which includes worksheets referred to in the activity pages, further expansion or instructions on games, identification help and anything else we felt might be useful to you.

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What is Outdoor Learning? So what actually is, outdoor learning? Maybe it’s better to start with what outdoor learning is not. Outdoor learning is not forest school. Forest school is a long term development programme, with benefits being increased self-esteem and confidence. Forest School has been identified as a key factor in aiding in the development of the whole child by allowing them to take control of their own learning and understanding. It allows for a child to learn key skills such as socialising, independence, physical and mental well-being, interpersonal and emotional skills and is provided through a holistic style of learning. It is child-led and often guided by their play and exploration and is a regular, weekly programme, building week by week. It can involve fire lighting and tool use and takes place in small groups so that the children feel nurtured and can benefit from some one-to-one attention. You also need to be a Level 3 certificated and qualified Forest School practitioner, and hold a current and appropriate Outdoor First Aid qualification, to be able to deliver Forest School. Outdoor learning on the other hand, is much more inclusive, as anyone can do it. You don’t need any special training or qualifications to be able take your children outside the classroom. When you run an outdoor learning session, it will be for the whole class (probably), and it can be just a one-off, stand-alone lesson. Every subject can be taken outside, and it is a lesson, not necessarily a child-led adventure. Think of outdoor learning as an extension of your classroom. You might not even need coats or wellies (although if it’s at all chilly or wet these would be very useful). Outdoor learning provides opportunities for children to develop many of the same key skills the Forest School does, but crucially, also to reach standards set out by the Literacy and Numeracy Framework and the curriculum. We hope that this pack will highlight to everyone, headteachers and teachers, that outdoor learning is accessible for every teacher in school, and should be done by every teacher in school. It is not just one person’s responsibility, it is everyone’s. This pack should help you on this journey and give you lots of ideas to get started. If you really enjoy the outdoor experience and want to take it further, then by all means go down the forest school route and become trained up to be a Forest School Leader. There are a number of providers out there who will happily train you, and true Forest School can have huge benefits for many children. It is not though the be-all and end-all, so please don’t ever think “I can’t go outside, I’m not trained”. So get your coat on and get outside!

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Risk-Benefit assessments Education, at its heart, is about giving children the chance to extend their life skills; a chance to develop their confidence, resilience and sense of responsibility, and to foster enjoyment and excitement about venturing into the real world. Part of this involves creating space and time for children to have some control over their actions and to give those meaningful experiences and challenges which inevitably give rise to real risks. Children are increasingly being prevented from being able to develop their own risk assessment skills through over protection. An approach is needed which accepts that some level of risk is not only inevitable, but actually desirable. Exposing children to managed risk and supporting them in learning how to cope can help children to prepare for adult life, giving them confidence and teach them to make good judgements and be self-reliant Outdoor learning practitioners have in recent years, begun to use risk-benefit assessments to assess and manage both the risks and benefits of an activity, together. This allows an objective analysis of the benefits and opportunities of a particular activity, weighted against their potential to go wrong. A well-planned challenge, pitched at the right level to stretch comfort zones but not to the extent that they feel out of their depth, will have more benefits than an entirely safe activity with all possible risks removed A risk-benefit approach has been recognised by the Health and Safety Executive as forming part of the risk management process. It begins with identifying the benefits, or objective, of an activity, then considers the potential risks, and reviews the possible responses to these risks before reaching a judgement on the measures to be taken. These different stages are all recorded clearly and explicitly

For more information on this topic, take a look at the following publications; Ball, D., Gill, T. and Spiegal, B. (2013). Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation guide. Pub: National Children’s Bureau on behalf of Play England. Gill, T. (2012). Nothing Ventured…Balancing Risks and Benefits in the Outdoors. Pub: English Outdoor Council.

To help with controlling risks sensibly and proportionately, the play sector has produced the

publication ‘Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation Guide’ which provides guidance

on managing the risks in play. The approach in this guidance is that risks and benefits are

considered alongside each other in a risk-benefit assessment. This includes an assessment of

the risks which, while taking into account the benefits of the activity, ensures that any

precautions are practicable and proportionate and reflect the level of risk. HSE supports this

guidance, as a sensible approach to risk management. (HSE, 2012).

Sample Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment completed by: Risk Assessment approved by:

Site Name: Location and

address:

Grid Reference: Date of visit:

The Hazard Location of the hazard

Who could be harmed?

Level of risk (no controls)

Controls Level of risk (with controls)

Who is responsible for

Implementation and monitoring?

Example: Uneven ground

Whole Site All members of the group

Medium Appropriate footwear must be worn. Safety talk – where appropriate encourage children

to walk not run. Advise group about identified hazards e.g. slippery logs, mud etc

Check footpath before visits, and re-locate if necessary.

Low Group Leader

RISK MATRIX Likely Possible Improbable

Fatal High High Medium

Major Injury/Disease High Medium Low

Minor Injury/Disease Medium Low Low

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Take children out into the school grounds with bags or baskets to collect natural resources.

Bring them back to a central location and allow time for them to sort their materials to their own criteria, for example - size, shape, and colour.

Get the children to record their findings, and draw examples of the objects they have found with similar criteria

Allow the children time to demonstrate their findings to the rest of the group

Once they have all collected and sorted their items use number cards or dice to get the children to collect a certain number of natural materials e.g. “find me 3 daisies. Find me 2 more. How many do you have altogether?”

Allow the children time to explore their environment. Prompt questions such as “do they notice any patterns? Are there things that look similar? What is there more of? What is there less of?”

Using the collecting bags, collect as many as they can find of one type of thing. E.g. leaves, flower petals, stones. Prompt questions such as, “how many did you find? How many altogether? Sort the items found into their own criteria (colour, size, shape) and create a tally chart of items found.

Create a bar graph using the items found – make an axis on the ground with sticks (or provide a large sheet of paper with a grid), to record how many of each type has been collected.

Allow the children time to explore their environment.

Using the collecting bags, collect as many as they can find of one type of thing. E.g. leaves, flower petals, stones. Sort the items found into their own criteria (colour, size, shape) and create a tally chart of items found. See if they can identify the items collecting (leaves are perfect for this)

Create a bar graph using the items found – make an axis on the ground with sticks (or provide a large sheet of paper with a grid), to record how many of each type has been collected. Take a photo or transfer results onto paper. Interpret the data – which is the most common?

Use the items collected to create Venn diagrams.

Collect sticks or stones, estimate weight of items then measure the items accurately, record and

convert the measurements.

and measure the items, record and convert the

measurements.

Suggested Resources: Baskets or bags Card with double sided tape Clipboards Paper and pens Scales Measuring tape

ICT Use the iPad’s to collect data, record, interpret and create graphs for the children’s findings.

Vocabulary Look – Edrychwch Find - Darganfyddwch Collect – Casglwch Be careful – Byddwch yn ofalus Count – Cyfrwch

Rhfich gydd a fi!

Natalie says: The outdoors is full of similar and different things. Pick a criteria to sort with and see how many you find! You’ll be surprised at how many you will collect!

This activity will encourage children to

investigate objects they find in the outdoors

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Oracy Year

Group LNF Strands for Literacy

Speaking Developing

and presenting information and ideas.

Rec Talk about things from their experience and share information.

1 Talk about things they have made or done, explaining the process.

2 Express opinions, give reasons and provide appropriate answers to questions.

3 Explain information and ideas using relevant vocabulary.

4 Explain information and ideas using supportive resources, e.g, on screen and web based resources.

5 Explain information and ideas, exploring and using ways to be convincing, use of gesture and vocabulary etc.

6 Express issues and ideas clearly using specialist vocabulary and examples.

Using data Skills.

Year Group

LNF Strands for Numeracy

Collect and record data.

Rec Sort and classify objects using one criterion.

1 Sort and classify objects using more than one criterion.

2 Gather and record data from lists and tables, diagrams and block graphs.

3 Represent data using Venn and Carroll diagrams.

4 Represent data using Venn and Carroll diagrams.

5 Represent data using: bar charts, grouped data charts, line graphs and conversion graphs.

6 Represent data using: bar charts, grouped data charts, line graphs and conversion graphs.

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Create a mud kitchen, provide bowls, patty tins, etc., and make mud pies and other items to sell.

The children earn money through good behaviour - use pebbles, pasta, etc as money

Create price labels, signs and menus in English and Welsh to display in their mud café and open up for business.

Children can use their money to buy items from each other – do they have enough money?

As above.

Use money earned through good behaviour (or good café management) to make potions. The natural resources need to be bought from the Potion Market (adult). Vary the price of items and ensure that ‘rare’ items are more expensive. Dragon’s blood (dried mud) is 5 sticks, etc. Water is free. Collect and create recipes, make potions and describe their uses and recipes to the group.

Suggested Resources: Mud kitchen: Pots, tins, wooden spoons, whisk etc, Clipboards, paper, pens. Small pots for potion making Extra, unusual items for natural pictures e.g. shells, glass beads. Price labels for potion ingredients.

Explain that the children will be creating a natural art picture. In groups send them to forage for a variety of natural materials.

Come back together to share what each group has found. Using currency earned through good behaviour eg sticks/pebbles children can barter for extra or different items to create their group picture. They can also buy extra, unusual, items from the teacher (make ‘rare’ items expensive). Create pictures and share their designs – evaluate.

Discuss how it is important to have a budget, Explain that each group will be having a small budget to buy seeds/bulbs etc. to grow their own plants/vegetables/flowers. These will be then harvested to sell at a school fete or special day. Discuss how long it will take, how

much they could make, and profit and loss.

Vocabulary Collect – Casglwch Buy – Prynwch Sell – Gwerthwch Money – Arian Budget - Cyllid Price - Pris

ICT Use Ipads to record the Café businesses, potion making and art creations. Annotate with the ‘cost’ of their creations (Skitch app).

Natalie says: “Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after making mud pies and collecting natural materials”

This activity will encourage the children to

explore money and bartering

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Writing Year


Organising ideas and

information. Structure and organisation.

Rec Show understanding of different formats.

1 Understand different types of writing.

2 Follow a structure in their writing with support.

3 Present processes, events or reports in a clear sequence.

4 Use specific structures in writing e.g., tables or questionnaires.

5 Use features which show the structure of the writing e.g. sub-headings, captions.

6 Adapt structures in writing for different contexts e.g. reporting an event, investigation or experiment.

Using number skills.

Year Group


Manage money.

Rec Use 1p,2p,5p and 10p coins to pay for items.

1 Use different combinations of money to pay for items up to 20p.

2 Use different combinations of money to pay for items up to 20p.

3 Use different combinations of money to pay for items up to £2 and calculate the change.

4 Compare costs from different retailers and determine what can be bought within a given budget.

5 Realise that budgeting is important

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Take the children to a central location in their local outdoor area. Stand with them all facing in one direction, ask them to say what features they can see around them.

Using a basic map of the outdoor area, get children to follow instructions to go from one feature to another.

Get the children to record the number of steps it took between features, and record this by taking a picture/video with annotation on the iPad

Once back in class, allow the children to create a simple map using the photos they took and recordings of the number of steps in-between features

Go back into the area to see if the map they have created was accurate

Give the children a pre-prepared map of the grounds with specific features marked on. Allow the children to find the key features, and get them to work out the distances in footsteps between them.

Using the map already created, get the children to find and mark new features around the ones that have been annotated beforehand.

Give each group a compass and use it to find north and south. Use terminology such as orientate to get the children to turn their map to reflect northerly direction

Give each group a set of instructions such as “Go to the log circle and head 5 paces west of it”. Get the children to take a photo at this point and compare results back in class.

Give the children a pre-prepared map of the grounds with specific features marked on. Allow the children to find the key features, and get them to work out the distances in footsteps between them.

Give each group a compass and use it to find north and south. Use terminology such as orientate to get the children to turn their map to reflect northerly direction

Give each group a set of instructions such as “Go to the log circle and head 5 paces west of it”. Get the children to take a photo at this point and compare results back in class.

Using a grid, get the children to work out a 6 figure co-ordinate for the features marked on the map.

Get the children to create new features on their maps, and work out the new distances. Work out the new coordinates for this feature using their grids.

Suggested Resources: Basic map of school’s grounds with symbols to represent features Instructions for photos Compasses Maps Clipboard Pencils Basic Grid

ICT Give each goup an iPad to record and take photos of the features in the school grounds.

App: Compass App, Maps App

Vocabulary North - Gogledd South - De East - Dwyrain West -- Gorllewin Co-ordinates - cyfesurynnau

Natalie says: “Maps are used for various studies in the environment, why not look at the different type of maps there are such as geological and soil maps”


understand map reading and interpreting

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Oracy Year


Speaking Developing









Using measuring

skills

Year Group


Area and volume.

Rec Move in given directions.

1 Make whole and half turns.

2 Recognise half and quarter turns, clockwise and anti-clockwise.

3 Use the four compass points to describe directions.

4 Use eight compass points to describe directions.

5 Use co-ordinates to specify location.

6 Use grid references to specify location.

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Set two location points in your outdoor area. Get the

children to work out how many footsteps/sticks/ it takes to walk from A to B.

Get the children to collect a stick each and order the sticks according to size. Promote discussion as to the criteria chosen e.g. length, thickness etc

Allow the children to go and measure various items present in school grounds using standard and non-standard measure.

Children to collect leaves to make leaf “scarves”- join the leaves by threading small sticks together or use plastic needles and wool. Measure the circumference of the tree by number of leaves.

Set out two fixed points (A and B) in your outdoor area. Ask the children to estimate how far they think it is between the two points.

Allow them to pace out the distance and see how this varies to their estimation.

Set out a 10m measuring tape on the floor and ask the children to walk normally along the distance, counting how many footsteps they have taken.

Children can use this to measure distances such as perimeter of the school yard etc. E.g. if every 10m they walk 15 steps, and they took 45 steps , the distance was 30m. record and compare.

Set out two fixed points (A and B) in your outdoor area. Ask the children to estimate how far they think it is between the two points.

Allow them to pace out the distance and see how this varies to their estimation.

Set out a 10m measuring tape on the floor and ask the children to walk normally along the distance, and to count how many footsteps they have taken over that distance.

Children can use this to measure distances such as perimeter of the school yard etc. E.g. if every 10m they walk 15 steps, and they took 45 steps , the distance was 30m

Using a stopwatch the children can time each other walking a distance divisible by 10, they can then calculate the time taken to walk a variety of distances. Create an associated graph. Discuss possible variants e.g. downhill/uphill.

Measure the trees in your outdoor area for height and trunk circumference (See Tree Activity for further information on measuring tree age).

The children can then order the trees in size and age

Suggested Resources: Wool, large plastic darning needles String 30 cm rule Tape measure Trundle wheel Metre rule

ICT Using the iPad children can:

- Research the tallest/ oldest/ widest tree.

- Research different types of trees. - Interview each other to record

findings.

Vocabulary Measure – Mesurwch Metre - Metr Centimetre – Centimetr Millimetre - Milimetr Estimate - Amcangyfrifwch

Natalie says: “For more information on measuring tree age, check out the Trees Activity Sheet.”


estimate and calculate objects outdoors

31

Oracy Year


Speaking Developing









Using measuring

skills

Year Group


Length, weight/mass,

capacity.

Rec Use direct comparisons with; length and distance,(longer/shorter).

1 Use non- standard units to measure length, height and distance.

2 Use standard units to measure length, height, distance in metres half metres or centimetres.

3 Recognise that perimeter is the distance around a shape.

4 Measure and calculate the perimeter of squares and rectangles.

5 Measure perimeters.

6 Read and interpret scales or divisions on a range of measuring instruments.

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Discuss the different types of 2D shapes

Give each group a shape and get them to match the given shapes with shapes in the environment

Get the children to collect objects that match their shapes and bring them back to a central location. Allow them to order in size and see if there are any patterns.

Using a class theme make a natural picture on the ground using items collected e.g. castles. Ask the children to include a pattern and some shapes in their picture.

Allow time for the children to show their masterpieces to the rest of the class

Choose 2 or 3 items create a repeating pattern.

Discuss 2D and 3 D shapes with the class.

Ask the children to go and collect natural materials, specifically 2D and 3D referring to laminated cards showing 2D/3D shapes.

Make a frame on the ground and ask the pupils to create a pattern using natural materials with specific instructions eg half of the pattern must be red materials.

Working in pairs the children make a frame on the ground and divide it in half. Make pattern in the frame on the ground and their partner replicates the pattern to create symmetrical pattern.

Make a frame 1 metre squared and divide into quarters.

In pairs, using natural resources, create a 4 way symmetrical pattern.

Get the children to create a 1m2 frame on the floor,

and tell them to create a picture using a set of instructions e.g. contain 50% leaves, 25% sticks, 1 circle, 1 triangle etc.

Allow time for them to show their picture to the rest of the group.

Model 3 algebraic equations with 2 hidden numbers represented by shapes created from natural materials. Children to work in groups to calculate hidden number.

Children to work I groups to create their own algebraic equation.

Suggested Resources: Laminated 2D and 3D shapes Tape measures. Natural materials.

ICT Record images of “pictures” using the iPads.

Vocabulary Shapes - Siapiau Square – Sgwâr Triangle – Triongl Circle – Cylch Rectangle – Petryal Half – Hanner Quarter – Chwarter

Natalie says: “Did you know that Gaudi took a lot of his inspiration for his architecture from nature? Have a look at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona for evidence of this.”

This activity will encourage children to see

shapes, patterns and symmetry in nature

33

Oracy Year


Speaking Developing









Developing numerical reasoning

Year Group


Identify processes

and connections.

Rec Select appropriate mathematics and techniques to use.

1 Select appropriate mathematics and techniques to use.






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