Teachers’ Resources
We have produced a series of free downloadable resources for teachers to help you engage your pupils with the landscape, wildlife and heritage of the Avalon Marshes. Alongside the downloadable resources are audios and films that can be streamed online and four specialist equipment workshops that are best used in association with one of the partners during a planned school visit or at an event. All the downloadable resources are designed to be used independently at school, but can also complement a visit to one of the education providers in the area. The range includes resources designed for Key Stages 1-4, many of which you can adapt depending on the level of your pupils. You can also use them to increase your own knowledge, to help you teach your pupils about the marshes. Each presentation or activity includes teachers’ notes, and outlines how the resources link to the National Curriculum. Click on one of the headings to go to that section and download the resources.
Introducing the Avalon Marshes - Slideshows
This section includes three PowerPoint slideshows, with accompanying notes, to give your pupils an overview of the character, history, and wildlife of the area. The three presentations are for Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, and Key Stages 3 & 4.
Image – Guy Edwardes/2020VISION
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Specialist Equipment Workshops
These specialist equipment workshops, although downloadable, are best used in association with a planned visit or as part of one of the events which the partnership will continue to organise. The equipment includes a unique water model demonstrating water management in the Avalon Marshes (suitable for ALL levels); a ‘peat dig’ tray for an archaeological excavation; a large floor map of the area, made of carpet tiles that pupils put together like a giant jigsaw; and the Avalon Marshes ‘ruckles’ activity – sacks of foam blocks that imitate blocks of peat.
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Pick & Mix Activities
These activities are split into three themes – landscape, heritage and wildlife – and together provide a comprehensive investigation of the Avalon Marshes linked to the National Curriculum. They are aimed at use with pupils in Key Stages 1-3. Each activity comes in the form of a downloadable pdf, which includes everything you need for the activity.
Image – Eileen Bates
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Landscape Change Factsheets
These factsheets can be used at Key Stages 3 & 4, or to give you as a teacher more background information about the Avalon Marshes. They were created by the University of the West of England as part of the ‘Interpreting Landscape Change in the Avalon Marshes’ project, based on research into climate change in the wetlands. The research report is also available.
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Audios & Films
Here we provide links to audio recordings and films that can be used independently or alongside the other resources. The audios include: Tales From the Wetlands (children’s poetry, and stories by Jane Flood); Sounds of the Somerset Wetlands (sound recordings of wildlife); Avalon Marshes, A Peatland Story (the history of the marshes). Several films were made by pupils from local primary and secondary schools, and colleges, in a project called ‘Sights & Sounds of the Marshes’. They cover various topics linked to the natural and cultural heritage of the area, and can be accessed in this section. In addition to these we have wildlife footage from motion-sensor cameras set up on the nature reserves.
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