Dyfi Biosphere Reserve Activity Pack
This activity is written by Coetiroedd Dyfi Woodlands for Key Stage 3, and could be differentiated for KS4 and 5. The activity can be delivered by us with your class, or you can use the plan independently. The activity encourages students to think about the issue of flooding in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve and the role of trees as a key element in the hydrological cycle that can help reduce flood risk. The activity adopts an investigative approach to determine which woodland types intercept the most rainfall and thus help reduce peak river flows and increase the Afon Dyfi’s lag time during periods of heavy rainfall. The activity provides the opportunity for students to carry out primary and secondary research, measure, record and interpret data in the field, plot tables & graphs, and can be extended into the use of Google Earth as a GIS platform.
This activity will help your learners to -Learn ABOUT the Dyfi Valley Biosphere Reserve, enabling them to.... / Learn IN the Dyfi Valley Biosphere Reserve enabling them to... / Learn FOR the Dyfi Valley Biosphere Reserve, enabling them to...
· Understand what Biosphere Reserves are, and why they are important
· Understand how the Biosphere relates to local and global challenges
· Understand how the Dyfi Biosphere relates to local challenges
· Understand the concept of change and how people can play a part in shaping the Dyfi Biosphere to provide a sustainable, high quality environment in the future locally / · Observe real life example of physical processes of change and how they are interrelated
· Explore key sustainability concepts and undertake meaningful enquiries / · Identify the values and behaviours that will contribute to a sustainable future
And support your school-based learning -
National Curriculum subjects
and the Local Agreed Syllabus for RE / c Cymraeg c English cMathematics c Science
c Geography c History cReligious Education
c Music c Art cDesign and Technology
c Physical Education c ICT cModern Foreign Languages
Learning Across the Curriculum / c Cwricwlwm Cymreig c Personal and Social Education
cCareers and the World of Work
ESDGC themes / c Wealth and Poverty c Consumption and Waste cHealth
cNatural Environment c Heritage and Culture cClimate change
c Choices and Decisions
Skills Across the Curriculum / cThinking c Communication cNumber cICT
ACTIVITY PLANNING SHEET:
Which trees might stop my house from flooding?/ www.dyfiwoodlands.org.uk
Tom Deacon and Kirsten Manley
Target age group: KS3 / Target language: English / Time: 2 hours
Stimulus:
Should we plant coniferous, deciduous or no trees at all to help prevent flooding in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve?
Before this activity we hope that most of your pupils will be able to....
Formulate an opinion after considering contrasting research articles. Make simple calculations. Have a working understanding of the hydrological cycle. Work well in pairs and groups and are eager to contribute their own ideas.
The teacher will need to:
· Find an appropriate location in the school ground or close by for part of the lesson that ideally has a minimum 10x10m stand of deciduous & coniferous trees (can be adapted to use hedgerows or single trees).
· Print out and assemble the resources as per instructions
· Optional pre activity work: Setting the scene about flooding in Dyfi Biosphere Reserve
Highlight and discuss key issues with learners presented in ‘Local newspaper flooding articles’ and ‘Forestry research articles’ on pack CD
We are learning to:
· Observe, measure, extract and record data through investigations and fieldwork
· Analyse and evaluate evidence, answer questions and justify conclusions
Teaching and learning resources:
These are either available on the pack CD or simple objects to obtain by you if not already in the classroom.
Introduction:
On the CD: Dyfi Biosphere aerial photo jigsaw – pdf of images to print double sided (pictures on both sides, aerial photo on front and Dyfi Biosphere images on the back) OR large aerial photo floor tiles (available on loan for free from The DBEG) and Dyfi Biosphere images; International Biosphere Reserve images.
You provide: World map or globe (http://www.wildgoose.ac/browse.php?showProduct=1683 ), A map of the UK
Developing the lesson and plenary:
On the CD: Dyfi Woodlands Worksheet: Interception Recording Sheet; Secondary Information sheets: Local Newspaper article, Forestry Commission research articles. Statements (individually printed on A4): The whole Dyfi Biosphere Reserve should be planted with coniferous trees / The whole Dyfi Biosphere Reserve should be planted with deciduous trees/ No trees should be planted in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve; Cards: Range x4, Medianx2
Graphical organisers: World Map, UK Map, Wales Map, Dyfi Biosphere aerial photo jigsaw
Guidance notes: Creating a living graph teacher guide
You provide: 10m rope or clothes line / water collection kit* to be set up at least one month prior to the activity /10x 5 litre measuring jugs / 10x clipboards / 10x pencils
*Water collection kit: 21x 5litre bottles with 21x large funnels inserted: 10 securely positioned at random within a 10x10 metre investigation plot in a coniferous woodland setting, 10 securely positioned at random within 10x10 metre investigation plot in a deciduous woodland setting and 1 securely positioned in a location with no interception as the control (monitor the control, do not allow to overtop or the investigation becomes void
Time / Introduction: What is a Biosphere Reserve and why is there one where we live?
Learning: What will the learners do? / Teaching: What will the teacher do?
10 mins
5 mins
10 mins / Offer ideas on what a Biosphere might be....“a Biosphere might be an area where...” “I think a Biosphere is....”
Locate UK on the globe, and Wales on UK map and locate International Biosphere Reserve images.
Group fits together like a puzzle
Turn over the jigsaw pieces to reveal Dyfi Biosphere images on reverse (OR pass Dyfi Biosphere images round seperately if using the floor map tiles).
Create four sets with the images according to any similarities they feel there are between them.
Pairs from each group to explain the choices of sets that they have made
/ Open with a general discussion about what learners think a Biosphere is
Intro the concept that there are 580 Biosphere Reserves in the world with globe, 2 in the UK and only one in Wales. Provide international Biosphere Reserve images for learners to find on the maps
Intro Dyfi Biosphere aerial photo jigsaw OR floor tiles. Split group into 3’s or 4’s with a piece each.
Ask – what do you recognise? Where is your school?
Intro the concept that this area that they live in is a ‘Biosphere Reserve’
Ask the question ‘What is a Biosphere Reserve?’
Explain these images offer clues what a Biosphere Reserve is. They tell us the four main reasons why where they live has become a Biosphere Reserve.
Split group into four, giving each to one a reason or category. Support learners in putting them into sets.
The four categories are: 1. Natural landscape and wildlife, 2. Strong cultural traditions, 3. Vision for the future, 4. Economic activities linked closely to the environment
Pose questions to the learners such as:
· Why did you put those cards together?
· What ‘title/heading’ can you give to each group of cards?
· Have other groups chosen similar titles/headings?
· Were there cards which were difficult to place?
· Did you disagree over any card? How did you make your final decision?
· What do the cards tell us about this area of Wales?
Wrap the session by saying today we are doing an activity that focuses on one part of the Dyfi Biosphere, the woodland, pulling out the image of woodland, to emphasize the theme for the days activity
Developing the session: Which trees might stop my house from flooding?
Learning: What will the learners do? / Teaching: What will the teacher do?
10min
15 mins
5 mins
5 mins
10 mins
15 mins
5 mins
15 mins
15 mins / Students will be offered three printed statements (The whole Dyfi Biosphere Reserve should be planted with deciduous trees etc…) that are placed on an opinion line (rope or clothes line). Students asked to stand on the line closest to the statement they agree with. Volunteer their reasoning.
Introduction to control: 5 litre bottle set up in a non-covered area.
Demonstrate the method of gathering the data i.e. pouring contents of bottle into measuring jug and writing results. Discuss what makes successful data collection.
Predict which woodland type/tree cover will intercept more water
Split group into smaller groups of 3. Provide each group with: measuring jug, clipboard, interception experiment sheet, pencil. Group records control data.
Each group of 3 finds a pre-installed water container and records the data. Each group calculates amount intercepted at their station by subtracting amount in the container (throughfall) from control total. Extension task: Could calculate as a percentage.
Repeat data collection task.
2 representatives from each group remember one piece of their data, one from each woodland type respectively. Representatives form a line in ascending numerical order as one whole data set.
Request coniferous woodland representatives to step forward. This will result in a living dispersion graph (see additional guidance sheet).
Suggest reasons in relation to methodology (see additional guidance sheet). / Take learners to pre-arranged wooded location
Questions for learners:
· Which statement do you agree with?
· Why?
· What makes good data recording?
· Will there be more or less rain water collected in the containers under the trees?
· What limitations are there to this methodology?
· What other observations might be useful to make now to help you interpret the data later on? (e.g. gaps in the canopy, proximity to trunk, seasonal variation in canopy etc)
· What might vary about these trees throughout the year? How would this change your data?
Lead the group to the coniferous plot.
Lead the group to the deciduous plot.
Re-group and form ‘living graph’ (see ‘Creating a living graph teacher guide’ on CD)
Questions for ‘living graph’:
· Which central value in each data set could we use to look at difference between the data sets? Provide median cards once question answered
· What do we call the difference between the highest and lowest value in each data set? Provide range cards once question answered
· Which data set has the largest range?
· Why?
Plenary
Learning: What will the learners do? / Teaching: What will the teacher do?
5 mins
5 mins
5 mins
10 mins / Students consider trends and interpret their meaning based on the evidence found and observations made.
(could make reference to Met Office rainfall data on worksheet here)
Return to smaller groups to discuss question.
Whole group returns to opinion line with statements.
De Bono thinking hats on the question ‘Should woodlands be used to help prevent flooding in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve?’ Allow time to formulate thoughts, then open a structured discussion.
The White Hat
Information available and needed
The Red Hat
Intuition, feelings, and hunches
The Black Hat
Cautions and difficulties
Where things might go wrong
The Yellow Hat
Values and benefits
Why something might work
The Green Hat
Alternatives and creative ideas
The Blue Hat
Managing the thinking process / Question the learners:
· Which woodland is intercepting more rainfall?
· Will this be the same all year round?
Group discussion:
· Which woodland would you choose to plant to reduce flooding? Why?
· In light of our findings, where do you stand now? Be prepared to justify your position.
Prompt students with reminders about the 3 pillars of the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve: people, environment and economy and how they link together to support each other
· What hard evidence do you have from your primary data collection & secondary research?
· What do your instincts tell you about the values of woodlands in flood prevention?
· Who will pay? What impact would afforestation have on other industries?
· Who/what else would benefit from more woodlands?
· What else could be done to reduce flood risk in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve?
· Who are the right people to bring together to discuss this problem, and how would you guide them through their discussion?
Suggested follow up activities