School grounds ecosystems study

Ecosystems: A small scale study of the school grounds and microclimate

This module, developed by Lisa Bell, has been designed to enable students to learn and practice a variety of fieldwork techniques in their school grounds. It is aimed at Key Stage 3 (KS3), and would fit into a unit of study on ecosystems; a standard component of the KS3 scheme of work.

Students will be presented with a map of the school grounds, showing several different sites. The fieldwork will involve them investigating both the soils and the microclimate at each site. They will then analyse and compare their findings, and will use thinking skills and independent research to make informed decisions about which is the most suitable site for a vegetable garden.

Ecosystems on a global scale

As an extension to the task, students make links between the variations they have found in their small scale study and variations on a biome-scale. They research the different abiotic features of different biomes and then use this information to decide on the best location for different Educational Eden-Zones within the school grounds.