March 23, 2012
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Kayaking on the Canal 22 degs in March !

Amazing pre-Easter weather, 22Degs. Almost too hot with the sun reflecting off the canal. We were kayaking and using the new School Canoe/Kayak trailer, which we got from the BCU Canoe Foundation. This Foundation is for positively changing lives through Canoeing and Kayaking.

Heading towards Linlithgow below in the picture. Luckily the access on to the Union Canal is easy, with pontoons and a ramp. This group has canoed and kayaked weekly in 2011 – from June, July, August, September, October and two weeks in 2012. They have progressed as far as I can take them, with my Coaching Qualifications. A new group will do six progressive sessions and we can also runs some taster sessions.

Paddlers have progressed through skills – depth – , had experiences of both canals, both canoes and kayaks – breadth – have developed into successful paddlers.

The team discussing what to do next, more skills coaching or a journey ?

Cool new trailer

Reciprocal learning – coaching each other in Draw strokes

February 20, 2012
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How Old is that Tree ?

Lots of Numracy today. A few weeks ago, during a walk in Callander Park, the boys were curious about a huge tree that had fallen down in the storms before Xmas. They could believe how big the trunk was. So some learning about Tree Height Measuring (without leaving the ground), girth, diameter and ratios was used. Mrs H adapted a Forrest Education Initiative worksheet to allow learners to access those numeracy skills. The weather was very wet and showery, it didn’t seem to bother the class.

Diameter

Keeping the string 1m above the base.

February 9, 2012
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Hurricanes and Willows

We had a good wander around the now familiar, Callander Park. Lots of large trees down, forresters trimming back branches and removing lovely large logs. Lots of the large logs would be good for insect hibernation dens/homes but they were being shredded. The boys were keen to explore the trees, some with rotten heartwood, which was partly why so many came down before Xmas in the big storms. We showed the class roughly how old they were, by measuring the girth – outer circumference – (estimation) and counting the annular rings (very accurate).

The boys were keen to see a willow we had planted, just a small branch, 4 weeks ago. Willow can be broken off and stuck in the ground, it will then regrow. Few plants can do this. It’s water loving and is used for Biomass. The problem is that Biomass can take over ecosystems, having just one plant in large areas. An exmple is Indonesia, where Palm Oil plantations have been planted where jungle areas used to be. Now there are huge numbers of rats who eat fallen palm nuts, and large populations of Python, feeding off the rats. So having a range of plants is best, Biodiversity. Callander park has a good mix of wood and tree types, with wet and dry areas too, so has good Biodiversity.

February 2, 2012
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Compost and a Murder, on the Kinneil Kerse

Today the class went along to collect some Falkirk Council’s free compost. It’s garden waste from the brown wheelie bins that has been pulverised and is used as recycled compost. It needs some sieving, but will work well in the mini planters we are building for the Nursery next door and the school garden with some being used for the Science Dept’s projects.

After bagging it up, we went for a short walk to the foreshore nearby and the boys were surprised how far out the Avon river drained into the Forth Estuary. We explained why and how the physical geography worked.

An RSPB bird hide is on the shore here and we met a bird watcher who let us look through his monocular lots of Shelduck (huge ducks) and Dunlin were spotted. When we arrived we disturbed a fishing Heron, the lads surprised there was fish in the river.

We also spotted a rabbit cracass – a murder – that had been left by a fox or two. The boys enjoyed taking photos of their find. Earlier, I had warned them to keep their movements to slow motion which would not spook any fallow deer and foxes in the area.

The site is less than a mile from school, but as it’s left un-managed and only a handful of dog walkers visit, it’s kept a wide biodiversity. We will return at some point to find a geocache in the area.

The boys had spotted a large nest of snails.

Working together to bag the compost.

The boys enjoying some warm up exercise , stone throwing the further and trying to hit an old tyre. They were not disturbing the feeding flock in the centre middle of the photo.

January 13, 2012
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Can Pupils coach Pupils Rock Climbing ?

Tomorrow we have some new pupils, from S5, going climbing. The weather forecast is very cold so we will head to the PEAK at Stirling as it has heating, unlike the RATHO wall.

Miss L will run a short workshop with two pupils who have not climber before, she is keen to train as a Climbing Instructor, as is Kendall in S6. The training scheme is here. It’s possible to get these course for FREE, yes free. They attract ILA money, which allows people to learn for free. There is one here.

Mr T will soon do an induction – training day – so he can assess the NICAS scheme. This will allow pupils to work through a Nationally Accredited Climbing Qualification, a bit like Highers and Standard Grades at school.

The picture below shows Miss McK and Mrs W coaching new climbers last year during winter at RATHO. They both now teach at different schools after their probation year at Grangemouth. Hopefully they are still climbing !

December 12, 2011
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Trout, Trees and Technology

Today we had a small class due to illness, so off to Beecraigs Country Park. A short wander through the trees and passed the Badger sett. None seen. The trout farm was shut for the winter, quite icy around the small lochan but still lots of birdlife about.

Trying to I.D all the birdlife was tricky, Coots, Mallards and Robins were spotted. Interpretation boards helped.

November 24, 2011
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Pond Sampling – Immersive flow learning

A live podcast from an Outdoor Learning class, outside whilst Pond Sampling.

Podcast

November 22, 2011
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Geocaching at Cockleroy

Today we enjoyed some georgous panoramic views atop Cockleroy. Cockleroy is a small hill easily accessable from the main road in Linlithgow. Due to a ten minute delay with roadworks, we switched from a longer walk to just a quick hour blast up and around Cockleroy. The class enjoyed the blue skies, excellent views and an introduction to geocaching. A perfect environment and weather for setting up FLOW Learning.

Sean enjoying the views back home to Grangemouth.

No, not magic but messing about with the camera. Cool effect though.

Pointing out Glasgow and the Forth bridges. TJ spotted a docked Navy ship, destroyer, in Rosyth.

Sean running to explore the second summit.

Sean pointing out the moon, whilst TJ trys to read the orientation table.

Searching for the Geocache, where is it ? Is it in those jaggy bushes ?

Found ! A quick record in the logbook, proving we found it. Then off back to the minibus and school.

November 17, 2011
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Monsterous, Mighty, Mosaics

Today we were at the Jupiter Centre, urban wildlife woodland. We were digging holes in preparation for the Art Dept to design and build nature mosaics to be placed on bollards. Steve, the Ranger, was leading the session and the boys were effectively working for him. He introduced the task and explained all the safety precautions.

The boys were keen to get started, only 2hrs time allocated.

Steve had marked out all the areas for digging. The boys had to split into teams and decide who would – measure, dig, move soil, move turf – and then decide when the hole was finished.

Although the weather was wet and chilly, as the boys had appropriate clothing, they cracked on full speed.

Team work.

Lots of equipment to check, organise and divide up amongst the teams.

Any wildlife found was moved to a safer area !

November 7, 2011
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Falling leaves walk and Turkey

Today we were out and about at a local park, Muiravonside. The park has a blend of ‘maintained’ woodland and ‘light touch’ woods. This allows for a wild feel and some good areas for learning in. I have used it for S1 in june when we had a fantastic IDL day with a blend of Bushcraft/Technology and Food/HE using a BBQ.

The picture here shows the class making there way up through the mature decidious softwoods past the river.

We had looked at the sand at the river bank and explored where the sand came from and how the river has eroded the land into a small gorge. This was only after a pupil asked why there was a sandy beach no where near the sea.

We also looked at the Limekilns, an older way of creating fertilizers, now we have the big Petro Chemical plants in Grangemouth creating fertilizers.

We asecended the stairs to the top of park and the Aqueduct for the Union canal. The weir is quite impressive to see from above. Pupils were surprised how narrow the canal is on the aqueduct and how strong the structure must be. I expalined how the weir worked for holding back water.

The tree canopy is quite open now we are entering winter.

The class now moved up to the farm, surprised that these were actually real turkeys, ‘their massive !’.

One pupil was keen to access any work experience, at the farm. Luckily, the worker there had done work experience and now works full time. So hopefully this could be a positive transition.

The farm has pigs, cattle, and aviary, guinea pigs etc etc. Lots to see. Surprising the pigs pereferred outside, rather than go into their warm pen inside. It took some explaining to reveal the pigs had dug up the field, looking for grubs.

We had seen these large chicks in late september, the class was shocked how much they had grown since.