Darwin’s Footsteps
For pupils aged 7-11
Teachers’ extension activities
Developed with the help of St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School
and the Association for Science Education
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Extension activities for
Darwin’s Footsteps
Background
This on-line game and series of related teaching activities are based on the winning entry from
St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School in the Rolls-Royce Science Prize.
The team used the life of Darwin and his voyages to enthuse pupils in science lessons. Pupils
followed Darwin’s journeys around the globe before taking their own expedition in the local area.
The study of local fauna and flora carried out with the help of Bolton University was then compared
with details of a study carried out 100 years previously held at Bolton Museum.
Pupils own interests and ideas were used to generate the experiments and scientific hypotheses
used during the project. The encouragement of pupils driving the learning was used as a central
theme.
The following notes explain how you can carry out many of the extension activities developed by
St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 1
IT
A C TIV
Tracking Down Darwin
What is it about?
In these activities, children find out about Darwin’s journey on the Beagle. They use
Google Earth and other sites to find out about the places he visited. They mark his
route on a large map of the world and plant flags to show what they have found out
about that area or about what Darwin did there.
What will the children learn?
The children learn about the activities undertaken by one famous scientist (Charles Darwin) and the
variety of places visited. They learn to use IT to help them gather information.
How are they being scientific?
They gather information and find out about the type of activities undertaken by a real scientist.
Resources
• Large class map of the world
• Blu-tac and sticks (e.g. lolly sticks/pencils) or string and map pins
• Paper
• Access to the internet - Google Earth
• Other sites such as:
www.aboutdarwin.com
www.darwinday.org
www.galapagosconnection.net/page_darwin.html
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
If, due to lack of room, a large map of the world cannot be placed horizontally so that information
flags can be stuck onto it, then hang the map vertically and ask children to place information around
the edge of the map with string or cotton linking the information to the place in question.
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc1 1a That science is about thinking creatively to try to explain how living and non-living things work.
Sc1 1b That it is important to test ideas using evidence from first hand observation and measurement.
Sc2 5b About the plants and animals found in different habitats.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 1
IT
What to do
A C TIV
1
. Each
to groups ut a
in
p
u
e
id
Div
ut abo
s to find o
visited
group ha
at Darwin
th
e
c
la
p
such
different
e Beagle
th
in
y
e
rn
on his jou Peru, Galapagos
zil,
ra
B
ew
as
ustralia, N
n
la
n.
Is ds, A
To
Cape w
Zealand,
2
Use the internet to f ind ou
t
things about each place
Darwin visited and what
he did
there. Google Earth will giv
e you an
idea of the environment.
Other sites
will help you f i nd out wh
at
Darwin did there.
3
has to choose
Your group now
You
ll other people.
four things to te
bitat
ha
e
description of th
e
must include a
ur of
d (or print a pict
un
fo
in
w
ar
D
at
es).
th
l the main featur
be
la
d
an
t
ta
bi
the ha
arwin
include what D
You must also
d
mething he foun
did there and so
out.
4
Work in your g
roups. Put each
piece of inform
ation on a sep
arate
piece of pape
r. Stick each pie
ce of
paper to a f lag
(lolly) stick. Pla
ce the
information f la
g in some blu
-t
ac in
the right place
on the map.
5
u don’t
Remember that yo
so you will
have lots of room
to say things
need to think how
few words
clearly with just a
ctures.
and diagrams/pi
6
When
each g the map is fi
look at roup will get nished
a chan
it an
ce to
to tell u d study it. Th
ey will
s three
hav
th
learnt/f
ound in ings they hav e
e
t
informa
e
tion giv resting in the
en by
groups the other
.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 2
IT
VV
A
AC
TII
CT
Getting to Know the Neighbours
What is it about?
In these activities, children play two games which highlight the features
of small invertebrates and different plants they are likely to encounter
on an expedition into the school grounds.
What will the children learn?
The children learn to identify different species of animals and plants by
recognising different features.
How are they being scientific?
In order for scientists to find out what is happening to the animals and plants around them, they
need to be able to identify different species by picking out relevant features.
Resources
Pictures/charts of animals/plants in your locality e.g. mini-beasts such as worm, snail, ant, spider,
woodlouse, millipede, centipede, aphid, grasshopper, beetle, ladybird, slug, earwig or plants such
as grass, clover, plantain, buttercup, gorse, nettle, blackberry (bramble), herb robert, dock, forgetme-not, dandelion, silverweed, birdsfoot-trefoil (bacon and eggs).
Game 1 - Sticky labels (one per child) with the name of a local small invertebrate and/or plant on them.
Repeat names until you have enough labels.
Game 2 - Cards bearing a picture and name of a local small invertebrate or plant. Enough cards for one
per child or pair of children. Dice.
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Play different versions of the dice game by changing the features linked to the numbers and
getting children to swap pictures.
Work in pairs to make up descriptions entitled ‘Who am I?’ using the web to collect interesting information
(example below). Others have to guess which animal is described.
My ancestors lived in the water and I am related to crabs
I love eating rotting plants and fungi
I have 14 legs
Who am I?
Answer (pill woodlouse)
I hate hot dry places
I have a segmented body
I can roll up in a ball
I have two tubes at the back of my body which I use to help me steer
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc2 4b How locally occurring animals and plants can be identified.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 2
IT
A C TIV
What to do
Game 1 – The labels game
Put a label on your partner’s back. Don’t let them see what it is. The aim of the game is to f i nd out
which mini-beast/plant is on your label by asking questions that can be answered with a 'yes' or a
'no'.
Move round the room. Meet up with someone else – see what their label says. They can ask you one
question and you can ask them one question. Then move on to another person.
When you know what your label says, sit down. People sitting down can answer questions from those
still standing up.
No!
Only answer ‘yes’ or
‘no’ if you are sure you
know.
Yes!
If you are unsure reply –
‘Hang on I’ll check that one out.’
Then go and look at the poster/pictures or ask
your teacher.
I’ll
Hang on
at one
check th
out.
Game 2 - Match the features
Each pair has a card with the name and the picture of an animal (or plant) on it.
These six features match a number on the dice e.g.
1 – no legs
2 – two antennae or feelers
3 – segmented body
4 – six legs
5 – two wings
6 – more than six legs
Your teacher will roll the dice. If your
animal has the feature that matches the
number on the dice you sit down. Check
the picture if you’re not sure.
We’ll see who are the
last pair left standing.
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Y 3
IT
A C TIV
What’s Beneath Your Feet?
What is it about?
In these activities, children think about where soil comes from and then
shake sugar cubes in clear plastic pots to make links to the wearing away
of rock to form soil. They also think about a job description for a worm
living in soil. They attempt to estimate the number of worms beneath
the school field by counting how many in a sample.
What will the children learn?
The children learn that soil is formed by the erosion of rocks over
a long timescale. They also recognise that worms help to put air in
the soil and break down plant material. They estimate the number of
worms under the school field by taking a sample.
How are they being scientific?
Scientists often think about what might be going on by imagining something else that could work in
the same way (a model) such as the wearing away of sugar cubes to form sugar granules is similar
to rock wearing away to form soil. Scientists also have to estimate how many of each species is
likely to be living in an area by counting how many in a sample.
Resources
Clear plastic pots with lids (one per small group/pair), containing sugar cubes or lumps (if possible
using different types of sugar in different pots)
Large paper and pens for posters
Bucket containing soil and worms dug from under school field, plastic sheet, gloves
and calculators
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Children call soil many different things such as mud, dirt, earth. Explain that scientists call all that
stuff ‘soil’. Help them recognise that soil is everywhere beneath shopping centres schools roads
etc. and not just in fields and flower beds.
Darwin recognised the importance of earthworms in improving the soil. He estimated that there
were 26,886 per acre of soil.
Some of the calculations may be quite complicated – it may help to work out the acreage of the
school field in advance.
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc2 5b About the different plants and animals found in different habitats.
Sc3 1d To describe and group rocks and soils.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 3
IT
What to do
ACT
IV
How soil is formed
p
It came u
erneath
from und
.
the rocks
Work with a partner. Draw a poster of what you think is beneath
your feet. Where did all the soil come from?
It’s always be
en
there.
Your teacher will hand out some sugar cubes in pots. Look at
the sugar cubes in the pot. Now shake them hard for about a
minute and look again. What do you notice? What do you think
this has to do with rocks and soil and how soil is made?
s are
The cube s.
ck
like the ro
ing them
And bash
s come
s little bit
n
a
e
m
t
u
are like
abo
granules
r
a
g
u
s
get
e
off so th
hen rocks
w
e
d
a
m
soil being
bashed.
Different suga
r
cubes make d
ifferent sugar
granules so I
think different
rocks might m
ake different
types of soil.
How many worms are in the soil under our school fi eld?
All put on the gloves. Here’s some soil from the school field spread out on this plastic. Your teacher
will tell you the volume of the soil in cubic centimetres. How many worms can we count in this bit of
soil?
How could we estimate how many worms live in the top half metre of soil under the school field?
Work with a partner to suggest ways of working it out. What would we need to do?
Charles Darwin estimated how many earthworms lived under an acre of field – can you use the
web to find out the number? How does this compare with our answer? How big is our field
compared with an acre?
What do earthworms do? Find out using secondary sources. In pairs, draw up an advertisement for
a job as an earthworm. What skills would you need? What would you have to do? Where would you
work?
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Y 4
IT
A C TIV
Expedition into the School Grounds
What is it about?
Children suggest different places to put a quadrat/hoop and make a
record of animals/plants found there. They display their results and
make comparisons between the living things found in the different
habitats. They display where they found various animals on a map of
the schools grounds.
What will the children learn?
Children learn to observe, record and compare living things found in
different habitats.
How are they being scientific?
Scientists keep careful records of living things so that they can find out about them, study their
behaviour and see what changes are taking place.
Resources
Pictures/charts of animals/plants in your locality
Quadrats or hoops
Magnifiers
Notebook
Plastic gloves for working in grounds
Large map of the school grounds
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Make sure children wear plastic gloves when working in the grounds.
Encourage them to make notes of the position of their quadrat, the time and date, as well as a
list of the animals/plants found there and an estimate of the number found. Use GPS to pin point
where they placed their quadrat so they can return to the exact position at another time.
Encourage use of stickers or map pins to show where things were found on the map of the school
grounds.
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc1 2f Make systematic observations.
2h Use a wide range of methods to communicate data.
2i Make comparisons in their observations and measurements.
2j Use observations to draw conclusions.
Sc2 5b About the different plants and animals found in different habitats.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 4
IT
What to do
A C TIV
When scientists want to compare which
living things are in which area they often
use quadrats to make sure that they look at
the same size area. Talk in groups. Can you
think of at least three different places where
we could place our quadrats (hoops)?
We’ve been round the school grounds
and now we’re going to check out the
local wildlife with an expedition to
different places in our school grounds.
Next to
the hedge.
On the
short grass,
where it’s light.
Under the
trees where there
are lots of old leaves
and bits of old wood.
In the
long grass.
In the
damp stony
patch.
Let’s divide up, put our quadrats down in different places and do a survey to see what living things
we find there. How could we display our information to make it easy to compare one area’s wildlife
with the other areas?
What have we found out? How much can we trust our
results? How can we use the map of the school grounds
to show where we found different living things?
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Y 5
IT
A C TIV
Weird and Wonderful
What is it about?
Children look at insectivorous plants. They look at information on a table about
when a Venus Fly Trap closes and work out a pattern. They invent their own weird
and wonderful plants.
What will the children learn?
Children will learn to observe a plant carefully and look for patterns in data. They will
use their imaginations to create plants with unusual features.
How are they being scientific?
Scientists make close observations of plants and their behaviour. Charles Darwin was fascinated
by the Venus Fly Trap and how it might have evolved. They try to find patterns in results about what
causes the trap to shut and re-open.
Resources
Venus Fly Trap - real plants are available to buy on the web e.g. www.essexcarnivorousplants. com,
www.littleshopofhorrors.co.uk, www.venusf lytrap.co.uk
Large paper, pens etc. for creating unusual plants
Tables showing observed results of Venus Fly Traps
Observations of Venus Fly Traps
Number of trigger hairs
touched
Number of times trigger
hairs were touched
Did trap close?
Did closed trap
contain f ly?
How long did it take
to re-open?
2
1
yes
yes
9 days
1
1
no
no
1 day
0
0
no
no
2 days
2
1
yes
yes
7 days
1
1
no
yes
12 days
1
1
no
yes
7 days
1
2
yes
no
1 day
1
2
yes
no
1 day
3
1
yes
no
2 days
1
1
no
yes
10 days
2
1
yes
yes
14 days
2
1
yes
yes
14 days
2
2
yes
yes
10 days
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Digital microscopes can really enhance observations.
Follow instructions for looking after your insectivorous plant – do not trigger the closing mechanism.
yourself as this can harm the plant.
Research plants using secondary sources – what weird plants exist?
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc1 2f Make systematic observations.
2i Make comparisons and identify simple patterns in their own or other data.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 5
IT
What to do
A C TIV
Look carefully at the Venus Fly Trap (real thing or pictures). With your partner, find at least six
different things you notice.
• The Venus Fly Trap traps flies.
• It snaps its leaves round the fly.
• There are trigger hairs
Let’s make a list of all our
on the base of the leaves.
observations. Draw and
label the plant.
Look at the table. Can you find any patterns? When does the plant close its leaves to make a trap?
when
It closes
air
hes one h
a fly touc
re times.
two or mo
ses
It also clo ore
or m
when two
touched.
hairs are
Look at the second table about how long it stays shut after it has closed. Can you spot any patterns?
aught
If it has c
r
ys shut fo
a fly it sta
ger.
much lon
got a fly it
If it hasn’t
long
shut very
y
ta
s
’t
n
ys.
does
or two da
- only one
hut for
It stays s
it
ek when
over a we
.
y
ht a fl
has caug
The Venus Fly Trap is a strange plant. It behaves more like an animal than a plant in trapping flies
which it uses for minerals. What other strange plants could you imagine? What features could they
have?
You could have
plants with teeth on
their petals.
Plants that can
walk on their roots.
You could have
plants covered in fur that
grow in cold places.
Plants that can
tickle anything that
goes near it with their
leaves.
Work with your partner to create a picture of a
weird plant. Put labels on to explain what it does.
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Y 6
IT
A C TIV
Wonderful Worms
What is it about?
In this activity, children suggest investigations to carry out with worms and test out
their ideas.
What will the children learn?
Children learn to offer their own ideas and decide how to test them out. They plan
what to do and draw conclusions from their results.
How are they being scientific?
Scientists need to study animals and test the way they behave. Darwin became fascinated by
worms and studied them for decades.
Resources
Buy live worms from fishing bait shops or online e.g.
• www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk
• www.scottishworms.com
Plastic gloves
Pieces of plastic to use as matting for the experiments
Torches to shine on worms to make them move
Other equipment as required by ideas suggested
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Use bought live worms – each group will need many worms for experiments.
Make sure plastic gloves are used.
Talk about how to treat worms once tests have been carried out.
Discuss ethics of using live worms for tests – bait worms are likely to die anyway etc.
Make a wormery.
Find out about the use of worms in composting.
Find out what Darwin did in his investigations into earthworms.
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc1 2a Ask questions that can be investigated.
2c Think about what might happen or try things out when deciding what to do.
2f Make systematic observations.
2i Make comparisons in their observations and measurements.
2j Use observations to draw conclusions.
Sc2 5a About ways in which living things need protection.
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Y 6
IT
What to do
A C TIV
What do you think worms can do? Talk with your group.
What would you like to find out about worms?
s
Can worm
see?
Do worms like
some colours
better than oth
ers?
s
Are worm ?
a
w ter
scared of
How could you test out your ideas? Remember worms
move away from light.
Put the worms in the
middle of two piles of food (leaf
litter etc.). Block off one pile so they
can’t see it but could still get to it. Shine
a torch on them and see where they
move to. If they can see they should
go to the side without the
block.
Put four different
colours round the edge of
the plastic and underneath it.
Put the worms in the middle of the
plastic. Shine the light above them
and see whether they go to one
colour more than another.
Put four different
colours round the edge of the
plastic and underneath it. Put the
worms in the middle of the plastic.
Shine the light above them and see
whether they go to one colour
more than another.
Have three
sections on the plastic
sheet. Put some worm food
on one, then a strip of very
damp plastic. In the third section
put worms. Shine a torch on the
worms. If they go over the
wet strip they don’t mind
water.
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Y 7
IT
A C TIV
Celebrity Mini-Beasts
What is it about?
In this activity, children develop an interview with a common invertebrate,
as if they were a celebrity.
What will the children learn?
By doing this activity, children learn about their creature’s appearance,
habitat, food and behaviour. They get information from first-hand
observation and from secondary sources.
How are they being scientific?
Scientists need to study animals in detail to find out about the way they live.
Resources
Reference books/web pages about small invertebrates.
Magnifiers and real specimens of various mini-beasts in clear containers where possible,
plastic gloves and paintbrushes for handling specimens.
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Digital microscopes can really enhance observations.
Encourage children to make their responses look as much like an interview with a human celebrity
as possible – adding photos, pictures of others who live near them, ‘gossip’ about their lifestyle (and
if doing reproduction) their ‘love-life’.
Ask children to decide on how to care for animals and make sure they are returned to their original
habitat.
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc2 4b How locally occurring animals and plants can be identified and assigned to groups.
5a About ways in which living things need protection.
5b About the different plants and animals found in different habitats.
5c How animals and plants in two different habitats are suited to their environment.
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
Y 7
IT
What to do
A C TIV
What questions do celebrities get
asked in magazine interviews?
Imagine your mini-beast was doing
a celebrity interview.
What is your
favourite food?
Where do you
usually hang out? Why
do you like it there?
Get into pairs to work out what
questions to ask your mini-beast
and what they might reply. You can
observe your mini-beast and use
other sources to get information.
Could you
describe your home to
me?
Is there anything
that makes you special
– how are you different to
all the other celebrity minibeasts?
Who do you
hang around with or
are you a loner?
What’s your
favourite activity?
What’s the one
piece of advice you would
give to other mini-beasts of
your species to help them
live a happy life?
How do humans
react to you? Do you think
that they understand you?
Get ready to show others your celebrity
mini-beast interview.
One of you take the part of the journalist,
the other is the mini-beast.
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Y 8
IT
A C TIV
Night-Time Ramble
What is it about?
In this activity, children go out at night and walk round an
unlit area (wood, park etc.) near to the school. They decide
how they can make sure no-one gets lost. They prepare their
route in advance, adding objects at key points on the route
that make sounds when touched or that reflect light well.
They listen for sounds of animals in the dark.
What will the children learn?
By doing this activity, children learn about the steps needed
to ensure safety for all the party. They apply their knowledge
of sources of sound and things that reflect well to help them
place markers in the day to find their way around their route at night.
They listen for sounds of animals in the dark and learn how quiet they need to be to hear animal
life at night.
How are they being scientific?
Scientists need to study animals in the day and at night. Scientists also need to apply their
knowledge to make things.
Resources
Recycled materials including reflective materials e.g. foil and things that could become sources
of sound e.g. things to make wind chimes from, things that rustle when touched.
Map of suggested route to pinpoint where markers should be placed.
Things to watch out for and further suggestions
Carry out a risk assessment and ensure there are enough adults.
Allow children to go in groups, ‘leading’ their adult round the route. Adult carries torch and whistle
to be used in an emergency.
Children know to check numbers in the group and what to do if they should get separated.
Check times of moonrise and set (less light if moon is not visible at time of ramble).
Make sure children wear suitable footwear and clothing.
Combine with a sleepover in the school hall.
NC Links
Pupils should be taught:
Sc1 2e Take action to control risks
Sc4 3c That light is reflected from surfaces
3e That sounds are made when objects vibrate
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Y 8
IT
A C TIV
What to do
We’re going on a night walk to listen to animals in the dark. We
won’t be using torches unless there is an emergency. How can we
make sure that no-one gets lost? What route should we take? How
can we put down markers so that people know where they are at
night when they won’t be able to see much as there is only a little
light?
We need to use
markers that make a
noise.
Or things that
reflect light really well.
Or things that
feel different.
What could your group make? Each
marker needs to be different. We
need to use recycled materials.
We’ll stick old
CDs onto canes and
plant them.
We’ll hang metal
spoons on string so that
when you hit them they
make a noise.
We’ll use strips
of foil hanging down
from branches.
We have to decide where we should put
each marker so that we know where
we are as we go round the route. Which
would be the best places to put them?
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize/resources
These notes have been compiled for Rolls-Royce plc with the
help of St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary School, Bolton
and the Association for Science Education.
Special thanks to Robert Moores, Colin Walton and Anne
Goldsworthy.
Further information about St Stephen and All Martyrs’ Primary
School’s prize winning entry is available on-line at:
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize
..................................................................................................
The interactive games and accompanying teachers’ notes
hosted on the Rolls-Royce Science Prize website are to be
used for the benefit of schools and colleges only and a third
party must obtain the written approval of Rolls-Royce plc if
they intend to use any of the resources.
Helpline for teachers:
0800 028 07659
www.rolls-royce.com/scienceprize
..................................................................................................
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© Rolls-Royce plc 2007
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