Juniper Hall course programme
School / College:
FSC course tutor:
Course Dates:
Course title:
Course outline
Pre-course: Students research secondary succession using Padlet
webpage (Common Practical Assessment Criteria Competency 5)
http://padlet.com/marisa_jh/JuniperHallSuccession
2016
AS Edexcel A Biology with Core Practicals
EXAMPLE PROGRAMME
Safety: Link to FSC risk assessments
Clothing: Waterproofs and Wellies. Scarves,
hats, gloves & warm clothing.
And/or
Pre-course: Students research the importance of conservation with
reference to Box Hill using Padlet webpage (Common Practical
Assessment Criteria Competency 5)
http://padlet.com/michelle_lr/JuniperWoodlandsPrecourse
Day 1 (1300 start, 2000 finish) - Ecology and chalk grassland secondary
succession (or chalk grassland trampling)
 Check in at reception to start at 1300
 Borrow wellies and waterproofs and welcome tour
 Intro to Ecology, abiotic and biotic factors and intro to secondary
succession on chalk grassland. To include species adaptations, nutrient
cycling and management and conflicts
Core Practical 10: Carry out a study on the ecology of a habitat, such as
using quadrats and transects to determine distribution and abundance of
organisms, and measuring abiotic factors appropriate to the habitat.
Complete succession fieldwork: Investigating the process of secondary
succession on Mickleham Downs
 Return to Juniper Hall
Break and cake
 Population study on Ramshorn snail – mark snails
 Succession data collation, methods and limitations
 Set small mammal traps
Dinner about 1800
Statistics Workshop
 Data presentation
 Introduction to statistics – which to use?
 Use succession data to complete a worked example of Spearman’s
Rank
Finish by 2000
Transport: Transport is required on day 2 to
travel to and from the River Tillingbourne.
This is to guarantee that we have safe access
to a river site. The River Mole has been used
in the past but this is no longer a reliable river
site. We now use the River Tillingbourne,
which is a short drive from the centre. The
biodiversity in the Tillingbourne is higher and
access is always guaranteed.
Behaviour: Teachers to support with
behaviour & group management during
fieldwork activates and classroom sessions
and to lead group management during breaks
times.
Resources: All resources are provided.
Day 2 (0915 start and finish by 2000) – Freshwater ecology
 Open small mammal traps and reset – link to classification e.g. genus
and species and create a dichotomous key for identification and
estimating population size
 Introduction to freshwater ecology investigations
Morning break
 Travel to the River Tillingbourne (transport required at a current cost
of £8.80 per student if booked with the FSC)
Core Practical 10: Carry out a study on the ecology of a habitat, such as
using quadrats and transects to determine distribution and abundance of
organisms, and measuring abiotic factors appropriate to the habitat.
Complete freshwater fieldwork: investigating the abundance of freshwater
invertebrates in the River Tillingbourne
Bringing Environmental Understanding to All
Juniper Hall course programme
Lunch in the field
 Complete fieldwork and return to Juniper Hall with some selected
samples of freshwater invertebrates
 Use microscopes to observe adaptations of freshwater invertebrates
 Break and cake
 Collate data and discuss limitations of methodology
 Data presentation
 Check and reset small mammal traps
Dinner about 1800
 Freshwater statistical analysis (either chi squared or student t-test)
 Or
 Trophic structure using freshwater data with Excel spreadsheets to
create both box plots and ecological pyramids graphs
Day 3 (0915 start and finish by 2000) - woodland and sampling techniques
 Check small mammal traps – not to be reset
 Intro to woodland study including pre course task quiz on woodlands,
conservation and biodiversity
 Morning break
Core Practical 10: Carry out a study on the ecology of a habitat, such as
using quadrats and transects to determine distribution and abundance of
organisms, and measuring abiotic factors appropriate to the habitat.
Students plan and carry out an investigation on the effects of woodland on
the abundance and distribution of woodland plants. They can use various
sampling techniques to measure biotic and abiotic variables
 Lunch
 Return to Juniper Hall with some samples of plants from sun and shade
 Soil analysis
 Collate data, data presentation and analysis
 Break and cake
Core Practical 7: separate biological compounds using paper
chromatography – using plants from sun and shade collected in the
woodland
 Dinner about 1800
 Woodland statistical analysis (either chi squared or student t-test)
 If time, student data could be used to calculate diversity using
Simpson’s Diversity Index
Day 4 (0915 start finish by 1200) – population study and animal responses
 Pond dipping on centre grounds, including recapture of Ramshorn
snails and calculate Lincoln Index
 Collection of an invertebrate such as freshwater shrimp for animal
responses practical
 Morning break
 Investigation into the effect of an environmental variable on the
movement of an animal using a choice chamber or maze
 Tidy classroom and return waterproofs and wellies
 Course finishes by 1200
Bringing Environmental Understanding to All
Juniper Hall course programme
Learning Objectives
Edexcel A A/AS level Biology
Throughout the course students will have to opportunity to achieve the
following objectives:
 Solve problems set in practical contexts.
 Apply scientific knowledge to practical contexts.
 Comment on experimental design and evaluate scientific methods.
 Plot and interpret graphs.
 Process and analyse data using appropriate mathematical skills.
 Evaluate results and draw conclusions with reference to
measurement uncertainties and errors.
 Consider margins of error, accuracy and precision of data.
Assessment: Progress assessed by open
ended questioning, peer discussions and use
of knowledge and skills in different situations.
Prior learning: Students should ideally have
some understanding of ecological
investigation, abiotic and biotic factors, and
adaptations of organisms to the environment
Bringing Environmental Understanding to All