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Outdoor
learning at
Oxwich NNR
Contents
Introduction. ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Site information. ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Frequently asked questions. ......................................................................................................................... 5
Background to Oxwich National Nature Reserve. ........................................................................................ 6
History. ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Management............................................................................................................................................. 6
Habitats found within Oxwich NNR. ............................................................................................................. 8
Risk assessment .......................................................................................................................................... 12
RISK ASSESSMENT FORM ............................................................................................................................ 14
Safe field techniques ............................................................................................................................... 18
Scheme of Work .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Lessons to prepare and undertake educational visits at Oxwich NNR, focusing on planning an
investigation............................................................................................................................................ 19
Other areas which can be covered while visiting Oxwich NNR. ................................................................. 31
Detailed lesson plans for specified field days at Oxwich NNR. ................................................................... 35
Scientific investigation and geographical enquiry field day. .................................................................. 35
Differentiated sheets. ................................................................................................................................. 42
A comparison between different habitats found in Oxwich NNR. ............................................................. 43
A comparison between 2 different habitats found in Oxwich NNR. .......................................................... 47
Investigation: A study of coastal microhabitats. ........................................................................................ 48
Investigating microclimate/environmental factors. ............................................................................... 60
Investigate feeding relationships such as food chains within the habitats. ........................................... 65
Assess and discuss the threats to Oxwich NNR. ..................................................................................... 73
Art in the environment ........................................................................................................................... 77
Geography at Oxwich NNR. .................................................................................................................... 79
Compass trail for Oxwich NNR. ........................................................................................................... 80
Map Close -up of boardwalk and benches.................................................................................................. 86
Map of Oxwich NNR .................................................................................................................................... 87
Map of local area. ................................................................................................................................... 88
Species identification guides....................................................................................................................... 89
Suppliers list for necessary equipment. ...................................................................................................... 93
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References and contact details. .................................................................................................................. 94
Introduction.
Teacher’s pack for delivering educational fieldwork at Oxwich National Nature
Reserve (NNR).
This pack is aimed at Key Stage 2 although much of the material is relevant for Key
Stage 3 and can be easily adapted. Many of the activities and resources can be adapted
to meet the needs of different abilities within the classroom.
The pack includes an investigation into the habitats and the organisms living within
Oxwich NNR which can be undertaken by a class as part of their Science and/or
Geography enquiry and investigation.
The pack is matched to the National Curriculum for Wales 2008, the National
Curriculum for England 2007 and the Skills Framework for 3-19 year olds in WalesWelsh Assembly 2008. The unit is also matched to ESDGC- A Common Understanding
for Schools. Welsh Assembly 2008
It is primarily Geography focused but is cross curricular. There are strong curriculum
links with Science, English, Maths, PSE, ICT and other curriculum areas.
Teachers are encouraged to undertake the whole scheme of work for students to gain
a full understanding of all the methodologies. However, the pack is designed so
teachers can select individual lessons, activities or resources to meet their curriculum
and the individual needs of their students.
Visits to Oxwich are free and can be undertaken by any competent teacher. Please
contact the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) for more details, 0845 1306229 or
Dawn Thomas of Nature days 01792 392919.
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All resources are available on disk available from the warden of Oxwich and Nature
days naturedays@reynoldston.com
Site information.
Oxwich National Nature Reserve can be reached by the minor road off the A4118 west from Swansea.
Grid Reference: SS 500 864 Postcode: SA3 1LS
Map of location.
Swansea
Facilities.
The site has a large car park owned by the Penrice Estate which does charge.
There are toilets on the beach which are open during the summer months. There are also City and
County of Swansea toilets located along the road towards the Oxwich Bay hotel which are open
throughout the year. These can be accessed from the beach through the sand dunes.
There is no permanent CCW presence at Oxwich NNR or any information centre. For information on the
site please contact CCW head office at Bangor on 0845 1306229 or contact Dawn Thomas of Nature
Days 01792 392919 naturedays@reynoldston.com
There is a shop opposite the car park which is open during the summer season which sells refreshments.
There is no shelter on the dunes. There is some shelter at the back of the site in the woodland.
Parts of the reserve are open access, while other areas are open to groups by arrangement only, such as
the freshwater marsh across the road from the car park.
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In Oxwich village there are numerous campsites and a hotel with a restaurant.
Frequently asked questions.
1.
Where has the visitor centre gone?
It was removed in 1995 for a number of reasons including loss of staff and relocation to the
central Swansea, We hope that it will be replaced in due course.
2.
Can anyone visit the nature reserve and where can we walk?
Everyone is welcome to the nature reserve and you can walk wherever you like on the dunes,
beach and through both woodlands [Nicholaston and Oxwich] but access to the marshes is
permissive and can be dangerous.
Is camping allowed on the dunes or beach ?
3.
There is no camping allowed anywhere on the beach nor within the nature reserve boundary.
What does SSSI mean?
Site of Special Scientific Interest. The purpose of SSSIs is to safeguard, for present and
future generations, the quality, diversity and geographic range of habitats, species, geological
features throughout Wales.
4.
5.
What is the rarest thing in Oxwich?
We have many rare or uncommon species in the reserve, Vertigo angustior (Narrow mouthed
whorl snail) Purple gromwell (flower found in Crawley Bluff) Vernal Colletes (mining bee) Dune
Gentian (Gentianella uliginosa) and possibly Bittern.
6.
Why do you cut trees?
We cut deciduous scrub from the dunes and slacks because it dries out the dunes and
overshadows flowering plants.
7.
What do the horses do?
They graze the sand dunes and keep down the vegetation allowing the smaller plants to flourish
and hopefully increase the general biodiversity.
8.
Is pond dipping allowed?
There are a few areas where this is possible, teacher supervision is always recommended.
9.
Do we need to contact anyone before we visit and who do we contact?
You must contact the Countryside Council For Wales on 0845 1306229 so we can advise on
any health and safety issues, events or any other relevant information. Or Dawn Thomas on
01792 392919 dawn.thomas@naturedays.co.uk
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10.
When is the best time to visit?
Between June and August, when most of the flowers and butterflies are flourishing. But the
reserve has field work opportunities in all seasons and is less busy out of season.
Background to Oxwich National Nature Reserve.
History.
Oxwich Bay has been made by the sea washing away the soft shale rocks that lie in between the harder
limestone headlands at either side of the bay. This has taken millions of years. The sea has also brought the
sand which forms the beach and the dunes. The limestone on each headland was formed from mud and the
remains of sea animals settling on the sea bed. Over millions of years this sediment forms rocks which may be
thousands of metres thick. The rocky shore on the west side is formed by pieces of limestone from the cliffs
on that side.
The bay at one time stretched further inland all the way to the back of the reserve Ships used this inlet as a
harbour. Over time about 25,000 years ago the tide built up a shingle bank which was covered with
windblown sands to form the present sand dunes.
Formation of the Fresh and Salt water marshes.
The lagoon trapped behind the sand dunes eventually silted up with sand blown in from the dunes and beach
to create a fresh water and salt water marsh.
In 1750 Thomas Mansel Talbot , the then owner of Penrice Estate built a sea wall to the north of the dunes
enclosing the salt marsh. He then dug an ornamental lake which ran the length of the marsh and an extensive
system of drainage channels that took away the water which flowed into the marsh from streams. The land
was converted into rough pasture used for grazing cattle. This area was used to grow corn and for grazing
until the 1950s. Neglect in maintaining the drainage channels led to the creation of an extensive reed bed.
Management.
Oxwich is a National Nature Reserve, (NNR) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, (SSSI).
The reserve was established in 1963 through a management agreement with Penrice Estate and by 1983 most
of the area was purchased by the Nature Conservancy Council, now the Countryside Council for Wales.
Oxwich was designated a NNR because it has one of the richest varieties of coastal habitat in Britain.
The combination of rocky and sandy shores, sloping headlands and cliffs, sand dunes and marshes support an
exceptional variety of wildlife. Over six hundred kinds of flowering plants alone have been found. One of the
reserve's key characteristics is how, in its current form, it is very much the result of both natural processes and
man's influence.
The two main aims of the reserve are:
1. To protect, maintain and, if possible, enhance the wildlife and outstanding features.
2. To allow as much public access as is compatible with the primary aims of conservation and research.
There are a number of threats to Oxwich NNR.
•Erosion –blowouts. People lighting fires on the fore-dunes and footpath erosion which exposes the sand to
the wind which then removes the sand from the system
•Scrub and bracken invasion – due to natural dune succession (Psamosere) more and more non specialist
plants grow on the stable dunes. This is due to the natural process of succession and less grazing by rabbits
and stock.
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•Reduction in sediment supply – due to dredging off the coast at Helwick Bank.
•Tipping and litter – from the many visitors (250-300,000 visitors a year).
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If preservation of the rare and highly adapted plants and animals is to succeed at Oxwich then the different
habitats must be nurtured and managed. If the dunes are allowed to turn into woodland then the sand dune
plants will be lost. The rangers at Oxwich are busy managing the site to ensure the number of different plants
is maximised.
They do this by;
•
Picking up litter
•
Creating paths and viewing platforms and guided walks to accommodate people.
•
Careful monitoring of species and communities to see what is growing where.
•
Bracken bruising with a roller to try to slow the growth of bracken.
•
Removing scrub and trees growing where they shouldn’t be on the dunes, especially in the dune
slacks, (slacks are where the level of the ground is lower that the water table and so are much wetter than the
surrounding dunes).
•
Grazing the meadow and dunes with ponies to help keep the scrub away.
•
Digging new slacks.
•
Clearing the overgrown plants so that there is some open water in the reed bed.
Habitats found within Oxwich NNR.
One of the main reasons for Oxwich being made a National Nature Reserve is the presence of a mosaic of
different habitats within a relatively small area, about 200 acres. These include a calcium-rich dune system
with dune slacks and salt marsh, freshwater lakes and marshes and adjacent wooded areas on limestone
slopes as well as the sandy shore and rock pools.
Strandline.
Created from the flotsam and jetsam washed up by the sea at high tide. When the tide recedes back
out to sea objects are left at the top of the beach creating a line of stranded material both natural
and manmade. This strandline provides an unlikely habitat for a small number of adapted species.
Since the sand is very unstable there are no living plants capable of growing here. The basis of all the
food chains on the strand line is the rotting seaweed brought in by the tide. A large population of
sandhoppers lives on this dead and decaying seaweed and these in turn are eaten by the rare
strandline beetle. Sandhoppers are popular prey for turnstones, rock pipits and sandpipers foraging
on the strandline. The contents of the strandline can provide clues to the animals that live in the sea,
what they look like, the type of eggs they lay and sometimes even how they die. Marine and land
animals, such as sea birds and foxes, may scavenge on the strandline, and the decaying debris blown
up the beach may eventually become soil to support sand dune plants.
Sandy shore.
The sandy shore looks like a barren habitat once the sea has receded and exposed its vast extent. No
plants or seaweed can hold on to the moving sand and the animals living here must survive on the
tiny algae and bacteria and bits of dead and decaying matter hidden between the grains of sand. But
hidden underneath the sand are creatures which burrow down into the sand to avoid the sea birds.
Worms such as Lugworms live in ‘U’ shaped burrows 20-40cm deep. At the surface the head end of
the burrow is marked by a small saucer-shaped depression in the surface of the sand. The tail end
lies 2-3 inches from it and is marked by a highly coiled cast of sand. The lugworm lies in this burrow
with its head at the base of the head shaft, swallowing sand from time to time to eat the algae found
within it.
Birds such as the curlew have evolved a curved beak to enable them to reach the worms as they lie in
the bottom of their burrow. Oystercatchers probe wet sand for cockles and tellin, using their long
red beaks. Plovers and other waders with short beaks catch shrimps and other small crustaceans at
shallow depths in the sand.
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Rocky shore.
Tide changes twice a day bring in plankton, which are tiny microscopic plants, the basis of the food
chain. Rock pools are natural aquaria left behind when the tide recedes and pools of sea water are
left trapped between the rocks. These are home to any sea creature left stranded by the tide. Most
of these animals must adapt to live in these pools which may dry up in the sun. They also need to
avoid being eaten by predators such as seagulls. Most animals in the rock pool stay safe by having a
shell which they can hide inside when the tide retreats and stay locked to the rock’s surface so that
birds cannot get at their soft bodies. Limpets and winkles graze on algae found on the rock when the
tide is in and are protected from drying out and from predators when the tide goes out. The rocks
also provide a home for seaweed holds fast to the rocks so as not to get washed away. Once the tide
is out shore crabs hide beneath the seaweed looking for food to eat. Crabs have a protective shell,
exoskeleton, around their whole body as well as claws to defend themselves. All these animals wait
for the tide to cover them so that they can breathe the oxygen in the water and also eat.
Sand dunes.
The sand dunes contain a number of different areas formed by a process called succession. This
variety of areas supports a remarkable range of plants and animals. The dune slacks, for example,
support large numbers of orchids in spring and early summer.
Grey dunes
Fore dunes
Embryo
dunes
Dune slack
Dune
grassland
Dune slack
Woodland
Sea
Formation of sand dunes.
•
The sand moves until it meets a slight obstruction, such as a clump of grass, which deflects the
wind and allows the sand grains to drop
•
Thus a slight mound or hummock is created
•
Wind moves sand up to the top of the pile until the pile is so steep it collapses under its own
weight and falls down the leeward side called the slip face
•
The collapsing sand comes to rest when it reaches just the right incline angle to keep the dune
stable
•
This angle is called the angle of repose and is usually 30-34 degrees
Scientific studies have demonstrated that Marram Grass can die if walked over 10 times.
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The embryo and fore dunes.
The embryo dunes are directly behind the beach and the sand here is very unstable and constantly
blown by the wind or falls down the dunes by gravity. These dunes build up to become larger fore
dunes inland of the embryo dunes. Plants such as marram grass are adapted to live in these
conditions by growing through the sand when they are buried and by having very long roots to access
the water deep under the dunes. Their leaves are also rolled so that they do not lose much fresh
water.
•
•
Marram roots can grow up to 7cm in 10 days.
Marram can survive when buried by 1 metre of sand per year.
When it rains on the fore dunes it very quickly soaks down into the sand too deep for most normal
plant roots to reach. Some plants found here look more like cacti with fleshy leaves which hold onto
fresh water, e.g. Sea sandwort.
At Oxwich NNR the embryo dunes are being destroyed by visitors and are only properly forming at
the far end of the beach by Nicholaston Pill.
The dune slack.
Behind the fore dunes the surface of the sand dips down to below the water table, i.e. where the
underground fresh water lies. This makes the area much wetter than the surrounding dunes. In
winter the slack can even flood to form a pond. Plants that live here are different from those on the
dunes because they are not adapted to living in dry areas. Creeping willow is found in abundance
here and is a much larger woody shrub than the plants found on the rest of the dunes. Red poplar
leaf beetles (they look like large ladybirds with no spots) can be found feeding on the willow leaves
and the common lizard favours this lush, damp habitat, which provides them with food in the form of
invertebrates, shelter, warmth and fresh water.
The grey dunes.
The largest dunes are found near the back of the dunes and have far less open sand. These have a
layer of soil on top which holds the rain and makes it a damper and richer place for plants to live than
the fore dunes. These dunes are much more stable and plants like marram grass grow only in small
patches. Plants like mosses fill the gaps between other plants, e.g. stone crop and fescue grass.
These dunes are less exposed to wind and the plants do not have to be so well adapted to drought to
live here.
Dune grassland.
Inland of the dunes lies a dune grassland. This looks very similar to normal grassland or field, but
there is still a lot of sand beneath the thin layer of soil. The soil has changed as you more inland and
what started as an alkali soil is slightly acid. The variety of plants that grow here is large and if the
area is not grazed or mowed shrubs and then trees will grow here and it will become a woodland.
Plants such as orchids, cowslips, and buttercups grow here and provide food for butterflies and bees.
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Reedbed.
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Woodland.
The climatic climax habitat, the final habitat at end of succession, of the sand dune system is a
woodland. At this point in succession the habitat has reached a steady state and the conditions are
less variable and more stable. The woodland inland of Oxwich sand dune is not very large because
there is a freshwater marsh and reedbed where it would be otherwise. The wooded cliffs are
composed mainly of oak and ash, but also include wild service trees and wych elm. The trees found in
the woodland are elm, sycamore, oak, birch, and ash.
Inland of the woodland at Oxwich NNR lies an extensive reed bed.
Species of plant to be found there are common reed, yellow iris and bulrush. The main reed bed
extends for some one hundred acres, making it one of the largest in Gower. The reeds make a
perfect habitat for nesting birds. Large numbers of warblers come to breed in the springtime, cetti’s
warblers, reed warblers and bitterns. Otters also visit and swim in the area of open freshwater.
Freshwater marsh.
The freshwater marsh is made up of a raft of Sphagnum (bog) moss floating on six foot of fresh
water. It is a very dangerous place to visit since there are gaps in the moss which are in open water.
Bog moss acts like a sponge and soaks up as much as 20 times its own weight in water, thus helping
to keep the bog surface wet. The marsh has no soil so all the plants living there grow on top of the
moss and when the moss dies more grows on top of it. The plant absorbs all the nutrients found in
rainfall by exchanging them for hydrogen ions. Hydrogen ions are acidic and they help to increase the
acidity of the water on the bog.
Pond.
Within the freshwater marsh lie areas of open water. These ponds are home to a whole range of
aquatic animals such as waterboatmen, damselfly nymphs, (juveniles), frogs and newts. Their depth
varies and are usually covered in vegetation which provides food and shelter for the animals living
there.
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Saltmarsh.
By Nicholaston Pill the sea covers the rivers banks and adds salt and mud to the habitat on either side
of the river. These saltmarshes contain species of plants which can tolerate being covered with salt
water. Plants found here include Sea Lavender and Sea Puslane. These are adapted to the conditions
found in the saltmarsh are usually fleshy like cacti so that they do not get dehydrated, (loose
freshwater), by the salt water. Oxwich saltmarsh is not a very suitable place for data collection as the
sea does not cover it very often so it does not have all the plants and animals you would expect in a
saltmarsh.
Risk assessment
Summary Sheet for the Risk Assessment of the Oxwich NNR.
You must fill in the following and refer to school guidance.
Date of visit:
Class:
Number:
Staff number:
Site: Oxwich NNR.
Activity:
Start Point:
Activity
specific
risks:
Site Hazards:
Uneven ground – Throughout the day the surface will be uneven, beware of slips, trips and falls. Beware of
loose rocks and wet rocks. Remember barnacles are grippy and seaweed is slippy.
Stranger danger: No one wander off alone, without permission without others knowing.
Forgetting medication- check
Dangerous conditions: Equinox spring tides and strong winds (winds above Force 6, gusts above 24 miles per
hour could pose a problem with dry sand). Extreme heat or cold, particularly the former.
Most Common problems: Sunburn and thirst.
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Specific Hazards:
HEAT: Take appropriate clothes, sun hats, sun screen and lots of drink.
DOG FAECES: The path from the car park to the beach through the sand dunes is usually littered with dog mess.
Take care and do not touch
TRAFFIC: Oxwich car park and vehicles on the beach towing boats. Take care around slip-way and between the
slip-way and the water’s edge.
DEBRIS/LITTER: Many things are washed up on shore including oil and glass/sharp, beware of items that may
pose a problem. Also glass on the sand dunes by campfires.
ROCK-POOLS: Students should be made aware of rough and slippery terrain.
SAND: Blown into eyes. Dangerous to dig holes in the slopes - suffocation.
SEA: Keep away from sea. Keep an eye on the rising tide and do not stay on the lower shore as the tide comes in
in-case you become stranded.
TOILETS: Check empty before children go in.
ANIMALS: Adders, don’t run fast in vegetation where you can’t see the ground. Jellyfish - do not touch, even if
dead. Crabs; pick up correctly behind claws. Horses; do not stroke or feed.
PLANTS: Some spiky such as marram and rush, some are poisonous – do not pick.
MARSH AND POND: Stay on the boardwalk; no playing or running near open water. Lie down to pond dip.
BARBED WIRE: Walk carefully along side of wire fence, only cross at styles or gates.
TICKS: See information on Lymes and Weiles disease on full risk assessment.
Site emergency information - bring to field trip
Location name
Oxwich National Nature Reserve
Grid reference
Oxwich Bay car park 500 864
Nearest main road junction
Turn off A4118 south Gower road onto
marsh road, gate on left half way across
marsh is good place to meet approx
502871 if on dunes or front of car park if on
beach.
Type of access
Worst case along 500m of beach or sand
dunes
Nearest phone
Mobile usually works.
Public -Oxwich Cross-roads: 390283
(01792)
390487
Private - Oxwich Bay Hotel: 390329
Driver details - mobile number
Site emergency mobile number
Mobile reception
Usually OK
Base number (school)
Nearest A&E: phone number
Morriston 01792 702222
Singleton 01792 205666
Designated first aider
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Location of First aid box, mobile phones
Model form EV13
RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
School/centre:
Activity/activities:
Field work
Risk assessment completed by:
Visit date(s):
Dawn Thomas
Visit leader:
Venue: Oxwich National Nature Reserve
Date risk assessment completed: 23/07/2010
Significant hazards and harm Who might be Safety measures:
which may occur
harmed?
Measures that are in place and/or will be taken to reduce the risk to a tolerable level
Keep group under control in car park.
Try to avoid walking through car park.
Bitten by adder.
Students and
Fatal if not evacuated to hospital.
teachers
Tell group about risk and what to do if bitten.
In warm weather they like to bask, don’t run fast in vegetation where you can’t see the ground.
If bitten, sit, lower limb and call for help.
Stranger danger.
Students and
teachers
Hypothermia/hyperthermia, Students and
teachers
sun burn.
No one to wander off alone without permission.
Dog Excrement.
Diseases.
Students and
teachers
Litter.
Cuts, trips.
Students and
teachers
Abundant in the first part of the dunes. Take care, brief the group. Do and field work in the
dunes far
from the car park.
Take care glass bottles especially around camp fire areas. Do not undertake field work
where rubbish abound. Strand line scavenger hunts – inform class of what not to touch.
Take appropriate clothes, sun hats, sun screen and lots of water. Bring detailed weather
forecast.
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Students and
teachers
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Run over by car.
Fatal.
Students and
teachers
Don’t walk too close together where there are overhanging branches or they may flick back
into the eyes of the person behind. Brief group.
Ticks and Lymes Disease.
Students and
teachers
Wear long trousers and sleeves and tuck trousers into socks. Keep to the pathways. Check for
ticks after trip.
Marram grass/rush etc.
Cut hands, eyes.
Students and
teachers
Some of the vegetation is spiky, careful with eyes and skin.
Uneven ground.
Slips, trips and falls.
Branches in eye.
Sand blown or kicked in eyes. Students and
Suffocation.
teachers
Do not throw sand. Bring eyewash. If very windy avoid beach.
Dangerous to dig holes in the slopes - suffocation
Poisonous plants.
Students and
teachers
Do not eat any plants. Wash hands before eating. Avoid picking plants. Main poisonous
plants are; Sea spurge – latex inside stem irritant, ragwort, fog glove – poisonous to touch.
Marsh and ponds.
Drowning.
Students and
teachers
Bracken.
Cuts and cancer.
Students and
teachers
Boardwalk can be dangerous after heavy rain. Check before attempting to cross it. Areas of
open water exist hidden beside the boardwalk. Groups need to be trustworthy at the water
margins. While walking across the boardwalk, avoid slipping and stay on the boards.
No playing close to open water. Lie down while pond dipping. No running by water’s edge.
Do not pick bracken. Spores are carcinogenic. Avoid walking through tall bracken in autumn,
most bracken is being controlled.
Sea.
Drowning.
Students and
teachers
Keep away from the sea while on school trip. Highly recommended that the class is not
allowed in the sea at any time.
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Roots, rabbit holes, running down blow outs. Don’t run where you can’t see bare ground. Do
not run uncontrolled down blowouts or loose sand. Rocks covered in seaweed are slippery.
Avoid
them. Rocks covered in barnacles are grippy but can hurt if fallen on. Walk slowly over rocks.
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Students and
teachers
Rise in water levels, incoming Students and
teachers
tides – drowning.
Detailed weather forecast including tide times for coastal locations. Watch the tide when
rock pooling, Follow the tide out. The weather can speed up the incoming tide. You do not need
to go very far from the beach to get to good rock pools. Do not go too far from the beach
when rock pooling. Keep group together while rock pooling.
Water borne diseases/pollution
Students and
teachers
Hands washed in clean water prior to eating if water quality is suspect.
Cover cuts with waterproof plasters. If open wounds avoid getting wound wet.
Barbed wire.
Cuts.
Students and
teachers
Walk carefully along side of wire fence. Only cross fences at style or gate.
Toilets.
Students and
teachers
Check the toilets are empty of people before children go in.
Injuries from equipment.
Students
Young people briefed and supervised re safe use of equipment.
Lost.
Stranger danger.
Students and
teachers
Animals.
Jellyfish – stings.
Horses - Bites and kicks.
Students and
teachers
Environmental damage by
groups.
Students and
teachers
Bring map to the field, if available bring GPS. If the group is lost head towards the sea and
walk back along the beach. If child is lost follow school’s lost child procedure. Head count
regularly. Follow LEA children to staff ratios.
No not touch jellyfish even if dead. Crabs can pinch. Pick up behind claws. Weaver fish can
hide under sand. Pond creatures can bite do not pick up with hands.
Always wear footwear, no bare feet.
Do not approach horses or try to feed or stroke them.
Avoid damage to environment (e.g. soil pits, collection of samples etc.), only take the minimum
amount necessary for soil samples. Do not pick plants especially orchids or rare plants.
Follow Code of Good Practice for Field Study Visits.
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Additional notes:
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Safe field techniques
Code of Good Practice for Field Study Visits.
Know the Site.
The visit leader, whether an independent provider or a teacher, should know the site well and be
aware of any risks and know how to deal with them. Read site specifications, talk to the landowner,
visit the site in advance and prepare a risk assessment. Be aware that some sites are not suitable in
certain weather conditions or at certain times of day year e.g. rock pooling at high tide, fresh water
marsh after very wet weather.
Liaise with the landowner
Seek permission if you plan to leave footpaths, carry out any activities other than walking or leave
semi-permanent devices. If you spot hazards or anything that concerns you, or if your students
produce good
data, let the landowner or site manager know. Oxwich is owned by Countryside Council for Wales,
contact details in Appendix C.
Be prepared
Ensure that visit leaders are suitably qualified and trained and make sure that emergency procedures,
site permissions, adult to pupil ratios and parental consents are in place. Prepare alternative activities
and routes in case of unexpected changes and take emergency contact details, a charged mobile
phone,
spare clothes and extra drink and food.
Leave as you find
Always leave habitats as you find them: put animals, rocks, logs, etc. back in their exact locations;
take care not to damage pond banks when carrying out pond dipping, etc. Be aware that many
species are protected by law and should never be picked up or removed from site, if you are unsure
do not pick up or remove. Where taking samples is permitted, these should be limited and, where
appropriate, returned.
Be Green
Encourage awareness of wider environmental impacts; consider the mode of transport you use,
remove and, if possible, recycle litter found and waste created.
Page
If you are unsure or require extra guidance in undertaking field study visits contact the site warden
who will be able to advise you or provide a guided tour of the site.
18
Follow the Countryside Code
• Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs
• Leave gates and property as you find them
• Protect plants and animals and take your litter home
• Keep dogs under close control
• Consider other people
Scheme of Work
Lessons to prepare and undertake educational visits at Oxwich NNR, focusing on planning an investigation.
Lesson
Lesson 1
Introduction
to
investigating.
Content of session
Introduce an investigation.
What is it? What are we aiming to
achieve? To find the difference
between the organisms living in two
different habitats.
Activities
Discussion.
Resources
Investigation
worksheet.
Curriculum links
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
Introduction
to Oxwich
NNR
Introduce Oxwich NNR
Watch virtual tour.
Answer questions
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
Research the
habitats at
Oxwich NNR.
Choose two environments to compare.
– The students all need to choose the
same two environments to enable
class management in the field.
Any two of the following habitats can
be compared; Rock pool, sandy shore,
sand dune, woodland, Pond, grassland
– grazed and ungrazed. The following
habitats are not suitable for data
collection in KS2 Reedbed and
freshwater marsh.
Create a question to investigate.
e.g. What is the difference between
the animals and plants living in the
Discussion.
Small group work. Each
group is given a habitat to
investigate and present
back to the class.
CD Rom with virtual
tour
Question sheet and
answers.
Map of Oxwich
Worksheet on habitats.
Pictures of habitats
from CD Rom
Investigation
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
19
Discussion.
Page
Lesson 2.
Create
question to
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
Through fieldwork,
the plants and
animals found in two
contrasting local
environments.
Lesson 3.
Effects of
environment
on plant
growth
worksheet.
Discussion.
Go into school grounds and
measure plants to see what
you could measure. Create
a quadrat (sample area) out
of four sticks or a hoop to
look in.
http://wwwsaps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk
/osmos/os25.htm#web
Worksheet “What can
we measure?”
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
Grow plants in different
conditions and see how
they grow differently.
Shade and light, watered
and not, fertilizer and not,
one in cold place one in hot
place.
Worksheet
The environmental
factors effect on plant
growth card game.
Instructions for growing
plants in different
conditions.
Guidelines on growing
plants in different
conditions can be
found on SAPS web site
http://wwwsaps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk
/docs/p4pp/lp/lpE.pdf
Worksheet plants and
how they grow SAPS.
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
The environmental
factors that affect
what grows and lives
in those two
environments, e.g.
sunlight, water
availability,
temperature.
20
Planning
investigation
method.
sand dunes compared to the
woodland?
What is the difference between the
conditions in the woodland and sand
dunes?
Decide what is going to be measured.
Plants – Number and variety of
different plants, light intensity at
ground level, height of plants, Length
of leaves, size of flowers or flowering
stem.
Animals - Number and variety of
invertebrates, Different species,
numbers of same species, adaptation
to their habitat.
Discuss what might be different
between the two habitats.
Environmental factors which effect
plants.
List the environmental factors that
affect plants growth; Light,
temperature, water, nutrients, Carbon
dioxide.
Investigate the effect of these
environmental factors on plants you
have grown.
Page
investigate.
Woodlice experiment. Set
up a container which has a
dark, light, wet, and dry
area.
Lesson 5.
Planning
investigation
Create a title for the investigation.
The students all need to use the same
two habitats but they may have
different titles or be investigating
different things., e.g. the difference
between animal species in the rock
pools and pond; the difference
between the size of the plants in the
rock pool and the pond.
Written work.
List of investigation
titles
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
The environmental
factors that affect
what grows and lives
in those two
environments, e.g.
sunlight, water
availability,
temperature.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
21
Environmental factors which effect
animals.
List the environmental factors that
affect animals; temperature, water,
food, oxygen.
Investigate the effect of these
environmental factors on animals.
Page
Lesson 4.
Effects of
environment
on animals.
This game on the bbc
web site challenges the
students to keep a
plant alive by adjusting
the water and
temperature.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
schools/ks2bitesize/sci
ence/
living_things/help_plan
ts_grow/play.shtml
Worksheet
The environmental
factors effect on plant
and animals growth
card game.
Woodlice experiment
sheet and power point
presentation.
Lesson 6.
Variables and
fair testing.
Lesson 7.
Using maps
and grid
references.
Written work.
Research.
List of predictions for
each title.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
Written work.
Investigation
worksheet.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
In-grounds investigation to
identify variables.
Fair test.
Worksheet on
variables.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
Fair test worksheet.
Use the map to locate
where the two habitats you
are investigating are and
find the place where you
are going to take your
Interactive Map.
Lesson plan “Grid
references lesson
plan”.
Geography
Locating places,
environments and
patterns:
Use maps, imagery
22
Method for
investigation
Make a prediction.
Using all the activities you have done
so far and the discussions you have
had each student must make a
prediction of their results. This must
be followed up with an explanation of
why they think this will be the case. It
does not matter if their prediction
ends up being wrong.
What are you going to measure?
Complete the rest of the worksheet
filling in what you are going to
measure, (leaf length, flower stalk
length, number of animals abundance, type of animals - variety).
Variables and fair test.
Discuss what variables are and a fair
test and identify what is going to be
changed in the investigation –
independent variables, what we are
going to measure – dependant variable
and what is going to be controlled –
controlled variables.
Independent – Habitat
Dependant - measurement
Controlled – data collection technique.
Locate the two habitats where you are
going to take your readings.
Write down the grid reference of the
sites.
(Grid references can be omitted or
Page
Making a
prediction.
Discuss how many measurements you
need to take at each site. (10 at each
site is good time permitting).
Discuss the equipment you will need
to collect your data.
Assessing
risk.
Complete
details on
chosen
habitat.
and ICT to find and
present locational
information.
Investigation
worksheet.
Discussion.
Written work.
Equipment sheet.
Hazards and risks.
Discuss how to make the investigation
safe.
Use map and virtual tour to identify
dangers.
Discussion.
Written work.
Risk assessment.
Virtual tour.
Summarise the investigation they are
going to undertake.
Either on computer or hand written
the children fill in the habitats they are
going to investigate on the sheet. The
environment could be filled-in in class
or left until the site is visited.
Discussion.
Written work
Compare habitats at
Oxwich worksheet.
Compare habitats at
Oxwich worksheet
completed.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Planning.
Physical Education.
Skills;
Adventurous
activities
Identify why they
should be mindful of
their own and others’
safety and how to
respect the
environment.
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
The environmental
factors that affect
what grows and lives
in those two
environments, e.g.
sunlight, water
availability,
temperature.
23
Lesson 8.
Planning
method.
Choosing
equipment.
readings.
Draw a route to each site
and calculate the distance
you have to walk.
Discussion.
Written work.
Page
done in detail here using the lesson
plans on teaching grid references).
Lesson 10.
Present data
Look at the data the class has collected
and describe and explain any patterns in
the data. Is there a difference between
the plants and animals in the different
habitats?
Draw graphs to show these differences
visually – bar graphs are best. Graph the
diversity of animals and plants in both the
habitats.
Draw conclusions as to why there was a
difference. What environmental
conditions have lead to the variety of
organisms?
Create your own interactive map , with
everything you have discovered about
Oxwich.
Create a frieze of a map/picture of Oxwich
showing the photos you have taken and
data collected.
Graphs.
Written work.
ICT
Lesson 11.
Evaluate
data.
Evaluate you fieldwork. What was
difficult? What was easy? What would
you change? Are your results reliable?
What other fieldwork could you do in the
Written work.
Discussion.
Field equipment
Investigation
worksheet, results
tables
Compare habitats at
Oxwich worksheet.
Compare habitats at
Oxwich worksheet
completed.
Investigation
worksheet.
Investigation
worksheet.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry;
Developing.
Geography
Investigating.
Physical Education.
Skills;
Adventurous activities
Science
Skills:
Communication.
communicate clearly
by speech, writing,
drawings, diagrams,
charts, tables, bar
charts, line graphs,
videos, and ICT
packages, using
relevant scientific
vocabulary.
Maths
Graphs.
Art.
Geography.
Use of maps
Science
Skills: - Enquiry
Reflecting.
24
Visit Oxwich NNR and collect data from Field Trip
the two environments you have
planned for.
Page
Lesson 9.
Undertaking
field work at
Oxwich NNR.
future at Oxwich which would support
your data?
Geography
Skills:Investigating.
Lesson 12.
Compare
Oxwich to
school
habitats.
Compare habitats at Oxwich to a habitat in Investigation in school
your school ground, pond, field, hedge,
grounds.
woodland, veg patch.
Equipment.
Lesson 13.
Food chains
and webs.
To discover the feeding relationships
found in the different habitats.
Visit a number of different habitats and
collect the animals living there either in
pots or through visual observation, e.g.
birds, faeces, tracks. Using the animals
found within the different habitats create
food chains and webs. Use string in the
field and create a huge food web
connecting a number of habitat’s species
together. You can use the pictures from
the identification guides or cards, or
children just name animals they have
found on the site.
Field trip to Oxwich NNR.
Pots
Identification guides
Nets
Bowls
String
Food web game cards
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
The interdependence
of living organisms in
those two
environments and
their representation
as food chains.
Lesson 14.
Food chains
and food
webs.
Cut out the cards of the animals found in
each habitat found on the cd rom and see
if you can line then up into different food
chains.
Can you connect all your food chains
together to make a food web?
Food web game.
Written work.
Food web game cards.
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
The interdependence
of living organisms in
those two
Science
Skills: - Enquiry.
Page
25
Geography
Skills:Investigating.
Discus the different environmental factors
at work along the sand dunes at Oxwich
NNR.
Lesson 16.
Method for
investigating
microclimate
along sand
dunes.
Draw a diagram of the sand dunes and
label how the environmental conditions
will vary along it, from the beach to the
woodland.
Lesson 17.
Undertaking
investigation
into
microclimate
at Oxwich
Undertake data collection as you walk
back through the sand dunes at Oxwich
measuring the microclimate.
Discuss methods for measuring the
environmental factors.
Make scientific instruments, wind meter.
Discussion.
Card game.
Virtual tour.
Diagram.
Discussion.
Discussion.
Field trip to Oxwich NNR.
Data collection.
26
Discuss environmental factors and their
effect on plants and animals.
Recap on lesson 3 and 4, effects on
environment on plants and animals. Play
card game again to see if they remember.
Page
Lesson 15.
Investigating
microclimate
and
environment
al factors.
environments and
their representation
as food chains.
The environmental
Science:
factors effect on plant
Interdependence of
growth card game.
organisms.
The environmental
factors that affect
what grows and lives
in those two
environments, e.g.
sunlight, water
availability,
temperature
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
The environmental
factors that affect
Instruction on making a what grows and lives
wind speed meter.
in those two
http://www.ehow.co.u environments, e.g.
k/how_6284336_build- sunlight, water
wind-speed-meter.html availability,
temperature
Microclimate
Science:
measuring equipment. Interdependence of
Sand dune
organisms.
microclimate recording The environmental
sheet.
factors that affect
what grows and lives
NNR.
Lesson 18.
Analysing
data on
microclimate.
Look at the data the class has collected
and describe and explain any patterns in
the data. Is there a difference between
the micro climate or soil in the different
habitats? Draw graphs to show these
differences visually – bar graphs are best,
kite graphs are very good but a bit beyond
KS2. Graph each variable you measured in
both the habitats so you can compare the
results.
Discuss why conditions are different in the
each habitats and try to explain the
measurement found with the observation
made in the habitats.
Compare results to prediction diagram.
Graphs.
Written work.
Discussion.
Lesson 19.
Evaluate data
Evaluate you fieldwork. What was
difficult? What was easy? What would
you change? Are your results reliable?
Written work.
Discussion.
Results from
microclimate study.
in those two
environments, e.g.
sunlight, water
availability,
temperature
Science
Skills:
Communication.
Maths.
Graphs.
Science
Skills: - Enquiry
Reflecting.
Geography
Skills:Investigating.
Power point
presentation on plants
of Oxwich sand dunes.
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
Adaptation.
Lesson 21.
Take your microclimate measuring
Field work in school
Microclimate
Science
27
Discussion.
Annotated drawings.
Written work.
Page
Look at plants found on Oxwich and dunes
Lesson 20.
Adaptation to and discuss how they are adapted to the
microclimate. microclimate found there.
Lesson 23.
Assess and
discuss the
threats to
Oxwich NNR.
Lesson 24.
Investigate
the impact of
visitors on
Oxwich NNR.
grounds.
Discuss the threats to Oxwich NNR and try
to arrive at some solutions.
Research on internet dangers to habitats
around the world especially coastal and
wetland.
Use power point presentation to look at
specific threats to Oxwich NNR.
Research on the internet.
Choices and decisions
Power point
presentation on threats (ESDGC).
Science:
to Oxwich NNR.
Interdependence of
organisms.
How humans affect
the local
environment, e.g.
litter, water
pollution, noise
pollution.12
Visit Oxwich NNR.
Find a footpath close to the car park and
close to the beach. Measure the width of
the footpath.
• Choose a 50 metre stretch of
footpath. Divide a class of 30 into 5
groups. Each group will need a set of
equipment. Space groups out at equal
intervals along the footpath.
• Using a tape measure, measure width
of footpath and mark out 2 metres on
either side of the footpath to form a
Field trip to Oxwich NNR.
Tape measures – 1 per
group.
Metre rule – 1 per group.
A simple quadrat or metal
coat hanger shaped into a
square – 1 per group.
Data recording sheets;
measuring equipment.
Skills: - Enquiry.
Geography
Skills:Investigating.
Written work.
Graphs.
Science
Skills:
Communication.
Maths.
Graphs.
Human impact on
Oxwich NNR, data
collection sheet.
Threats to Oxwich NNR.
Choices and decisions
(ESDGC).
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
How humans affect
the local
environment, e.g.
litter, water
pollution, noise
pollution.12
28
Lesson 22.
Analyse data
from school
grounds.
equipment around the school grounds and
investigate the microclimate there.
Look at the plants and animals living there
are there any adapted to the
microclimate?.
Analyse data and produce graphs of
results.
Compare results to those found at Oxwich
NNR.
Page
Investigate
microclimate
in school
grounds.
Individual groups report on their findings
and complete a master data sheet
Draw bar graphs to represent the data. X
axis distance from car park Y axis % of
vegetation cover, height of vegetation
Group presentation.
Choices and decisions
(ESDGC).
Graphs.
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
29
Lesson 25.
Analyse data
from field
trip.
Footpath erosion
collection sheet.
Page
transect, (a transect is a line along
which you take measurements),
across the footpath.
• Place the quadrat at 5 points on the
transect - in the middle of the
footpath, at the footpath edges and
both ends of the transect.
At each point measure the vegetation
height and vegetation cover (how much of
the quadrat is covered in plants). Find
another footpath close to the first one
which is covered in cockle shells. Measure
the width of the footpath.
Walk away from the car park along the
front of the dunes. Every 5 minutes stop
and measure the width of the path.
At the same time another group within
the class counts the amount of litter in the
area and another group the number of
visitors in the area.
When you reach the furthest point from
the car park, before you turn back repeat
the transects.
On your way back take a walk around the
reserve and jot down on the collection
sheet the threats to Oxwich NNR which
you observe. Use the sheet on the
problems in each habitat to help you.
categories.
Bar graphs can also be drawn for the
footpath width, litter and visitors.
A scatter graph could be draw to show the
relationship between footpath width and
number of visitors, or number of visitors
and amount of litter.
Discussion.
Written work.
Choices and decisions
(ESDGC).
Science:
Interdependence of
organisms.
How humans affect
the local
environment, e.g.
litter, water
pollution, noise
pollution.12
30
Discuss what patterns the graph shows.
What do the results show?
Why is the pattern like this?
Why do you think this pattern exists?
How could the footpath be improved to
be made more sustainable?
Can you come up with any solutions to
this problem.
Design a poster to make people more
aware of the damage they can do to
Oxwich NNR and how they can help
protect it.
Page
Lesson 26.
Discuss
findings of
threats to
Oxwich NNR.
How humans affect
the local
environment, e.g.
litter, water
pollution, noise
pollution.12
Science
Skills:
Communication.
Maths.
Graphs.
Communication.
Other areas which can be covered while visiting Oxwich NNR.
Analysing data on visitors
Resources
Map of Oxwich
NNR
Compasses
Tape measures
Numbered corks.
Compasses.
Maps of Oxwich
NNR
Curriculum links
Geography:
Skills - Locating places,
environments and
patterns
1. Maps grid
references.
2. Follow map
3. Interpret maps and
use to present
information
Understanding places,
environments and
processes
1. Features
2. Compare
environments
Geography:
Skills - Locating places,
environments and
patterns
4. Maps grid
references.
5. Follow map
6. Interpret maps and
31
Geography - To
experience using and
following a map and to
calculate distances. Use
of co-ordinates and fourfigure references.
Activities
Prior to the field visit students in the class design a route through
the sand dunes to visit various interesting aspects such as all the
habitats. Measure the distance on the map along the route.
In the field students each has a map which they orientate .
Following the map they need to walk to the highest sand dune
they can see. On top of the sand dune use the panorama photo
sheet and the map of local area to label the landscape features
that they can see.
Follow your route through the sand dunes and use pacing to
measure the actual distance.
Or,
Learn how to use a compass and follow the compass trail for
Oxwich NNR.
Find an open space and create a grid to teach grid references
with numbered corks and tape measures. Play battleships.
Prior to the visit create questionnaires to see how far visitors
have come to visit Oxwich NNR.
Interview people by the car park, on the beach and in the sand
dunes. See how far they have travelled and where they have
visited in the reserve.
Count the number of visitors as you walk along your route
through the sand dunes.
Compare your measured route distance to your route on the
map. How similar are they?
Write an account of your walk through the sand dunes and link
the description to the location on the map.
Discuss how easy it was to follow the map in the field. Why was
it harder/easier than you thought?
Graph your visitor questionnaire results.
Bar graph or pie chart of distance visitors have travelled.
Page
Content of session
Geography - To
experience using and
following a map and to
calculate distances. Use
of co-ordinates and fourfigure references.
to Oxwich NNR.
Line graph of distance travelled and where they have visited on
the reserve. Is there any pattern in the results?
Draw a graph showing the relationship between distance from
car park and number of visitors. Is there a pattern in the results.
Can you explain the pattern?
Learn how to use a compass and describe the route you took on
your trip with compass bearings and distances, e.g. start from the
far North East corner of the car park. Travel 100m on a bearing
of 280 (NE). Stop at the information point.
Art - To use the
environment at Oxwich
NNR to find different
colours and inspire
creativity. Create art
using objects found in
the environment.
Create an artist’s pallet using samples of colours from the
reserve.
Create your own paints using the
plants of the reserve.
From on top of a high sand dune an overview of the landscape is
explained so that the pupils can draw an outline of the
landscape. The students record the colours of the various parts
of the view for later watercolour work back at school.
Alternatively colour the picture using natural paints.
use to present
information
Understanding places,
environments and
processes
3. Features
4. Compare
environments
Cards with double
sided sticky tape
on.
Pencils.
Paper.
String.
Pots.
Colours
Art
Investigating;
• natural objects and
environments
• made objects and
environments
They should use a variety of
materials e.g. sustainable
materials.
Colour the outline of the landscape created on the dunes using
watercolours.
Look at the colours of the insects you found, is there a pattern?
Is there a relationship between the insects’ colour and where it
was found?
Investigate the relationship between plant colour and
Art
Investigating;
• natural objects and
environments
• made objects and
environments
Page
Art – to use experiences
at Oxwich to stimulate
art with the school
grounds.
32
On the beach make sculptures.
Find objects with different textures. Experiment with making
rubbings of them.
Collect items from the strand line for a hanging mobile.
Create a whole class piece of art by drawing a circle and each
student builds a small sculpture around the outside of the circle.
33
They should use a variety of
materials e.g. sustainable
materials.
Page
pollination.
Undertake an investigation into which colour insects like best.
Look at the camouflage colours of the animals found in the sand
dunes, compare them to the plant and environment colour.
Place sheets of different coloured paper outside in the sun. Cut
some into different shapes including flower shapes. Count how
many insects visit each colour in 10 minutes. Is there a pattern?
Create your own camouflage creature and hide it in the school
grounds.
Use the colours found within the school ground to inspire
painting. Repeat the paint pallet and compare the different
colours from the different locations.
Create sculptures out of objects found in the school grounds, e.g.
twigs, leaves, mud, stones.
Make mobiles using willow circles to dangle objects found
around the grounds.
Create a huge piece of art on the school field which can be seen
from a distance using flour, chalk or small stones or shells.
Look up Andy Goldsworthy on the internet and use his designs to
inspire creativity in the class.
Create a sculpture trail in the school grounds with sculptures
hidden along the way. Label the sculptures or create a visitor’s
guide to the sculpture trail.
Create a texture hunt. The class takes rubbings of a number of
objects located around the school, e.g. bark, leaves, plaques.
The rubbings are numbered and another class must try to find
where all the rubbing came from by making their own rubbings.
Page
34
Detailed lesson plans for specified field days at Oxwich NNR.
Lesson 9:
Scientific investigation and geographical enquiry field day.
Aim: To gather data from at least two habitats to enable a comparison of the organisms living within
them.
Hypothesis:
What is the difference between the animals and plants living in the different habitats at Oxwich NNR?
This field day can be the culmination of the first 8 pre- visit scheme of work lessons. These involve the
completion of the worksheet “My investigation at Oxwich NNR “ prior to the visit to plan the
investigation.
Choose two or more habitats from the list of habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Terrestrial Habitats:
Sandy shore
Strandline
Sand dune
Meadow Grassland
Woodland
Freshwater marsh* Not suitable for data collection at Oxwich.
Salt marsh* Not suitable for data collection at Oxwich.
Aquatic habitat:
Pond
Marine habitat:
Rock pool
Research each habitat and use the information you have found to fill in the investigation sheet in class
before you arrive at Oxwich NNR. Use the map to locate a site for data collection for each of your
habitats.
A group size of two or three would be best, taking it in turns to write the data down and look and count.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Page
Method for terrestrial habitats.
1. Place four bamboo canes in a square in one of the habitats. 1m x1m bamboo canes are suitable
for all the terrestrial habitats except the woodland. For the woodland lie 5m X 5m tape
measures on the ground for the trees and use the 1m2 bamboo canes for the undergrowth.
2. Count the number of different plants in the square and fill in the data collection sheet of the
diversity and key species.
3. Catch any animals, (mini beasts) found in the square and write down the number of different
animals and the key species.
4. Do this a number of times, say 10 times.
35
At each of the habitats collect data on the animals and plants found in each using the investigation data
collecting sheet on page 43 – 46.
Oxwich NNR
5. Identify what you have caught and count the number of different specimens and name the key
species. Use the animal identification guide found in the appendix.
6. Walk to your next habitat and repeat the process.
To reduce the need to carry excessive equipment larger group sizes are needed. Also the room around
the pond is limited. Pond dipping could be done either side of the boardwalk if there is a lot of water in
the marsh. Make sure all dippers lie down. One bucket per 5 children.
Method for aquatic habitat.
1. Fill a bowl with pond water.
2. Lie down on the bank with a net. Sweep the net just under the water’s surface in a horizontal
figure of eight,
motion.
3. Make four sweeps of the same length.
4. Empty the net into the bowl of water. Try the sweep again, but this time in open water away
from the pond plants.
5. Sort out the mini beasts catching them with a white spoon and a paintbrush. Treat all living
creatures with respect, please be gentle!
6. Identify what you have caught and count the number of different specimens and name the key
species. Use the Pond Survey worksheet and Pond ID guide that can be found on pages 55 and
55 and in the appendix.
∞
Children can work in pairs of larger groups, keep the class close, set clear boundaries and ensure they
know what the return call is.
Method for marine habitat:
Rocky shore.
1. Fill a bucket with sea water.
2. Find a suitable rock pool and search within the pool, under the rocks and hanging on the rocks
for animals and plants.
3. Identify what you have caught and count the number of different specimens and name the key
species. Use the rock pool animal identification guide in the appendix.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Page
Equipment:
Terrestrial habitat.
1. Quadrat (Hoop or four bamboo poles same size) 1 per group
2. Data collection sheet – 1 per person.
3. Plant identification sheet – 1 per group.
36
Sands shore.
1. Spread out on the wet sand when the tide is out.
2. Look for signs of animals living under the sand, worm casts and holes.
3. When you find a worm cast look close to it, within 30cm, for a hole.
4. Dig with a large spade between the worm cast and the hole.
5. Sift through the sand and look for lug worms. They secrete a yellow dye when handled.
6. Dig as close to the see as you can safely for sea potatoes.
7. Use a rake to scrape close to the surface for cockles.
8. Identify what you have caught and count the number of different specimens and name the key
species. Use the identification guide in the appendix.
Oxwich NNR
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Pots – to collect mini beasts in for identifying, yogurt pots are fine, 1 per group.
Magnifying glass – to look at mini beasts, 1 per group.
Sweep nets/butterfly nets (optional) for catching mini beasts in amongst vegetation.
Data collection sheet – 1 per person.
Animal identification sheet – 1 per group – in appendix.
Plant identification sheet – 1 per group – in appendix.
Aquatic and marine habitats.
1. Net – long handled for pond, plastic sieves are good for rock polling, 1 per group.
2. Bucket – To hold water and animals that are caught, 4 per class.
3. Trays – to look at creatures and separate from rest of finds, (optional) 1 per group.
4. Pots – to collect animals in for identifying, Yogurt pots are fine, 1 per group.
5. Magnifying glass – to look at animals, 1 per group.
6. Plastic spoon and small paint brush, to catch animals and place in pot, 1 per group.
7. Spades and rakes – 1 each, 1 large spade.
8. Data collection sheet – 1 per person.
9. Animal identification sheet – 1 per group – in appendix.
Page
37
Post visit work:
Look at the data the class has collected and describe and explain any patterns in the data. Is there a
difference between the plants and animals in the different habitats?
Draw graphs to show these differences visually – bar graphs are best. Graph the diversity of animals and
plants in both the habitats.
Draw conclusions as to why there was a difference. What environmental conditions have lead to the
variety of organisms?
Evaluate you fieldwork. What was difficult? What was easy? What would you change? Are your results
reliable? What other fieldwork could you do in the future at Oxwich which would support your data?
Create your own interactive map , with everything you have discovered about Oxwich.
Create a frieze of a map/picture of Oxwich showing the photos you have taken and data collected,.
Compare habitats at Oxwich to a habitat in your school ground, pond, field, hedge, woodland, veg patch.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Name ……………………………………………..
My investigation at Oxwich NNR.
Plan:
1. Question:________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What can we measure?_____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. What environmental factors might affect the organism’s growth?
________________________________________________________________
4. Where can we do our measuring?(List the different habitats at Oxwich NNR)
________________________________________________________________
5. Title: I am going to investigate the effect of ____________________________
on _______________ ______________________________________________
6. Prediction: I think that the plants and animals will be _____________________
Because _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Collecting data: What and where?
7. I am going to measure______________________________________________
8. The places where I am going to collect data are
1,_______________________________________________________________
2,_______________________________________________________________
How many?
9. I am going to measure ________________________in ___________________
and ______________________________ in ___________________________.
___________________________________________________________________
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Page
The equipment I will need _________________________________________
38
10. Equipment:
Oxwich NNR
Results Table
Draw a table for you to record your results in.
Along the top you need a column for each sample that you are going to take in one location.
If you are going to take 10 samples or measure 10 plants in each location then you need 10
columns.
You need two rows one for each location and a top row for the headings of each column.
Where
Location 1
________________
Average
Location 2
_________________
Graph of Results.
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Page
39
Sample 1
1 Plant
Sample 22 Sample3
4 Sample
Sample 8
8 Plant9
Sample 9 Plant10
Sample 10
Plant
Plant3 Sample
Plant4
Plant55 Sample
Plant66 Sample
Plant77 Plant
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Summary graph of results
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
Location 1
How to undertake fieldwork
Location 2
countryside Council for Wales
Page
0
40
10
Oxwich NNR
Conclusions.
Looking at my results table you can see ______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Looking at my summary graph you can see ____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________,
This is because_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________,
The pattern I found was ________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________,
What caused this pattern? _______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Evaluation.
Is this pattern going to happen in every environment? ___________________________
Why?_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________,
Are there are problems with the investigation you undertook?_____________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________,
How could you improve this investigation?____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Page
41
___________________________________________________________________,
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Differentiated sheets.
A comparison between different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Supportive table of the conditions in all the habitats at Oxwich.
Circle from a list the conditions in each and write the species diversity
and those found.
A comparison between 2 different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
A sheet which can be used to look at conditions in Sand dunes and
Meadow with minimal writing, circle the right answer plus results table
for data collection. For Year 3 or lower ability students.
Page
42
Investigation: A study of Coastal Microhabitats.
Less prescriptive worksheet for investigating all the habitats at Oxwich.
Can be used to investigation any of the habitats. More writing for Year
6 or higher ability.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
A comparison between different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Strand line:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
2. Soil:
Sand
Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass Dead seaweed
4. Conditions:
No Freshwater
No shelter
Habitat
Wet
Dry
Windy
Shady
A few nutrients
Bright
Sunny
No nutrients
None
Lots of freshwater
Lots of shelter
Number
Names of main of species
of Species
Salt water
Moving sand
How they live there
(Adaptations)
Strand
line
Sandy shore:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
Wet
Dry
2. Soil:
Sand
Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass Dead seaweed
Windy
Shady
A few nutrients
None
Bright
Sunny
No nutrients
Bacteria
4. Conditions:
Habitat
No Freshwater
Lots of freshwater
Lots of Salt water Changes
Moving sand
No shelter
Lots of shelter
Always salty
Number
Names of main of species
How they live there
of Species
(Adaptations)
Page
43
Sandy
shore
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
A comparison between different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Sand dunes:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
2. Soil:
Sand
Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
4. Conditions:
No Freshwater
Lots of Salt water
Habitat
Wet
Dry
Seaweed
Windy
Shady
A few nutrients
Bright
Sunny
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Bacteria
Dead plants
Little freshwater
Lots of freshwater
Moving sand No shelter
Lots of shelter
Number
Names of main of species
of Species
How they live there
(Adaptations)
Sand
dunes
Meadow:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold Wet
Sunny Humid
2. Soil:
Sand
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Dry
Lots of Nutrients
Seaweed
Windy Low wind Shady Bright
A few nutrients
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Trees
Dead plants
4. Conditions:
Habitat
No Freshwater
Little freshwater
Lots freshwater
Lots of Salt water
Moving sand No shelter
Lots of shelter
Number
Names of main of species
How they live there
of Species
(Adaptations)
Page
44
Meadow
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
A comparison between different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Rocky shore:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
Wet
Dry
2. Soil:
Sand
Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Seaweed
Windy
Shady
A few nutrients
None
Bright
Sunny
No nutrients Rock
Bacteria
Dead plants
4. Conditions:
Habitat
No Freshwater
Lots of freshwater
Lots of Salt water Changes
Crashing waves
No shelter
Lots of shelter
Always salty
Number
Names of main of species
How they live there
of Species
(Adaptations)
Rocky
Shore
Pond:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
Sunny
2. Soil:
Sand
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Wet
Dry
Lots of Nutrients
Seaweed
Windy Low wind Shady Bright
A few nutrients
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Trees
Dead plants
4. Conditions:
Habitat
No Freshwater
Little freshwater
Lots freshwater
Lots of Salt water
Moving sand No shelter
Lots of shelter
Number
Names of main of species
How they live there
of Species
(Adaptations)
Page
45
Pond
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
A comparison between different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Woodland:
1. Climate:
Hot
Colder
Sunny Humid
2. Soil:
Sand
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Wet
Lots of Nutrients
Seaweed
Dry
Windy Low wind Shady Bright
A few nutrients
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Trees
Dead plants
4. Conditions:
Habitat
No Freshwater
Little freshwater
Lots of freshwater
Lots of Salt water
Moving sand No shelter
Lots of shelter
Number
Names of main of species
How they live there
of Species
(Adaptations)
Woodland
Freshwater Marsh:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
Sunny
Wet
Dry
2. Soil:
No soil Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Seaweed
Windy Low wind Shady Bright
A few nutrients
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Trees
Dead plants
4. Conditions:
Habitat
No Freshwater
Little freshwater
Lots freshwater
Acid
Lots of Salt water
Moving sand No shelter
Some of shelter
Number
Names of main of species
How they live there
of Species
(Adaptations)
Page
46
Freshwater
Marsh
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Name: .........................................................................
A comparison between 2 different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Sand dunes:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
2. Soil:
Sand
Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Wet
Dry
Seaweed
Windy
Shady
A few nutrients
Quadrat 1
Species
Diversity
Quadrat 2
Species
Diversity
Quadrat 3
Species
Diversity
Quadrat 4
Species
Diversity
Wet
Windy
Sunny Humid
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Trees
4. Conditions: No Freshwater
Little freshwater
some Salt water
Moving sand No shelter
Where
Bright
Dead plants
Lots of freshwater
Lots of shelter
Quadrat 5
Species
Diversity
Average
Sand
dunes
Meadow:
1. Climate:
Hot
Cold
2. Soil:
Sand
Lots of Nutrients
3. Plants:
Algae Grass
Dry
Seaweed
Shady
A few nutrients
Quadrat 1
Species
Diversity
Quadrat 2
Species
Diversity
Quadrat 3
Species
Diversity
Quadrat 4
Species
Diversity
Sunny Humid
No nutrients Rock
Other plants Trees
4. Conditions: No Freshwater
Little freshwater
some Salt water
Moving sand No shelter
Where
Bright
Dead plants
Lots of freshwater
Lots of shelter
Quadrat 5
Species
Diversity
Average
Meadow
Microclimate
Front of the sand dune
Back of the sand dunes
Meadow
Humidity
Wind Speed kph or m/s
Page
47
Air Temperature o C
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Name: .........................................................................
Investigation: A study of coastal microhabitats.
A comparison between the different habitats found in Oxwich NNR.
Variables
Habitat
Environment (non living
part and the producers
which support the food
chain)
Observations
Living things
Diversity Key Species
Number
(names)
of Species
Adaptations
Climate-
Soil –
Strand
line
Producers –
Conditions -
Climate-
Soil –
Sandy
Shore
Producers –
Page
48
Conditions -
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Variables
Habitat
Environment (non living
part and the producers
which support the food
chain)
Observations
Living things
Diversity Key Species
Number
(names)
of Species
Adaptations
Climate-
Soil –
Rocky
shore
Producers –
Conditions –
Climate-
Soil –
Sand
dunes
Producers –
Page
49
Conditions –
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Variables
Habitat
Environment (non living
part and the producers
which support the food
chain)
Observations
Living things
Diversity Key Species
Number
(names)
of Species
Adaptations
Climate-
Soil –
Producers –
Woodland
Conditions -
Climate-
Soil –
Meadow
Producers –
Page
50
Conditions -
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Variables
Habitat
Environment (non living
part and the producers
which support the food
chain)
Observations
Climate-
Living
things
Diversity Key Species
(names)
Adaptations
Soil –
Pond
Producers –
Conditions -
Climate-
Freshwater
marsh
Soil –
Producers –
Page
51
Conditions -
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
INVESTIGATION: A study of coastal microhabitats.
Looking at how plants and animals are suited to their
environments.
Completed worksheet.
EXAMPLE
Sandy
Shore/
Strand line
Sandy
Shore/
Middle
Shore
Observations
No Freshwater
No Soil –
decomposing
organic matter –
seaweed.
Thrown up by high
tides and rotting.
Dry moving sand
Climate Drying –
sun exposure
Plants – none, only
seaweed as they
have no roots.
Windy – no shelter
No freshwater
No Soil – moving
sand containing
nutrients from the
sea, saturated with
salt water.
Sometimes covered
in water sometimes
exposed to sun and
wind.
Producers are
How to undertake fieldwork
Species
Diversity
Key
Species
(names)
Sand
hopper
Strandline
beetle
Cockles
Lugworm
Rag worm
Razor shell
Tellin
Laver spine
shell
Adaptations (Ways in
which plants and animals
are suited to their
habitat).
Has a compass so can
tell where the strand
line is if washed down
shore.
Exoskeleton.
Burrows in sand during
the day to avoid sun and
drying out.
Feeds on rotting
seaweed.
Hop to escape birds.
Hunts sand hoppers at
night.
Burrowers – hide from
sun, wind, avoid
temperature, salinity
and moisture
fluctuations. Hide from
birds beaks.
They have siphons so
they can access oxygen
while buried a long way
from the surface.
52
Habitat
Living things
Page
Variables
Environment (non
living part and the
producers which
support the food
chain)
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
algae, bacteria,
dead organic
matter in between
the sand grains.
Species
Diversity
Observations
No soil – rock.
Climate – sun is
drying which
evaporates water
and leaves more
Rocky shore salty water.
/ Upper
Sometimes covered
shore
in sea water
sometimes exposed.
Waves batter the
environment and
bring in cold water.
Producers are dead
plants, algae and
sea weed which is
floating in the sea
and anchored to the
rocks.
Soil – mobile sand.
Low water content,
salt spray from the
sea.
Climate – sun
Sand
exposure and
dunes/
drying, windy.
above
Producers – marram
Beach
grass and other
How to undertake fieldwork
Key Species
(names)
Adaptations
Limpets
Barnacles
Anemones
Crabs
Winkles
Dog whelks
Mussels
Shrimps and
Prawns
Only graze when the
tide is in.
Shells stop them
drying out and
protect them from
wave action.
Survive extremes of
temperature.
Trap pocket of water
under shell so they
can breathe when
tide out.
Slow their
metabolism down.
Anemones pull in
their tentacles to
stop loosing moisture.
Marram grass
Long roots to reach
water.
Can grow through the
sand if buried.
Rolled-up leaves to
stop water
evaporating
Succulent holds
water.
Sea sandwort
countryside Council for Wales
53
Habitat
Living things
Page
Variables
Environment (non
living part and the
producers which
support the food
chain)
Oxwich NNR
grasses and plants.
Ragwort
Blue
butterfly
Grows through the
sand.
Has a straw like
proboscis for sucking
nectar
Can run upon water.
Burrow into sand.
Camouflage.
Wolf spider
Mining bees
Grasshoppers
Beetles
Cinnabar moth
Snails
Uses calcium in sand
to make shells.
Woodland
Meadow
Species
Diversity
Observations
Soil – high in
organic matter and
nutrients. Holds
fresh water.
Climate – Cooler
than outside wood
due to shelter from
trees. High
humidity (moisture
in the air), low wind
– blocked by trees.
Producers – trees,
shrubs.
Soil – some organic
matter from dead
plants holds water
near the surface.
Climate – Exposure
to sun, low wind –
How to undertake fieldwork
Key Species
(names)
Adaptation
Elm tree
Willow tree
Birch tree
Oak tree
Sycamore tree
Stinging nettle
Red campion
Deciduous – loose
their leaves in
autumn when
sunlight is
reduced.
Grow quickly in
Spring when
canopy is open.
Camouflage
Caterpillar
Aphids
Speckled wood
Millipede
Fescue grass
Buttercup
Milkwort
Orchids
Blue butterfly
countryside Council for Wales
Flower looks like
an insect.
Straw like
54
Habitat
Living things
Page
Variables
Environment (non
living part and the
producers which
support the food
chain)
Oxwich NNR
sheltered by sand
dunes.
Producers – variety
of plants.
proboscis to suck
nectar.
Bees
Beetles
Ants
Grasshoppers
Bush crickets
Pond
Freshwater
Species
Diversity
Observations
Soil – High in
organic matter but
water-logged and
deep down under
the water.
Climate – Sun
evaporates water
and heats it up.
Wind moves water.
Oxygen high.
Producers – water
plants and algae in
the water.
Soil – No soil only
layers of dead
Sphagnum (bog)
moss. Holds water
like a sponge, adds
acid.
How to undertake fieldwork
Key Species
(names)
Pond skater
Water
boatman
Diving
beetle
Pond snail
Ramshorn
snail
Caddis fly
larvae
Hoglouse
and
Freshwater
shrimp
Sphagnum
moss
countryside Council for Wales
Spread out weight
over water.
Carry air bubble under
wing case.
Inject poison into prey
Can breathe in and out
of water.
Makes a case out of
material to hide inside.
Can breathe in water
with very low oxygen
content.
Absorbent - holds up
to 20 times it’s weight
in water. Uses
nutrients from the
rain and adds acid to
the water.
55
Habitat
Living things
Page
Variables
Environment (non
living part and the
producers which
support the food
chain)
Camouflage and
mimicry.
Work as a colony
Camouflage
Oxwich NNR
Wet and acid.
Climate – Low wind,
sheltered, sun
exposure at
surface, some
shelter by plants.
Producers – Variety
of plants,
Sphagnum moss.
Cotton
grass
Rushes
Alder
Willow
Spider
Roots have snorkels
for oxygen.
Page
56
marsh
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Pond Survey at Oxwich.
My name is……………………………………………………………….
Use the key provided and your own knowledge to identify the mini beasts you find.
Name of animal
What does it eat?
Tally
Total
Hog louse
Blood Worm
Midge larvae
Pond Snail
Ramshorn snail
Caddis fly Larvae
Freshwater shrimp
Leech
Water beetle
Dragonfly nymph
Great Diving Beetle larvae
Page
57
Great Diving Beetle
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Tadpole
Whirligig beetle
Newt
Water mite
Pond skater
Back swimmer
Water
boatman
Page
58
Stonefly nymph
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Details about animals found in Oxwich pond.
Blood worm
Microscopic plants and pond
mud
Microscopic plants and dead
plants
Midge larvae
Microscopic plants and animals
Pond snail
Plants
Ramshorn snail
Plants
Caddis fly larvae
Dead plants and algae
Freshwater shrimp
Dead plants
Leech
Animals
Great Diving Beetle larvae
Dragonfly nymphs, worms,
snails, tadpoles and small fish
Great Diving Beetle
Dragonfly nymphs, worms,
snails, tadpoles and small fish
Other water beetle
Dragonfly nymphs, worms,
snails, tadpoles and small fish
Tadpoles, and other insects
Dragonfly nymph
Tadpole
Algae, once it has legs eats
small insects
Whirligig beetle
Insects landing on pond’s
surface
Newt
Bloodworms or any other
insects or smaller newts
Sucks body fluids of insects.
Water mite
Back swimmer
Insects landing on the water
surface
Tadpoles and other insects
Water boatman
Algae
Stonefly nymph
Other insects
Pond skater
How to undertake fieldwork
Adaptations
They are more tolerant of pollution than
freshwater shrimps
They contain haemoglobin and are
bright red in colour. They can live in
heavily polluted water.
Fly larvae can survive in most conditions,
even in heavily polluted water
Shell to hide inside. Can crawl on the
underside of the water’s surface
Shell to hide inside.
Makes a case out of twigs to protect its
body and camouflage itself.
They can tolerate water pollution.
They use their suckers to attach
themselves to the ground, and move by
looping their body by a series of
muscular contractions.
Powerful claws which catch and holds
prey. At rest they hang head down with
the breathing pores on the tip of the
abdomen above the water surface.
Powerful claws which catch and hold
prey. Carry an air supply trapped under
the wing covers when they dive.
Trap bubble of air under wing case to
carry down with it when diving.
Have a hinged mask below their mouth
which shoots out to catch passing prey.
They have external gills to filter oxygen
from the water and they have tails
which help them to swim.
The eyes are divided into two parts one
pair looks for enemies from above and
the other pair from below.
Streamlined body. Newts can
regenerate their limbs.
Tiny, can attached to animal and suck
juices with pointed beak.
Spread weight over water using water
tension to float on water’s surface
Legs have hairs to make oars to paddle.
Brown on top and blue green
underneath to camouflage from below
or above.
Legs have hairs to make oars to paddle.
Each leg has two claws which are used
to cling to rocks or sticks.
countryside Council for Wales
59
Hog louse
What does it eat?
Page
Name of animal
Oxwich NNR
Investigating microclimate/environmental factors.
Aim: Measure the different environmental conditions found within each habitat to identify why the
habitats differ.
Groups of 5 or 6 can be accommodated as each student can undertake a different measurement. If the
children have created their own meters then they can all do the readings at the same time. Groups may
be limited by the amount of equipment such as thermometers.
Method:
Microclimate can be measured in a number of habitats and compared. Microclimate along a transect,
from the front of the dunes to the woodland ,can also be investigated.
Factors to measure:
Air temperature – Affected by degree of shading from trees.
Wind speed – Affected by vegetation and landscape, such as hills.
Humidity – Affected by amount of vegetation and moisture in the air or locally, e.g . pond.
Soil temperature – Affected by degree of exposure to sunlight and shading.
Soil texture – Affected by amount of sand and organic matter.
Soil pH – Affected by amount of organic matter.
Water content of the soil – Affected by the amount of sand in the soil and organic matter.
Organic content – Affected by amount of vegetation.
Infiltration rate – Affected by the amount of sand and organic matter.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Page
Wind speed – Using a wind meter, take wind speed at arms length above head or at ground or
vegetation height.
Humidity –Wet the cloth of the wet bulb on the whirling hygrometer swing above head for a minute.
Read off the two readings from the dry and wet thermometer. Use chart to work out % humidity .
Soil temperature – Place thermometer on surface of soil or 5cm down into the soil. Leave to settle
before reading.
Soil texture – take a sample of soil and moisten. Use soil texture sheet to work out texture.
Soil pH – Mix soil with distilled water and Barium sulphate to settle soil. Add indicator solution and wait
for colour change.
Water content of the soil – Use a moisture probe or collect a sample, weigh it then place in a cool oven,
1000C. Once dry reweigh and work out the % water content using this equation. Weight loss from
drying X100
Fresh soil weight
Organic content – Using the soil you have dried in an oven weigh the soil then place in a hot oven until
all the organic matter is burnt off.
Infiltration rate – Place into the soil a can open at both ends as deep as it will go. Fill the can with 100ml
of water and time how long it takes for the water to be absorbed into the ground.
60
Methods:
Each factor can be measured in different habitats by each group filling in the worksheet on page 58.
Or a transect, line, from the beach to the back of the dunes, can be walked with measurement taken at
each different microclimate using sheet on page 60.
Oxwich NNR
Equipment:
Thermometer or temperature probe.
Soil thermometer, (a thermometer in aluminium case)
Hygrometer, (measures humidity)
Universal indicator solution, or pH meter,
Distilled water,
Barium Sulphate,
Pot,
A tin can open at both ends,
Measuring jug,
Stop watch,
Wind meter or homemade wind gauge, or windmill.
Soil texture card,
Access to an oven,
Weighing scales.
Each factor can be measured using low tech equipment or it may be estimated. As long as a difference
between the two habitats can be observed an absolute value is not necessary.
Post visit work:
Page
61
Look at the data the class has collected and describe and explain any patterns in the data. Is there a
difference between the micro climate or soil in the different habitats?
Draw graphs to show these differences visually – bar graphs are best, kite graphs are very good but a bit
beyond KS2. Graph each variable you measured in both the habitats so you can compare the results.
Discuss why conditions are different in the two habitats and try to explain the measurement found with
the observation made in the habitats.
Evaluate you fieldwork. What was difficult? What was easy? What would you change? Are your results
reliable? What other fieldwork could you do in the future at Oxwich which would support your data?
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Investigation into microclimate at Oxwich NNR.
Group Number
Microclimate
Group Members:
Habitat 1 - _____________
Habitat 2 - ___________
Weather General
Description
Humidity
Wind Speed kph or m/s
Wind Direction
Air Temperature o C
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS
Habitat 1 - ____________
Habitat 2 - ____________
TEMP. AT SOIL SURFACE ° C
TEMP. AT 5CM DEPTH ° C
SOIL TEXTURE
SOIL PH
WATER CONTENT
ORGANIC CONTENT (COLOUR)
Page
62
INFILTRATION RATE
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
63
Page
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
OXWICH NATURE RESERVE
Sand dune microclimate recording sheet
Group Number
Date:
Group Members:
MICROCLIMATE
WEATHER GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Cloud type:
How much of sky covered in cloud:
Rain:
Time of Day:
On the
Beach by the
sea
At the
bottom of
the dunes
On top of
the first
dune
At the
back of the
first dune
In the dip
behind the
dune
On the top
of the tallest
dune
Behind the
tallest
dune
At the
back of the
sanddunes
HUMIDITY
WIND SPEED MPH
WIND DIRECTION
AIR TEMPERATURE O C
TEMP. AT SOIL SURFACE ° C
TEMP. AT 5CM DEPTH ° C
Where is the temperature warmest?______________________________
Coldest?_______________________________
Where is the wind
strongest?____________________________________Weakest?_____________________________
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
In the
woodland
In the
car
park
Investigate feeding relationships such as food chains within the habitats.
Aim: To discover the feeding relationships found in the different habitats.
Small groups of 2 or 3 for collecting animals, or a whole class can work together to create one big food
web with all the children being animals and wool being held by each to show links.
Method:
Visit a number of different habitats and collect the animals living there either in pots or through visual
observation, e.g. birds, faeces, tracks.
In each habitat write down the animals you have found.
Method for grassland.
1. In grassland find an area with tall grass but few spiky plants like bramble, which snag on the
nets.
2. Spread out and allow the children to walk through the long grass sweeping the net from side to
side in front of them as they walk.
3. Stop and look into the net to see what you have caught. The flies will fly off so try to close the
net and stop them.
4. Encourage any large animals to crawl into a pot so that they can be identified using the ID
guides.
5. Put the animals back in the grass and let your partner have a go.
6. Do not leave animals in pots for too long as they will die.
Method for and woodland.
1. Find a tree with very hanging branches or one branch with hangs low.
2. Spread out a double bed sheet and have the class all hold it out straight, like a parachute.
3. The children may want to put hoods up if they are standing under the tree.
4. Manoeuvre the class until the sheet is directly below the branch.
5. On the count of 3 shake the branch very vigorously for as long as you can.
6. Keep the sheet still and see what animals you have caught.
7. Let them crawl into pots if they need identifying.
Method for aquatic habitat.
1. Fill a bowl with pond water.
2. Lie down on the bank with a net. Sweep the net just under the water’s surface in a horizontal
figure of eight,
motion.
3. Make four sweeps of the same length.
4. Empty the net into the bowl of water. Try the sweep again, but this time in open water away
from the pond plants.
5. Sort out the mini beasts catching them with a white spoon and a paintbrush. Treat all living
creatures with respect, please be gentle!
6. Identify what you have caught and count the number of different specimens and name the key
species.
∞
Page
65
Method for marine habitat:
1. Fill a bucket with sea water.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
2. Find a suitable rock pool and search within the pool, under the rocks, under seaweed and
hanging on the rocks for animals.
Using the animals found within the different habitats create food chains and webs.
In the field give out picture cads of each of the animals you have found today.
Use the information on the card to create a food chain in small groups. Link the animals together using
wool and clothes pegs.
Try to join all the chains together to make a food web.
Use wool in the field and create a huge food web connecting a number of habitat’s species together.
You can use the pictures from the identification guides or cards, or children just name animals they have
found on the site.
Place one person in the middle of the circle. They are the tree.
Everyone in the circle chooses an animal they have seen today.
Give the tree some wool and see if you can connect each animal to the tree and to each other.
You can add non living things also like water and sunlight.
Get the tree to pull on all its strings to see who will be affected if something happens to the tree.
Once everyone has felt the pull cut the tree down, or take away all the water and see what happens to
the food web. Once it has collapsed allow the children to put pressure on the left over resources by
pulling the wool out until it snaps. Make sure the children do not tie the wool around their fingers only
hold the wool, and use wool as it will break.
Equipment:
Terrestrial habitat.
1. Data collection sheet – 1 per person.
2. Pots – to collect mini beasts in for identifying, yogurt pots are fine, 1 per group.
3. Magnifying glass – to look at mini beasts, 1 per group.
4. Sweep nets/butterfly nets (optional) for catching mini beasts in amongst vegetation.
5. Animal identification sheet – 1 per group.
6. Double bed sheet – white, one per class.
Aquatic and marine habitats.
1. Net – long handled for pond, plastic sieves are good for rock polling, 1 per group.
2. Bucket – To hold water and animals that are caught, 4 per class.
3. Trays – to look at creatures and separate from rest of finds, (optional) 1 per group.
4. Pots – to collect animals in for identifying, Yogurt pots are fine, 1 per group.
5. Magnifying glass – to look at animals, 1 per group.
6. Plastic spoon and small paint brush, to catch animals and place in pot, 1 per group.
7. Data collection sheet – 1 per person.
8. Animal identification sheet – 1 per group.
Page
66
Post visit work:
Cut out the cards of the animals found in each habitat found on the cd rom and see if you can line then
up into different food chains.
Can you connect all your food chains together to make a food web?
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Pond food web
Page
67
Woodland food web
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Food chain plants and animals Woodland.
Cut out these cards and see if you can line then up into different food chains.
Can you connect all your food chains together to make a food web?
Ground beetle
Eats caterpillars, beetles,
aphids, slugs, snails.
Aphid
Eats plants
Oak
Slug
Eats plants
Caterpillar
Eats Plants
Mouse
Eats berries, seeds,
nuts, caterpillars
Ant
Eats aphids and
Honeydew
Butterfly
Eats nectar from flowers
Spider
Fox
Eats insects like flies Eats birds eggs, frogs,
lizards insects
Birch
Red Campion
Makes food
using the sun
Ash
Makes food Makes food
using the sun using the sun
Owl
Eats mice,
and insects
Page
Makes food
using the sun
Snail
Eats Plants
68
Woodlouse
Eats wood and dead animals
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Food chain animals and plants for Rock pool.
Cut out these cards and see if you can line then up into different food chains.
Can you connect all your food chains together to make a food web?
Sea weed
Makes food using the sun
Anemones
Eat shrimps and prawns
Plankton
Makes food using the sun
Dog whelk
Eats Limpets and
mussels
Goby
Eats worms
and shrimps.
Crab
Eats Winkles, sponge
and dog-whelk.
Winkle
Eats algae
Sea gull
Eats sea slugs,
winkles,
mussels, sponges
Sponge
Eats Diatoms
Mussel
Eats diatoms and plankton
Algae
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Limpet
Eats algae
countryside Council for Wales
Shrimp
Eats
plankton
69
Diatoms
Makes food using
the sun
Page
Barnacles
Eats diatoms and plankton
Star fish
Eats mussels, limpets,
dog whelks.
Makes food using the
Oxwich NNR
Food chain animals and plants for the pond.
Cut out these cards and see if you can line then up into different food chains.
Can you connect all your food chains together to make a food web?
Page
70
Birds
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Food chain animals and plants Oxwich Reed bed.
Cut out these cards and see if you can line then up into different food chains.
Can you connect all your food chains together to make a food web?
Otter.
Eat fish, birds,
insects, frogs,
crustaceans,
(crabs).
Bearded Tit.
Eats insects,
insect larvae,
spiders and
seeds of the
reeds.
Sedge Warbler.
Brown Trout.
Eats insects,
worms, snails.
Eats Insects and
berries in winter
Bog Moss
(Sphagnum).
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Bittern.
Eats Insects
and larvae.
Eats Fish,
amphibians and
insects.
Marsh
Cinquefoil.
Bog Pondweed.
Reeds.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Brimstone
Butterfly.
Alder Buckthorn.
Caterpillar feeds
on Alder
Buckthorn.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Frog.
Water rail.
Bank voles.
Eat snails,
slugs, beetles,
caterpillars,
woodlice
Eats mainly small
fish, snails and
insects.
Water voles eat
grass, water
plants and
insects.
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Cetti Warbler.
Cotton Grass.
Countryside Council for Wales
Willow.
Flag Iris.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Use the suns
energy to make
its own food.
Round-leaved
Sundew.
Eats
ants and other
small insects.
Lesser
Bladderwort.
Traps small
insects in its
bladders.
Oxwich NNR
Food chain animals and plants for grassland meadow.
Cut out these cards and see if you can line then up into different food chains.
Can you connect all your food chains together to make a food web?
Grasshopper
Eats Grass and
other plants
Ant
Eats honey dew
And aphids.
Mirid Bug
Eats plants
Shield bug
Eats plant sap
Frog hopper
Eats sap from plants
Fly
Eats dead animals
And plants
Aphid
Eats plant sap
Soldier beetle
Eats caterpillars
and aphids
Harvestman
Eats insects
Butterfly
Eats nectar
from flowers
Caterpillar
Eats plants
Snail
Eats plants
Page
72
Rove beetle
Eats small
insects
Bush Cricket
Eats Grass and
other plants
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Assess and discuss the threats to Oxwich NNR.
Aim: To discuss the threats to Oxwich NNR and try to arrive at some solutions.
Method:
Find a footpath close to the car park and close to the beach. Measure the width of the footpath.
• Choose a 50 metre stretch of footpath. Divide a class of 30 into 5 groups. Each group will need a set of
equipment. Space groups out at equal intervals along the footpath.
• Using a tape measure, measure width of footpath and mark out 2 metres on either side of the footpath to
form a transect, (a transect is a line along which you take measurements), across the footpath.
• Place the quadrat at 5 points on the transect - in the middle of the footpath, at the footpath edges and both
ends of the transect.
At each point measure the vegetation height and vegetation cover (how much of the quadrat is covered in
plants). Fill in the worksheet “Human impact on Oxwich NNR, data collection sheet“ on page 72.
Transect
Path edges
Left
end of
transect
Left
edge of
path
Middle
of path
Right
edge of
path
Right
end of
transect
Find another footpath close to the first one which is covered in cockle shells. Measure the width of the footpath.
Walk away from the car park along the front of the dunes. Every 5 minutes stop and measure the width of the
path. Complete the worksheet on footpath erosion page 71.
At the same time another group within the class counts the amount of litter in the area and another group the
number of visitors in the area.
When you reach the furthest point from the car park, before you turn back repeat the transects.
On your way back take a walk around the reserve and jot down on the collection sheet the threats to Oxwich NNR
which you observe.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Page
Post visit work:
Individual groups report on their findings and complete a master data sheet
Draw bar graphs to represent the data. X axis distance from car park Y axis % of vegetation cover, height of
vegetation categories.
Bar graphs can also be drawn for the footpath width, litter and visitors.
A scatter graph could be draw to show the relationship between footpath width and number of visitors, or
number of visitors and amount of litter.
Discuss what patterns the graph shows.
What do the results show? Why is the pattern like this? Why do you think this pattern exists?
How could the footpath be improved to be made more sustainable?
Design a poster informing visitors to Oxwich of the threats their actions may have to the reserve and how they
can help protect it.
73
Equipment:
Tape measures – 1 per group.
Metre rule – 1 per group.
A simple quadrat or metal coat hanger shaped into a square – 1 per group.
Data recording sheets.
What is causing the threat?
What is the threat?
How could it be reduced?
Visitors
Footpath erosion
Cockleshell paths, Fence of
dunes, Boardwalk.
Which do you think is the worse threat to Oxwich NNR?
_________________________________________________________________________
Why? ____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
74
Threats to Oxwich NNR.
Page
Name ……………………………………………..
Name ……………………………………………..
Footpath erosion.
Distance from car park in minutes.
Width of footpath.
Litter.
Distance from car park in minutes.
Pieces of litter by path.
Visitors.
Distance from car park in minutes.
How to undertake field work
Number of visitors seen in the area.
Countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Human impact on Oxwich NNR, data collection sheet.
Name:
Group
Members:
Footpath close to car park:
Group
Number:
Vegetation height (cm)
Vegetation cover %
Vegetation height (cm)
Vegetation cover %
Left end of transect
Left edge of footpath
Middle of footpath
Right edge of footpath
Right end of transect
Footpath far from car park:
Left end of transect
Left edge of footpath
Middle of footpath
Right edge of footpath
Right end of transect
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Transect
Path edges
Left
edge of
path
Middle
of path
Right Right
edge of end of
path transect
Page
76
Left
end of
transect
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Art in the environment.
Aim: To use the environment at Oxwich NNR to find different colours and inspire creativity.
The class can work individually or in small groups.
Method:
Distribute small pieces of card with double sided sticky tape on. Peel off and see how many colours you can
collect. Only take very small samples of each colour and be careful not to harm the plants, especially the
orchids.
Create your own paints using the plants of the reserve. Pick a sample screw it up into a ball and then rub the
plant onto some paper until the colour is transferred. Try to find different shades of green – (grass), black –
(charcoal), yellow – (dandelion)
, pink – (valerian)
.
BE AWARE that there are some prickly plants – dewberry – looks like bramble,
Sea holly – looks like holly.
Sea spurge has a nasty latex inside it that can irritate the skin.
From on top of a high sand dune an overview of the landscape is explained so that the pupils can draw an
outline of the landscape. The students record the colours of the various parts of the view for later
watercolour work back at school. Alternatively colour the picture using natural paints.
Invertebrates can be caught and their colours recorded for later use looking at pollination and adaptation.
On the beach make sculptures. These could be of creatures you have seen on the beach such as crabs or
mermaids. Work in groups and allow the groups to create half the sculpture and then swop over and the
other team finish the sculpture.
Find objects with different textures. Experiment with making rubbings of them. Try to guess the object from
the rubbing.
Collect items from the strand line for a hanging mobile. Tie string to a piece of driftwood and collect shells
with holes in, seaweed and other objects. BE AWARE that sharp objects can be washed up. Try to only
collect natural objects.
77
Create a whole class piece of art by drawing a circle and each student builds a small sculpture around the
outside of the circle. It could be a pile of stones cemented together by sand, or a pattern made by different
coloured stones or shells.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Page
Equipment:
Cards with double sided sticky tape on.
Oxwich NNR
Pencils.
Paper.
String.
Pots.
Colours
Page
78
Post visit work:
Colour the outline of the landscape created on the dunes using watercolours.
Look at the colours of the insects you found, is there a pattern? Is there a relationship between the insect’s
colour and where it was found? Investigate the relationship between plant colour and pollination.
Undertake an investigation into which colour insects like best.
Look at the camouflage colours of the animals found in the sand dunes, compare them to the plant and
environment colour.
Place sheets of different coloured paper outside in the sun. Cut some into different shapes including flower
shapes. Count how many insects visit each colour in 10 minutes. Is there a pattern?
Create your own camouflage creature and hide it in the school grounds.
Use the colours found within the school ground to inspire painting. Repeat the paint pallet and compare the
different colours from the different locations.
Create sculptures out of objects found in the school grounds, e.g. twigs, leaves, mud, stones.
Make mobiles using willow circles to dangle objects found around the grounds.
Create a huge piece of art on the school field which can be seen from a distance using flour, chalk or small
stones or shells.
Look up Andy Goldsworthy on the internet and use his designs to inspire creativity in the class.
Create a sculpture trail in the school grounds with sculptures hidden along the way. Label the sculptures or
create a visitor’s guide to the sculpture trail.
Create a texture hunt. The class takes rubbings of a number of objects located around the school, e.g. bark,
leaves, plaques. The rubbings are numbered and another class must try to find where all the rubbing came
from by making their own rubbings.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Geography at Oxwich NNR.
Aim: To experience using and following a map and to calculate distances. Use of co-ordinates and four-figure
references.
Method:
Prior to the field visit students in the class design a route through the sand dunes to visit various interesting aspects
such as all the habitats. Measure the distance on the map along the route.
In the field students each has a map which they orientate . Following the map they need to walk to the highest sand
dune they can see. On top of the sand dune use the panorama photo sheet and the map of local area to label the
landscape features that they can see.
Follow your route through the sand dunes and use pacing to measure the actual distance.
Or,
Learn how to use a compass and follow the compass trail for Oxwich NNR.
Find an open space and create a grid to teach grid references with numbered corks and tape measures. Play
battleships.
Prior to the visit create questionnaires to see how far visitors have come to visit Oxwich NNR.
Interview people by the car park, on the beach and in the sand dunes. See how far they have travelled and where
they have visited in the reserve.
Count the number of visitors as you walk along your route through the sand dunes.
Equipment:
Map of Oxwich – 1 per student, Either OS map or drawn map, pages 80 –84.
OS map of surrounding area.
Ruler – 1 per student.
Compass – optional.
Panorama photo sheets – page 78.
Numbered corks 0 – 10 X 2
Two 10m tape measures.
Questionnaires.
Risk assessment:
When interviewing visitors ensure the children work in groups and a teacher is always close by.
Also try to undertake interviews when visitor numbers are high so that the class is less intimidating to a small number
of visitors.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Page
79
Post visit work:
Compare your measured route distance to your route on the map. How similar are they?
Discuss how easy it was to follow the map in the field. Why was it harder/easier than you thought?
Write an account of your walk through the sand dunes and link the description to the location on the map.
Make your own version of a map of Oxwich and key. Add the photos you took on the field trip to the map.
Make a movie in “movie maker” of the photos of the sites you visited on Oxwich NNR. Add a soundtrack of the
children narrating the day.
Create a visitor’s guide to Oxwich NNR with a map and details of places to visit on the reserve.
Graph your visitor questionnaire results.
Bar graph or pie chart of distance visitors have travelled.
Line graph of distance travelled and where they have visited on the reserve. Is there any pattern in the results?
Draw a graph showing the relationship between distance from car park and number of visitors. Is there a pattern in
the results. Can you explain the pattern?
Compass trail for Oxwich NNR.
1. Start from the far northeast corner of the car park.
2. Travel 100m on a bearing of 280 (NE). Stop at the information point.
3. Follow the path travelling 240 until you reached a cross path, approximately 50m.
4. Follow the path running 3000 (NW) through the kissing gate until you see a large green sand
dune to your right. If you meet the cockle shell path you have gone past it.
5. On top of the sand dune label the landscape features on the panorama sheets using the map.
6. Go back down to the path. Follow the path until you cross the cockle shell path. At the cross
paths take the path travelling 3020 (NW) until you reach a gate that leads out to the road.
Across the road lies the reed bed.
7. Take the path travelling 200 (NE) to the left of the Oxwich sign until you reach a kissing gate just
past a pond.
8. Go through the kissing gate and follow the boardwalk through the freshwater marsh.
9. Once off the boardwalk look at your map and find out where you are. You are at grid reference
504 873 beside the fence.
10. Follow the cockle shell path running 14o NW into the woods. Follow the path into the
woodland.
11. When the path comes out of the woodland you will join back up with the sandy path. Follow the
path running 180 (NNE) and follow it round the corner as it turns East. Continue along the path
until the path splits and you see a fence in front of you. Head for the fence and walk along the
side of it going 700 through a small woodland until you reach a gate. The sand dunes to your
right are the best on Oxwich NNR.
12. Through kissing gate and follow the fence 400 through the woodland. The salt marsh will
appear on your left.
13. Take the path opposite the sign running 400 across the salt marsh to Nicholaston Pill.
14. Follow the path running 1020 (SE) to the mouth of the Nicholaston Pill.
15. You can now follow the beach all the way back to the car park.
Page
80
16. How far have you travelled on your walk? Estimate then measure it on the map.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
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How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Page
84
Finish
Start
OS map of Oxwich showing routes of compass trail.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Page
85
Blank OS map of Oxwich NNR.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Page
86
10 metres
Scrub
Map Close -up of boardwalk and benches.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Underhill
cottage
Oxwich village hall
Toilet*
Toilet*
Toilet
Map of Oxwich NNR
How to undertake fieldwork
Underhill
cottage
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Toilets open
when car
park open
Page
88
Map of local area.
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
Species identification guides.
Plants of Oxwich NNR.
Front of dunes.
Fore dunes
Sea
sandwort
Marram grass
Sea Holly
Sea spurge
Evening
Primrose
Kidney Vetch
Restharrow
Ragwort
Bloody
Cranesbill
Cats ear
Red Valerian
Wood sage
Grey dunes
Mouse –
eared
hawkweed
Bird’s foot
trefoil
Biting
stonecrop
Dewberry
Rosebay
willowherb
Common centaury
Dune slack
Round leaved
winter green
Creeping
willow
Southern
Marsh orchid
Rush
Marsh
helleborine
Dune
moss
Horsetail
Yellow Rattle
How to undertake fieldwork
Lady’s
bedstraw
Wild Thyme White clover
countryside Council for Wales
Ribwort
Plantain
Buttercup
Milkwort
Page
Cowslip
89
Dune meadow
Oxwich NNR
Plants of Oxwich NNR.
Freshwater marsh.
Marsh
Cinqufoil
Cotton
grass
Royal fern
Sphagnum
moss (bog
moss)
Marsh
pennywort
Willow
Bog
asphodel
Alder
Purple
Pond
weed
loosestrife
Water
Dock
Flag iris
Marsh
lousewort
Water lilies
Marsh
Lousewort
Reed bed.
Woodland.
Oak
Bulrush
Birch
Sycamore
Ash
Elm
Red
Campion
Bramble
Sea
Sea purslane
lavender
How to undertake fieldwork
Sea
Sea arrow
plantain countryside Council for Wales
grass
Page
90
Saltmarsh.
Oxwich NNR
Animals of Oxwich NNR.
Strandline.
Sand hopper
Sand dunes.
Vineyard
Snail
Strandline
beetle
Small blue
butterfly
Sea Slater
Marbled white
butterfly
Black
mining bee
Cinnabar
moth
Cinnabar
caterpillar
Poplar leaf
beetle
Dune Meadow.
Soldier beetle
Rove beetle
Mirid bug
Caterpillar
Capsid
Cepero’s
Grasshopper
Frog hopper
Woodland.
Ant
Shield bug
Woodlouse
Harvestman
Emperor
Common
Dragonfly
darter
How to undertake fieldwork
Azure
Blue tailed
damselfly
dragonfly
countryside Council for Wales
Spider
Page
91
Aphid
Animals of Oxwich NNR Snail
Reed bed.
Grasshopper
Oxwich NNR
Pond.
Ramshorn
snail
Dragonfly
nymph
Damselfly
nymph
Hog louse
Caddis fly
larvae
Midge larvae
Great diving
beetle
Pond
snail
Water boatman
Freshwater
shrimp
Bloodworm
Back
swimmers
Leech
Pond
skater
Whirlygig
beetle
Diving
beetle
larvae
Tadpole
Water mite
<1mm
Newt
Rock pool.
Peri winkle
Sea
Anemone
Limpet
Shore crab
Starfish
Dog whelk
Sand goby
Barnacle
Jellyfish
Mussel
Prawn
Sponge
Sea weed
Ragworm
Sea Potato
Cockles
How to undertake fieldwork
Sand mason
worms
countryside Council for Wales
Page
Lugworm
92
Sandy shore.
Oxwich NNR
Suppliers list for necessary equipment.
1. Quadrats . B&Q Bamboo Canes Natural Pack Of 20 £3.48
2. Tape measures. B&Q Value tape measure 8m £3.48.
Machine mart 10m tape measure £4.10
3. Corks. Play Right, scrap store. http://www.playright.org.uk/
Block H Unit 22
Ashmount Business Park
Upper Fforest Way
Swansea Enterprise Park
Swansea
SA6 8QR
Tel 01792 794 884
Page
93
4. Pots. Recycled yogurt pots or any pots from the scrap store.
Magnifying pots. Rapid education http://www.rapidonline.com/EducationalProducts/Science/The-Environment/Bug-pots-pack-of-10/122182/kw/521618?source=googleps&utm_source=googleps
£3.99 pack of 10
Baker Ross http://www.bakerross.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=N138&src=froogle
£6.99 pack of 10
5. Magnifying glass. Tesco £1.99
Camping world http://www.campingworld.co.uk/Models.aspx?PartnerID=1&ModelID=3775 £1.99
6. Sweep nets/butterfly nets. Insect lore http://www.insectlore-europe.com/butterflynet.html £3.99
7. Pond dipping nets. Rapid education. http://www.rapidonline.com/EducationalProducts/Science/The-Environment/Large-pond-net/72577
£2.95
8. Buckets. Can use old large food containers from school kitchen or ice cream tubs.
B&Q £1.28
9. Trays. Can use ice cream tubs. Alana ecology
http://www.alanaecology.com/acatalog/Small_Trays.html
£2.95
10. Plastic spoons
11. Paint brushes. The works 12 small paint brushes 99p
12. FSC, (Field Studies Council) identification guides http://www.field-studiescouncil.org/publications/foldout.aspx £2.75 – £3.50
How to undertake fieldwork
countryside Council for Wales
Oxwich NNR
References and contact details.
Educational visits; A safety guide for learning outside the classroom. All Wales guidance 2010
Published by Welsh Assembly Government 2008
Orienteering map of Oxwich Burrows. Swansea Bay orienteering Club (SBOC), 2008.
Natural Heritage, Sand dunes, 2009
http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/09_sand_dunes.pdf
Formation of sand dunes.
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/education/pdf/mapreadingmadeeasypeasy2.pdf
Map reading made easy peasy, Ordinance Survey.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/nature/thingstodo/walks/pages/oxwich1.shtml
Details of walks through Oxwich NNR.
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/the-rock-pool
Video of rock pool habitat.
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/the-sand-and-shingle-beach
Video of beach habitat.
http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/pondexplorer/pondexplorer.html
Virtual field trip to a pond.
http://www.ipcc.ie/bicresourcespr3.html
Bogs in the classroom. All about freshwater marsh plants and animals.
http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/ecologyfieldwork/sand_dunes/stage1.htm
Investigating sand dune background and practical advice.
http://www.sercc.com/education_files/anemometer.pdf
How to make a homemade wind meter.
Oxwich and Penrice Community Hall bookings
How to undertake fieldwork
Janette
countryside Council for Wales
01792 391317
Page
Contact details:
Countryside Council for Wales. – Advice on health and safety issues and events.
0845 1306229
Nature Days – Advice on undertaking field work and accompanied site reconnoitre visits led in Oxwich
NNR. Dawn Thomas
01792 392919 naturedays@reynoldston.com
94
http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/docs/p4pp/lp/lpE.pdf
Science and plants for schools (SAPS) teachers guide to how plants grow.
Oxwich NNR