Engaging students in questioning and the
enquiry process
Heather McCollin- FSC Flatford Mill
15th October 2014
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
FSC – who we are
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Informative and enjoyable opportunities for
people of all ages and abilities to discover,
explore, and understand the environment
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What we do:
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Environmental education charity
Established 1943
17 Centres (14 residential)
Working with 140,000 people each year
First Hand experiences with school, college or
university
Opportunities for everyone
Professional training courses for
environmental professionals and teachers
Natural history and Art courses
Family holidays
Identification guides and free resources
Funded projects
Campaigns for the right to outdoor learning
and fieldwork
FSC believes that the more we know about
and take inspiration from the world around
us the more we can appreciate its needs and
protect its diversity and beauty for future
generations.
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
FSC Flatford Mill
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Starting fieldwork
In groups discuss what you would do here having
arrived with your GCSE group.
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
2016 titles
• Investigate management strategies on an area of
coastline vulnerable to flooding
- Why do coastal processes need to be managed?
- How are coastlines managed?
- Why does coastal management create controversy?
• An investigation of an Urban Ecosystem
- How does the physical environment interact with living things to
produce different large scale ecosystems?
-In What ways for people use ecosystems?
- How can ecosystems be managed sustainably?
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Experience the environment
• Some examples
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Kenning
Soundscape
Field Sketch (ipads)
Back to back describing / drawing
Sense of place photos
Additional Information available on the handout
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Questioning & creating a hypothesis
• Some examples
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Framing
Observation circle
Photos and annotations
Thinking circles
Designing good questions
Additional Information available on the handout
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Accessing the top grades
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Techniques for developing individual enquiry
• Some examples
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Geog spot
Investigation layers
Just a minute
Question cards
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Wider Context
• Different time / Different place
• Some examples
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Photos
Newspaper articles
Video Blogs
Social Media
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Trial
• An opportunity to have a go!
– In small groups and have a go at one of the activities.
– After 5 minutes we will feedback on how they worked.
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General impressions, good points? Bad points?
Would you change or adapt them?
Would your students engage with it?
Have you done something similar or different (inside or outside the
classroom)
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org
Thank you
Questions?
www.field-studies-council.org
Tel: 0845 345 4071
E-mail: enquiries@field-studies-council.org