Bucket School
Yesterday in my Science session I took part in an outdoor learning activity called a Bucket school. Within our session we looked at the why learning outdoor the classroom is important and gaining confidence with this approach, then I might be able to use it on my next professional practice.
The benefits of a Bucket school approach to deliver science lessons is that it is versatile, portable and localised learning. It also costs a lot less then a building for outdoor learning as well as it being able to be tailored to satisfy almost all of the National Curriculum (2014). The Bucket school also makes learning less engaging, creative and messy. As well as creating an interest in the local environment and promotes healthy living and a love of the outdoors.
We all brought out own buckets and went outside and sat down on them in a circle. We started by all having a plant or an animal and we constructed a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey. This is a year 4 activity.
Then we made skeletons out of what we could find in the area. This is a year 3 activity and it is identifying that humans have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement.
We then did a year 5 experiment where we put a tablet and water in a film canister and place it on our Buckets upside down. Till it has a chemical reaction and the lid pops off. It is exploring the properties of materials and explains that some changes result in the formation of the new materials.
These are just a few activities that can be done to teach science in an outdoor learning setting. I have learn't a lot form this activity and I believe that it will improve my subject knowledge and the effectiveness of my lessons.
Comments