Forests and the National Curriculum - key stage 1 and 2
The Forest Service has produced a range of worksheets and activity sheets that, when combined with a visit to a forest and the services of a forest guide, can assist teachers in providing challenging and exciting activities that can play an integral part in the delivery of the Northern Ireland National Curriculum in a variety of subjects.
Available for pupils in all key stage groups
Forest guides may also be able to tailor a visit to suit the needs of your group.
Remember all pre-booked educational visits to Northern Ireland forests are free of charge.
"If you think one year ahead - plant rice.
If you think ten years ahead - plant a tree.
If you think one hundred years ahead - educate the children."
(Kuan Izu, Chinese poet)
Further Information
Activities for key stage 1 and 2
Forest Service provides challenging activities for pupils in the primary school (key stage 1 and 2) age group. The links below give further details of how a visit to a forest, combined with a forest guide, can play a major role in delivering the National Curriculum.
Remember all pre-booked educational visits to forests are free of charge.
General information
Environment
Environment for key stages 1 and 2
Activity - Environment Trail
Location
- Gortin Glen Forest Park, Co. Tyrone
- Florence Court Forest Park, Co. Fermanagh
The trails offer an opportunity to explore and learn about some of the wonderful things that we often take for granted in our surroundings. They are aimed at Key Stage 2+ but are accessible to all willing learners young or old.
Support may be needed for those with poor reading skills.
Those following the trail are guided around by a series of wooden posts with coloured discs that relate to locations on the map provided.
Trees and forests
Activity - Forest Education Pack
Location - these activities can take place in any forest alone or with the assistance of a forest guide.
This pack is a collection of fact sheets and work sheets that may act as a useful introduction to trees and forests and offers an opportunity to learn some practical information before visiting the forests natural environment.. It is best used in conjunction with a visit to your local forest accompanied by a forest guide.
The work sheets are aimed at key stage 1 and 2 but are accessible to all willing learners young or old.
The sheets are entitled:
- The forest cycle
- Trees and their fruit
- Winter twigs and buds
- Leaves
- Woodland fungi
- Broadleaves
- Woodland ecosystem
- Forest food web
- The circumference of a tree
- Measure the height of a tree
- Chainsaw operator
- Grow your own seedling
Mathematics
Activity - pupils can look at and discuss shapes of natural materials such as fir cones, tree rings or the various shapes of leaves.
Location - these activities can take place in any forest alone or with the assistance of a forest guide.
These activities offer an opportunity for key stage 1 and 2 pupils to do some practical and curriculum based learning while in a natural environment. Those mentioned above are only a small example of the possible activities.
Forest guides in each area have a vast amount of experience and material for working with pupils in these age groups and the activities are tailored to suit all abilities.
Mathematics - Peacemaze worksheets
These worksheets relate to the Peacemaze at Castlewellan Forest Park
Key Stage 1 workbooks
Key Stage 2 workbooks
History/geography and science key stage 2
Worksheets relating to the 'World Around Us' Programme