WILD ABOUT SUSSEX WILDLIFE
Environmental Education Programme
Marine, Freshwater and Terrestral Wildlife for all ages
LITERACY PROJECTS
"Writing gives me the opportunity to inspire readers about the natural world and reach people who I will never meet while my environmental education work allows me to engage with people face to face. Working with schools is the best of both worlds and also provides the opportunity to promote the joy of reading".
Nature is inspiring so what better subject to inspire children to engage in factual or creative writing that through nature. This can be an account of the childs real life observations or using fact to create a story to convey a particular view point. For example how amazing or beautiful a particular animal is, to help the reader understand misunderstood animals (sharks, wasps)
Whilst the structure of the account will vary between factual and creative writing, both can be a form of story telling as you guide the reader as theyu build up their understanding or to leade the reader to a point where you then invite them to make their own conclusions.
I frequently use my books to help support a topic but also so as not to miss an oportunity to inspire a child to read and value books.
'Observing Nature’ and ‘Animal Neighbours’ have been written to encourage children to explore their own surroundings. I run school visit sessions where the books are used as research tools to aid pupil’s exploration of their own grounds. They will be encouraged to use their observations to write a book (long term project), write a wildlife journal (all class project) or write a newspaper article.
Example: I have worked with a few schools using my books on blackbird. The children use the books to investiogate the requirements of blackbirds and then investigate their school grounds to see if the grounds are suitable for black birds by looking for things such as habitat requirements, nesting materials, food etc. The children plotted the information onto a map of their school grounds. The children then discussed how they could make their grounds more blackbird friendly.
Titles include
Observing Nature (10 titles) is aimed at 4-7 years and Animal Neighbours (10 titles) aimed at 8 – 11 year olds.
Observing Nature titles include; Blackbird, Sea Gull, Rabbit, Ant, Butterfly, Frog, Spider. Animal Neighbours titles include; Blackbird, Swallow, Tawny Owl, Grass Snake, Toad, Mouse.
FICTION FROM FACT
Children use books to gather facts children are then encouraged to write a fictional story (that is factually correct). 1. The day in the life of a dolphin, seal or shark that occurs within the setting of their local coastline. 2. What do dolphins feel about the way we treat the oceans or a shark feel about humans. 3. Terrestrial animals, what does a slug feel about how humans perceive and treat them (this also works well for snail, wasp, house mouse and similar).
BIRTH OF A BOOK
This session is an introduction to the process of creating a book, from the initial spark of an idea, to the finished item. This will include the various stages of development, including sample layouts, artwork designs and other materials from books I have written. Using words and pictures to interest and inspire the reader. How authors work as a team with an editor, designer, artist, and picture researcher. What makes a good cover. Where do I get my ideas and inspirations and much more. This session can support a literacy project such as book making. This session is suitable for both schools and adult audiences.
ADVENTURES OF ED THE BEAR
This is a facutal story seen (and written) through the eyes of a fictional character Ed the Bear. I have been sending Ed the Bear (in the form of a teddy bear) to various locations around the world to create an ocean adventure. Aware that his local beach is in danger from global threats, Ed the Bear travels the world to find out more about the threats to oceans.
On the way he encounters some amazing wildlife; Ed the Bear has sat on teh Antartic ice with penguins, come face to face with great white sharks, explored rockpools and seen endangered sea turtles. Ed has also met a range of people who are helping marine wildlife. This includes a scientists growing corals to repair a damaged reef and a man who runs a sea turtle hospital. Ed also learns how we can all help the oceans by living more sustainably. Ed the bear has a diving bell and really dives and interacts with habitats such as coral reefs and ship wrecks.
The power of this ongoing story is that everything that happens is real. The story is created from the experiences and pictures provided by the various people who assist Ed the Bear in his travels - the bear is the catalyst. These people include scientists, conservationists, professors of Heritage, teachers etc.
A session includes a visit from 'Ed the Bear. As a follow on from the visit, schools can take the class bear to the local coast or river and create a similar factual story about their local habitat (including geography and heritage).
Click to visit his website and click to visit his ongoing travel journal
