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ECO Group

  • RSPB - The Big Bird Watch Website that shows all the information about the Big Bird Watch and how to get involved. Make sure you hang up your bird feeder and put out some water well before the weekend at the end of January so your birds know you to come to your garden.

Making bird feeders to take home!

  • Shear lashing knot. Basically to make a Forest School star, you make 5 fishing rods, using a clove hitch. You then fasten these five together using shear lashing, so you get a 5 stick zig zag. You then just have to move those five around until you make a star shape and then fasten the last two ends together. I'll try to take some photos of one being made!

ECO Group have been trying to ty knots to make Christmas decorations! Knots are tricky. We have been trying a clove hitch and shear lashing to make stars and Gods Eyes. A couple of ECO Group Reps will deliver these decoration to Newgate Care home to hang in a tree outside, along with a few bird feeders.

ECO Group Go Tree Planting on Strawberry Hill Heath. Good fun and great commitment was shown by all group members. We were told how to use the tools safely, split into smaller groups and then got on with the job in hand. We planted 36 native oak trees on a site that was formerly a conifer plantation, so good for wildlife, for our wellbeing and our planet. Well done everyone involved. Very proud of the way you worked hard and behaved.

Session 4 - outside weeding our garden, learning about spiders and other bugs. Making a pledge about our commitment to all things ECO before we are given our ECO badge! Not everyone was able to be with us, so more pledges to be made next week!

ECO Group - photos of our first few sessions! Our first weeks have been about willow weaving the arches and tying reef knots, planting new plants in the garden, recycling milk cartons, taking cuttings of herbs, emptying the compost bins and thinking about what we want to do in the future. Oh and looking at bugs! We've talked about the rules of ECO Group and being respectful towards each other! See if your child can remember the 5 points on our star!!

First ECO Session - photos of 3/4 girls getting in with the compost and the worms!

  • Composting Find out more about composting in day 14 of the Notts County Council Sept 30 day Recycling Challenge. Win a compost bin to turn your food waste into compost for your plants and garden. In school we compost our fruit waste and garden waste - it is one of the ECO Groups jobs and a big part of what we do. Eco Group applicants should hopefully find out today if they have been successful in being selected for the Group - we had a lot of interest this year, so not everyone can be part of the ECO Group but there are many jobs in school linked to recycling that everyone can take part in. Everyone can do their bit!

There is Hope - Soft Plastics Recycling at Asquith Primary.

  • Veolia Go Green For September Fight climate change by learning more about what can and can't go in your blue bin - make sure it is the right things! Help your children learn how to save their world by recycling as much of your household waste as possible.
  • Coop Soft Plastic Find out all about the soft plastic items you could be recycling at our local Coop store - information about what to save, and a quiz!

Last Eco Group session for the Year - the children have been amazing and seemed to have enjoyed most things we have tried. Today was really hot but we still ticked off lots of jobs that needed doing, most importantly planted the raspberry canes donated to us by Lee Cook, the Forest School Leader who helped us make bird feeders last week. It has been a pleasure to work with the children in the Group this year - they have worked really hard, learned a lot and taught me a lot too. Thank you to each and every one of them.

Last photo with the 5/6 group enjoying the Forest School area I'm sure i can see a few fairies in this one! Strapline is a firm favourite Along with the rope swing which is now in full working order.

Mansfield District Council visit the school garden.

Poppies in flower Our beautiful garden Lots of bugs to be found!

We had two visitors last week from Mansfield District Council, who came to to look at garden and the work of the ECO Group on increasing flowers, wildlife and bugs on our school site!

The year 5/6 ECO Group met them and showed them around. They talked about composting, flowers the bugs we have found and our plans for the future. The children worked really hard to remember the names of the plants and flowers we have grown this year!

Check out MDC's Facebook page for the full report - posted on the 1st July. 

This visit was linked to MDC's Bee Kind project - with flowers planted in town and FREE seeds up for grabs on the market stalls. If you are in tow, please ask if you can have a packet of free seeds - we will use them in school if you do not want them for your own garden. 

Mud Cake Making - we got a bit dirty but that was OK! We had a great time, mixing and creating masterpieces from mud and bits and bobs off the forest floor to enter in the Open Studio Notts Inedible Birthday Cake competition.

Cold and Rainy Day Activity - card making for Dunelm Mill's Kindness Project

ECO Group - frame making and weeding

ECO Group outside under the shelter and sorting out the site, creating mini beast rock piles and getting ready for tree planting.

Planting, watering and using our outdoor space

More Eco Christmas Decs made to take home

Christmas Decorations - recycled by Eco Group from bit and bobs around school and sticks from the woods! Have you seen them on the railings?

12/8/20 Compost for the pumpkins

Opened the bottom door Push in the spade Pull out lovely black compost Carry it to the pumpkins Place it around the base Of each one Piled up nutritious compost to help the pumpkins grow Growing nicely This is a tiny pumpkin, growing just behind the flower

23/7/20 Photos of things we have been up to including some of the school garden!

Painted Ladies butterfly life cycle project

14/7/20 Second lot of Hoverfly Lagoon Pictures!

Cut your 4 pint milk bottle in half Put the other half in your blue bin to be recycled Make two holes at the top, one on each side. so the lagoon can't be over full of water. Take your grass clippings (or old leaves, i don't have leaves!) Fill it up, with grass or leaves. To the top and push it down to compress it. Fill to the bottom of your small holes, with water. I've made three big ones Put them in a tray which has holes in the bottom. I've weighed mine. If I get any hoverflies i want to pass those details to the Buzzclub. One more thing, sticks! There, three sticks in each one. Dead leaves in the tray - i need more leaves in my tray! In position I'm going to use this to collect any hoverfly pupae i find.

Hoverfly Lagoon pictures - we need to look after hoverflies as they pollinate our plants and flowers, just like bees.

Your pack Starting to create More leaf litter needed Top it up with water Both of them What we needed were some sticks

14/7/20 Hoverfly Lagoons

Butterfly Pattern Images - you could find other things to cut out to use, don't limit yourself to the butterfly.

This was in this fortnights pack Cut out the picture Use the 'hole' to find interesting patterns Its raining so i stayed inside to find mine ... Carpet Tea towel Another carpet Wooden furniture The book I'm reading about insects! Cushion
  • Sustainable City You might want to take a look at some of the resources on here. The competition has finished but you can still learn from the page.

Things we have been up to! Including some photos of the school garden

Sustainable City video.

Still image for this video
One of the year 5 pupils in school has made this video for a competition entry. It is all about how to make a city more sustainable. I thought you might like to see it. She used to be a member of the ECO Group. You could have think about something similar. The competition has ended now but you can look at the website if you like. Or look at the TED Earth School website for other ideas.

30/6/20 - Out and about with 30 Day Wild. Photos of things i have found or liked the look of ...

Roots - what a pattern they make. Fungus on a tree More root patterns. Tree trunk - shapes in the bark Mr Brown and me - out in a cow field. Beautiful day for walking Or for cloud watching! Strange shaped tree trunk! Baking hot weather makes for dry ground. Teasels in a field. Close up - watch out for those prickles Poppies in a field of grass Cygnets on the canal Frog in my pond! There was a storm brewing! Little Matlock, down Pleasley Vale. Shh, don't tell, Mr B has goosegrass stuck on him. Weird tree shape - its got arms! Wildlfower - orchid This fungus is called King Alfred's Cakes!! Walk in the shade. Beautiful colour greens. My sunflowers. Poppies in another field! How does your garden grow ... With pretty maids all in a row, row, row LOL!

30/6/20 - Beeswax Wraps. I'm very excited that you try this one to help reduce the plastic we all use. You will need an adult to help you as the oven has to warm the beeswax so you can spread it about.

Baking paper to protect your cooker/baking tray Material laid as flat as you can get it. Sprinkle your beeswax pieces, not too much! Put it in the warm oven. Can you see its melted? Use your brush to spread the melted wax around. You can put it back in the oven to warm it again. Melts again - you can do this lots of times. Once its cool, you can scrunch it up. And then flatten it out again. Wrap it around your sandwich. That's how it stays folded around your sandwiches! Lovely and fresh ham sandwiches on my picnic!

30/6/20 Cress sowing!

Cress seed pack. Instructions on back of packet. Take your cotton wool. Spread it on to your growing pot or plate. Dampen it with water. Spread out your seeds (you've got cress). Cover the cotton wool, for lots of little plants. Keep it watered so it will start to grow. Ready to eat - egg & cress sandwich anyone?

Ideas for outside activities this week - using your paper plates

Insect home ideas

Cut the top off the bottle - ask for help! Like this Fill with pines cones ... Remember use things you find on the ground Or sticks - never pick or cut things off trees One of each Hide them in your garden jungle!

Garden pond ideas

Bird Bath Old wok pond Can you see it? Washing tab pond Can you see it? Old Flower Pot Pond Can you see it? Centipede rescue! School site pond - old wok lid!

8/6/20

Two challenges this week - to spot some birds either in your garden, Park or woodland near you using the identification sheet that was in your pack. Try to listen really hard to birds singing to see if you can tell which bird is which. You may find an egg or feather using your egg collection box. Can you identify the bird it's from?

This morning I saw Great Tits, Blackbirds, Starlings and Goldfinches around the School KS1 playground. Plus my bird bath at home is being well used by the Blackbirds.

 

Also, can you collect some sticks, pine cones, bits of wood, leaves off the floor of the park or on a walk and create some art with it - i want to see some entries from the ECO Team in the Land Art Competition!!  Don't let me down, guys! Bring some bits of sticks, leaves and cones home with you in your brown collecting bag - we'll make something else later in the week or early next week. 

 

  • Dawn Chorus link to an audio of the birds singing - probably way before you get up!!

8/6/20 Arty Creations from things found on a walk!

Lump of wood becomes ... T- Rex Little Arms Little Arms Section of wood becomes ... a horse!

Land Art Competition Entry

4/6/20 - Our First Land Art Entry

4/6/20 - Can you help me? 

 

My marigold plants that I have grown from seed, potted up and watered for weeks are under threat from slugs!!

I know many of you don't like slugs (I have heard lots of comments when we put fruit in the compost bin) but can you convince me that slugs have a role in our garden and in the wildlife habitat/circle of life. Tell me some good things about slugs (or snails).

I would like you to come up with 5 good things about slugs or facts about them. Send your ideas to me at scaesc@asquith.notts.sch.uk.

Good luck!

4/5/20 Slug Damage Investigation needed!

1/6/20 Photos You Have Sent into School

Insect House Seeds growing Seeds starting out Plants! Sunflowers!

Clay models - what have you made out of your clay?

19/5/20202 Things you guys have been doing at home! Please let me know.

19/5/20202      Clay!! What Can you do with it?

 

Well first I found the idea about making tree guardians - see the document attached to the website. I thought you could make one or two when you were out and about and leave them for people to find. The pictures are ones i made and left on my local Park. You could make one for your garden if you prefer!

Please learn from my mistakes and make sure your tree guardian is either in a hole or you really push it onto the tree firmly, as only one of mine is still stuck to the tree! I really pressed the edges of that last one into the bark of the tree but i wished I had found a hole or a part of the tree which was leaning back for my tree guardians! Also take some wipes with you, for your hands when you've finished!

When i looked on line there were lots more things you could do with you clay so I've put some other peoples pictures up too. You could make a  creature - real or imaginary. You could write facts about your creature - where it lives, the food it eats, how it has adapted to its environment or you could write an imaginative story about it. Or you could use your clay to make a picture. 

Lots of ideas for you to choose. 

Tree Guardians

19/5/2020 Clay!! What can you do with it?

Tree Guardian Look what I used for his eyes! Leaves on the outside - use your imagination. Look how i shaped his mouth! I like this one best - teeth You could also make a creature. Add bits to your creature. Once dry, you could paint your creatures! Make some tracks. Make a picture
  • 12/5/20 - Sing Up Song of the Week The Sing Up Song of the Week is about global warming! 'Its Getting Too Hot For Monkeys'. Take a look at the lyrics page. Can you think about making up your own silly lyrics for the song?
  • 12/5/20 Endangered Animals in the UK There are some very cute photographs on this website but you can also look at the Countryfile website or the Woodland Trust for more information about animals in the UK - i just googled 'endangered species uk'.
  • 12/5/20 Endangered Species Day is on 15th May The website below will give you some great facts about endangered animals and plants across the world. Some of you will find this VERY interesting, especially as there is also information about plastics in the ocean, plus a pledge you can take to agree to reduce the amount of plastics you use - something we have talked about in school. I know Mrs Harding is thinking hard about the resources for the home learning packs, due to the work we are doing as an ECO Group to raise awareness. Did you notice your VE bag was paper?
  • Peregrine Falcons at Nottingham Trent University This is a live webcam, showing breeding falcons nesting on the top of a building in Nottingham. When I watched the female was sitting on the nest and eggs. There is a fact file if you want to know more, lower down the page.

5/5/2020 Making a bird feeder for your garden.

You need... Use loos roll to make your binoculours Tie a knot in a piece of your string Warm your fatball. About 15 secs in the microwave. Mould the fatball around your string. Loop the string around a wash line or tree branch. You'll have to be quiet & still on the garden! A robin is nesting in here on my garden! Robin's egg that i found near the nest. It's tiny! Get 'twitching' - that's posh for bird watching!

28/04/2020 Recycling Quiz (with the answer sheet but DON'T cheat, do the quiz first!)

  • Recycling at Veolia in Mansfield. Videos and film clips to watch about recycling and saving resources. The ECO Group went to the MRF in Mansfield last year - this is the next best thing for this year!

21/04/2020 Sunflower Challenge - who can grow the biggest and best SUNFLOWER?

Making your own compost bin

15.04.2020 -The Peas, (and we have carrots!)

Relocated Again - to Mrs Brown's new growhouse! Star Growers for this week Star Pea Growers We have carrots!!

15.04.2020

You can apply to win one of 'Grow Your Own' home kits by using the following link: https://innocentbiggrow.com. It comes with a packet of seeds, a compost disc, a handy growing guide and a special grower’s certificate. This is the same type of pack we received in school, so you can start growing at home. 

 

The peas we started growing in school and that have been at home with Mrs Brown are nearly ready to plant out, so watch this space for future photos of the planting!

 

 

07.04.2020

Pea growers of the week this week. This week our star pea growers are ... Amy and Martha.

They are not the tallest plants but have grown the most this week. 

I hope you did a bug hunt last week, when it was cooler. I bet you find different insects if you do another hunt today in the sunshine - lots of butterflies and bees today on my garden!

03/04/2020 Can you do a mini beast hunt?

31/3/2020 - You can see the peas are still growing, not as much this week as there has not been as much sunshine.  Joel and Evie are growers of the week this week but everyone's pea plants have now started to grow.  I found a plant pot for Ruby and planted some peas for her too. It's an ordinary plant pot but ive put a label on it. Even your peas are already sending out shoots! The carrots are still not doing as well but a few little plants growing."

Wed star grower - The pea plants are really getting going now with some showing over the top of the pots. Leo and Zarin are star growers this week with the tallest plants so far. Mrs Brown put them outside for a bit of sunshine. Even the carrots have started to grow - just.

Mrs Brown took the peas plants home, as we didn't get chance to give them out before we all went home. They are now living in her kitchen to give them the best chance of growing. Mrs Brown planted some peas for the children who were not able to be in the planting session so Libby, Ellie-Mae and Harley all have a pot too. Obviously they are a bit behind the other plants but have just started to send up shoots.

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