Activity: Journey sticks
Where?
This is an activity for you to lead outdoors, and later back in the classroom.
Who for?
Key stage 2 - England and Wales
This activity can also be enjoyed by older children and adults too!
Who by?
This activity is for you to take, using the resources below.
Activity aims:
- To decorate a stick to help remember a favourite walk or journey in a National Park
- Children can either collect materials and decorate their 'memory stick' during a walk or do this in the classroom
- To use natural, sustainable materials
- To discuss the use of maps to show routes - and how the journey stick can act instead of a map
- To practise communication skills
What you will need:
Activity guide - download here
activity_guide_journey_sticks.pdf
Safety guide - download here
safety_briefing.pdf
- Compass and map showing collecting area or walk
- A map! Get hold of an OS map of the Brecon Beaons - or download a less detailed Brecon Beacons map (PDF) here:
www.getactive-beacons.co.uk/map - You can also download a section of an OS map here:
www.getamap.ordnancesurveyleisure.co.uk - Boxes or bags for collecting materials
- Wool, scissors, sticks
- Waterproofs and wellies or appropriate clothing
- Digital camera - suggestion! Snap pictures along the walk to help prompt discussion
For classroom activity:
Before:
- Spend 10-15 minutes introducing the concept of memory or journey sticks
- Use a map to talk about your planned route
After:
- Spend time discussing your journey before decorating sticks (unless one en-route)
- Demonstrate how to wind the wool around the sticks - see lesson plan/activity guide
- When the sticks are finished get children to talk about the walk. Encourage use of descriptive phrases
For more information on this activity:
Contact the Brecon Beacons National Park education team on 01874 624437
education@breconbeacons.org
Curriculum links (England and Wales):
Subject area(s): geography / history / art and design
ESD 1 (behaviours) application:
- Promoting (informed, skilled) behaviours and ways of thinking where the need for this is deemed important by the experts.
To practice art using reusable and renewable resources in a sustainable way.
ESD 2 (thinking critically) application:
- Building capacity to think critically about (and beyond) what experts say, and test out sustainable development ideas.
How we can learn sustainable techniques and practices from communities in the past.
Curriculum objectives: geography / history / art and design
- Describe, compare and contrast places and environments
- Communicate findings in a variety of ways
- Identify and describe what places are like
- Identify differences between ways of life at different times
- Use a variety of materials
- Select and record from observation, experience, memory
