UCL Roots & Shoots Team

Year 5 were granted a look into the Blind Community. The workshop revolved around the difficulties and challenges faced by blind people and how we can sometimes go out of our way to help them if they need it. The children also grasped the adaptations and solutions developed by and for blind people to help with everything; from everyday tasks like pouring a cup of tea to reading. We introduced two new languages to the class too, both Braille and Moon. The children grasped the subjects well and came up with challenging ideas such as how blind people dream and what their concept of the world could be.

Year 6 learned how important to life water is and how crucial it is to save it. From water guns to sprinklers, we tried to identify most water-consuming items pupils use at home. We took part in a competition about the use of water in the household and the winning team was rewarded with mouth-watering lollipops. Whilst watching a presentation about water around the world, we realised that some people must walk a very long way to provide their family with it. This is why Year 6 students each made a pledge which they wrote on a leaf and stuck to the Roots & Shoots pledge tree.

This week Year Five got down to the bare bones of extinction! With the help of some skulls from UCL’s Grant Museum, the pupils of St Michael’s C of E school, Camden learned about the dangers facing wild animals. We looked at the skeletons of endangered animals and talked about why they may become extinct in the next few decades. We learned about deforestation, illegal pet trade, bushmeat and trophy hunting. We even had the opportunity to look at some animal objects which had been confiscated at Heathrow customs.

Today the UCL Roots & Shoots team were sent by Special Agent J to Year 4 of St Michael’s School. Our Mission? Prevent a future Ice Age!

We learned about where our food comes from….. Friederike’s apple came from China, Geoffrey had one from Chile, but Jess had found one from Kent! We decided that apples could only travel from the far corners of the world by plane – contributing to the future Ice Age – so it is a much better idea to buy English apples which have only travelled by lorry. But what about something more complicated…a CHOCOLATE CAKE! We found out how near and far the ingredients of a chocolate cake could have travelled. Some ingredients, like coffee …

Read all of UCL Roots & Shoots Team: Workshop 3 – Mission Update!

This Monday, 8th February, Four UCL volunteers visited Years 2 and 5 at St Michael’s CofE School in Camden.

Year Two met UCL volunteers Luke, Pierre, Filip and Jess and their alien friends Busta and Pong to learn all about RUBBISH! We learned where rubbish goes after it leaves our bin and discovered that 70% of the waste in landfill sites could be recycled! We learned how to use the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and tested out our new skills by making stylish pen holders from some our rubbish. We were helped along by Busta and Pong’s catchy recycling song!

On a fittingly snowy day, Year Five learned about the people live in the coldest places on …

Read all of UCL Roots & Shoots Team: Workshop 2 – Mission Update!

On February 1st, 2010, UCL Roots & Shoots Team presented their first workshops to St Michael’s CofE School, Camden. Three volunteers worked with Year One and Year Three.

Year One first learned which animals live in the cold, how animals adapt to cold weather and the ways we can help local wildlife survive the winter. Suddenly a distress call from the future told the children that the world could suffer a devastating Ice Age if we continued to use up so much energy! We imagined how animals in London might cope with the big freeze (growing big, fluffy, snow-camouflaged coats, storing food, hibernating) and we talked about the ways in which we use energy at home and in the classroom. …

Read all of UCL Roots & Shoots Team’s First Workshops – Mission Update!

Roots & Shoots, UCL Team in London joined Roots & Shoots: Mission Possible today.

You can see where Roots & Shoots, UCL Team is on a map and read about their local environment here.