Activity Ideas
- Friends of the Earth: Learning Resources
A selection of free teaching resources from Friends of the Earth.
- Nature Detectives from the Woodlands Trust
A selection of resources from the Woodland Trust
- Nature’s Calendar from the Woodland Trust
A place to record the sightings of wildlife to record the changing of the seasons.
Background Reading (Dustbowl)
- Nature’s Calendar from the Woodland Trust
A place to record the sightings of wildlife to record the changing of the seasons.
- The Dustbowl (North America in the 1930s)
In the 1930s poor agricultual practice and drought led to a series of devastating dust storms.
Background Reading (General)
- “Who Will Save Us?” – A book about climate change
Flip & Flap, Waddle, Splash and Littlest are a group of young penguins discovering their wonderful world, only to find it is changing at the hands of the humans. Adopting a positive and practical approach, ‘Who Will Save Us?’ teaches children (and th
- BBC Wildfacts Site
An excellent site full of information, pictures and sound clips of animals, including extinct animals.
- Bird and Animal Sounds
The British Library’s collection of bird and animal sounds, arranged by locality. Great for identifying birds and animals you hear near you!
- Bird Sounds 1
A selection of different bird songs to listen to, to help you identify birds local to you.
- Bird Sounds 2
Another selection of bird songs to listen to, to help you identify birds local to you.
- Earth Lab Fossil Datasite
Pictures and information on fossils and rocks from around the UK, searchable by location.
- Find Local Museums with Museum Net
Local museums can be a great resource for all sorts of projects – this site helps you find the museums local to you and see what they have to offer.
- How to bind a book
How to bind a book – a great way to store the results of your Roots & Shoots projects!
Background Reading (Iceworld)
- “Who Will Save Us?” – A book about climate change
Flip & Flap, Waddle, Splash and Littlest are a group of young penguins discovering their wonderful world, only to find it is changing at the hands of the humans. Adopting a positive and practical approach, ‘Who Will Save Us?’ teaches children (and th
- Animal Adaptations to the Cold
Information on how Alaskan animals are adapted to the cold environment in which they live.
- Animal Adaptations to the Cold 2
More information on how animals cope with cold weather, with a particular emphasis on extended lifecycles and hibernation
- Animal Adaptations to the Cold 3: Southern Ocean and Antarctica
More information on how animals cope with cold weather, with a particular emphasis on the Southern Ocean and Antarctica
- Animals in the Winter
Lots of information on how animals cope when it is cold.
- Antarctica Presentation
A presentation on Antarctica from the University of Texas (best viewed with Internet Explorer)
- Arctic Animals 2
More pictures and information on Arctic animals of today
- Arctic pages at Smithsonian Forces of Change
All sorts of information about the Arctic and how it is being affected by climate change
- Arctic Wildlife
Pictures and information about animals that live in the Arctic today.
- BBC Wildfacts Site
An excellent site full of information, pictures and sound clips of animals, including extinct animals.
- Blewbury Energy Initiative
Lots of useful information on saving energy, from a community site in Blewbury, Oxfordshire.
- British Hedgehogs
All sorts of information on British Hedgehogs, including advice on how to feed them.
- Daily Life for Scientists in Antarctica
From the British Antarctic Survey site, find out about life for the people living and working in Antarctica
- Earth Lab Fossil Datasite
Pictures and information on fossils and rocks from around the UK, searchable by location.
- Energy Monitors from Maplin
Plug in energy monitors are cheap to purchase and a great way to see where you are using energy at home and at school. These ones are from Maplin and are shown here for example purposes – they can be purchased from a number of stockists.
- Energy Saving Trust
Advice on how to save money and fight climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from your home.
- Envocare
Information on what can be recycled, and how.
- Eyewitness to Change video from the Smithsonian
A video about life in the Arctic, and how it is being affected by climate change.
- Global Cooling – Past and Future Ice Ages
What is an ice age, and can they happen in the future? This section of the Natural History Museum website tells you how.
- Global Cooling 2 – Shifting the Gulf Stream
Some more information on the climatic effects of the Gulf Stream and its potential future. From the Guardian website.
- Hibernation
Information on why animals hibernate, and which animals do it.
- Ice Age mammals from Enchanted Learning
Pictures and information about animals that lived in the last Ice Age.
- Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic
Information on who lives in the Arctic today, and what life is like for them.
- MapCrow Travel Distance Calculator
This website calculates the distance between any two places in the world. It’s great for working out things like food miles.
- More Ice Age Animals
More information on Ice Age animals.
- Recycling Facts and Figures from Recycling Guide
Lots of handy facts about how much material is created, wasted and recycled in the UK.
- Reduce Reuse Recycle
Information on how to reduce the amount of waste material you produce when at home and at school
- The Little Ice Age
Wikipedia’s entry on the Little Ice Age
- The Little Ice Age 2
More detailed information on the climate change shifts that happened around the time of the Little Ice Age.
- The People of the Arctic – Living in Arctic Communities
More information on the people who live in the Arctic today
- Waste Online
Rubbish, waste, garbage…Whatever you want to call it, most people don’t think about the rubbish they produce. Or how much of it. This site gives you the information!
Background Reading (Waterworld)
- The Lifecycle of the Mosquito
A brief video detailing the amazing life of a disease-transmitting insect – the mosquito!
- Working with Mosquitoes – A Day in the Life of a Museum Scientist
Video showing a day in the life of a scientist at the Natural History Museum working on mosquitoes.
Friends of Roots & Shoots
- Chimpanzee Central at the Jane Goodall Institute
Learn all about chimpanzees and the Jane Goodall Institute’s work in Africa
- Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international award programme that guides schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed these principles into the heart of school life. Roots & Shoots activities are an excellent way to work towards an Eco
- Nature Detectives from the Woodlands Trust
A selection of resources from the Woodland Trust
- Peace One Day
Supporting World Peace Day is a way of showing you stand for living in balance with the planet and each other – find out more here.
- The Jane Goodall Institute – UK
Everything you need to know about the Jane Goodall Institute, the people who run Roots & Shoots: Mission Possible
- The Web Of Hope
Education for sustainable development.
- World Animal Day
Show the animals you care – be part of something special!
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