Woodland tracker is a great way to investigate which animals are sneaking around in your outdoor space or local woodland. It's a great activity if you're looking at observation skills or habitats and can be differentiated for all age ranges.
For this practical science investigation students will mark out an area using sand or fine soil and leave it overnight before returning to see if they can spot and identify any animal tracks that have been left behind. This can be done as a one off investigation or as an ongoing project where you could introduce different variables such as location, season or food.
- Ask students how they could recognize where animals have been in the wild.
- Complete the 'Match The Track' activity. - Explain that they are going to lay out fine sand or soil over a chosen area (2 meter squared is a good size) and leave it overnight before returning to see if there are any animal tracks they can spot and identify.
- Choose an area and lay out the sand or soil. Leave it for one or two nights. - Return to the area and complete the record sheet using the animal tracks matching activity to help.
To further differentiate this activity, get students to carry it out multiple times choosing something to change. They can complete the investigation method sheet and questions to help guide them through this.
Science
Woodland tracker is a great way to investigate which animals are sneaking around in your outdoor space or local woodland. It's a great activity if you're looking at observation skills or habitats and can be differentiated for all age ranges.
For this practical science investigation students will mark out an area using sand or fine soil and leave it overnight before returning to see if they can spot and identify any animal tracks that have been left behind. This can be done as a one off investigation or as an ongoing project where you could introduce different variables such as location, season or food.
- Ask students how they could recognize where animals have been in the wild.
- Complete the 'Match The Track' activity. - Explain that they are going to lay out fine sand or soil over a chosen area (2 meter squared is a good size) and leave it overnight before returning to see if there are any animal tracks they can spot and identify.
- Choose an area and lay out the sand or soil. Leave it for one or two nights. - Return to the area and complete the record sheet using the animal tracks matching activity to help.
To further differentiate this activity, get students to carry it out multiple times choosing something to change. They can complete the investigation method sheet and questions to help guide them through this.