99 Species
99 Species wants to boost children's excitement about nature. In Denmark we are surrounded by lots of fantastic species, but most of us know very little about the abundance of different animals, plants and insects that form our natural world. We want to change this as nature gives us experiences, happiness and increased quality of life. The idea of the 99 Species project is to teach pupils to appreciate and be excited about the wonders that is right outside their door. They do this by precenting 99 chosen species in exciting and engaging ways.
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The Nature Friendly Schools project led by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts works in partnership with schools over a 12-month period to develop a model for school-led outdoor learning. During this time the school will receive teacher training, optional off-site visits, lesson plans & resources and a package of clothing/kit/materials required to facilitate outdoor learning.
* TOP TIP *
'Choose a local habitat to research and find out about the ways in which human populations are impacting the habitat and the plants and animals that rely on it'
How is the project linked to climate change and sustainability?
When it comes to knowing about domestic nature, flora and fauna, Danes are on the bottom of the list of the EU countries. Therefore ‘99 Species’ are trying to spread awareness about the biodiversity and environment that surrounds us in Denmark. What have you learned at school today? If parents ask their children, there is a strong possibility that they heard about climate, pollutions, plastic, clearing of rainforests and much more. However, there is a strong possibility that they did not hear the most fantastic stories that are hiding right outside their door in the Danish nature.
Who is involved?
The educational material targets the older primary school pupils. However, the project is working on expanding their educational material to include all grades. And it is possible to find material on the website that can be targeted at younger pupils.
How are the participants involved?
At the heart of the project are 99 two-minute videos about the different species, so watching some of these videos in class will improve the overall learning experience for the pupils. Teaching material has been formed around the videos and includes teaching guides on lifecycles, species classification, family trees, bingo games and songs about species.
Key steps:
The 99 Species website provides some good ideas for learning about different species. You can use the information here, or even do your own reseach on the internet.
1. Find an animal or plant you don't know, watch a video or read about it to find out about its special characteristics
2. Look at the ancestry of the species to discover how closely they are related to other species, and perhaps to us (!) in the family tree of species classification
3. Discover more about the life cycle of the species, there are many different solutions.
4. Sing-along about each species - the website has written verses to remember details about all the 99