Activities for lockdown learning: episode 1

Get inspired

Thinking global – In a 4 minute film #naturenow Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot explain the need for nature based solutions.

Acting local – Grow yummy pea shoots with a recycled plastic carton and a sunny window ledge, no compost necessary.
Discover the magic of how spring onions re-grow from the trimmings just in a pot of water.

Restore: a nature based solution in #naturenow

A London Plane labelled by Rachel Summers aka @curiouswilds

Connecting with trees…

A lemur in a tropical forest in Madagascar

What trees are up your street?

Find out if the trees on your street are on the London Street Trees map.

Spring goal: Can you learn 5 tree ID’s?

Check out the Woodland Trust Tree ID App. It is perfect for turning your walk in the park into a game of discovery.

The Woodland Trust’s Nature Detectives Tree ID for Kids (and adults) has printable resources to help you identify a tree by its leaves, bark, twigs, nuts and seeds.

Spring action: Share the new tree name knowledge

Walthamstow resident and Forest School leader Rachel Summers has been labelling local trees with chalk on pavement.

Everyone can give this a go.

An issue to explore… Palm oil

Find out about one of the most common ingredients in the food in our cupboards in this Ethical Consumer podcast on palm oil (21 mins). Suitable for teens upwards.

For upper Key Stage 3 students – ‘palm oil, you, me and orangutans’ guides you through researching the effects of palm oil production on the rainforest.

For the family – get ingredient savvy.
Palm oil is in a mind blowing number of food and households products. Check the ingredients list on 10 items in your kitchen and bathroom.

If they contain palm oil is there something else you could replace it with?
Are there any logos such as such as fair trade? Check this guide to food labels to find out what they mean.