EXPLORER DAY

  • Arctic Svalbard Active Outdoor Discovery Primary Geography Resources KS1 KS2

Having an Explorer Day is a great way to enthuse your pupils for geography!

Start off with an “Indoor Explorer” workshop for the whole year group or even school, then each class has a turn to be “Outdoor Explorers” learning how to use a map in your school’s outdoor space.

As an Expedition Leader, I can inspire your children and enthuse them for geography with tales of travel from the frigid Arctic tundra to the steaming rain forests of Borneo via lofty mountains, the incredible Galapagos Islands, the parched Namib Desert, the endless boreal forest of Canada, the mighty Zambezi, the smoking volcanoes of Nicaragua and other far flung places. See the “Indoor Explorers” section for the full choice of workshops. All  in their own classroom! I’ll bring along an expedition pack full of the clothing and equipment you’d take with you for the children to see. Your children will be full of questions  – give them the opportunity to put them to someone who has been to these incredible places.

Then it’s off outside with maps and compasses to do some exploring of their own! Children love looking at maps – take the children and maps outdoors and the degree to which they engage with them increases even further.  The use of maps remains a key life skill and maps can be related to so many different areas of the curriculum. You don’t need to go the logistical trouble or financial expense of arranging an off-site visit for your children to experience the fun and learning opportunities of orienteering. As an Outdoor Activities Instructor (with an enhanced DBS check) I can introduce your pupils to some of the some of the skills required to use a map in a fun, engaging “Map Skills and Mini-Orienteering” activity session.

A one-hour “Map Skills/Mini-Orienteering” activity session includes the following elements:

● Looking at Ordnance Survey maps to see what the colours and symbols mean;
● Constructing a huge map from climbing ropes on the playground to look at compass directions [KS1];
● Getting out compasses, seeing how to set a simple bearing and finding out how to find north without one [KS2];
● Measuring distance by counting paces;
● A mini-orienteering challenge – using a simple especially drawn map of the school drawn map of the school, children use their new skills to search for hidden flags

Maximum group size for outdoor sessions is 30 children. Session duration can be shortened to fit more sessions into a day. All equipment is provided.