Life Based Learning ™
Delivering subject content through nine life themes
Category: Plants, Environment & Nature
Trees of Europe
More than half of the native trees of Europe face disappearance from the natural landscape due to mostly human activity as reported in The Guardian. The threat to Europe’s trees is an important reason for conservationists to support the Merged Action Curriculum which has… Continue Reading “Trees of Europe”
The state of nature in Britain
Living, as I do, in a semi-rural area, in walks down country lanes surrounded by fields on either side, the lack of flora and fauna is stark. The fields are controlled to grow the crop and nothing else. The hedgerows are reduced to rampant… Continue Reading “The state of nature in Britain”
Connecting with the natural world
The Wildlife Trusts, which represents 46 local organisations and 2,300 nature reserves in the UK, is recommending that all primary schoolchildren should spend at least one hour a day learning and playing in wild places. They point out that it will help to improve… Continue Reading “Connecting with the natural world”
The benefits of plants
More evidence emerges of the health benefits of the Great Outdoors and of our growing love affair with plants. According to this report, a Royal Horticultural Society poll in Britain found that 71% of respondents feel that gardens and outdoor spaces have helped them… Continue Reading “The benefits of plants”
Life-based learning on the environment ahead of the times?
Last night David Attenborough, in the BBC documentary ‘Extinction: The Facts‘ tolled the bell on worldwide loss of habitat and biodiversity, threats to species and extinction of not just wild animals, but putting human existence itself at risk. Pulling no punches, Attenborough banged that… Continue Reading “Life-based learning on the environment ahead of the times?”
Taking an active interest in nature improves children’s mental health
One of the undoubted positives to come out of a year of unprecedented difficulties, challenges and misery is the abundance of evidence that an active interest in nature improves mental wellbeing. This needs to be properly reflected in the school curriculum. Millions of people,… Continue Reading “Taking an active interest in nature improves children’s mental health”
Birdwatching is a great way for children to learn more about nature
Birdwatching is an activity for all ages and interest in ‘twitching’ is on the increase. The Forum for Life-Based Learning is in favour of schools teaching about birds and promoting birdwatching as a way of increasing children’s appreciation of nature and promoting mental wellbeing.… Continue Reading “Birdwatching is a great way for children to learn more about nature”
Landmark Treasury review calls for high-profile nature education
An important review has called for nature and the environment to be at the heart of learning in schools. The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review looks at the cost of humanity’s impact on the natural world and suggests eye-catching and often radical reforms… Continue Reading “Landmark Treasury review calls for high-profile nature education”
We need to transform our relationship with nature, says the UN
A major United Nations report has characterised humanity’s relationship with the planet as a war and called for a fundamental reset in order to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for us all. The report, called Making Peace with Nature, has been published by… Continue Reading “We need to transform our relationship with nature, says the UN”
Using COP26 to press the environmental education reset button
It might seem fanciful to imagine anything dislodging Covid-19 from the headlines at the moment, but in the coming months we are likely to be seeing, hearing and reading a great deal about the forthcoming COP26 climate change conference. As the UK is the… Continue Reading “Using COP26 to press the environmental education reset button”