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GEOG A to Z: FIELDWORK B IS FOR BIOME

https://geography.org.uk/national-fieldwork/

GeogAtoZ: B is for Biome

Day two of the GeogAtoZ blog, supporting the Geographical Association’s National Festival of Fieldwork! The letter B is for the biome on your doorstep: in the U.K a temperate biome. This is an opportunity to take your classes outside and turn abstract geographical concepts into tangible, “muddy-boots” reality.

The UK Climate: More Than Just Talking About the Weather

It is worth grounding your pupils in the climate that shapes our U.K biome. We are characterised by a mild, temperate climate, but one that is visibly shifting:

  • Summer Temperatures: Historically averaging between 15°C and 20°C. However, as we have seen in recent years, extreme spikes upwards of 35°C are occurring, with standard temperatures regularly climbing into the 20s and 30s due to climate variation and climate change.
  • Winter Temperatures: Winters in much of the U.K rarely drop below zero. For those of us teaching in urbanised areas—particularly in the south of England—snow has become a rarity.
  • Rainfall: Is generally high and spread right across the year, typically varying between one and four metres annually.

Fieldwork Idea: Have your pupils look up the specific annual rainfall data for your school's local area. How does your local microclimate compare to the highest and lowest rainfall records across the UK?


Deciduous Drama: What Grows Here?

When we think about our native temperate biome, we need to picture magnificent deciduous forests. Children are often taught early on that trees lose their leaves in autumn, but fieldwork allows us to teach them why: it’s a survival mechanism to conserve water and energy during the colder months.

Get your pupils identifying native tree species in your local park, school grounds, or woodland:

  • Oak
  • Beech
  • Ash
  • Sycamore

Diving into the Understory

While the canopy gets a lot of attention, the real magic happens below in the understory. This is the perfect layer for a primary or secondary spotting activity.

The forest floor is sustained by fertile brown earth soils. Introduce your classes to a wonderful, rich geographical word: humus—the dark, nutrient-rich organic matter formed by rotting leaf litter that supports our the ecosystem.

Temperate Wildlife: From Canopies to Crawlers

Our biome is teeming with life that pupils can easily spot or look for signs of during a local walk.

  • Mammals: Keep an eye out for squirrels, foxes, badgers, deer, and—if you are very lucky—hedgehogs. I for one have seen evidence of them in London’s urban fringe, which means they can still be found in the densest locations around.
  • Birds: From common sparrows and robins to owls and the distinct drumming of a woodpecker (also which can be heard in the heart of London)! Kingfishers, too, can thrive too on even narrow urban waterways.
  • Insects and Invertebrates: These thrive in the damp, sheltered undergrowth.

The Human Footprint: Ancient vs. Secondary Growth

A crucial aspect of the geography curriculum is the human influence on the landscape. It is vital to teach pupils that the woodland they see today is not what was always there.

Much of the UK’s ancient temperate forest was cleared centuries ago for housing, agriculture, and industry. Consequently, almost all the managed woodland we interact with today is secondary growth.

Discussion Point: Challenge your pupils to investigate the history of their local green spaces. How old are the trees in your locality? Are there local conservation efforts or famous nearby ancient woodlands, like Epping Forest or the New Forest, where active conservation is taking place?

Fieldwork Activity: Understory Spotting

Ready to get outside? Try an understory spotting activity with your class.

Encourage your pupils to quieten down and revel in the wonderful vocabulary of our native bird species that nest near the ground alongside the ferns, wildflowers, and fallen acorns. Create a checklist for them to spot or listen out for:


Take it a Step Further...

If you are feeling brave and want to try an emotive, highly effective approach to geography, why not try a barefoot walk around a safe patch of your understory? Feeling the textures of the moss, the soil, and the leaf litter underfoot is an unforgettable sensory experience that connects children directly to the biome they are studying.

See you tomorrow for C! Happy fieldwork!

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