Garswood Primary
and Nursery SchoolGeography field trip to Fairy Glen
Lesson: Geography
Class: Year 3 Year: 2024 - 2025
23.09.2024
Rivers – Trip to Fairy Glen – Field Trip
Field work enquiry question: Do all rivers have the same key features of a river?
Today, the children visited Sprodley Brook to observe its features and compare them with what they know about rivers. I spoke to the children about the brook's source and asked where they thought the water came from. The children suggested that the rain was responsible for filling the brook. I also explained that the brook is a tributary of a river and provided each child with a map of Fairy Glen and the local area. When I told them that the River Douglas feeds into Sprodley Brook, they were amazed.
We walked along the brook for a while, then stopped to look back at it. I asked the children, "Can you explain why the brook doesn’t run in a straight line?" After thinking for a moment, one child suggested that the water might have carved away the ground. Another child shouted out that it is meandering. I explained that water doesn't always follow a straight path because it's a natural force that creates its own course, so it will meander through the landscape.
Further down the brook, we watched how the water flowed and noticed how some parts of the brook's edges had eroded. I explained to the children that this was an example of erosion and described how erosion occurs. We then looked to see if we could spot any other signs of erosion.
After a while, we saw a small waterfall flowing down from a slope into the brook. I asked the children where they thought the water came from. Some suggested rain, so we discussed how rainwater collects at the top of the hill in the fields, and the excess water finds its way down the slope into the brook. The children were eager to search for more waterfalls after that.
We also measured the brook at two points: at the beginning and in the middle. In the middle, the water was not as deep, so we thought about why that might be. One child observed that at the first point, the brook was shaped like a bowl, or sphere. We discussed the shape and why the water was deeper there. In the middle, the brook was wider, and the water was flowing differently. When we measured the water further down the brook, it was 2 centimetres higher than in the middle. The children shared ideas about why this might be happening.
During the trip, the children also looked at the plants and trees, and some noticed the animals and birds near the brook. We discussed why these living things might be found near the water. The children remembered from their science lessons that plants need water to grow, and animals rely on water, too. I explained that nearly all living things need water to survive and thrive.
On the way back to the coach, the children pointed out the different features of the brook that we had discovered. After a great discussion the children decided that all brooks, streams and rivers have the same features.
It was a wonderful trip—well done, Year 3!
