LOOK & LEARN CARDS: British Birds, Mammals and Minibeasts
Open up the world of British Wildlife with a new range of Look & Learn Cards. There are sets for Birds, Mammals and Minibeasts. The cards are designed for primary schools, after school clubs, forest schools or to enjoy at home with friends and family.
Bright, colourful and packed with wildlife photos, the cards will inspire children to discover more about our wonderful, local wildlife. The photos, illustrated here, all show the animals in their natural habitat. Look and Learn; there is so much to see!
Children will be drawn into the lives of the animals which share our gardens, parks and local woods: the Hedgehog, Badger, Blue tit, Ladybird and Millipede. What do they eat? Where do they lay their eggs? Uncover the secrets of our very own predators: the Tawny owl, Peregrine, Fox and Wolf spider!
In a tough, plastic carry case, Look & Learn Packs contain 24 laminated A5 cards. There are 4 Introduction / Instruction Cards and 20 Photo Cards with a full colour photo on one side and information about the animal, on the back.
The packs were created by the leading schools' catalogue, TTS, and The Nature Collection.
Photos and text by Susanna Ramsey, creator of 'The Nature Collection’ series of school workshops, which she has delivered in primary schools since 2010. With themes focusing on Local Wildlife, Adaptations, Classification, Food Webs, Habitats and Life Cycles, Susanna has run curriculum-linked workshops for over 26,000 children from Nursery to Year 6.
Discover 20 Common British Birds!
Garden birds: Woodpigeon, Starling, Blackbird, House sparrow, Robin, Great tit, Magpie
Birds in the woods: Tawny owl, Great spotted woodpecker, Jay, Song thrush
Birds at the pond or river: Mallard duck, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Moorhen, Black headed gull
Birds in the countryside: Barn owl, Kestrel, Pheasant
Look & Learn: Look!
Look closely at the photos and notice the differences between the birds. Which birds have orange legs? Who has spots or stripes on their feathers? Which has the longest beak? Are the beaks different shapes? Why? Do birds have brown or yellow eyes? How do their feet differ? Which has the best camouflage?
Look & Learn: Learn!
Fact Files: On the reverse of each card are 14 facts about the bird: their Scientific name, Classification, Number of UK species, Number of worldwide species, Size and wingspan, Weight, Diet, Habitat, Number of eggs, Nest site, Role in the ecosystem, Migration, UK conservation status and an Interesting fact or two, often an adaptation!
Be Inspired! Become a bird watcher or naturalist.
Be inspired to keep a record of the birds you see during the year; where you saw them and how many there were. Which of these visit your garden? Which other birds will you see?
Birds: National Curriculum Links
Use the cards to study National Curriculum topics like Habitats, Food Webs, Classification, Adaptations or Life Cycles. Why learn about animals which live on other continents when you can research the habitats of British woodpeckers, owls and robins and then walk out to find them in the local park? Discover which birds eat plants and which feed on invertebrates or small mammals.
Measurements. Select 5 birds and use the Fact Files to draw bar charts for their size, weight or number of eggs. Are males always bigger than females?
Ecosystem. Can you work out the role of different birds in the ecosystem? Some help with seed dispersal, others with pest control; some feed on dead animals while others are a food source for larger creatures.
Habitats. Sort the birds into different habitats; which birds live in the woods and which do you see near water? Do any of these birds migrate?
Life cycles. Which birds nest on the ground and which nest in a tree hole? Who lays the most eggs? Do some birds lay more than one clutch a year? Do any lay plain white eggs? Some chicks can walk and feed themselves as soon as they hatch, while others are fed by their parents for several weeks. What can ducklings and owlets do, when they hatch?
Diet. Some birds eat plants and seeds, others catch invertebrates; birds like owls and falcons hunt other birds and small mammals. Sort the birds, by their diet. Which eat frogs and toads? Do some eat other birds' eggs? Does the diet of birds change through the seasons? Do all baby birds eat caterpillars? Draw food webs for your garden or local wildlife reserve.
Classification. How many species of owl are there, worldwide?How many different types of sparrow or woodpecker live in the UK? Are Magpies and Jays in the same family?
Adaptations. Why are most female birds duller colours than the males? Which bird has a very long tongue for reaching its food? What do pigeons feed to their young?
Price: £14.99 (17.99 incl VAT)
Discover 20 British Mammals!
Mammals in our towns and cities: Fox, House mouse, Brown rat, Grey squirrel
Mammals in the parks, woods and heaths: Rabbit, Badger, Mole, Wood mouse, Field vole, Pipistrelle bat, Hedgehog, Red deer
Mammals in decline across Britain: Red squirrel, Polecat, Water vole, Otter, Grey seal
Countryside mammals: Harvest mouse, Stoat, Weasel
Look & Learn: Look!
Look closely at the photos and notice the differences between the mammals. Which mammals have long legs? Who has the biggest front feet? Which animal has the longest tail? Are all the mammals covered in fur? Who has the longest ears? Which mammal is black and white? Do all mammals have whiskers? Who has a white tummy? Why are so many mammals brown?
Look & Learn: Learn!
Fact Files. On the reverse of each card are 14 facts about the animal: their Scientific name, Size, Weight, Diet, Habitat, Nest, Number of young, Lifespan, Nocturnal, Role in the ecosystem, Impact on man, UK conservation status and an Interesting fact or two, perhaps an adaptation!
Be Inspired! Become a naturalist!
Be inspired to keep a record of the mammals you have seen during the year; where you saw them and how many there were. Which of these animals come into your garden? Did you see any other mammals on holiday?
Mammals: National Curriculum Links
Study the National Curriculum topics of Habitats, Food Webs, Adaptations, Biodiversity, Classification or Measurements in relation to Local Wildlife. Why focus on animals in the Arctic when you can learn about the animals which live in your garden or local nature reserve? You might even see them or spot their tracks!
Food Webs.Which of these mammals eats grass and berries, acorns and chestnuts? Which dig around for invertebrates or hunt small mammals? Which are the top predators? Draw some food webs for your garden or wildlife area.
Habitats. Sort the animals into their habitats. Which animals live in the woods? How many of these live underground? Do any live in the trees?
Bar Charts. Select 5 animals and use the Fact Files to draw bar charts for size, weight, lifespan or number of young!
Ecosystem. Think about the role of different mammals in the ecosystem. By grazing on new shoots or young trees, what impact do the herbivores have on the vegetation? Which of these help control small mammal populations? Do some help with seed dispersal? Some feed on dead animals while many, such as mice and voles, are a food source for larger creatures. How does digging underground tunnels help the soil composition?
What is their impact on man? Find out which of these mammals are pests and which are beneficial to farmers or gardeners.
UK Status. Some of these British mammals have suffered because of loss of habitat, pollution in rivers, use of pesticides or changes in farming methods. Some, such as the Red squirrel and Polecat, are now only found in certain areas of Britain. What is the status of our Otters and Grey seals?
Adaptations. Which animals are nocturnal? Do some mammals grow thicker coats in winter? What is special about mice's teeth? How long can seals stay underwater, to hunt?
Price £14.99 (£17.99 incl VAT)
Discover 20 British Minibeasts!
Minibeasts which feed on the flowers and plants: Chalkhill blue butterfly, White butterfly, Six-spot burnet moth, Marmalade hoverfly, Sloe bug, Rose aphids
Invertebrates which eat insects or dung: Wolf spider, Harlequin ladybird, Garden spider, Minotaur beetle
Minibeasts which live in the soil or leaf litter: Woodlouse, Millipede
Social insects which live in colonies: Honey Bee, Wasp, Black garden ant, Hornet
Minibeasts by the water: Mayfly, Dragonfly, Damselfly, Crane fly
Look & Learn: Look!
Look closely at the photos and notice the differences between the minibeasts. How many legs does each minibeast have ? Who has spots or stripes on their body? Who has spots on their wings? Which minibeast has the thinnest body? Do all invertebrates have antennae? Are antennae all the same shape? Do all invertebrates have four wings? Which minibeast looks the heaviest? Which minibeasts are hairy?
Look & Learn: Learn!
Fact Files. On the reverse of each card are 14 facts about the invertebrates: their Scientific name, Classification, Number of UK species, Number of worldwide species, Insect?, Length, Diet, Habitat, Wings, Life cycle, Role in the ecosystem, Social insect?, UK conservation status and an Interesting fact or two!
Be Inspired! Become a naturalist!
Be inspired to keep a record of all the minibeasts you see in the summer. How many different butterflies will you see? Look out for different types of spider and spider webs. What do you find under a log? Which of these minibeasts live in your garden?
Minibeasts: National Curriculum Links
Use the Fact Files to study National Curriculum topics such as Life cycles, Classification, Food webs, Seasons or Habitats. Find out about the amazing lives of the tiny creatures in your garden or local park. You can look for them on a walk or at playtime! What do they eat? Are some invertebrates predators? Which are nocturnal?
Life Cycles: Sort the cards into piles, for those with 3 stages in their life cycle and those with 4. What are the different stages? Which of these minibeasts can give birth to live young? Do woodlice and spiders lay eggs? Can all wasps lay eggs or only the queen? What is the ant's 'wedding flight'?
Environment. Think about the vital role invertebrates play in the ecosystem. Which help with pollination? Which speed up the break down of leaf litter? Which are eaten by larger animals such as toads, badgers or birds?
Food Webs: What do these minibeasts eat? Do the young, like caterpillars, eat different food to the adults? Why? What do ladybirds and millipedes eat? Do some of these minibeasts eat each other? Which are predators and which are prey? Can you make up a food chain?
Impact on man. Are some minibeasts beneficial to gardeners and farmers? How do they help?
Seasons. How do these tiny creatures survive the winter? Do you see insects or spiders when it is frosty? Where are they hiding?
Which of these are social, living together in colonies? Is there a queen hornet? Why do ants 'farm' some caterpillars and aphids?
Adaptations. How do Wolf spiders catch their prey? How do Garden spiders build a web? Why do hoverflies imitate bees and wasps? How does the female dragonfly breathe underwater, while she lays her eggs?
Classification. Find out how many species of butterfly and moth there are in the UK and worldwide. How many different types of spider?
Price £14.99 (£17.99 incl VAT)
BRITISH WILDLIFE PRODUCTS
Explore the whole range of British Wildlife products created by the leading schools' catalogue, TTS and The Nature Collection. The products are perfect for use in primary schools, nurseries, after school clubs, forest schools or at home with friends and family. Inspire children of all ages to explore the lives of the animals which share our gardens, parks and woods.
Look & Learn Cards: British Birds, Mammals & Minibeasts
Classification: British Wildlife & Natural History
Identification Wheels: British Birds, Mammals & Minibeasts
Credits:
Susanna Ramsey