The Centre of the Earth is the Wildlife Trust's purpose built education centre, situated in Winson Green on the Soho loop of the Birmingham canal and just 2 km from the city centre. Completed in May 1992 the timber-framed building demonstrates low impact building design. Facilities include a large circular classroom, meeting room, toilets, car park and small outdoor amphitheatre. It is set in its own half-hectare grounds, which have been landscaped to demonstrate aspects of urban ecology. The Centre comfortably accommodates groups of between 30 and 40 students. There is wheelchair access to the classroom, toilets and the grounds. There is adequate space indoors or out for students to eat their packed lunch. Tea and coffee making facilities are provided for visiting staff.

 

Travel

The Centre is easily accessible by public transport. It is close to the 82, 87, 88 bus routes along the Dudley Road to the City Hospital, and the 11 outer circle. It is also 460 metres from the Winson Green Midland Metro station.

 

Education programmes

The Centre offers a variety of full- and half-day programmes developed to cover a range of curriculum areas including Science, English, Geography, History, Design & Technology, PSHE and Citizenship. Details are given on the attached sheets. We have also indicated how the programmes relate to key concepts for Education for Sustainable Development. Centre staff are happy to negotiate with schools to ensure the programmes offered meet the exact requirements of visiting groups. You are warmly invited to visit The Centre in advance to see the facilities and discuss the details of the education programmes.

 

Training

The Centre offers workshops and seminars for teachers on a range of topics relevant to Education for Sustainable Development and National Curriculum subjects. The Centre is available as a venue for whole school training days and also offers a range of training courses through the national Environmental Trainers Network. Details available on request.

 

How to book

To find out more about our programmes and to negotiate a visit to suit your student's needs, please contact either Andrew Simons, Education Officer or Don Gamble, Centre Manager, Centre of the Earth, 42 Norman Street, Winson Green, Birmingham B18 7EP (Tel/Fax: 0121 515 1702). A booking form will be sent on request, which when completed and returned will confirm the details of the booking.

 

Cost

Full-day £2.50 per student (excluding VAT)
Half-day £1.50 per student (excluding VAT)
Schools may either pay on the day or be invoiced after the visit.
Cheques should be made payable to The Wildlife Trust.
Please note that there is a minimum charge of £20 for a half-day and £30 for a full-day visit.


Art and Design

These programmes use the natural and made environments as a starting point for practical work in art and design. They offer the opportunity to experiment with a variety of materials, tools and techniques, and explore the work of different artists working in different times and cultures. Some of the programmes are also relevant to other curriculum areas such as Design and Technology, History, Geography and Science.

Colour in Nature
Through a range of activities the children explore the colours, shapes, forms, textures and patterns in the Centre grounds. Using techniques such as tie and dye they experiment with the use of natural materials to dye fabrics. The children explore how different cultures use colour in art and design, and the use and significance of colour in the natural world.

What is Sculpture?
Links to QCA Scheme of Work: 1C What is sculpture?

Journeys
Children are introduced to the materials and techniques used by different artists and cultures to record journeys. They make a short journey in the locality of the Centre, following the diary entries of someone who made a similar journey in the past. They record their journey in various ways such as collage, sketches, words, collecting natural objects and photography. Links to QCA Scheme of Work: 4C Journeys

Celebrating the Landscape
Starting with the children's own experiences of landscapes, their likes and dislikes, and the contrasts between urban and rural landscapes, the children are encouraged to observe and question a view of the landscape around the Centre. They explore how other artists working in different times and cultures have celebrated the landscape before creating their own representations using a variety of materials, tools and techniques.
Links to QCA Scheme of Work: 6C A Sense of Place

Textiles
This programme explores the different materials used to make textiles and their origins. Children experiment with different techniques of decorating textiles such as batik, screen-printing, and tie and dye. They also consider how the textiles we wear and fashions we choose affect people and the environment. The focus of this programme may vary depending on the requirements of the school. For example, it may form part of a scheme of work on the history and culture of Benin, a Design and Technology project, or an exploration of the work of a particular artist such as William Morris. Links to QCA Scheme of Work: 5C Talking Textiles

Visiting a museum, gallery or site
A visit to Centre of the Earth for any of the above programmes could be a focus for work on the QCA Scheme of Work: Visiting a museum, gallery or site.



Science - Living things in their environment

These programmes are relevant to those aspects of the KS1 & 2 Science curriculum concerned with scientific enquiry, variation and classification and living things in their environment. They are also relevant to those aspects of Geography concerned with knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development.

Seasonal Earthwalks
Earthwalks are designed to encourage children to explore the natural environment using all of their senses. There are a wide range of earthwalk activities available, so each walk can be designed to reflect special themes, for example, colour and pattern in nature, the seasons etc. They help children develop observational skills and to communicate their observations through speaking and listening to each other. They are also an excellent stimulus for creative writing and art. Links to QCA Scheme of Work: 1A Ourselves

Earth Caretakers
This exciting full-day programme explores key concepts such as energy flow, the cycling of materials, and change in natural systems and encourages children to think of ways they can help care for the environment. The children participate in an earthwalk - using their senses to explore the natural world. Through a range of activities they explore how green plants capture the sun's energy and how this energy is transferred through food chains. The children receive their own special booklet in which to apply what they learn and to record their ideas for how to protect the environment.

'Munch Line' Monitors (Food Chains)
This activity which focuses on energy flow and food chains may be offered as part of Earth Caretakers but can also be run as a stand alone activity. The children are invited to become trainee 'munch line' monitors. (A 'munch line' is another name for a food chain). To complete their training they search for examples of sun, plant and animal munching, collect evidence to form a pyramid of numbers and learn what they can do to monitor the health of food chains.

Home Sweet Home (Needs of Life)
A stimulating role play in which the children are introduced to three different habitats in the Centre grounds - woodland, pond/marsh and meadow - and discover how the plants and animals which live there meet their needs of life and are suited to their environment.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: 2B Plants and animals in the local environment, 4B Habitats and 6A Interdependence and Adaptation

Comparing habitats
The children compare the animals and plants living in two different habitats in the Centre grounds and investigate how they are suited to where they live. For example, they might compare the animals and plants found in freshwater with those found in terrestrial habitats such as woodland and grassland. Alternatively, they might compare the plants growing in a meadow with those growing in a woodland or on a lawn - and put forward explanations for any differences.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: 2B Plants and animals in the local environment, 4B Habitats and Interdependence and Adaptation

Freshwater Ecology
A range of activities based around sampling water life in the Centre's ponds or the adjacent canal. At KS1 the children are introduced to the animals they might find and discuss some of the ways in which they are suited to their environment. They sample the animals, identify and record what they find, and group them according to similarities and differences. At KS2 children may sample the different zones in the pond, use a simple key to identify and classify the animals, and investigate in more detail how they are suited to their environment. They may also look at how food chains and food webs can be used to describe feeding relationships, and are introduced to terms such as predator and prey, herbivore, carnivore and decomposer.Links to QCA Schemes of Work:2B Plants and animals in the local environment, 4B Habitats, 5B Life Cycles and 6A Interdependence and Adaptation.


Energy and Materials

These programmes are particularly relevant to those aspects of Science concerned with materials and their properties and how living things and the environment need protection; also environmental change and sustainable development in Geography; and the evaluating of products and processes in Design and Technology.

Building Links
This programme explores the use of energy and materials in building construction and the impacts this has on people and the environment. With the help of a plan children identify the materials used in the construction of the Centre building, investigate the properties of the materials, why they were chosen and where they came from. With the help of photographs, video and other secondary sources the children investigate the possible impacts of the production, transport and use of materials such as aluminium, wood, copper, steel, concrete, plastic and brick.
Links to Primary Science QCA Schemes of Work: 1C Sorting and using materials and 3C Characteristics of materials

'Storm in a Teacup?'
This popular and lively theatre-in-education programme, devised with Language Alive!, explores the factors involved in siting a new power station and the environmental impacts of electricity generation using fossil fuels. It is followed by a debate about the different options for producing energy and ways of reducing our energy consumption. A half-day programme, 'Storm in a Teacup?' could be ideally followed by a half- day exploring aspects of energy efficiency or alternative energy sources.

Fuel Savers
This full-day energy awareness programme explores both the arguments for energy efficiency and the means of achieving it. It begins with the theatre-in-education programme, 'Storm in a Teacup?' (see description above). This is followed by an energy audit of the Centre building through which the children learn the value of monitoring energy consumption, how and where energy is used, and which electrical appliances use most energy. They also learn about the energy saving features of the building such as insulation, draught-proofing, double glazing and low energy building design. The audit is designed to equip children with the skills and knowledge to be able to carry out a similar audit at home or school. Links to Science QCA Schemes of Work: 4C Keeping warm

Alternative Energy
This programme introduces children to alternative ways of producing energy such as biomass, solar, wind, water and wave power. Through the use of photographs, video, role play and simulation the children explore the issues surrounding the use of such alternatives including the costs and benefits. They may also investigate the practicalities of such alternatives through designing, making and evaluating a simple passive solar collector, water, wind or biogas generator.


Geography and Citizenship/PSHE

These programmes are designed to support the Geography curriculum at KS1 and 2 and provide opportunities to develop enquiry and fieldwork skills in exploring pattern and process in the local area as well as developing a knowledge and understanding of environmental issues and sustainable development. The approach taken encourages children to make comparisons with localities in other parts of the world.

Birmingham - Change and Development
Located in north west Birmingham, the area around the Centre of the Earth offers exciting opportunities for developing skills in geographical
enquiry and fieldwork skills through exploring the issues raised by change and development in this multi-cultural, inner-city, area - and how local people are responding to the challenge of creating more sustainable communities. Land use in the area includes, housing, industry, parks and large public institutions such as the City Hospital and Winson Green Prison. The area is traversed by major transport corridors including major roads, railways, Midland Metro Line 1 and the Birmingham Main Line Canal together with the Soho and Ickneild Port Loops. The Centre is also within easy walking distance of Birmingham city centre and high profile developments such as the ICC and Brindley Place.
Links to Geography Schemes of Work: 6 Investigating our local area, 8 Improving the environment and 13 A contrasting UK locality
The precise focus for the visit is negotiable depending on the interests of teachers, but might, for example, include:

Rainforests OK!
Following an introductory activity highlighting the many ways we benefit from rainforest products, the programme continues with a multi-media presentation introducing children to the forest environment, forest products, and potential threats to the forest. This may be followed by either: (a) a simulation focusing on a particular development within the rain forest, for example, road building, mining, commercial logging or tourism, in which the children take on roles representing the different interest groups involved; or (b) children may respond to the issues raised in the presentation through a range of creative activities including screen printing posters, designing batiks, writing poetry or letters etc. There is the opportunity to focus on the impact of developments in particular countries or regions, for example, Brazil and the Amazon basin.

River Studies
By arrangement it is possible for Centre staff to organise a visit to a local stream or river such as the Bournbrook, River Rea, Cole or Stour to carry out a river study. The children are introduced to the physical features of rivers and river valleys; processes such as erosion and deposition; and explore the impact of rivers on people and the landscape. The children also investigate river life and how the animals living in streams and rivers can be used to indicate water quality and the effects of pollution. Links to Geography QCA Scheme of Work: Investigating rivers


History

Discovering forgotten links - exploring local history in a world context
This approach to local history encourages children to explore historical change from different perspectives - social, cultural, political, economic, scientific and technological - and to make the links between historical change in the local area and other parts of the world. Use will be made of a range of sources such as maps, video, documents, photographs and pictures and also involve fieldwork in the area around the Centre which includes many buildings and sites of historical interest such as the entrance to Birmingham Workhouse and Workhouse Infirmary, Birmingham Gaol (now Winson Green prison), the former Lunatic Asylum (now All Saints Hospital) and transport, housing and industry dating from the Victorian period and earlier. Also within easy travelling distance are such historic sites as Soho House, and Birmingham city centre including the Jewellery and Gun Quarters.

The precise focus for visits is negotiable depending on the particular interests of teachers but might, for example, include:

Words from Winson Green
A visit to a site such as Centre of the Earth can provide an excellent stimulus for developing skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing. This programme which is also relevant to History, Geography and Science aims to offer students an opportunity to explore the Centre; its grounds with its diversity of habitats, plants and animals; and the surrounding area with its fascinating history and multi-cultural community as a stimulus for their own writing. A range of activities will to offered to encourage students to use all their senses to investigate the area; view the area from different perspectives; and ask questions about what they can see. Stories, poems and artefacts associated with the area will also be explored. A variety of techniques will be introduced to help with writing stories, poems, short plays etc which can then be presented in the circular classroom or outdoor amphitheatre.