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 incorporates many energy saving measures and is used to demonstrate appropriate technology and resource conservation. Facilities include a large circular classroom, meeting room, toilets, car park and small outdoor amphitheatre. It is set in its own half-hectare of 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 about 460 metres from the Winson Green/Outer Circle 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 QCA Schemes of Work. 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 Nick Gardner, 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.


Science/Geography - Energy
These programmes are relevant to those aspects of the Science curriculum concerned with energy resources, electricity generation, the efficient use of energy and the environmental implications of using energy including issues such as acid rain and global warming. They are also relevant to those aspects of Geography concerned with resource issues including the sources and supply of energy, the effects on the environment of its use, reducing energy use and alternative energy sources.

'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 implications of electricity generation using fossil fuels. It is followed by a debate about the different options for producing energy and ways of reducing 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.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Science Unit 7I Energy resources and 9I Energy and electricity.

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?' which explores how electricity is currently generated from fossil fuels, the environmental implications and some of the alternatives including reducing consumption. This is followed by an energy audit of the Centre building through which the students learn the value of monitoring energy consumption, how and where energy is used, and the energy consumption of common electrical appliances. They also learn about the existing energy saving features of the building including roof and wall insulation, draught-proofing, double-glazing and low energy building design. The energy audit is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to be able to carry out a similar audit either at home or school.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Science Unit 7I Energy resources and 9I Energy and electricity.

Alternative Energy
This programme introduces students to alternative ways of producing energy such as biomass, solar, wind, and water and wave power. Through the use of photographs, video, role-play and simulation the students will 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 or evaluating the effectiveness of solar cells.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Science Unit 7I Energy resources and Unit 9I Energy and electricity

Ecology Fieldwork
These programmes are designed to support those parts of the Science curriculum concerned with investigative skills and living things in the environment. They offer the opportunity to investigate the natural environment in an urban area, highlighting the value of protecting and enhancing biodiversity. The habitats in the Centre grounds - including various types of grassland, ponds, the canal, and woodland - support a diversity of plants and animals.

Freshwater Ecology
The students sample different zones in the ponds, use keys to identify and classify animals, record their relative abundance and use food chains and food webs to describe the feeding relationships present. They also use the data collected to quantify feeding relationships by constructing a pyramid of numbers and consider the potential effects of toxic materials on food chains.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Science Unit 7C Environment and feeding relationships, Unit 8 Ecological relationships and Unit 9M Investigating scientific questions

Population Ecology
The students experiment with and evaluate a variety of techniques for measuring the distribution and relative abundance of common plants and invertebrate animals in selected habitats. They also collect evidence of the

biotic and abiotic factors which may be influencing distribution and abundance - and using this information put forward explanations for any differences recorded. Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Science Unit 8D Ecological relationships and Unit 9M Investigating scientific questions.

Grassland Ecology
The Centre grounds contain different grassland habitats, for example, summer meadow (mown once a year), lawn (mown regularly) and ruderal (unmown). The students sample these with quadrats and use keys to identify common species. They may also sample the invertebrate animals in the different grassland habitats using a variety of techniques, and with the help of keys identify them. They attempt to explain any differences in the abundance and distribution of plants and animals in terms of environmental factors such as management and competition for resources. They also use food chains and food webs to describe feeding relationships in grassland ecosystems.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Science Unit 7C Environment and feeding relationships, Unit 8D Ecological relationships and Unit 9M Investigating scientific questions.


Design and Technology

These programmes are relevant to those aspects of Design & Technology concerned with the evaluation of processes and products especially in terms of their sustainability and their impact - environmental, social, cultural and moral. They also provide opportunities for design and make activities related to the use of appropriate technology. They are also relevant to the Geography curriculum particularly knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development.

Building Links
The Centre building offers a unique opportunity to evaluate low impact building design including the social and environmental implications of everyday construction materials. With the help of a plan, students identify the materials used in the construction of the 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 students investigate the possible social and environmental consequences of the production, transport and use of construction materials.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Citizenship and geography Unit 10 Debating a global issue

Textiles
The students explore some of the moral, social and environmental issues raised by the textiles we wear and the fashion industry. They have the option of designing and making a batik, screen-printed or tie-dye wall hanging and consider some of the possible ways they as consumers might be able to promote more sustainable alternatives.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: D&T Unit 8A(iii) Exploring materials Focus: textiles

Geography, Citizenship/PSHE and GNVQ Leisure and Tourism
These programmes are particularly relevant to the Geography curriculum including geographical enquiry and skills, knowledge and understanding of places, patterns and processes and knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development. They also link to Citizenship and aspects of PSHE.

Rainforests OK!
Following an introductory activity highlighting the many ways we benefit from rainforest products, the programme continues with a multi-media presentation introducing students 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 students take on roles representing the different interest groups involved; or (b) students 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.
Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Geography Unit 16 What is development? and Unit 19 Tourism - good or bad? Also Citizenship and Geography Unit 10 Debating a global issue

Birmingham - change and development
The Centre of the Earth is situated in the vibrant multi-cultural inner-city area of Soho and Handsworth, just 2 km from Birmingham city centre. The area offers exciting opportunities for developing skills in geographical enquiry and fieldwork through exploring the issues raised by change and development - and how local people are responding to the challenges of creating more sustainable communities. There is the option of exploring case studies focusing on themes and issues such as housing, industry, transport, leisure and tourism, city-centre re-development, and links with the wider world. The programme will involve using such tools as the development compass rose to identify key questions for investigation and make comparisons with localities in other countries.

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

• a walk along the canal from Centre of the Earth to the city centre investigating changes in land use and comparing present land use with models of city structure;
• investigating issues surrounding recent city centre developments such as Brindley Place, the International Convention Centre and Arena Central;
• investigating and evaluating different options for city transport including the Midland Metro, canals, cycle ways, road and rail, and creating safer access for pedestrians.
• investigating leisure and tourism related developments and the potential for eco-tourism.
  

Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Unit 16 What is development? and Unit 19 Tourism - good or bad?


History

Discovering forgotten links - exploring local history in a world context
The Discovering forgotten links approach encourages students to explore local history in a wider world context and from a variety of perspectives, including political, social, economic, technological and scientific. The area and approach are particularly relevant to a study of Britain 1750 - 1900 - how expansion of trade and colonisation, industrialisation and political change affected the UK, including the local area. Use will be made of a range of sources such as maps, video, documents, pictures and photos and also 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 Gun and Jewellery Quarters.

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

• a walk along the canal from the Centre to Brindley Place investigating changes in land use over the past two centuries;
• an exploration of the ethical issues involved in the manufacture of goods such as guns, jewellery or chocolate;
• a visit to what remains of the Workhouse and an investigation of how the treatment of the poor changed during the period;
• an exploration of the role of local inventors and industrialists such as Boulton, Watt and Murdoch on the city's development and the wider world;
• an investigation of the different, and sometimes conflicting, interpretations of Birmingham's heritage.
  

Links to QCA Schemes of Work: Unit 11 Industrial changes: action and reaction and Unit 14 The British Empire: how was it that, by 1900, Britain controlled nearly a quarter of the world?

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 be 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 and short plays etc that can then be presented in the circular classroom or outdoor amphitheatre.