Blog: Learning

Congratulations to Saint Roberts Roman Catholic Primary School, winners of the Spring Bulbs for Schools competition 2011.

They will be awarded a day trip to St Fagans: National History Museum for a fun-packed day of nature activities on the 25th of May.

Standards were very high this year and I was overwhelmed by the number of schools sending in records, so I would also like to congratulate the following schools.

Runner's up: These schools came very close to winning. Each will be sent a special prize with their certificates by the 3rd of May 2011.

Highly commended: These schools demonstrated excellent record keeping. All to be sent certificates and prizes by the 3rd of May 2011.

Special recognition: Is awarded to these schools. They will each receive Super Scientist Certificates together with a few seedlings by the 3rd of May 2011.

Not too late! If your school isn't listed here and you have some records to send in then please do so. You will receive recognition for your work.

Many thanks.

Professor Plant

I've picked some of my favourite past art and craft activities to make a photo collage. I hope you like it. Have you been to any of our craft activities in the gallery? what was your favourite thing you have made?

Don't forget this saturday is nature day! come by and make something wonderful.x

Just one week left now for schools to send in their weather data. Many have done so already and are well on their way to receiving their super scientist certificates.

So far this week I've had 305 records sent in! The schools that have kept the best records will be put forward for selection for a chance to win a nature activity trip. The winner will be selected and announced next Thursday!

Flower reports have come in by now from all across Wales. I'm glad so many flowers have survived this cold winter. Some schools lost their daffodils to the frost - such a shame - but they will still receive their certificates for being such good scientists.

This year's mystery bulb is a tulip. I really like this one because it is so colorful.

On Sat the 2nd of April we are holding a nature activity day at St Fagans. Click the link and watch these short films about the bats and other fantastic animals living at St Fagans to find out more.

On 2 April we will be launching the Explore Nature project

There will be loads of different things going on so look out for more information on the blog and on twitter.

As part of the launch I will be running an art and craft session about all things birds! If you fancy doing a bit of sewing we will be making badges or fingerpuppets and for little ones we can make spinning thaumatropes.

Oh, in case you don't know what thaumatropes are (I didn't!) they are thoses circles of paper that usually have a picture of a bird on one side and a cage on the other and then when you twizzle them it looks like the bird is in the cage. As we are celebrating nature we won't be putting any drawings of birds in cages! but will be giving them the appearance of flight instead.

The sessions are suitable for families, but adults are also welcome to come and sew some badges or fingerpuppets with me!

On Saturday, April 2, we will be officially launching the Explore Nature at St Fagans project, here at the museum. The launch will be at 11am in Oriel 1. Then, throughout the day, there will be a variety of different nature based activities. 

We will have visits to our new bird hide, where a member of staff will be on hand to help with identifying the birds that can be seen visiting the bird feeders. Find out also how to attract different birds to your own garden so that you can watch them from the comfort of your own home! 

We will also have a number of activities at the Tannery. The Tannery has become home to a great variety of wildlife, from protected Great Crested Newts to rare Lesser Horseshoe bats. Come and find out more about these fascinating creatures. We will also be doing a spot of pond dipping and minibeast hunting, come along and see what we find! 

As part of the Explore Nature project we have commissioned a couple of films. The first is a general nature film shot at the museum, it shows the wealth of wildlife that we are lucky to have here. The second film concentrates on the Lesser Horseshoe bats that roost here. Enjoy!