Exploring Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Our topic, for Science, during this block is the classification of living things and what better place to go and observe living things, than Ol Pejeta?

Last week Year 6 braved the rains and muddy tracks to visit and observe the animals, plants and insects of Ol Pejeta. The children quickly spotted zebra, buffalo and several species of antelope. Thoughtful questions were put to our guide, Alice, who shared her extensive knowledge willingly. The children diligently took notes in their jotters.

Our first stop was at the chimpanzee sanctuary, where the children got to observe these non-native animals that have been brought here as rescues. After another game drive, where we were privileged to see so many rhinoceros, we went on a nature walk with an armed askari, to keep us safe. We were hoping to see the hippopotamus but sadly they did not appear. It was lovely to walk in nature and take photographs of the plants and fungi that we noticed growing there.

Back in class this week the children have begun to compile their notes and conduct additional research into the flora and fauna of Ol Pejeta. The children are using the Linneaus classification system to identify the animals and plants and will be using all their notes and research to create a field guide to Ol Pejeta.

The children have also used their imagination to create a new creature that has been discovered on Ol Pejeta. They had to use their knowledge of the classification system to create its characteristics and came up with some fantastic ideas. They had to think about what its closest living relative would be and decide what would be different or similar in this new creature.

During the art project, the children enthusiastically crafted collages inspired by predators over a span of three weeks, yielding impressive results. Initially, they utilized paints and crayons to fashion distinct patterns. However, the project truly came to life when the children incorporated textured materials such as fabric, feathers, and recycled newspaper.

This added a captivating dimension to their collages, fostering exploration of various textures and experimentation with layering techniques. The extended duration not only fostered creativity but also provided valuable insights into different art techniques and the world of predators.