Event information
Event type: Workshop
Location: Nature Activity Centre supported by AWS, Nature Discovery Garden
Suitable for: Year 2 - KS2 (ages 6-11)
Capacity: 35 pupils
Duration: 90 minutes
Ticket prices: £3 per pupil
Booking required by phone
Pond Dipping
In this outdoor workshop, pupils will use nets to catch pond animals and conduct a scientific enquiry into what these creatures eat.
Pupils will get to catch and classify animals from our new wildlife pond. By observing animal behaviour and conducting an experiment, your class will learn about what these animals eat.
They’ll then use their findings to conclude whether we need to feed pond animals for them to survive and reflect on how our actions can impact pond habitats.
Workshop rundown
- Collect animals from our wildlife pond.
- Group and classify the animals they’ve found.
- Observe what these animals eat.
- Construct and interpret food chains to determine if we need to feed pond animals.
Curriculum links
Year 2
Animals, including humans
- Identify and name plants and animals in their habitats and microhabitats.
- Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain.
Year 3
Animals, including humans
- Animals need the right type of nutrition.
- Group animals according to what they eat.
Year 4
Living things and their habitats
- Group living things in a variety of ways.
- Use a classification key.
- Recognize that habitats can change due to human impact and this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.
Animals, including humans
- Construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey.
Year 6
Living things and their habitats
- Classify living things into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences.
- Give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics.
Workshop suitability and capacity
This workshop is suitable for Years 2-6 (ages 6-11).
The maximum capacity per workshop is 35 pupils. Bookings must be for a minimum of 15 pupils.
Workshop dates and times
Pond Dipping workshops begin again in the spring on 28 April 2025.
The workshop runs at 10.30am and 12.30pm on selected weekdays. The duration is 1 hour 30 minutes.
All shows must be prebooked by phone. To explore individual timeslots for days, please view the availability calendar linked below.
Please note any session must be booked at least three weeks in advance.
Visit our new gardens
Our gardens follow the story of how life on Earth has changed over time, from the days of the dinosaurs through to today.
Open daily
View calendar
To view all school sessions please open the availabilty calendar.
How to book
To confirm dates and times are available, and to make a booking, please read our essential information page, then phone the bookings team.
