How to book
To make a booking, please view the guidance on the Essential information for schools page, then use our online booking form.
Our school programme is very popular. We recommend booking at least a 6 weeks in advance.
Key Stage 2 at Tring
Explore our workshops for students or download and print activity sheets in advance of your visit.
Our free workshops can accommodate up to 32 students at a time.
School visits, activities and workshops are free, but donations help support our vital work to look after nature and provide our learning programme. There is a recommended donation of £2 per child.
Activity sheets
Our activity sheets encourage close observation of specimens on display. Please download and print these activity sheets prior to your visit. Clipboards are available to use around the galleries.
Self-guided tours
Encourage children to ask questions and discuss animal features with our self-guided tours. The tours are designed for use by an adult leading a small group of children. Please download and print these activity sheets prior to your visit.
Workshops
All workshops last around 45 minutes, unless otherwise noted.
Prehistoric detectives
Delve into prehistoric life and become detectives. Explore what the Earth was like around the age of the dinosaurs, what other animals existed and the process of fossilisation. Investigate real fossils to identify what they are and when they are from.
Suitable for Year 3.
Please note there are no dinosaurs on permanent display at Tring.
Curriculum links:
- recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited Earth millions of years ago
- describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock
- find out about the works of palaeontologists such as Mary Anning
Useful Museum resources:
Skeletons
Uncover why animals have skeletons and the variety of forms among animals. Focusing on vertebrate skeletons, predict what species the real skeletons come from.
Suitable for lower KS2.
Curriculum links:
- identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement
- scientific enquiry skills
Useful Museum resources:
Explore: Pond health
This workshop is available from April to the end of July
Investigate the Museum’s pond to find out just how healthy it is.
Develop scientific skills to survey pond creatures; identifying them, assessing their bioindicator score and the water visibility. Consider how humans can positively and negatively impact ponds and what we can do to help.
Suitable for lower and upper KS2.
NB: This workshop is held outdoors and requires a ratio of 1:6. In the event of wet weather an alternative workshop will be offered, to be agreed when booking.
Curriculum links:
- Lower KS2
- Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways
- Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment
- Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things
- Pupils should explore examples of human impact (both positive and negative) on environments, for example, the positive effects of nature reserves, ecologically
- Upper KS2
- Describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms , plants and animals
- Give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics.
- Scientific enquiry skills
Classification
Discover the concept behind Carl Linnaeus’ classification system. Enhance your classification skills with this multi activity workshop:
- deciphering scientific names
- sorting invertebrates
Suitable for upper KS2.
Curriculum links:
- describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms, plants and animals
- give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics
- scientific enquiry skills
Useful Museum resources:
Adaptation & Evolution
Uncover species adaptations, explore oddities and generate species' future adaptations to help them to survive.
Suitable for upper KS2.
Curriculum links:
- identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution
- scientific enquiry skills
Useful Museum resources:
Urban Nature Investigation
This workshop is available from April to the end of July
Explore urban nature on the Museum grounds and investigate the impacts humans are having. Carry out a fieldwork investigation to measure how invertebrates are impacted on in trampled and untrampled areas, and use specialist equipment to record results.
Suitable for Yr6
60 minutes
Curriculum links:
- planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
- taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
- reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and a degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
- identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments
Useful Museum resources: