ABERDEEN URBAN STUDIES TRUST - Learning and teaching in the local environment
THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Aberdeen Harbour Trail
P6 - P7
2 hours
Outdoors
Cost: £50
Meeting at the harbour entrance, pupils are given the opportunity to explore the former fishing village of Footdee. They then visit various locations near the harbour front to see how the area is used today and to find evidence of past occupations.
Exploring Torry
P6 - P7
2 hours
Outdoors
Cost: £75
Exploring Torry focuses attention on one particularly interesting part of the old burgh.
Here pupils can learn about the coming of the oil industry and what it has meant to this part of the city. The general business and operation of the harbour are clearly seen, as are vessels entering and leaving port.
Houses and Homes
P1-P3 / P4-P5 / P6-P7 / S1-S2
Outreach
2 hours
Indoor and Outdoors
Cost: £75
Requirements:
Risk Assessment (proforma supplied) of streets near school by class teacher.
Aim: to increase pupils’ awareness of different types of homes and the materials used in their construction.
A series of units have been designed for use with pupils from early stages to upper stages/early secondary.
This unit begins with an exploration of building materials supplied for the visit. Pupils investigate the materials and their use on buildings. Using the local environment, and with the guidance of illustrated, structured personal record sheets, pupils go outside to learn about the design on buildings.
Pupil Planners
P4-P7
Outreach
1 - 2 hours
Indoors
Cost: £50
Aim: to introduce pupils to the complexities of planning a simple housing development.
To complement the Houses and Homes experience for middle and upper stages pupils, we have Pupil Planners. This gives pupils the opportunity to design a small development within the constraints of specific criteria.
Teachers wishing a more complex design experience might wish to consider the Chewburgh Game (see below) which has been devised to extend pupils’ experience of planning.
Information is given about the history of the town and its present situation regarding employment, housing and other social facilities. Working in small groups and using models, pupils set out their own vision of the town.
With their plans in place groups are given certain environmental problems to tackle e.g. an increase in air and noise pollution; road safety issues affecting the elderly.
Materials Lab
A practical investigation into form and function of materials commonly used for construction; their uses in a building; and concepts relating to energy transfer.
P6-P7
Outreach
3 hours
Indoors
Cost: £100
Through taking part in learning and teaching programmes devised by AUST, pupils become aware of the kind of building materials used in construction, the manner of deployment and why certain materials are chosen for specific purposes.
The experiments contained in Materials Lab give pupils the opportunity to investigate:
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water absorption of materials
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strength and stability
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water penetration
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ventilation
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evaporation
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insulating materials
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energy transfer
Shape Seeker
P2-P3
Outreach
2 hours
Indoor and Outdoors
Cost: £60
Requirements:
Risk Assessment (proforma supplied) of streets near school by class teacher.
Aim: to raise awareness of solid, flat shape and pattern through classroom teaching and direct experience in the environment.
Shape Seeker begins with a classroom-based investigation into solid and flat shapes using a wide variety of objects. A specially designed pupil record book enables individuals to find shapes in the environment close to school
Aberdeen Bridges
P6-P7
2 hours
Outdoors
Cost: £50
Aberdeen Bridges takes pupils into the heart of the city to look at the detail of structures which support some of our most important roadways. Time is allocated for photography and drawing.
Street Explorer
P1-P3
Outreach
2 hours
Indoor and Outdoors
Cost: £60
Requirements:
Risk Assessment (proforma supplied) of streets near school by class teacher.
Aim: to raise awareness of street furniture through direct experience in the local streets. Street Explorer begins in the classroom with examples of street furniture for pupils to identify. An illustrated, structured, record book is provided to enable pupils to find examples in the streets near school.
A booklet for further cross-curricular work is also provided.
Chewburgh - Traffic Game
P6-P7
Outreach
11/2 hours
Indoors
Cost: £50
A classroom-based activity to design and lay out an imaginary town which considers the difficulties caused by excess traffic. Working in groups, pupils plan the layout of the town using models and a simple street grid. Real situations affecting life in towns and cities today are introduced for pupils to devise possible solutions.
