Lockdown Learning links for home education

There are some excellent free online learning initiatives for home education in place to inspire and educate children about food and where it comes from.

EatFarmNow

A free online resource which was developed by the NFU with a team of farmers.  It provides exciting educational farming activities and videos for children while they are away from school, helping to build their knowledge of science and technology alongside learning all about food production.

Children hear first-hand about how their food gets from farm to fork, with well-known farming faces such as Countryfile’s Adam Henson and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty documenting their farming journey through online videos and social media. https://eatfarmnow.com/category/lockdown-learning/

Countryside Classroom

To support home educators, Countryside Classroom are posting weekly blogs highlighting a range of their education resources on a particular theme. All were originally written for school use, but are equally suitable for education at home, while following government guidelines on social distancing.  Topics cover include growing vegetables, cooking, history of wool, etc.. https://www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk/blog

AHDB – Food a fact of life

Food a Fact of Life (managed by AHDB and the British Nutrition Foundation) has launched  a comprehensive free home learning programme to help educate children about where there food comes from called the FFL Classroom.  The programme includes:

  • Activities and ideas to do at home
  • Good practice tips to get you started
  • Useful resources for learning
  • Recipes
  • Support, advice and training

https://foodafactoflife.org.uk/remote-learning/

Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association

The Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association have created six educational videos to help teach the next generation about where their food comes from.  They like the Melplash Agricultural Society feel that it is vitally important that the food consumers of the future understand the links between farming and food.

Topics include:

  • Dairy
  • Livestock
  • Arable Crops
  • Poultry
  • Fruit & Veg
  • Seafood

They are videos to watch with activity sheets, they are free to use and also include some tasty recipes to try too!

http://www.royalcornwallshow.org/education/farm-and-country-activity-sheets

They would LOVE to see any work produced and ask that you tag your photos on social media: Tag on Twitter @RoyalCornwall, Instagram @theroyalcornwall and Facebook @RoyalCornwallShow and use the hashtag #FrontRoomFarming

RSPB Fun & Learning

Great ideas and resources to help children and families connect with nature from simple activities they can do at home https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/

Dorset Wild Life Trust

Join Wildlife Watch for home school activities

If you care about nature and love wildlife, Wildlife Watch is the club for you!  Explore your local wild places, get involved in hundreds of events and activities and make new friends by becoming one of Wildlife Watch’s 150,000 members. https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/

Sign up for the 30 Days Wild challenge to enjoy nature at home.   It is the UK’s biggest annual nature challenge, which asks the public to do one ‘wild’ activity each day for the 30 days in June. Those signing up for the challenge can download an online pack with a colourful wallchart, a wild bingo game, a colour-in window poster and a logbook with ideas to record your activities, ready to start on Monday 1st June. You will also receive emails throughout June containing ideas for wild activities you can get involved with at home. https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/sign-30-days-wild-c hallenge-enjoy-nature-home

Simple things you can do to help wildlife From building a bug hotel to creating a garden pond, here are some ideas for things you can do yourself to help wildlife. https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/actions

WWT

Bring the wild home – Each week of lockdown they have a new set of curriculum-linked science resources. These will inspire your children to connect with the natural world, no matter how much green space you have access to.  They also have a selection of short fun activities that can be dipped into at any time.

https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/home-learning-and-family-fun