The Rural Studies Slide Show Or . . . . . . .
Whilst teaching at Belper School and, for some time after, I was frequently asked to give talks to various educational organisations, on the roll of Rural Studies in the school curriculum. On this page are the slides that I used in those talks. Most of them relate to the students at Belper High School (1973 - 1990) a few were from my time at Wilnecote High School in Staffordshire 1969-1973. The script that went with the talks will be added in the future. At the moment there are a few simple words to go with the slides and hopefully the pictures will then speak for themselves. To observe in more detail simply click on the thumbnails, (don't forget to click on the back button to return to this page).
The first two slides illustrate a popular view of education. Leaning from books in silence followed by formal examinations in Silence:
"Tell me and I forget, Show me and I remember, Let me participate and I understand." Rural Studies has much to offer to enable a better understanding of most aspects of the curriculum. Schools without a Rural Studies resource must make more use of the local environment on the school campus:
All schools should also explore the area immediately outside the school campus. All of the pictures below where taken within fifteen minutes walking distance of Belper School:
. . . . . . . or if it is possible explore further afield:
Simple fertiliser trials can be carried out on very small marked out areas on the school field. What is the effect of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium. What happens if you add Lime?
By taking out plots students gain a better understanding many aspects of the curriculum for example photosynthesis and transpiration in Biology at the same time as possibly developing a lifelong Hobby. Below two students cultivate a plot three metres by two metres (At Belper there were fifty plots of this size cultivated by Middle Year, (Year 10) students on the Rural Studies Course). Growing plants has a motivating effect on the Students:
Large individual plots are not always necessary. The plots below were cultivated by full class groups of up to 35. The plants growing on the plots included Legumes, Brassicas, Roots, General Farm Crops, Potatoes, Hardy Annuals and Half Hardy Perennials. Every Lower Year (Year 9) Science group at Belper School cultivated a plot of land:
The range of activities that can be carried out are enormous. Ideas can be shares between the groups:
The plots do not have to be a big as the ones above, mini plots can be created or built as below:
All sorts of experiments can be carried out. For example, which types of cultivation or fertiliser will produce the best potato crop. Which potatoes make the best boilers, roasters or bakers. Links at this stage can be created with the food technology department:
The possibilities for experimentation are limitless:
Having a greenhouse in school enables work to be carried out at all times of years, both heated and unheated greenhouses are invaluable. The range of learning opportunities is countless:
Growing tropical crops also helps to create many cross curricular links:
If greenhouses are not available there are many opportunities for simple experiments such as "The Great Bean Growing Contest". Simply provide each student with one Broad Bean seed, a suitable container/plant pot, enough compost and a super market carrier bag. See who comes back with the tallest bean after about half a term. Similar experiments can be carried out on mini plots as small as 30cm square. A whole class could then work outside in a very small area:
The keeping of smaller livestock such has rabbits adds a whole new dimension to the learning experiences in a school. Obviously their care and housing is an absolute priority. Several different breeds of rabbit can be kept in a small area. Rabbits are ideal animals for handling by the students. The hutches in the third thumbnail where constructed by the students.
Most youngsters are interested in anything that moves. Much interest can be aroused and much knowledge may be acquired relating to such important general questions such as hygiene and nutrition through first hand study and care of domestic animals. There is much value in students caring for animals and thus developing important social values such as responsibility, reliability and so on. The addition of cavies and chinchillas, for example offers many opportunities for comparison:
Poultry are very valuable creatures to keep in school. Starting at the incubation of eggs, the development of the chick can be readily followed. Interesting work on genetics, especially on sex linkage can come out of the work. How do birds survive without teeth?
Investigations can be made into the effects of different scales of feeding or into different types of management. Free Range versus the Battery System. Observations can be made relating to animal behaviour and the effect of free range poultry on the flora. Food conversion rations can easily be explored. The learning opportunities are limitless.
Keeping larger livestock provide a whole new dimension to the work you can do. There was plenty of grass at Belper High School making Sheep the cheapest animal to keep. The initial expenditure was constructing three thirty yard square paddocks for the Jacob Sheep. This particular breed are small, hardy and make excellent mothers. Ideal for in school. Being out in the open sheep provide useful subjects for various observational and behavioural studies. The students can easily easily observe grazing patterns and watch them chewing the cud.
The wool provides useful material for spinning, dying and weaving. At the end of the year decisions have to be made. We have only enough grass to keep a certain number of sheep. Which ones will have to go? Which one should we keep? There are many opportunities for valid discussions and debates.
Initially we borrowed a calf from a local farmer and returned it to the farm when it got to big for our resources - a seven foot by five foot shed. This created a valuable link between the school and a local farm. The students observations of the calf continued on the farm until it became a milking cow. Some pictures below were taken at a later stage when we reared a beef calf for comparison. Both were returned to the farm when they became too big for the school. The second picture was taken on a farm visit.
Again we started keeping pigs on a small scale. A local farmer regularly gave us a couple of three week olds runts to rear over the spring term. They were reared on milk substitute. By the end of term they had usually reached a heavier weight than the pigs in the original litter due mainly to the pupils being willing to feed them up to five time a day between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. The pigs turned out to be such a valuable teaching resource that we decided to build our own little pig unit. The unit was designed and built by the students.
The unit was eventually completed. Pigs provide a wealth of valuable material. they are omnivores with an alimentary track similar to our own, requiring a carefully balanced diet. their lack of hair can be related to their need for warm quarters. Their fast growth rate and efficiency in food conversion are useful areas of study. Various study into animal behaviour is also useful. We purchased a pedigree guilt (young female pig) from Broomfield Agricultural College. As we did not have the resources for a boar we used artificial insemination as a means of breeding with the sow.
There were many opportunities to study animal behaviour and the effect of pigs on the environment - natures plough!
The diet of the pigs was recorded. They were weighed regularly and food conversion ratios calculated. When the time came they were taken to a local abattoir for slaughter. A local butcher would come into school to joint the pigs. It is vital that young people understand fully how food is produced in order that conscious decisions can be made. Also many other valuable lessons to be learnt.
Goats provide us with an example of a milk producing animal with out the need the land or high expenditure involved in keeping a dairy cow. Amongst other things, the typical reproductive cycle of mammals can be followed easily, the growth of it's kid(s) followed; hand milking can be learnt and practised; the composition of the milk can be studied and the relatively small size of the fat globules compared with those in cows milk can be related to the difficulty of making butter, and the ease of making cheese from goat's milk. Also being used to being surrounded by children the school goats are quite happy to give birth in font of a class!
The bees at Belper were sited at the back of the greenhouse.
The students could then observe the bees without the need for protective
clothing and carry out simple observations of their own, or watch the
manipulations of the beekeeper when he looks into the hive.
Growing trees is a very special activity. Starting with growing trees from seed in a Dunemann bed or planting free trees from the Forestry Commission provides a lifelong learning experience. The pictures below illustrate the development of a small forestry plot at Belper.
Other activities in the Rural Studies Department included Developing a school weather station; developing a herb garden; nest box schemes; aviary birds . . . .
. . .Links with the past restoring old farm implements; forming links with the local primary schools:
The school reformed "Belper Annual Show" committee and stage an annual Flower Show every September. The students at the school where very much involved in the event, below students are staging and taking part in the flower arranging and vegetable classes:
Strong ties where also created with Young Farmers' Clubs in Derbyshire. Students at the school regularly participated in many activities including Field Days. Below students are Stock Judging and Tractor Fault Finding. Students where also involved with Derby Goat Club and took part in stock judging classes.
The school was also involved in reforming Belper Rabbit Club and staged termly British Rabbit Council Star Shows. The students where very much involved in staging the show and also took turns to Judge the pet rabbit classes.
Below a a few photographs to show what the Rural Studies department above looked like in 1973 before the department was developed. The last picture shows the housing for the first livestock.
Rural Studies teachers have a knack of motivating students unattracted to traditional school subjects. Rural Studies students have a direct experience of the environment. Caring for animals offers an emotional experience many young people need. Their is the opportunity to study animal behaviour on a quite different scale from that which is usually possible in a laboratory.
Rural studies can place the student in his or her historical context as a producer of food. It can be the learning of skills for the pursuit of a lifetime of leisure interests or the gleaning of information leading to original research findings.
Like the other Rural Studies page I have been intending to put my "Out of the Primeval Slime" slides on line for some time. In the end I have done it quite quickly. At the moment it is a little "rough at the edges" and needs to be developed further, hopefully this will happen soon. However, at the moment it gives a very good impression of what the subject can offer to the school curriculum. With someone young (or perhaps not so young) and enthusiastic the subject could be quite easily moved into the twenty first century. One day the phoenix will once again rise from the ashes . . . . . .
If you would like to discuss any aspects of this page please E-Mail me at: acadman175@yahoo.com
To visit The Rural Studies Department at Belper (High) School click HERE.
To visit the HOME page for this site click HERE.
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