Students explore local wildlife and find ways to improve biodiversity in their communities.
Project timeline
Wild Things follows IRIS’ 4 phased project structure:
Prepare & launch: Teachers prepare and launch the project, using our helpful guidance documents.
Background research & skills development: With access to our support materials, students develop the knowledge and skills required to successfully complete research.
Student Research: Young scientists systematically investigate, explore, discover, analyse and establish their conclusions.
Artefact development and conference: Students produce an article, academic poster presentation or academic paper, based on their research process and/or findings with the aim of exhibiting at IRIS’ conference.
This project, for UK state schools and colleges, is free and fully supported by our team. If you are a secondary, sixth form or college teacher and would like to start this project at your school, click the register here or at the top right or here.
Overview
suitability
Biodiversity is essential to the function of ecosystems and the well-being of our planet. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, our country is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and many vital species are under threat.
Wild Things offers students the chance to explore biodiversity in their local area and come up with ways to support and improve its health. Whether it’s encouraging new species of birds or planting friendly flora, their work could have an immediate impact on their school grounds or local area. Students’ findings will also contribute to scientists’ understanding of how to better conserve local biodiversity and ensure that wildlife thrives through habitat restoration and sustainable management.
To set them on the right track, students will learn habitat surveying techniques, used by ecologists. Their research, whether on a particular species or area, can be led by them.
Wild Things is a collaboration between IRIS and Pembroke College, University of Oxford. The project offers an opportunity to expand students’ knowledge beyond the curriculum.