Solutions

Exploring and consolidating

Explore biosecurity solutions as a class and the different ways people can help island nesting seabirds. Pupils can start to develop and test their knowledge by playing the games developed and designed Scottish Primary pupils.

Key Module Questions:

1. How do you think invasive non-native predators arrive on islands?
2. How can you tell they have arrived? What signs do you look out for?​
3. What effect do these predators have on nesting seabirds? ​
4. In what ways can we protect the island’s nesting birds?
5. Who else do we need to tell and why should they care?

Learning outcomes: 

Pupils can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally responsible way. Through contributing their views, time, and talents, pupils understand how they can bring about positive change in the wider community. When pupils engage with others, they can respond in ways appropriate to their role, show that they value others’ contributions, and use these to build their thinking. Pupils can show understanding of what they listen to or watch by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions, and by asking different kinds of questions of their own.

Key vocabulary

• Seabird names
• Species
• Non-native
• Biosecurity
• Uninhabited
• Invasive

Session Structure:

Work through the presentation slides above and click on the relevant activity links below for downloadable resources. A suggested session structure could be as follows:

1. Icebreaker (5mins) Check out this game invented and created on Scratch by puils from  Bhaile a' Mhanaich Primary school. Waiting until the biosecruity officer appears. Then try to catch the invading rats. CONTROLS: Press Space To Catch The Rats. And Use The Arrow Keys To Move!!
   
2. Introduction (15 mins) Pupils can present their seabird fun facts about the various seabird species including the long-distance fliers, the swimmers, and the gulls to the class.
3. Quick Challenge Review (10 mins) Come back to your biosecurity definitions. Would the pupils make any further changes based on what they have learned since?
4. Class discussion (15 mins) As a class or in pairs, discuss the following questions:
   • If predators can arrive to an island by boat, how can you tell they have arrived? What signs do you look out for?
   • What effect do these predators have on nesting seabirds?
   • It is important that the pupils do not learn to hate or demonise predators. All creatures are important and deserve to live. We just have to ensure the right creatures live in the right places
5. Wildlife Detecting (30mins+) - Click on the activity link below and find out how scientists can tell there are predators on the islands. Animals are often “hard to spot” but often leave clues behind them. What signs of life do you have in your school grounds? Could you set up a detection box yourself? This activity counts towards your RSPB Wild Challenge Award
6. Group work (30mins) The 101 challenge – If money was no object, think of 101 different creative ways that seabirds and islands could be protected from invading predators. As many ideas as you can. Focus on Quantity. Withhold criticism or judgement. Welcome Wild Ideas. Combine and Improve Ideas. Be visual. But there is a catch! No predator must be harmed, only removed! Can you reach 101? Then check the answers. Did you manage to think of them all?
7. Plenary (30mins+) Let’s play! – Click on the activity links below and discover two amazing games designed by children from Small Isles Primary, Argyll & Bute and Raasay Primary, Ross-Shire in Scotland