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Year 8 Flamborough Head Trip


Biology > KS3 > Y8 Field Trip 

 

 

In the summer term, year 8 pupils go on a one-day joint geography / biology field trip to Flamborough Head.

 

Pupils spend half the day studying the geography of the cliffs and half studying the biology of the rocky shore in Selwick bay.

 

 Rocky shores are interesting ecosystems to study for several reasons:

 

 

  • The plants are unusual. Instead of familiar land plants we find marine algae (or seaweeds). Instead of leaves, stems and roots, these have fronds, stipes and holdfasts. They photosynthesise using chlorophyll and other pigments, giving red and brown colours. 

 

  • The animals are also unusual. They are mostly shelled molluscs and crustaceans like limpets, periwinkles, barnacles and mussels. These animals move around when underwater (like snails), grazing on seaweeds (like cows), but use their muscular foot to stick fast to rock when exposed. Pupils also find anemones, worms, starfish, crabs and small fish.

 

 
  • The environment is very changeable due to the tides. Organisms living on the upper shore spend most of the time exposed to the air, but have to survive underwater as well, while those living on the lower shore are most submerged, but have to survive drying out. So the organisms have different adaptations. 

 

  • The rocky shore ecosystem is largely unaffected by human activities, so is truly "natural". 

 

  • It's a nice place to spend a day out!
 

On the field trip, pupils learn to use techniques like:

 

 

  • Frame Quadrats, to measure a standard area of ground. 

 

  • Belt Transect, to investigate changes along a straight line. 

 

  • Keys, to identify all the plants and animals. 

 

  • ICT, to draw a kite graph and analyse the results back in the classroom.
  


 To view pictures from the Year 8 field trips click here. 

 

 

 
Page updated on: Tue Feb 26th 2013 @ 09:56:31
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