Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve School Project 2005
"Artistic children take inspiration from nature"
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We were very pleased when, as part of English Nature's Wildspace! Project, Year 3 pupils from the nearby Air Balloon Hill Junior School were given a chance to visit the hill and have some fun learning about nature. |
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A Visit to Troopers Hill
The project started with the Year 3 children visiting the hill. Each class spent a half day exploring the site with Sally Oldfield, Bristol Parks' Local Nature Reserve Officer and artist Helen Adshead of the Avon Wildlife Trust. The children were introduced to both the wildlife and the history that have given the hill the appearance it has today.
The visits took place in early March 2005 as the wildlife was just starting to emerge from its winter slumber. The chimney forms the focal point of the reserve and was also the focus of much of the childrens' work. There are many different colours and shades in the pennant sandstone from which the chimney is built and other colours in the soil and plants that live on the hill. The children used these natural materials to colour in drawings which they produced during their visits.
Click on the thumbnails below to see photos that give an impression of the visits or visit our Video Project page to download video of the project produced by Bristol Video Solutions.
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An Arts Project
A week after the trip to the hill, Sally and Helen visited the school to take part in an arts project based on what the children had seen and what they had learnt about other wildlife that lives on the hill. Under Helen's guidance the children cut out silhouettes of animals, birds, plants and the chimney to decorate a new gazebo for the Friends of Troopers Hill. They also sponge painted a table cloth with wildlife designs created using masking tape. These items will be used by the Friends to display information about the hill at events both on the hill and elsewhere.
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