Mapping microhabitats

1. Learners can work independently or in small groups. Give each a copy of the Microhabitats Worksheet - Homes and Help for Nature ticksheet.
2. Either: Set a timer (e.g. for five minutes) and ask learners to search a particular area of your site for the pictured items and tick the ones they find.  
3. Or: Ask learners to stay by a microhabitat when they find one and put their hand up. 
4. Move round to each in turn. On the Habitat Mapper tool, or a printed map of your site, educators and learners work together to mark these microhabitats with a dot/point on the map.
5. Move round your site, if needed, and repeat this process until you have covered all areas.
6. If you used a printed map, transfer each microhabitat point on to the online Nature Park map using the Habitat Mapper tool back in the classroom. This is a really important step to ensure your site and your observations are part of national community science research.
7. Bring the group together and discuss how each item on your map might support nature – is it a long term home, a resource for breeding, a source of food or temporary shelter? What kinds of animals might use it?
8. Return to the Mapping your site page and select the next habitat category you have on site.

Reflection

Discuss with learners how many of the different homes and help for nature items were found. Did you only have one of each, or multiple? Ask learners if they noticed any items that were not on the ticksheet and discuss how these may help nature. Are there opportunities to add more or different kinds of homes and help for nature on your site? Encourage learners to share their observations and ideas during this discussion.