A blog providing ideas and resources for those teachers hoping to teach the new GCSE Specification, first announced in April 2022. Draft subject content released for consultation in June 2026 - for first teaching from 2028 or 2029.
The next general election is likely to see the environment as one of the issues that people consider when voting: the state of the country's rivers perhaps, or the proposals for reducing carbon emissions...
A campaign has been launched, supported by a large number of wildlife charities, many of whom are also supporters of the GCSE Natural History.
Politicians pledge to stop #nature's decline by 2030, but vital funding & policies are no where to be seen.
Divide is a book by rural affairs journalist Anna Jones, which was published towards the beginning of 2022. It is now available in paperback. The book explores the relationship between urban and rural areas.
Anna Jones is a journalist who has written widely in this area.
Its subtitle is: 'The Relationship Crisis between Town and Country', and it has a series of sections exploring different aspects of the 'broken' relationship which means that many urban dwellers don't really understand rural life.
“Divide is a ground-breaking exploration of the urban and rural cultural division. This book is a plea and a call to action. It warns that unless we learn to accept and respect our social, cultural and political differences as town and country people, we are never going to solve the chronic problems present in our food system and environment. As we stare down the barrel of climate change, only farmers – who manage two thirds of the UK’s landscape – working together with conservation groups can create a healthier food system and bring back nature in diverse abundance. But this fledgling progress is hindered and hamstrung by simplistic debates that still stoke conflict between conservative rural communities and the liberal green movement.Each chapter, from Home and Work, Politics and Diversity to Animals and Food, Environment and Community, explores a different aspect of the urban/rural disconnect, weaving case studies and research with Anna’s personal stories of growing up on a small, upland farm.
A rural affairs journalist, Anna Jones has a unique perspective and insight into the cultural, agricultural and social issues that often divide rather than unite. Having grown up on a sheep farm in the Welsh borders, and later lived in urban settings, her media sensibility sees the reasons why these two disparate sections of society need to respect their differences and recognise each other’s strengths and work together to protect and preserve the land.”
The BBC's 'Costing the Earth' series has a great many episodes which will doubtless be of use to those teaching the new GCSE Natural History specification. It will perhaps be a useful job for someone - perhaps me - to go through the catalogue of episodes online and produce a list of those that might be of use for the new specification. *makes mental note.
Can writing about nature help to protect it? Charlotte Smith discusses this with three authors: Helen Macdonald, Paul Evans, and Kerri Andrews.
David Attenborough explores the wildlife and wild spaces of the United Kingdom in Wild Isles, his latest natural history series. It’s a glorious celebration but it also highlights the depletion of nature on our own doorstep, and - without a doubt - its power lies, not just in the unforgettable images, but in the strength of the script.
So, in today’s episode of Costing the Earth, Charlotte Smith hears from three British nature writers about what inspires them, how they feel the genre is faring, and whether nature writing can play a meaningful role in helping to protect our own native landscape and its flora and fauna.
Joining Charlotte, who served for three years as a judge of the Wainwright Prize for writing on global conservation, are Helen Macdonald (H is for Hawk, Vesper Flights), Paul Evans (Guardian Country Diaries, Field Notes from the Edge) and Dr Kerri Andrews (a forthcoming book about Nan Shepherd who wrote The Living Mountain, and Wanderers: A History of Women Walking).
"Gilbert White’s book, more than any other, has shaped our everyday view of the relations between humans and nature."
Richard Mabey, Naturalist & biographer of Gilbert White
Gilbert White's book is a landmark text which students of the GCSE in Natural History are likely to be introduced to in some way. It was a great inspiration for other writers who are at the heart of natural history as well, including Charles Darwin.
Gilbert White was the curate of the Parish of Selborne in Hampshire and lived there for 40 years. He started his work with his Garden Kalendar in 1751. He and his brother cut a path, called the Zigzag, into the hill behind the house where Gilbert lived, leading up onto the Common.
White is widely regarded as the father of ecology, and is a globally significant natural scientist. He was responsible for a number of major discoveries in the world of natural history
White is famous because of his method.
In an age without cameras and tape recorders he correctly identified the willow wrens as separate species by their songs and by minute differences in their plumage. He did this through observation, what he called ‘observing narrowly’, and then carefully recording what he saw.
Whereas other natural historians of the 18th century received information from all over the country, White closely observed nature in one patch of country, as modern natural historians do. He would receive specimens from local boys, or from his brother John, which he would examine. His scientific fame rests on his minute observation of all nature in his garden, on his walks and his rides in the countryside.
Some text amended from the museum website.
Simon Barnes, in The Times 1st June 2013 wrote:
‘The book is about taking small things and understanding their place across the immensities of space and time. He was able to take a small localised matter and see its eternal significance. He saw his little chunk of Hampshire as a single living entity".
The book takes the form of a seriesof letters to Thomas Pennant and Daines Barrington, and was published in 1789 near the end of his life.
Gilbert White also referred to the "rude magnificence" of nature.
Without bees, there would be far less natural history. They are key to pollinating plants (including crops and orchard trees) and flowers in gardens but also on farms. They also produce honey as a by product of all this activity.
Bees are also troubled. They are under threat from a range of different directions:
- the use of chemicals which harm them, which are able to be used despite the known risks
If you are planning on teaching the new specification, there will be a need for resourcing the new course.
If you are offering this course for the first time, perhaps alongside existing GCSE Geography groups, it is important to consider the cost of setting up a new course (SLT will also be considering these costs as well).
This may include raiding your local second hand bookshops, or some of the online options such as ABE Books and sites like VINTED.
You will perhaps know of some of the classic books that need to be in your collection, and we will be showcasing them on this site as time passes, particularly as first teaching approaches.
We are also putting together a suggested reading list for the course, and when the draft specifications emerge we will also produce specific reading lists for each topic, which will include books, journal articles and other texts.
We'd also welcome your suggestions for the most classic Natural History texts.
Image: Books at Looses Emporium in Norwich - image by Alan Parkinson, shared under CC license
Back in October 2022, I was alerted to the fact that the end credits of Eastenders on a Wednesday episode were subtly (ish) changed to act as a trailer for Frozen Planet II, which was showing at the time.
The new end credits saw London’s East End transformed to show the river Thames bursting its banks with parts of the capital under water in a hypothetical scenario of what London could look like in the future.
It then zoomed out to capture a satellite image of the Arctic and point to the last episode of Sir David Attenborough’s series, underlining the message that the challenge of melting ice in this frozen region could one day affect us all close to home.
There are going to be many changes to the world that we have become used to in the coming decades, and most of them are not going to be welcome changes.
One of the resources that I am putting together is something on oppoertunities to get involved in Citizen Science. There are quite a few of these spread through the year, and teachers could perhaps create a 'loyalty card' which allows students to earn points through engagement with them.
Wildlife charity, the People’s Trust for Endangered Species’ (PTES) is looking for volunteers across Britain for its annual ‘Great Stag Hunt’ survey, to discover where endangered stag beetles are living and where they most need help.
Stag beetles were once widespread but due to habitat loss they’re now declining and have even become extinct in some parts of Britain and Western Europe. To prevent that from further happening PTES is calling for nature lovers, families, and individuals to help this summer by recording all sightings of male and female stag beetles, and their larvae (large, white grubs), online at:
Stag beetles are easy to spot – they’re the UK’s largest land beetles and the males are instantly recognisable with their antler like jaws. From late May into July these iconic insects emerge from the ground in search of mates, and are usually spotted flying around gardens, parks and allotments on warm summer evenings. They can also be seen on walls and warm tarmac surfaces in urban areas, and in other green spaces too such as woodland edges, hedgerows and traditional orchards.
Laura Bower, Conservation Officer at PTES says: “Last year almost 10,000 sightings were recorded by thousands of volunteers, giving us a real insight into where their range is, which is crucial for the species’ long-term survival. More help is always needed though, so whether you’re out in the garden, dog walking in a local park, on the school run or even walking to the pub, keep your eyes peeled for these beautiful beetles and tell us about any you see. You don’t need to be a beetle expert or have taken part before, as PTES has a free ‘beetle ID’ guide to help anyone new to the survey to help them tell the differences between stag beetles and other insects.”
To take part in the Great Stag Hunt 2023, for top tips on creating the perfect log pile, or to find out more about stag beetles, please visit: stagbeetles.ptes.org
An alternative map that allows you to enter a wide world of wonder, whether a visitor or proud resident - there is much to discover from our past and present
This is just part of it - view & download the full map
This is an interactive map which has details of the UK's 46 AONBs.
Students might usefully be allocated an AONB each to explore the particular landscape features, along with the biodiversity that it contains, and projects which are being undertaken to preserve its natural beauty.
They might be of interest to those preparing entries for the RGS Young Geographer of the Year competition with its theme of 'A Blueprint for the Future'.
Tune in for stories from the forefront of the planetary emergency. Along the way, we’ll unpack how we got here and discover solutions from science and nature that could help tackle the problems facing our world. Each episode explores one of the challenges facing nature globally, from wildfires to plastic pollution, zoonotic diseases to farming and beyond.
Join your hosts Tori Herridge and Khalil Thirlaway as they transport you around the globe to the front lines of the climate change and biodiversity crises.
Details:
Episode 1 A rising tide: Melting ice sheets and sea level rises
With:
Selina Leem - Climate activist from the Marshall Islands
Laura Tenenbaum - Climate expert and former NASA scientist
Dr Mark Spalding - Senior marine scientist with the Nature Conservancy and mangrove expert
Dr Bethan Davies - Glaciologist from Newcastle University
Iris Moeller - Professor of Geography at the University of Dublin
Episode 2 Fire: Life in the New Pyrocene
With:
Dr Sandy Knapp - Botanist and merit researcher of plants at the Natural History Museum
Professor David Bowman - Fire researcher, University of Tasmania
Nerilie Abram - Paleoclimatologist from the Australian National University
Elizabeth Azzuz - Traditional fire practitioner from California
There have been two projects started by the Royal Horticultural Society relatively recently which may be of interest to schools.
If I was to teach the new specification I think I would want to make it as active as possible, with students involved in practical actions to help natural history in some way, whether throuth citizen science, or through nature conservation projects.
The Office for National Statistics produces a quarterly report which provides the results of surveys which they have carried out with a healthy number of respondents.
One was published in May 2023 which may be of interest and relevance to those who are exploring the impacts of the climate emergency on the natural world.
Good to see 73% of adults in Great Britain are concerned about the loss of natural habitats or wildlife - above the 64% worried about the impact of climate change in the latest @ONS data. Both matter, but wildlife loss has had much less attention: https://t.co/tTKeGek2zYpic.twitter.com/DhDEVTkxz8
Almost two-thirds (64%) of adults in Great Britain said they were worried (somewhat or very) about the impact of climate change in the past 12 months.
Of those who said they were worried, around three-quarters (74%) said that they were concerned about the impact on future generations; this was highest among those aged 70 years and over (83%).
The most recent decade, 2013 to 2022, has seen an increase of 26% in the annual average number of summer days and a 16% decrease in icing days (days where the air temperature does not go above freezing) in the UK compared with the 1991 to 2020 average.
Charts can also be obtained from the report's page.
Wild Ken Hill has been the home of the BBC's Springwatch and Autumnwatch for the last couple of years, and also the occasional Winterwatch.
Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and the team base themselves here, having previously been based at Minsmere and other locations including the nearby location of Pensthorpe, near Fakenham for a while.
Wild Ken Hill is in North West Norfolk, between King's Lynn and Hunstanton.
Wild Ken Hill is a site of rewilding, conservation, and a working farm. Its land is made up of hilly wood, wetter marshland, pasture landscape, and agricultural fields. As such, the ground is predominantly uneven with thick undergrowth. Ponies, pigs and cattle graze parts of the site and it is home to many, small, wild animals.
I lived in Snettisham for 12 years, and walked over Ken Hill many times, through the woods and down through the reed beds and along the old railway line which was sadly a casualty of Beeching's cuts in the 1960s.
That line, passing through Wolferton, Snettisham and Heacham would make a fantastic route from King's Lynn to the coast. Sadly, there have been some changes and new buildings which mean that the line is unlikely to ever be reinstated despite the fact that it would immediately
The area has changed substantially over the 12 years since I last visited for a good period of time.
Locations such as this may well form a good site for a field visit, or a case study of rewilding should that be a focus for the final draft specification.
I can imagine the area of the Wash, and surroundings landscapes and land uses, and some of the potential conflicts that occur there would make a good large scale case study.
Biodiversity is a key word within the glossary of key terms that will no doubt form part of any set of resources for the new specification. Teachers and students will need to get to grips with the vocabulary around Natural History, where some words may have slightly different meanings or emphases compared to geography or science.
I have put together a list of suggestions for this already as part of the proposed resources that I am working on and compiling in Google Drive. It's already looking quite impressive.
Here's a suggested definition from the Natural History Museum.
One of the likely focuses for the draft specification is likely to be an exploration of global and local trends in biodiversity and in particular biodiversity loss (and protection).
Reports such as those from Dasgupta are showing worrying trends.
One of the proposed 'benefits' of the new specification is that it will introduce students to nature writing (along with other media such as paintings and literature...)
He deserves to be on any official reading list. We'll be suggesting our own Reading List as part of our proposed resources for those teaching the new specification.
Barry passed away in December 2020.
Thanks to Point Reyes Books for organising this webinar.
A special tribute to Barry Lopez (1945-2020), featuring John Luther Adams, Bathsheba Demuth, Jane Hirshfield, Robert Macfarlane, Colum McCann, and Rebecca Solnit, along with Barry’s wife Debra Gwartney. John Freeman served as moderate the conversation.
This event was presented by Point Reyes Books, in partnership with Elliott Bay Book Company, Emergence Magazine, and Orion Magazine.
This recording has been edited due to copyright issues. In the original, John Luther Adams' tribute was followed by a recording of "Sky With Four Suns." The event concluded with an excerpt from "Horizons," Jeremy Seifert's film about Barry Lopez, which can be found on the Emergence Magazine website. See later in the post.
I've read Barry's final collection of essays which came out over the summer 2022, and it is really rather wonderful and memorable, and shocking... and it will make you cry.
Rachel Carson was the author of the classic book 'Silent Spring'.
This BBC World podcast explores the origins of the book, which is one of the more significant environmental books ever published.
She also wrote several other books which would be of relevance, including on the theme of the world's oceans: 'The Sea Around Us' and 'The Edge of the Sea' - I have copies of these in my library.
One would hope that Rachel Carson will be another person whose name is added to the list of people which those studying the new GCSE Natural History specification should be made aware of.
Details on the podcast:
Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring has probably done more than any other to raise concerns about the damage that uncontrolled use of chemicals can cause to the natural world. Carson imagined a ‘silent spring’ in a world where birds no longer sang, killed off by indiscriminate spraying of pesticides. Her plea for caution when using insecticides led to major changes in government regulation of agrochemicals both in the United States and elsewhere. So who was Rachel Carson? How did this scientist with a passionate interest in marine biology turn first into a best-selling author and then into an environmental campaigner? And - six decades on - have the warnings of Silent Spring been heeded? Bridget Kendall is joined by Dr. Sabine Clarke, Senior Lecturer in Modern History at University of York with a particular interest in the history of synthetic insecticides; Michelle Ferrari, an award-winning film maker who directed a documentary about Rachel Carson's life for the American public broadcaster PBS; and Professor David Kinkela, an environmental historian and chair of the Department of History at Fredonia, State University of New York whose books include 'DDT and the American Century'. The reader is Ina Marie Smith.
The book is available in a large number of editions.
Her story about a lack of insects has been in the news for some years.
The Climate and Ecology Bill, which I first tabled back in 2020, and currently going through Parliament, has broad cross-party support.
When campaigns have needed a voice inside Parliament, I have sought to offer it. After collaborating over many years with nature campaigner Mary Colwell, a Natural History GCSE, will be on the syllabus by 2025/26.
(More evidence that there may well be a delay in the specification being taught for the first time)
I’ve sometimes struggled to focus on the existential challenges that drive me – the climate and nature emergencies.
So I’ve decided to step down at the next election to allow me to turn my full attention to those twin issues.
It's also worth using these as provocations for discussions.
One would hope that as students take part in the course, they will be collecting information such as this as part of their wider reading.
"Biodiversity loss is as catastrophic as climate change and our own research has shown the UK to be one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
Combatting biodiversity loss by supporting children and young people in England to transform their education space for wildlife will be a significant step in addressing the planetary emergency as well as empowering young people to take action, connect with nature and become Advocates for the Planet."
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum
An interesting mention for the new qualfication....
📺 WATCH: CEN MP @WalkerWorcester highlights the new skilled jobs being created to monitor levels of biodiversity.
He sets out how the Natural History GCSE will help equip students for these new careers. Its introduction was a campaign win for CEN MPs. pic.twitter.com/rR5QAC9L1W
— Conservative Environment Network (@CEN_HQ) May 18, 2023
But will it be ready for first teaching in 2025 as previously mentioned?
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