You need to be a WD OWL member to borrow resources as we need to keep track of them and make sure they are well looked after. Find out how to become a member here West Dunbartonshire OWL Group – OWLS

There is a limited supply of some materials such as the cyanoprint paper and calico material for hapa zome and links have been provided below to buy more.

Not the best binoculars but a lot more robust and easier to use for younger hands

https://www.tts-group.co.uk/rainbow-coloured-magnifying-glasses-in-stand-%E2%80%93-12pk/1015776.html

6x microscopes

https://www.tts-group.co.uk/tts-handheld-microscopes-6pk/1011340.html?cgid=Primary-School_Gardens-Habitats_and_Observation

White trays

ID guides

It can be used to look at anything close up - bugs or other nature aspects such as flowers and leaves

This includes 5 hammers, boards instruction sheets, waxed carboard to protect the wooden boards and potentially some calico material but you can also use paper

Acrostic poems for our items-varied success as some folk had longer words to work with than others! ( P5-7 classes).

Tried a word circle as a collaborative activity - the last letter of a word is the starting letter of the next word.

When taking classes out it has been generally a language based activity around the lost words.

ready to use cyanotype paper is available at the link above. It's advised to get a pack of 30 x A5 as it takes quite a lot to fill 1 sheet and it's tricky to cut them in half once taken out of the packaging as they need to be used quickly (within 15 mins) for best results.

The group resource includes trays to wash the paper, tongs to hold the paper, clear plastic/laminate sheets and pegs to hold things in place and a UV lamp as it's not always that sunny locally and this gives more consistent prints and can make it easier to run a session regardless of the weather.

Cyanotypes -photograms using natural light

Drawing with Charcoal

Relief printing using objects from nature

Rubbing from natural objects

Collotypes - printing process similar to collage, relief and etching

Drama Activities

please note it can take quite a few weeks (at least 4 weeks) to press leaves and flowers so this is definitely a longer term project in amongst other learning.

full instructions and tools to careful manipulate dried flowers etc included

Wands can be decorated sticks with wool, string or ribbon or even natural materials that you find like leaves or feathers. Sometimes it can work best to put some double sided sticky tape on the stick before you try and attach things.

Or if you're happy with knife skills how about whittling your own with a peeler and/or knife.

Make your own 'ink' by boiling down different fruits/veg - experiment and see what works - some ideas: red cabbage, avocado skin or pip, walnut shells, red onion skin, blackberries, elderberries. When making inks once boiling and straining the liquid make sure to add something such as tea tree or clove oil to keep it from going mouldy. Coffee, spices such as turmeric or cinnamon can be mixed with warm/hot water and also provide a sensory experience. Food colouring is also a nice instant ink.

Then just dip your pen in and draw away.

Here's an example for a potion making session Make a nature potion | Scottish Wildlife Trust