There is no better way to spend a beautiful summer’s day than learning outdoors, and that’s exactly what our year 10 geographers did during their GCSE fieldwork visit to National Trust Erddig, near Wrexham, in July.
The trip took students to the River Clywedog, where they became real geographers by collecting their own primary data to investigate how rivers change downstream. Students pulled on their wellies and got into the river to carry out a range of fieldwork investigations for themselves.
Working effectively as a team, students measured river velocity by timing how long it took a tennis ball to travel along a 10-metre stretch of the river.
They also carefully measured the river’s width and depth and collected samples of river sediment, recording the size and roundness of the pebbles to investigate the effects of erosion.
After a busy morning in the river, everyone enjoyed a well-earned lunch in the beautiful National Trust grounds at Erddig.
Back in school, students will analyse the data they collected and compare their results with the Bradshaw Model to see whether the River Clywedog behaves as geographers would expect or whether it contains any interesting surprises.
The trip was a fantastic opportunity to experience geography beyond the classroom. Spending the day in and beside the river helped bring their studies to life, showing students how fieldwork allows geographers to investigate the natural world first-hand, and enabling them to develop valuable teamwork and practical skills.
