One of the most exciting parts of planning a project is seeing it come together and visualising the end product. I am now well underway with my resource development and have presented my plan to staff and students on the Geoscience Outreach and Engagement course. This gave me the opportunity to express my enthusiasm and explain the inspiration behind the idea which is ultimately the reason I chose this course. I also provided details of the activity content and the long-term impacts that I hope the project will have. It is exciting to think that the resources could be used not only by Arcadia, but also by parents and potentially other nurseries in Edinburgh.

I have now finished the plant and flower identification workbook and the supporting information needed for the teachers. I chose to complete this first since I knew it would be the most time consuming compared to the other activities and because I knew exactly how I wanted to develop it. I really enjoyed working on this as I could apply the knowledge that I had from a field trip in first year (where we also completed a plant ID guide at Blackford Hill and the Hermitage of Braid) and could express my creativity. Before I begin the next resource, I plan to send the plant and flower ID workbook to Arcadia and get some feedback. I think it is really important to keep them up to date with my progress and ensure that they are happy with the resources. I am in regular contact with Arcadia and we have agreed that if the restrictions ease before the end of the semester, I can go on another visit to Blackford Hill with them. It would be great to introduce some of the activities and see the project in action!

Time management has been one of my biggest challenges this semester. Having no scheduled classes or lectures has put my organisational skills to the test. Since I normally work well with structure, I have been trying to dedicate specific time each day for my dissertation and Geoscience project. I find that taking plenty of breaks and getting outdoors has helped me stay focused. As part of previous courses, I have been researching the effects of greenspace on mental health which I think is particularly relevant just now during the pandemic. Improved mental health and wellbeing that is experienced from being outdoors is also one of the benefits I hope to see from my project and I think this re-emphasises how important it is to engage people with nature from a young age.

Bringing the Resources to Life / Ellie Sutton / Geoscience Outreach and Engagement (2020-2021)[FLEX] by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0