How do you use tools for fieldwork?
There are lots of different tools you can use when doing fieldwork.
Each tool is used for different things: for example, a hoop helps to record what you see in a certain area, a rain gauge measures how much rain has fallen, or a compass can check directions.
Watch: Why are fieldwork tools useful?
Play the video to watch Granny teach Ben and Amber about various fieldwork tools.
Amber: There are so many trees here. There must be like… over a thousand!
Granny: Two thousand, three hundred and twenty one!
Amber: It's very busy here!
Granny: Two hundred and sixty eight thousand and sixty four people live in Newcastle upon Tyne. We call this the 'population'.
Ben: You can see for miles. We must be really high up!
Granny: We're on the North Yorkshire Moors and we're two hundred and ninety eight metres above sea level.
Ben: Granny, how come you know so much about places?
Granny: Because I'm a geographer, which means I study people and places.
Amber and Ben: Ahh!
Amber: Wow, you know so much! You must use some sort of amazing super computer… drone… bot… thingy to get all the information!
Granny: Not really. In fact, your eyes and ears are the most useful tools of all.
Geography is all about making observations and for us geographers, this starts with what we can see or hear and then we can write it down.
But there are lots of useful tools we can use to help us. Shall we have a go?
We can find out about the wildlife in a place by counting the different types of animals and writing them down.
We can collect things, if we're allowed and they are safe, and take them back home to find out more from them.
Take photos or do drawings to record the way things look.
And use tape measures to work out areas and distances.
Sometimes it's useful to know what people think about the place, or to find out what they know. So, using questionnaires to ask people questions can also be helpful!
Going to places and finding out about them is called 'fieldwork' and there are many different tools we can use to help us.
Remember to use the tools safely and always stay with a grown-up. It's amazing what you can find out about the world around you!
What are different fieldwork tools?
There are lots of different fieldwork tools. Here are some of them:
| Number | Tool | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rain gauge | To measure amounts of rain. |
| 2. | Compass | To find out directions. |
| 3. | Camera | To take photographs. |
| 4. | Stopwatch | To measure time. |
| 5. | Tape measure | To measure distances. |
| 6. | Paper and pencil | To record what you find out. |
We can also use:
| Number | Tool | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | Hoop | To record what you see in a certain area. |
| 8. | Thermometer | To measure temperature. |
Maps can help you:
- Find out about places.
- Find geographical features.
- Compare one place to another.
- Record the location of your results.
Take a look at these useful tips for using fieldwork tools:
Image caption, Clipboards and paper
You can use these for questionnaires, for drawing and for counting what you find.
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Activity 1: Match the fieldwork tool
Activity 2: Fieldwork tools quiz
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