Teachers’ Guide This trail takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Trail Stops
Page Number
Compressor House
1
Inman Shaft
2
Reed beds and bird huts
3
Winding Engine House
4
Workshops and Garages
5
Places to note
6
When choosing a route around the trail visit the stops that are most relevant to the current topics being covered so they are not missed due to time restrictions.
Teachers’ guidance notes: Self directed trail around Hope Pit
COMPRESSOR HOUSE Number of Fantastic facts to find = 4 This building dates from the 1850s and was originally close to the colliery railway, which ran past it and through the tunnel under the main road. There were two compressors in the building, providing compressed air for the colliery, but only the concrete engine beds remain. The compressor was driven by an electric motor. It generated compressed air to supply power for machines underground. The air was stored in receivers outside the building. What is compressed air? Squeezed air stores energy, like a spring or rubber band. Machines can work with this stored energy. The compressor in this building squeezed the air and stored it in a tank outside. Pipes carried the air underground to work the machines. Compressed air can be safer than electricity in gassy seams, because there is no risk of sparks.
History of the building
Suggested Learning Experiences • •
• • • •
Play the air tools game matching the tools to the jobs they do. Experiment with the compressed air machines. What pressure is needed to make the machines operate? Why is it difficult to pump when raising the pressure? Encourage thinking about friction in the machine and what pushes and pulls they are using when operating the machines. Look at the changing state of the inflatable bag as it is inflated and deflated. Linking to states of mater, solids and gases. Discuss how compressed air operates machines (forces) (see information boards). Help the children find the information for the answer to their question sheet. Find and read the Fantastic facts with the children. Read the information boards to find out more about the machinery used in mining. Air tools game
Compressed air machines
Children’s worksheet answers • •
Bulb lights up at 60 PSI (which equals 4 bars) Found on information board—The compressor squeezes the air using pistons or rotating blades, forcing the air together by centrifugal force.
1
Teachers’ guidance notes: Self directed trail around Hope Pit
INMAN SHAFT
Number of Fantastic facts to find = 5 The Inman shaft building was erected between 1840 and 1841. This building once housed a beam engine, used for pumping water from the workings. Water may seep into underground workings from the surrounding rocks. Miners have to get rid of this water if they are to work. The boiler house and chimney, and a horse gin used to supplement the work of the beam engine, were probably demolished in the 1940s when electric pumps were installed. Little remains of the beam engine, but a cast-iron sill can be seen at the large window, where the beam protruded through the opening. The Inman shaft building is named after Jack Inman, who worked the pumping engine at the colliery and worked on the site for over 80 years. This building now contains information relating to the water monitoring scheme which is listed in the section on water monitoring.
History of the building
Suggested Learning Experiences • •
• • •
On the way in have a look at the water treatment ponds. Why is the water orange? Then find out more about this in the video within and sign on the way out. Watch the videos that automatically play. The first is called Water underground and tells you about mining history. The second is about the reed beds and the purification process they fulfil. Each video runs for approximately five minutes. Play the ‘Power the pumps’ game and explore the information in the water monitoring scheme. Light up the mining models. What can you see? Describe the contents? Make sure to go into both levels of the Inman Shaft.
Mining models
Interactive games
Water treatment ponds
Children’s worksheet answers •
Information that could be learnt from the videos—In 1700 acid in the water would burn the miners skin. 1890 Steam power meant they could dig down 400 foot and lift 2000 tons of coal a day. 1980 Electricity and compressed air totally changed the way mines work with new equipment and deeper mines. 2nd video—The bacteria in reeds produce oxygen which changes the chemicals in the water. 20,0003m of water is pumped out the mine daily.
2
Teachers’ guidance notes: Self directed trail around Hope Pit
REED BEDS AND BIRD HUTS Number of Fantastic facts to find = 0 This system has been replaced with a series of large ponds and reed beds, a more natural method of cleansing which means that lime no longer needs to be added to the water. Natural chemicals in mine water will settle out if the water is still for long enough. Exposure to the air (oxygen) helps to make iron in the water form solid particles. It settles out as the bright orange deposits round the settling ponds. The reed beds then act as filters. The reeds also provide oxygen which helps to get more iron out of the water. Some iron is absorbed into the plants but most lies in the mud at the bottom of the beds. As the beds fill up this will have to be dug out. The reed beds attract wildlife.
History of the building
Suggested Learning Experiences • • •
•
Enter the hides and observe the surrounding habitats. Use the binoculars and telescope to look around the environment (if not there just observe). What can you see? What can you hear? Listen to the sounds around the huts and in the sound boxes. View the reed beds and listen to the sounds in the surrounding area. Then discuss the filtering process within the reed beds and their uses within the environment. This is the natural way to purify the water and saves using industrial processes (water starts in the balancing ponds, then goes to the settling ponds and then down to the reed beds. The bacteria in the reeds produce oxygen which changes the chemicals in the water so they are no longer harmful). This is one way the museum contributes to maintaining the local environment. Encourage the children to think about the positive effects this has on the environment. Read the information around the huts linked to habitats and the environment. They also explain the filtering process further.
Reed beds
Huts
Sound box
Children’s worksheet answers • •
•
Suggested habitats—reed beds, trees, bushes, grass, water and soil. Sound boxes—Hut 1—1. Pheasant, 2. Blackbird, 3. Carrion Crow, 4. Common Frog, 5. Dragonfly, 6. Red Fox, 7. Bee, 8. Badger. Hut 2—1. Moorhen, 2. Rabbit, 3. Robin, 4. Song Thrush, 5. Tawny Owl, 6. Wood Pigeon, 7. Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8. Mallard. The job of the reed beds is explained above.
3
Teachers’ guidance notes: Self directed trail around Hope Pit
WINDING ENGINE HOUSE Number of Fantastic facts to find = 1 The pulley wheels on the headgear were turned by an electric winding engine which was working to wind men up and down the shaft until 1985. It was installed some time after 1947 and is still within the building. It has recently been restored to full working order, but there is no longer access by cage down the shaft The winding engine moved men and materials up and down the shaft. It had to run day and night. Today miners travel up and down the shaft in cages, like lifts, carried on strong, steel ropes. In the early 1800s a trip underground might have meant hanging onto the rope over the open shaft, or standing in a wicker basket.
History of the building
Suggested Learning Experiences • • • •
•
•
Listen to Eric give his talk about the winding mechanism. Get the children to answer their questions on Eric’s information. Observe the winding mechanism as Eric talks. Can the children find the different parts and explain how they would have worked. Look for the wheel, drum and belt. Investigate the drum and Koepe winders. How are they different? Name the parts in the mechanism? Investigate the different pulley systems. Which one is easiest to lift? Why? (because the belt is taken around two wheels). Name the parts in the mechanism? Explain what its purpose would have been in the mine? Play the signalling game in two teams. This game lets the children experience the process of lowering and lifting miners up and down the shaft. Whilst playing discuss the workings of the headgear and how it made this process possible. Look at the headgear outside and imagine how it would have lifted the miners. Discus the pulley system that would have been in place on the headgear. Eric
Signalling game
Winders and pulleys
Children’s worksheet answers • •
Eric’s job is to get the men and their equipment down the mine safely and back up again. 12 men could fit into a cage at once.
4
Teachers’ guidance notes: Self directed trail around Hope Pit
WORKSHOPS AND GARAGES Number of Fantastic facts to find = 1 When the colliery closed in 1985 this building was being used as a workshop. Before World War II it was the engine shed and repair shop for the colliery locomotives. Mining is tough on machines, so mine machinery needs regular maintenance and repair. Collieries had a joiners’ shop and fitting shop, which might also include a foundry to produce replacement parts. In recent years much of this work was done at central workshops, and only small jobs at the pit itself. Workshops also provided space for assembling and testing new machines before they went underground.
History of the building
Suggested Learning Experiences •
• • •
•
• •
Watch the Blacksmith at work (The Blacksmith is not always at work) or the video of him and listen to the sounds of him working. Whilst observing discuss the changes in the materials he is working with and the energy processes involved. To get the children exploring the exhibition ask them to find one thing that works with a push, one with a pull and one with a twist. Look in the display cases. What can you see? What can you tell me? Investigate the tools on the workbench with their worksheets. What are they made from? Describe what the tools feel like? Which tool gives the most/ least friction when you brush your hand over it? Investigate the pulleys and gears. What difference does the size of the drums make to the speed? How are the belts held on to the gears? Talk about alternative materials to make the belts from that would offer more/less friction. Investigate the levers. Which one is hardest to lift? Why? Investigate on the workbenches. Can you join the pieces? Is there another way to join them? What can you build?
Long and short
Pulleys and gears
Blacksmiths
Tool bench
Tools
Children’s worksheet answers • • •
Help the children describe the Blacksmith actions. Vocabulary to encourage—rough, smooth, hard, join, fasten, stiff, force, energy and material. Make sure to give the children time to explore the tools and their properties.
5
Teachers’ guidance notes: Self directed trail around Hope Pit
PLACES TO NOTE Settling and Water treatment ponds • •
•
Try to stop here before visiting the reed beds. Observe and discus the job of the Settling ponds and what has happened to the water beforehand.? What is there purpose? Why is this good for the environment? There are several small ponds so as the water moves down the system it becomes cleaner with reed beds finishing the purification process.
Gravel drag—near the front entrance of the museum at the end of the railway line. • •
Stop here before walking to Hope Pit or once you have finished looking around the building on the Hope Pit site. Observe the gravel drag and discuss why there is gravel at the end of the railway line. The gravel there to stop the train if the brakes fail. How will it stop the train? (friction)
Headgear—can be found next to the Winding engine house. • •
Stop here once you have been inside the winding engine house and listened to Eric. Observe the restored mining headgear. Discuss its use. What was it for? How did it work? (winding mechanisms). Get the children to find the different parts of the winding mechanism. Pulley, wheel and belt. What use does friction have in the mechanism?
When walking around Hope Pit make sure the children experience walking on the gravel and on the tarmac path. When they are walking on the gravel ask them how it feels under foot. Discuss the differences between the two surfaces relating to the amount of friction between the surfaces and their shoes.
6