Protecting the Environment:

Are we damaging our world?

In this unit, the children will consider if we are damaging our world and how we can protect it. Building on the previous year's unit, 'Changes in Our Local Environment', children will investigate further energy production, and will build upon this by extending this learning to the oceans and minerals. They will also conduct an enquiry into how the school can become more sustainable.

Fieldwork

This unit includes opportunities for fieldwork within the school grounds, looking at how the school grounds can be made more attractive to wildlife and investigating how sustainable the school is, whilst suggesting areas for improvement. The children will pose their own specific enquiry question, before then collecting and analysing evidence from around the school.

How can I support learning at home?

You can reinforce and support pupils' learning in lots of ways:

• Research and discuss news stories on sustainability issues. Allow children to investigate the issue or an issue of their own choice. Challenge them to find out a little about their issue of concern, including the causes and what can be done to improve the situation. Can you find where the issue is on a map. 
• Visit a library and read books on endangered wildlife and mineral resources.
• Plan and carry out an enquiry into sustainability in the local area
• Discuss and explain several threats to wildlife/habitats
• Deepen understanding on ways to improve the health of our planet
• Discuss and explain where minerals are found around the world
• Discuss and explain the carbon cycle
• Describe some threats to our oceans
• Research some advantages of marine protected areas (MPAs).