Teaching ideas

Background knowledge
A habitat is a place in which an organism lives. A shore crab’s habitat might be a small bay on the coast;
a golden eagle’s habitat may be large areas of upland. Think about how you might describe the habitat of
a frog, or a whale, or a rabbit. A frog’s habitat needs to include water. A whale lives exclusively in water
but the water in which it lives must also be the habitat for the food the whale needs. A rabbit’s habitat
needs to include areas of grass and other vegetation for it to eat. It must also provide shelter from the
weather and from animals for which the rabbit is food. Most habitats are home to a range of organisms. A
large tree may be a habitat to other plants, for example, ferns, and to invertebrates such as caterpillars. A
tree is also a habitat for birds.
The Earth is a special place. The organisms on Earth have developed over many years and become
dependent on its habitats, and on one another. There are many examples of interdependence between
organisms. One is the way in which animals and plants are dependent on micro-organisms and fungi to
decompose excreta and the bodies of dead organisms.
Humans have all sorts of effects on the environment. Positive effects include care of endangered species
and protection of habitats. Negative effects include pollution of the air and water by vehicles and industry,
and felling of rainforests, which destroys the habitat for many species.
Almost every product or service has had multiple effects on the environment. For example, a plastic bottle
requires a container made from oil, the product is shipped in vehicles, the factory making
the bottles may be polluting, and the empty bottles may contribute to littering and pollution of the oceans.
We can have a positive influence on the environment by recycling waste. Metals, glass and paper are
often recycled. For example, old newspapers can be processed to make new paper. This means that fewer
trees have to be cut down to provide the raw material for making new paper. Another example is the way
we can recycle lead found in cells (batteries). These are taken apart so that the toxic, but valuable, lead
can be recycled, and not put in landfill.
Products can also be reused. Goods such as clothes and toys can be passed or sold to new users. This
reuse is often cheap to do and good for the environment because it does not use new resources.

Unit overview
Topic Number Outline Resources in Resources in Resources
of of Learner’s Book Activity Book in Teacher’s
lessons lesson Resource
2.1 Amazing 2 How birds Activity 2.1 Exercise 2.1 Worksheet 2.1a
birds are suited to L L Su L Su
their habitat, Ex Worksheet 2.1b
and how we Su
Questions 1, 2, 3
might record
our

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2.2 A habitat 2 Snails are Activity 2.2 Exercise 2.2 Worksheet

for snails examined as 2.2
L L
a familiar Su L
Ex
animal. They
Questions 1, 2
are observed
when given a
choice of
habitat.
2.3 Animals in 2 Observation Activity 2. 3 Exercise 2.3 Worksheet 2.3
local habitats and L Su
consideration of
Su
animals in local
habitats. Questions 1, 2
2.4 2 The use Activity 2.4 Exercise 2.4 Worksheet 2.4a
Identification of simple L Ex
keys identification
Ex L
keys.
Questions 1, 2,
3, 4

2.5 Identifying 2 Observing Activity 2.5a Exercise 2.5 Worksheet 2.5

invertebrates invertebrates and L L Ex
then considering Activity 2.5b
a suitable habitat
L
for them. The
topic considers a Ex
key for identifying Questions 1, 2, 3
invertebrates.

2.6 How we 2 Ways that Activity 2.6 Exercise 2.6

affect the humans affect L Su L Su
environment the
environment.
Questions 1, 2, 3
2.7 Wonderful 2 Ways in which Activity 2.7a Exercise 2.7 Worksheet 2.7
water humans interact L Su L Ex
with water Activity 2.7b
resources. L
Ex
Questions 1, 2, 3
2.8 Recycling 2 How can Activity 2.8a Exercise 2.8
can save the waste be dealt L L
Earth! with in ways
Activity 2.8b
which protect
the
L Ex
environment? Questions 1, 2
Check your 1 Questions 1, 2, Language
progress 3, 4 review

E Extension L Language Scientific enquiry Su Support

x

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Resources Curriculum links

• a tray • The study of local habitats could be linked to
• some leaves the study of places and landscapes in
• some dry stones Geography. A geographical study of a river,
• some sand its stages and how it carves its way through a
• some small sticks landscape could be complemented by this
• three snails paper topic. Learners could look at animals and
• pencils plants that find their habitat in or alongside
• a large sheet of paper the river.
• some pooters
• A link can be made to Environmental
• a magnifying glass
Education when you consider recycling and
• some small rocks
protecting the environment.
• some bricks
• some bamboo canes
• some small logs
• some short wooden planks Ideas for the lesson
• some small wooden boxes
• some cardboard • Begin by reminding learners what they have
learnt in previous topics about animals and
• some soil
• some colouring pens their need for air, food, water, warmth and a
• some beakers place to live.
• a funnel
• Find out what learners already know about
• some filter paper how living things depend on their
• some plastic gloves environment. Use birds as an example. You
• some plant stems might use a video (see Internet and ICT
• some apple cores section). Learners might research other
• a plastic bag or a jar with a lid amazing birds.
• access to the internet or books about sea life
and pollution • There may be learners who have done some
bird watching. They may like to talk about
their experiences. All learners should be able
to talk about the birds that are seen in your
area and further afield. Some learners may
Topic 2.1 Amazing birds have seen birds in a zoo.
This unit uses birds to show that animals need • In Activity 2.1, learners are asked to make a
food, air, water, space and warmth, and that they plan for watching birds near your school. In
need a suitable habitat. It shows that different this activity, learners should be encouraged to
birds are suited to particular habitats. Learners collect evidence. They should also be
are encouraged think about how they would encouraged to make relevant observations
observe and record their observations of birds. (about the birds they see, and the number of
birds they see, for example). They should also
be encouraged to make comparisons, either by
watching birds in two different locations in
Learning objectives
the school, or by observing birds at home.
• Investigate how different animals are found
in different habitats and are suited to the
Worksheet 2.1a will support this activity.

environment in which they are found. • Talk to learners about how birds are suited to
their habitat. For example, hawks and falcons
• Collect evidence from different contexts. have good eyesight, which means that they
can see prey on the ground below them as
• Make relevant observations and comparisons
they fly, they have powerful talons to pick up
in a variety of contexts.
their prey and they can fly fast to match the
speed of their prey on the ground. Ducks and
other water birds have webbed feet so that
they can swim in water.

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Birds also have different shaped beaks that Internet and ICT
are suitable for eating different types of
food. Exercise 2.1 and Worksheet 2.1b • The video clip: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/
life/Emperor_Penguin shows Emperor
provide opportunities for consolidating this
learning about how different birds are penguins.
adapted for living in their habitats. • The video clip: http://video.
nationalgeographic.com/video/ animals/?
• You might want to arrange a visit to a local
park, country park or zoo, to observe a wider
source=NavAniPhoto shows a peregrine
falcon diving for its prey.
range of birds.

• If possible, you could arrange for a specialist

to come in to talk about birds. Suitable people Assessment
would be a park ranger or a member of an
ornithologists’ group. • Can learners talk about different birds and
the places they live?

Notes on practical activities • Can they recognise the ways in which some
birds are suited to the places where they live?
Activity 2.1 Assess learners’ science enquiry skills using
Each pair or group will need: • the following table.

• paper
• a pencil Do learners collect evidence?
• some food and water to attract birds.
Do learners make relevant
This activity provides an opportunity for learners observations?
to consider how they will make observations. Do learners make relevant
Learners are asked to make a plan for bird comparisons?
watching near your school. They should consider
how they will do this and what they will need.
Learners should think about whether they will Differentiation
need to attract birds and, if so, how they will do
this. They should think about how they will make • Lower achieving learners may benefit from
having each activity broken into smaller
sure that they do not frighten the birds. steps. This group may also need more
Learners are asked to watch birds at different times support from poster prompts and lists of
of the day. They should notice whether there are key words. You may need to draw their
any times when they observe more birds. attention to specific features. Give this
group structured opportunities to use the
They need to consider how much time is needed language of birds and habitats. For
to watch the birds and what records they should example, ‘Why do some birds need to live by
make. water?’.
Higher achieving learners can be given more
Some learners may find it hard to stay still long
enough to observe birds. You may consider
• examples (including less familiar examples) to
feeding birds at a particular place on the school consider. You can give them more
site on the run up to this lesson. You may find a independence by asking them to plan in
spot where birds congregate. For example, Activity 2.1 with fewer prompts for things that
if learners have snacks at playtime, birds may they should consider.
appear after playtime each day.

Talk about it!

Learners have considered different ways in which
birds are adapted to their habitat. For example,
beaks shaped for eating particular food, feet
webbed for swimming, good eyesight for finding
prey, and speed of flight for catching prey.

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Common misunderstandings and Worksheet 2.1b

misconceptions This bird cannot fly but is an penguin
• Learners may assume that an animal just
lives in a place. They may not realise that,
excellent swimmer. It feeds on fish in
the sea. When it is on land or on
over time, a habitat may change, and the snow and ice, this bird walks slowly
animal may be unable to live there. This and lives in large groups called
might happen, for example, if the food rookeries.
eagle plants die because the habitat no longer This large, powerful bird nests in tall
provides what they need to survive. trees or on high cliffs. It feeds on
small animals, which it finds by
flying many miles across hills and
Homework ideas mountains.

• Worksheet 2.1b. This large bird lives in or beside flamingo

shallow lakes. It lives in large flocks
• Exercise 2.1 in the Activity Book.
spending many hours walking in the
water and using its large hook-
Answers to Learner’s Book shaped bill to sieve food from the
water.
questions
This large bird lives on and beside swan
1 A bird’s beak is shaped to help it eat its food,
rivers. Its long neck allows it to feed on
for example, to break open a seed.
weeds growing on the bed of the river.
2 Some birds need good eyesight to help them
to see their prey on the ground below them as
they fly.
Some birds have webbed feet to help them to
3
swim.
Topic 2.2 A habitat for snails
This topic allows learners to observe a snail and
the habitat that suits it. It allows learners to
Answers to Activity Book exercise design and carry out a simple experiment in
which they can observe the choices made by
Exercise 2.1 snails about habitats.
humming bird – long beak for getting nectar
out of plants Learning objectives
duck – webbed feet for swimming
penguin – lots of fat under the skin to
keep body warm
• Investigate how different animals are found in
different habitats and are suited to the
bald eagle – skull shape allows eyes to see environment in which they are found.
in front and below
spoonbill – long flat beak that allows it to
• Test an idea or prediction based on scientific
shovel small fish from mud knowledge and understanding.
and water • Design a fair test and plan how to collect
sufficient evidence.

Answers to Worksheets • Choose apparatus and decide what to measure.

Worksheet 2.1a
• Explain what the evidence shows and
whether it supports predictions.
Communicate these clearly to others.
Learners may suggest headings such as: colour,
size, number seen, food eaten, etc. • Identify simple trends and patterns in results
and suggest explanations for these.

Curriculum links
• This topic links to Environmental
Education. You can emphasise the

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importance of small invertebrates in natural This activity provides an opportunity for learners
cycles. Snails eat plant material, which they to test a prediction by carrying out a series of
then return to the soil. Snails are food for tests with different snails. They also have to
larger animals. think about ways to make the test fair, how to
make observations and recordings, and how to
present results. Learners might present results on
Ideas for the lesson a table or bar chart. They should link the results
to the prediction and to what they already know
• Begin by allowing learners to observe a snail,
ideally using magnifying glasses. It will help
about snails. You may have to instruct learners
to repeat the test, say three times.
if you have plastic trays and a little damp
plant material for the snail. Can learners The test will need to be repeated with several
observe the snail’s eye stalks and snails. Snails do not always initially make what
the feelers? The feelers also sense smell. Can we would call the ‘right’ choice. Ask learners
the learners observe the snail’s eyes, skin, foot about this. Is it because of limited vision, or
shell and tail? Ensure that learners wash their because snails like to explore/search for food? Is
hands thoroughly after this observation. there another reason?
• Learners might carefully place a snail onto a Learners could note where the snail is every
sheet of see-through acetate to observe the minute, or every two minutes, and then record the
snail’s foot as it moves. Can they describe the results to show the snail’s preference for one area
muscular action of the foot which allows or another. This could be done on a bar chart
movement? Learners must wash their hands showing the choices available on the x-axis and the
thoroughly after handling the snail. number of times the snails are observed in that
• In Activity 2.2, learners are asked to think place on the y-axis. If snails tend to spend more
time in one area, this will be a trend in the results.
about the type of habitat that snails like. Ask
them to talk about where they have seen
You can add challenge by asking learners to
snails outside and places where snails tend
devise a way to measure how far a snail travels
not to be observed before they do the
in one or more minutes.
activity.
• Learners might research snails in reference
Exercise 2.2 is an exercise in interpreting
data about where snails were found. This is books or on the internet.
an opportunity for learners to identify
simple trends and patterns and to suggest
explanations for these. Learners also explain
what the evidence shows.
• Internet and ICT
Worksheet 2.2 asks learners to consider
habitats around the school and say • You might ask learners to take digital
why these habitats would be suitable or photographs of the different stages in the
unsuitable for snails. activities.
• The website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/
Helix_aspersa p003km3j is a BBC video of
snail life and movement. The narration uses
Notes on practical activities the term mollusc.

Activity 2.2 • The website: http://www.snail-world.com/ has

lots of facts and information about snails.
Each pair or group will need:
• a tray • The website: http://www.primaryscience.
ie/media/gallery/sammy_the_snail.
• some leaves
ppt 347,68,Slide 68 contains a PowerPoint
• sticks
made by primary learners with lots of facts
• stones
and ideas for investigations.
• sand
a little water
• • Learners might write a report about the work
• paper of the class for your school website.
• a pencil.

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Assessment Common misunderstandings and

• Ask learners to self-assess by giving them misconceptions
the points below as learning objectives:
I can talk about the snails and how they are
• Learners may be confused because we have
land and aquatic snails (pond snails, for
suited to their environment. example). Each organism is suited to its
I can suggest how I will go about investigating environment. Aquatic snails cannot survive
snails and how they are adapted to their on dry land and land snails cannot survive in
environment. water.
I can design a fair test and plan how to collect
sufficient evidence.
• Learners may think an animal lives in a place
because this is its ‘home’ rather than a
I can choose apparatus and decide what to suitable habitat.
measure.
I can explain what the evidence shows and
say whether it supports my predictions. Homework ideas
• Exercise 2.2 in the Activity Book.
Differentiation
• Lower achieving learners may need more Answers to Learner’s Book
prompts about what to do in the activity. questions
They may need smaller steps. They may need
support to identify a pattern or trends in 1 When the environment is too dry, snails
results. Encourage this group to use retreat into their shells.
the vocabulary of biology and of science 2 A bird which eats snails will have good
enquiry. eyesight and a beak which enables it to pick
up a snail and eat the snail. (Some birds
• Higher achieving learners should be smash the snail’s shell on a stone.)
expected to make more detailed
observations. This group should take more Challenge
control of the planning and carrying out of
investigations. They should be encouraged to If the birds could not find an alternative food,
give explanations, drawing on science they would starve to death.
vocabulary and knowledge. They should
be asked to identify any trend or pattern in Answers to Activity Book exercise
results. Ask them why tests should be
repeated, say, three times. This group could Exercise 2.2
be challenged to investigate other questions 1 under a log
such as, for example, whether larger snails 2 because it was damp and cool
can travel further in one minute. 3 on the branch of a tree
4 because there is no food there, it is warm
and dry, birds would eat them
Talk about it!
Talk about how snails protect themselves from Answers to Worksheets
other animals that eat them. The main defence is
the shell, but eyesight and sensitivity to vibrations Worksheet 2.2
means that they retreat into the shell when they
Learners can refer to any habitat and say whether
are threatened.
they feel is it suitable for snails. Suitable habitats
You can extend this discussion by talking about will generally be cool, perhaps damp, and will
how the predators (such as birds) are suited to provide places to shelter; for example, under
their environment, including how their beaks help stones, logs, old paving, etc.
them to eat the snails.

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Topic 2.3 Animals in • Learners might research the food of

different animals. They should realise that
local habitats this food must be found in a particular
This topic will allow learners to observe where habitat. They can consider other animals
local animals live, and how they are suited to observed in the local environment, and why
that habitat. It shows learners that habitats are all these animals are well suited to the
around them, and that the animals living there environment. They should compare three
depend on their habitats. different local habitats. This work could be
supported by Worksheet 2.3, which
considers earthworms. In this worksheet,
Learning objectives learners collect evidence. This could lead to
other investigations about the needs of
• Investigate how different animals are found
in different habitats and are suited to the earthworms.
environment in which they are found.
• Learners might use reference books and
• Collect evidence in a variety of contexts. internet sites to research the needs of less
familiar animals.
• Suggest questions that can be tested and
make predictions; communicate these. • Exercise 2.3 provides information about
observations of dragonflies in a habitat.
• Present results in drawings, bar charts and Learners are asked to read a bar chart and
tables. explain the results.
• Link evidence to scientific knowledge and
understanding in some contexts.
• Identify simple trends and patterns in results Notes on practical activities
and suggest explanations for these.
Activity 2.3
Each pair or group will need:
Curriculum links • an opportunity to observe different parts of
the school site or a local environment
• This topic links to Geography because the
areas you study as habitats form part of a • a pencil and some paper for recording results.
larger landscape or townscape. Learners
might consider the number of buildings in
an area, and the effect this has on the This activity allows learners to observe common
number of plants and animals. local animals or their habitats. Learners should
look at the ground and what is on it, at plants
including bushes and trees to see what habitats are
afforded under leaves, in the crevices of bark, and
Ideas for the lesson under stones. This activity provides an opportunity
for learners to collect evidence.
• Emphasise the word ‘habitat’ as a place
where an animal lives and finds all that it They can also suggest questions that can be
needs. For example, for a small beetle this tested. For example, ‘Will we find more
might be in a corner of a garden, for a mouse earthworms under a stone or under a log?’
this might be the whole school site, a frog’s Learners should review their observations and
habitat might be a pond, and an eagle’s notes for any patterns. For example, did cool
habitat might be many miles of open land. and/or damp conditions mean that more
living things including animals were observed?
• On a simple plan of the school site, ask They can link the evidence to their scientific
learners to sketch where they have observed knowledge and understanding about the needs of
animals. In Activity 2.3, learners need to animals for shelter and food.
go outside. Tell them to look for signs of
animals. Encourage them to suggest and ask
questions about living things and habitats. For
example, why might an earthworm be found in Internet and ICT
this habitat?
• The website: http://www.abpischools.org.
uk/page/modules/human_animal_habitats/
activity.cfm?coSiteNavigation_allTopic=1
is

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a simple habitats game based on several they do not require a particular habitat.
habitats. It could be used as an introduction or However, pigeons are well-adapted to many
for assessment. habitats. However, point out to learners that
they won’t survive in every habitat, for
• The website: http://switchzoo.com/games/
habitatgame.htm allows learners to select an example, cold desert, underwater.
animal and then a habitat to suit. This would
encourage discussion in a lesson.
• Learners can confuse the terms ‘home’ and
‘habitat’. Sometimes the word ‘home’ is used

in place of the term ‘habitat’; at other times it

Assessment refers to a nest or a den where the animals
sleep.
• Learners can peer-assess how well they
carried out Activity 2.3. Did they suggest
suitable questions to ask about the animals? Homework ideas
Did they collect appropriate evidence? Are
their results presented well? How clearly did
they link evidence to their scientific
• Ask learners to think about how they could
help improve a local habitat for animals.
knowledge and understanding?
• Worksheet 2.3 or Exercise 2.3 both
introduce another animal.

Differentiation
Answers to Learner’s Book
• Lower achieving learners will need to be
given familiar examples of animals before questions
moving on to others. Give this group adult 1 Learner’s own answers.
support, resources and carefully sequenced 2 Learner’s answers depend on the habitat.
tasks. Ensure that new language is used. For
example, ask questions such as: ‘Tell me
about the habitat of a frog’. Answers to Activity Book exercise
• Higher achieving learners should be expected Exercise 2.3
to consider a wider range of animals. They
1 They increase.
might consider the animal’s behaviour as
2 It was cold.
well as its body shape. For example, ants tend
3 Perhaps some dragonflies were eaten by
to run in random paths to confuse a bird other animals.
which might try to eat them. Perhaps they could not find food.

Answers to Worksheets
Talk about it!
This is an opportunity to consider how Worksheet 2.3
populations affect one another in an environment. 1 Field 2 has rich soil, containing lots of food
It is linked to the idea that animals are dependent for the earthworms.
on one another. Since many birds eat insects, you 2 Field 3 is too wet (earthworms like to be
might expect the bird population to rise if more moist but not wet).
insects are in a garden. Another example of
interdependence is found between frogs and Questions 3, 4 and 5 refer to digging for worms
insects. Frogs need to eat insects, but insects help outside. Learners will write about what they find.
to recycle the bodies of dead frogs.

Topic 2.4 Identification keys

Common misunderstandings and
This topic introduces the use of identification
misconceptions keys. It requires learners to observe animals
• Some learners may think that some animals
do not require a particular habitat. For
carefully and to think about questions that
divide sets into two.
example, pigeons may appear to be
everywhere. It therefore appears that

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Unit 2 Teaching ideas

Learning objectives Learners are asked to draw an identification key

that will help them to identify a tiger, a shark,
• Use simple identification keys. a duck and a goat. The first question could be
‘Does it live in or on water?’. This separates the
• Make relevant observations and
comparisons in a variety of contexts.
tiger and the goat from the shark and the duck.
The duck and the shark can be separated by the
• Link evidence to scientific knowledge and question ‘Can it live on land?’. The tiger and the
goat can be separated by the question ‘Does it
understanding in some contexts.
give us milk?’. Learners may suggest
other questions. You may need to prompt lower
Curriculum links achieving learners to think of suitable questions
by asking about obvious characteristics such
• This topic links to Environmental Studies,
in which we teach about the range and
as where the animal lives. This activity can be
extended using Worksheet 2.4, which is
diversity of life. particularly suitable for higher achieving
learners.
• The idea of grouping and the construction
of keys links to Mathematics where you
might use an identification key to identify
3D shapes, 2D shapes, or coins. Internet and ICT
• This website: http://primary.naace.co.uk/
activities/sorting_games/index.htm has a
Ideas for the lesson sorting game. There are two versions. These
• Begin the lesson by reminding learners about
the work that they did on grouping in Stage
are ‘play a game’ (easier) and ‘make a game’
(harder).
3. You could give learners cut out pictures of Learners might set out a key using
animals and ask them to group them. The • boxes, questions and arrows using the
Internet and ICT section gives
‘What am I?’ game at: http://www.
a link for a website that includes a sorting
teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/
game.
whatami06.shtml.
• Revise keys with the learners. Lay out
The website: http://www.crickweb.co.uk/
questions on cards or posters on the classroom • ks2science.html habitats4b has a simple
floor. Move a picture or model of an animal
from question to question. sorting activity.

• In Activity 2.4, learners are asked to produce

their own key to help them to identify a tiger, Assessment
a shark, a duck and a goat.
• Learners can self-assess their keys from
• Worksheet 2.4 provides another opportunity
for learners to produce an identification key. It
Activity 2.4 by seeing how easy it is for
other learners to identify the animals using
can be used to extend Activity 2.4. their questions.
• Exercise 2.4 asks learners to complete a key to
identify birds.
Differentiation
• Identification keys are sometimes called
branching keys. Can learners say why they are • Lower achieving learners need concrete
and visual props in grouping and sorting
given this name?
games. Exercise 2.4 in the Activity Book is
particularly suitable for this group of
learners.
Notes on practical activities
Higher achieving learners could be asked to
Activity 2.4
• add familiar animals to an existing key.
Expect them to work more on their own.
Each pair or group will need: Worksheet 2.4 is particularly suitable for
• a large sheet of paper
this group of learners.
• a pencil.

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Talk about it! Topic 2.5 Identifying

Talk about the hundreds of thousands of different invertebrates
animals that exist. Explain how we can identify
This topic is more challenging than the previous
large groups, like insects, within these animals.
topic as the animals are less familiar. More careful
Within the insects group, there are smaller
observation will be required. Learners will have
groups. Scientists construct keys for these smaller
opportunities to use keys in different formats.
groups because it would be very complicated and
confusing to write one key for all animals.
You should mention that keys are also used to Learning objectives
identify plants.
• Use simple identification keys.

• Make relevant observations and

comparisons in a variety of contexts.
Common misunderstandings and
misconceptions • Link evidence to scientific knowledge and
understanding in some contexts.
• Some learners may find it difficult to
understand how every animal and plant
discovered has been placed in an Curriculum links
identification key. However, new animals
and plants are still being discovered and
added to identification keys.
• This topic links to Environmental Studies.

• The construction of keys also links to

Mathematics.
Homework ideas
• Exercise 2.4 in the Activity Book. Ideas for the lesson
• Worksheet 2.4. • Make sure that you define an invertebrate as
an animal without a backbone, for example,
ant, snail, butterfly, etc. Bring a collection of
Answers to Learner’s Book invertebrates into class. Allow the learners to
questions observe them carefully.
Learners should handle invertebrates with
1 Identification keys help us to identify
great care, usually with a thin strip of paper.
animals.
Activity 2.5a gives learners the opportunity to
2 yes or no collect and observe invertebrates. They should
3 Does it have long ears? make relevant observations and compare the
4 Humans and cats are mammals. Other invertebrates found in different locations.
groups include reptiles and insects.
• Activity 2.5b links learners’ knowledge of
invertebrates with their earlier knowledge
Answers to Activity Book exercise about habitats. They are asked to build a
(answers filling in boxes from left to right in ‘hotel’ for invertebrates.
order) • Exercise 2.5 is an exercise in completing a
key for invertebrates and would consolidate
swan duck stork swift eagle
the learning from this topic.

Answers to Worksheets • Worksheet 2.5 is an example of a key in a

different format to the ones learners have
Worksheet 2.4 met. It would be suitable for higher
achieving learners.
Correct responses may vary as learners can
suggest different questions. Questions should
divide the animals.

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Notes on practical activities Internet and ICT

Activity 2.5a • The website: http://www.teachingand
learningresources.co.uk/key.shtml shows the
Each pair or group will need: simple use of a key.
• a tray
• some damp leaf material to shelter the • The website: http://rogerfrost.com/animaltree/
animals index.htm shows the straightforward game
‘Think of an animal’. Learners have to think
• a magnifying glass
• a pooter about questions and answers which lead to an
• a little water to keep animal moist but animal. They are, in a simple way, teaching
not wet. the computer.

Learners should begin by predicting where they • You might ask learners to make a key to
will find invertebrates. They should then collect identify popular characters, for example, the
invertebrates from each place using a pooter. characters from Monsters Inc. (http://
Teach them to use the pooters. First check that the pixar.wikia.com/Category:Monsters,_Inc._
pooter is clean and that they are going to suck on Characters).
the correct tube. They should suck gently and take
care not to crush the animal with the tube. They • Use questions about number of eyes, number
of legs etc.
will be able to observe the invertebrates. Focus the
learners’ attention on the main features of the • You might introduce a key for rocks such as
animals: body parts, segments, legs, antennae, the one found at: http://www.bwctc.northants.
colour, etc. Ask them to record their observation sch.uk/Learning/Science/Rocks/Key.aspx.
in sketches and notes. Encourage them to suggest
questions that they could ask about the animals.
Assessment

Activity 2.5b • Learners can self-assess their work using

these criteria:
Each pair or group will need: I can identify an animal using a simple
• small rocks identification key.
• stones I can add an animal to a simple key.
• bricks
• sticks
• bamboo canes small Differentiation
• logs
• short wooden planks • Lower achieving learners will benefit from
• small wooden boxes visual props when using keys. Sketch the key
• cardboard out on a poster so that they can move model
animals, pictures or labels around the key.
• soil.
Higher achieving learners can be challenged
by moving to more complex keys, by asking
This activity provides the opportunity to work • them to add familiar animals to an existing
outside (although it can be done indoors).
Learners are asked to design a habitat for insects. key and by introducing different styles of key.
It can be done as a paper exercise, but the For example, the one on Worksheet 2.5.
Learner’s Book suggests making a real habitat
which can then be observed every few days.
Learners might plan their care of the hotel and the
observations they will make following up its Talk about it!
construction. They might make several hotel
Questions will ask about the number of wings,
habitats in different spots on the site. They could
then make relevant observations about the number the number of legs, and whether it can fly.
and type of invertebrates in each location and
make comparisons. They could link the evidence
to their understanding of invertebrates and Common misunderstandings and
habitats. misconceptions
• Some learners find keys rather abstract and
therefore difficult.
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• Some learners have difficulty constructing Curriculum links

questions to which the answer is just yes or
no. • This links to Environmental Studies.
Learners might look for ways to help the
environment and persuade others to care
for it.
Homework ideas
Our relationship with the world and its living
• Exercise 2.5 in the Activity Book. • things is an important part of Personal and
Social Education. Learners might think about
Answers to Learner’s Book questions how we help animals and other people.
1 An animal with six legs.
2 The grouping for animals will depend on the Ideas for the lesson
criteria used. For example, if one criterion is
‘Has it got fur?’ this group will include a bear • Discuss how people affect the Earth. Make
but not include a whale. If the criterion is ‘Is it sure that you make the distinction between
a mammal?’ then this group will include both a natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and
bear and a whale. man-made disasters, such as oil spills.
Animals do not generally know what group
3
they are in. The exception is humans. • Take the class on a litter hunt. Note that, to
pick up litter, learners should wear protective
gloves. Ask them what the area where you
carried out the litter hunt looked like before
Answers to Activity Book exercise people arrived. This should lead to a useful
(Answers filling in boxes from left to right in discussion about the ways that people affect the
order.) environment.
ladybird butterfly dragonfly bee • In Activity 2.6, learners are asked to look
centipede worm around your school and local community. They
should look for things that could damage the
environment. The Learner’s Book gives some
Answers to Worksheets starting points for this.
Learner’s own questions and answers. Check that
they are sensible and work as a key. • Learners might research other ways in which
the environment is affected by people. You
may need to prompt with vehicles, factories,
Topic 2.6 How we affect the homes, farms, fishing, etc.
environment • Exercise 2.6 in the Activity Book illustrates ways
in which people affect the environment and
This topic gives learners the opportunity to talk should be used as consolidation of this topic.
about the ways that people affect the
environment. It begins with a description of
harm caused by human activity. Learners are
Notes on practical activities
then asked to think about how they can reduce
this damage. Activity 2.6
Each pair or group will need:
Learning objectives
• paper
• Recognise ways that people affect the • pencils
environment, for example, river pollution, • colouring pens.
recycling waste.
This activity shifts the focus to the immediate area
• Link evidence to scientific knowledge and
understanding in some contexts.
and actions that could be taken to reduce negative
effects of people’s activity. Learners might be
asked to sketch food waste from a kitchen, or to
• Present results in drawings, bar charts and
tables. sketch ways for dealing with this, for example,
posters to encourage learners to eat all the food on
the plate, or keeping chickens

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to eat scraps. Encourage learners to alter their

behaviour, for example, by not dropping litter • Challenge higher achieving learners to give
a range of effects of people on the
and by switching off lights. They could write to environment and to explain these. Give them
the manager of a local factory to suggest opportunity to lead and support others in the
changes which would help the environment. class. Expect them to research ideas and to
give explanations.

Internet and ICT

Talk about it!
• Take and use digital photographs during the
activities. Encourage the learners to appreciate that, if we
all change our behaviour and ideas, we have a
• The website: http://www.
rainforestfoundationuk.org/congojones has a large combined effect. This is often seen when
simple game about protecting the rainforest, our friends and family copy us.
which might help to initiate discussion.
Common misunderstandings and
• The website: http://www.
endangeredspeciesinternational. org/? misconceptions
gclid=CJqt_NrI27QCFebLtAodNS0AIw will
help learners to find out about environmental • Individuals will often think that they are
powerless as the problems look so big.
campaigns. Learners might get ideas for
actions they might take to protect animals and • Some learners may think that all the
problems are caused by other people and not
habitats.
by themselves. Television is an example to
• The website: http://www.eco-schools.org/ gives
details of an Eco-schools awards scheme.
give. In fact, a television set has quite an
impact on the environment. The factories
Your class might suggest to the school that make televisions may make pollution
principal that this might lead to a useful award and the lorries and ships that transport
for the school. televisions pollute the air and the sea. The
electricity we use when watching television
• The website: http://www.chooseclimate.org/
flying/mf.html calculates the pollution caused is often made in power stations that also
by any flight. Learners might consider the pollute the air.
environmental impact of a holiday flight for a
family.
Homework ideas
Assessment • Ask learners to list waste that their home
creates.
• Learners can self-assess how well they have
met the objectives of this topic using the • Exercise 2.6 in the Activity Book.
following statements:
I can talk about ways that people affect the Answers to Learner’s Book
environment.
I can talk about negative effects.
questions
I can talk about positive effects. 1 There are no human activities that do not
affect the environment. Some can be good
but many are harmful for the environment.
2 Learner’s own ideas.
Differentiation A natural disaster is one that occurs in
3
nature, for example, an earthquake, a tidal
• Lower achieving learners will benefit from
examples, from demonstrations of wave. A natural disaster is different to a man-
activities, from breaking activities into steps, made disaster.
and from prompts and vocabulary lists.
Exercise 2.6 provides support that should
encourage talking. Ensure that this group gets Answers to Activity Book exercise
opportunities to contribute, and look out for
learners who perform better than you expect. Exercise 2.6
Learners should talk about ways to reduce air,

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water and land pollution. For example, reducing

smoke from chimneys, cutting down fewer trees. • Ask the learners to list animals and plants that
need fresh water. They should soon realise that
Focus on all the harmful activities shown in the all living things need fresh water.
picture.
• Ask learners if they have seen examples of
water pollution. Ask them what happens to
Topic 2.7 Wonderful water waste water from home. What happens to
waste water from school?
This topic provides an opportunity to consider the
effects of people on a river. This shows how • By completing Activity 2.7a, learners can
clean fresh water can be polluted in different discuss the benefits of the clean water in a
ways. river and the damaging effects people can
have on a river. Examples such as direct
pollution can be given. Others, such as the
Learning objectives damming of rivers, often appear to have little
• Recognise ways that human activity affects effect, but dam construction can kill huge
the environment: for example, river numbers of animals and plants.
pollution, recycling waste.
• Activity 2.7b shows that water can be made
• Make relevant observations and comparisons cleaner. You should point out that the water
in a variety of contexts. company has additional water cleaning
• Choose apparatus and decide what to measure. methods that are needed before water can be
drunk by humans. Water may look clean but
• Test an idea or prediction based on scientific
knowledge and understanding.
still contain pollution such as germs or
polluting chemicals.
• Explain what the evidence shows and • Exercise 2.7 gives data from a stream survey
whether it supports predictions. and allows learners to think about what the
Communicate these clearly to others. data show and how pollution has influenced
• Link evidence to scientific knowledge and the data.
understanding in some contexts. • You could take to class to visit a water/
sewage treatment works or invite a worker to
talk about the works.

Curriculum links • You could visit a local river or pond,

perhaps with a naturalist, and do some
• This links to Environmental Studies. The
impact of water on habitats is massive. Ask
pond dipping activities to observe the rich
life supported by clean water. Take full
learners to consider a local habitat which safety precautions and make sure that
suddenly had 50% or 100% less water. What learners wash their hands thoroughly
might happen to animals and plants? afterwards.
This topic also links to Geography. In •
• Geography the impact of water on the
You could establish an aquarium in class with
freshwater pond life. Return the organisms to
landscape is dramatic. They might see this the pond after a few days.
locally in lakes ponds and rivers. They might • Seal a sample of dirty water in a container and
study other world rivers such as the Colorado
in the USA, which has carved out the Grand leave it to settle for several days.
Canyon. Observe any changes but note that pollution is
often invisible.

Ideas for the lesson

Notes on practical activities
• Ask learners about all the ways we use water.
You might use Worksheet 2.7 to illustrate Activity 2.7a
how much clean water we need. Learners can
Each pair or group will need:
research the amount of water used by people
in different countries (in the USA people use • large sheets of paper
much more water than in other countries). • pens
• colouring materials.

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Assessment
This activity will allow group work and talking
about the features of the river at different points
along its path. It might be based on a local river, or
• Learners can peer-assess the outcomes of
the activities by saying two things they like
features observed in books or on websites. about what has been done and one thing that
Learners can include rapids, waterfalls and other could have been done better. They should
features. The focus is on outfall into the river. explain how this one thing could have been
Remember that people and animals drink the done better.
water, and farmers use it for irrigation of crops.

Differentiation
Activity 2.7b
• Lower achieving learners can be given
prompts for what to do next in activities. You
Each pair or group will need:
• some beakers could also give them cards with the
• a funnel vocabulary for this topic. Be prepared to give
• some filter paper step-by-step instructions for Activity 2.7b.
• some tap water Prompt with open questions. For example,
‘How will you record results?’. Ensure that
• some sand
learners are clear about what the results mean.
• a stick for stirring.
Challenge higher achieving learners to design
• their own on-screen river for Activity 2.7a (if
Remind the learners not to drink the you have internet access). When filtering
water in this test. water, ask this group to design
their own fair tests for a range of pollutants
Learners should observe some fresh, clean tap such as sand, flour, tea, etc. Increase the
water. They should stir in some clean sand to challenge by testing other pollutants, for
pollute the water. Learners should make a note of example, gravel, milk, etc.
how the water has changed (it will have gone
cloudy). Learners use a funnel and filter paper to
filter the sand from the water. They should collect
the water from the funnel in a container.
This is an opportunity to cover most aspects of
Talk about it!
scientific enquiry. Ensure that the learners Start this discussion by talking about the many
devise a question that they can answer with a people worldwide who can’t go to a shop and buy
test, make a prediction, select how to use the cola or water. What are the effects of drinking
equipment, make observations, repeat the test to dirty water? What would be the future for a group
check it is reliable and explain what has of learners in such a place?
happened. Increase the challenge by adding
other ‘pollutants’ to water, for example, coffee,
milk, salt and oil. Common misunderstandings and
misconceptions
• Many children and adults take clean water
and sanitation for granted. However, you can
Internet and ICT point out that one in eight people don’t have
• The website: http://www.wateraid.org/uk/
what_we_do/the_need/207.asp?gclid=COSwy
safe water. One child dies every 17 seconds
because they don’t have safe water. 4000
5TT27QCFePHtAodqQEAMQ gives examples children die each day from diarrhoea caused
of how some families source unclean water. by dirty drinking water.

• The website: http://video.nationalgeographic.

co.uk/video/environment/environmental-
Homework ideas
threats-environment/water-pollution is a short
video about water pollution, ‘Why care about • Ask family members about all the uses they
water?’. make of fresh water.

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Answers to Learner’s Book lives that produce waste, and how that waste can be
reduced or recycled and reused.
questions
1 Pollution of rivers is caused by the spilling
of dangerous materials into the river. This
poisons the life in the river.
Learning objectives
2 They may get sick, they may not have young • Recognise ways that human activity affects
or they may die. the environment: for example, river
3 They will get sick and they may die. pollution, recycling waste.
• Collect evidence from different contexts.
Answers to Activity Book exercise • Make relevant observations and comparisons
in a variety of contexts.
Exercise 2.7
1 most near the forest, fewest near the factory • Test an idea or prediction based on scientific
knowledge and understanding.
2 snail and beetle
3 There is not enough food for the fish. • Choose apparatus and decide what to measure.
4 Actions to clean the stream: find out what is
polluting the stream at the shops and the • Present results in drawings, bar charts and
tables.
factory; talk to the factory owner and
shopkeepers to reduce the pollution in the • Explain what the evidence shows and
stream. whether it supports predictions.
Communicate these clearly to others.

Answers to Worksheets • Link evidence to scientific knowledge and

understanding in some contexts.
Worksheet 2.7
In the bubbles around the girl are suggestions
about the amounts of water used. These are Curriculum links
guesses so reasonable amounts should be
accepted. For example: • This work links strongly to Environmental
Studies.
drinks four to eight litres per day
• It links to aspects of Personal, Social and
Health Education.
water in food one to two litres per day

water used for washing four to 50 litres per day • Both subjects stress that we have to accept
responsibility for the effect we have on the
water used for the toilet 20 to 60 litres per day Earth. Learners can consider the effects of
pollution on animals, plants and on humans.
water used for washing clothes five to 40 litres
They might learn about global warming and
per day
how it affects their country.
and any other water she might need

water for pets one litre per day Ideas for the lesson
water for plants one to 10 litres per day • Begin the lesson by asking learners to draw a
home with arrows pointing in and labelled
water of sports, for example, swimming 100s with things we use, for example, water,
litres per day energy, food, fabrics, paper, etc. Outward
arrows can be labelled with waste products,
for example, heat, light, food waste, water
Topic 2.8 Recycling can save waste, human waste, etc.
the Earth! • Introduce the terms ‘reuse’ and ‘recycle’
This topic provides an opportunity for learners to with examples from school. For example,
consider the waste that they and others make, and what happens to all the school’s paper
how we might deal with it in a way which will waste? Ask learners to talk about any
protect the Earth. They will need time to talk and recycling they do or have seen. Exercise 2.8
think about the many aspects of our
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will reinforce ideas about materials being • an apple core

reused and recycled. • a plastic bag or jar with a lid.

• You might talk about and/or research landfill

where we bury millions of tonnes of valuable
As the decaying materials will
materials. This causes pollution of air, water give off mould spores, keep the
and land. containers sealed. Do not
allow
Explain that one form of recycling is to
• compost plant materials in a compost heap. people to breathe in mould spores.
Activity 2.8a provides an opportunity for In this activity, learners make a mini compost
learners to make a mini compost heap. In the heap in a sealable plastic bag or jar. After adding a
little water and sealing the container, they will
classroom, you might seal bread in a see-
observe changes over the following days. The
through airtight container, and ask learners to
apple core and leaves will change the most as they
observe how mould begins the decay of the dry and begin to decay. Talk about the role of
bread. Learners must not take the bread out of micro-organisms and how these recycle materials
the container. from dead plants and animals.
Activity 2.8b deals with plastic waste and its
• effects on sea life. Ask learners to explain Activity 2.8b
why plastic waste is so common and why
it is often not recycled. (You may need to Each pair or group will need:
point out that many plastic items can be • access to books about pollution
recycled but some cannot.) • access to the internet.

• Ask the class to discuss materials in school

which are, or could be, recycled. Encourage
Learners need to research the effects of plastic
waste on marine life and, ultimately, on people.
them to plan and take action in their class, in Plastic is made from oil, so learners should also
their school and in their lives. Try to model look for information about the pollution caused by
these behaviours yourself. oil spills. To get the best out of this activity,
include time for learners to discuss this. For
• Introduce the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, example, large companies make money selling
Recycle. Learners might suggest ways that fizzy drinks and sea life is suffering from the
they could use fewer materials. For example, waste. Should these companies do more? Can the
not waste water, reuse objects and materials learners write to them? A lot of waste is discarded
(using waste water on outdoor plants) and as litter, but this is something we can reduce.
recycling paper.
• Learners might draw a pathway for paper from
a tree, through felling and the pulp mill, to the
book manufacturer, to school, to recycling at Internet and ICT
the pulp mill and round again. Explain that
this saves money and trees. • The website: http://kidsforsavingearth.org/
index.html gives activities for learners
• Learners can make items from used materials including composting.
and objects. For example, they might make
pencil pots from used plastic water bottles. • The website: http://www.runnymede.gov.uk/
portal/site/recycling/Kids_learn_recycling/
• Explain what we mean by ground water and gives activities and information for learners.
that much of this water is drunk by us or by
our animals, which we then eat. • The website: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/
recycling.html includes an animated recycling
game.

• The website: http://www.ollierecycles.com/

uk/html/recycle.html has information of
Notes on practical activities
recycling specific materials and includes a
Activity 2.8a recycling movie and song.
Each pair or group will need:
• plastic gloves
• leaves
• stems

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Assessment Homework ideas

• Ask learners to use the traffic light system to
self-assess the following statements:
• Learners might suggest materials that could
be reduced, reused or recycled at home.
Can learners describe how we throw away
useful materials?
• Exercise 2.8 in the Activity Book.

Can they describe how materials can be Answers to Learner’s Book

recycled?
questions
Can they explain why it is good to recycle 1 We should make compost heaps to reduce
materials? landfill and to make our own compost.
They should show a red card for ‘I don’t feel 2 It is important to recycle materials so that
at all confident’, an amber card for ‘I feel a bit they are not dumped in landfill. It is also
uncertain about this’ and a green card for ‘I helpful because we don’t have to find more
am totally confident about this’. raw materials.

• Make sure that you pay attention to those

showing red and amber cards for any Answers to Activity Book exercise
statements.
Exercise 2.8
cells Differentiation paper only bottles only card
C size cell
PP9 cell
• Lower achieving learners can be supported by
providing them with examples and visual
magazine
newspaper
drink bottle cardboard
box
illustrations. Provide vocabulary and an
opportunity for them to speak about waste and
recycling. Activity 2.8a provides great hands food
on opportunities to ensure that these learners waste half-
are involved and able to talk about what they eaten
are doing and why.
sandwich
• Higher achieving learners should be able to
give more examples and more explanation. Topic 2.9 Check your progress
Challenge them to think about the effects of
recycling, for example, costs, reducing
impact on the planet and reducing land fill. Learning objectives
Activity 2.8b can be particularly suitable for
this group of learners as they can make
• Review the learning for this unit.

suggestions as a result of their research.

Ideas for the lesson

Talk about it!

• Ask learners to answer the questions on the
‘Check your progress’ pages of the Learner’s
Learners might consider making a set of posters Book (pages 36−37) and the ‘Language
review’ on page 25 of the Activity Book.
that might encourage recycling. They could devise
a game or competition, as well as perhaps posters
or a blog, which inform people about the effects of Answers to Learner’s Book
waste.
questions
1 The fish has fins to swim, a streamlined
Common misunderstandings and shape, gills to breathe underwater, sharp eyes
misconceptions and a mouth that allows the fish to eat its
food.
• People often think that the small changes
they make will have no effect on the whole
The camel has a hump in which water is
stored, it has large hooves for walking on soft
planet. This is not so. Small changes can sand, it has a tail to discourage flies and it is
work collectively. camouflaged so that it can hide from

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Unit 2 Teaching ideas

animals that might eat it.

The frog can breathe through its skin
underwater, it has webbed feet for swimming,
it has good eyes for finding food and spotting
animals that might eat it, it can jump to get out
of danger and it has a sticky tongue for
catching insects.
The eagle has feathers for flying, strong
wings so that it can pick up and fly with its
prey, sharp talons and a sharp beak for
eating food and sharp eyes to help
it find food.

2 Eyes are sharp for seeing prey.

Teeth are sharp for holding onto prey. Mouth
is big for swallowing food.
Skin is tough so that other animals can’t eat
the crocodile.
Tail is strong for swimming.
Nose helps the crocodile find food.
Claws help the crocodile walk and hold
onto food.

3 Learner’s own key.

4 a Thursday
Tuesday and Friday
b Liquid waste from the manure would
c slowly flow into the river. It would
poison the water.

Answers to Activity Book exercise

Language review
habitat – where an animal lives
environment – surroundings
identification key – a way of sorting
animals
pollution – making the
environment dirty
recycling – using something again

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