Many scientists think that the actions of people are causing many changes to our environment. Your task will be to find out how we could limit this impact and what we can do to maintain our environment.

Investigation Unit Cycle A – Upper Key Stage 2

The Environment

The following pages support Kent's brand new Science Transition unit on the Environment aimed at Year 6 pupils.

The unit has been divided into two areas:

• About the environment – study of things and events within an environmental framework (e.g. animals and plants in a natural environment or humans in a built up environment).
• Learning for the environment – a value approach to the world around us. (what we are currently doing to the environment and ways that this can be improved). 

Download the environment lesson plans

Teachers should feel free to choose the types of activities that will best suit their children. Many lend themselves to cross-curricular links. Additional ideas for teaching about the environment in other subjects can be found in the Wastebusting Schools Pack*.

This unit of work could be part of the school’s approach to improving the environment. The school may be developing the wildlife area or be looking at ways to stop waste in the school. It could even be part of the school trying to achieve the eco-schools status or the Energy for Certification for Schools scheme.

* Wastebusting Schools Pack from KCC (2001) – This is a yellow lever-arch folder provided to all schools. This will assist with supporting other subjects; e.g. geography, maths and literacy.

Andrew Berry Science Advisor for Kent
Mandy Barrow HoS ICT Consultant for Kent