* questionnaires and worksheets
PRIOR LEARNING
It is helpful if the children have:
* investigated the school buildings and grounds using plans and photographs
* investigated some basic features of their locality, as in Unit 1, for example
* drawn their own maps of how they get to school, as in Unit 1, for example
* considered routes around the school and made a simple land use map of the school and its grounds
* taken part in a simple environmental improvement programme in the school grounds, including an evaluation of the likes and
dislikes of the grounds and possible improvements
EXPECTATIONS
at the end of this unit
most children will:
describe a range of physical and human features of their locality; use appropriate
geographical terms; offer appropriate observations about locations and patterns in
the area; identify how people affect the environment and recognise ways people
try to manage it for the better; use a range of secondary sources and first-hand
enquiry
some children will not have
made so much progress and will:
respond to questions about where things are; ask and respond to questions about
places and topics using information provided by the teacher; undertake simple
mapping tasks demonstrated by the teacher
some children will have
progressed further and will also:
use confidently a wider range of fieldwork and map skills; begin to appreciate the
importance of location and offer explanations for physical or human features; ask
their own questions and set up simple tasks to seek answers
FUTURE LEARNING
This unit provides a base from which children can extend their concept of settlements, at other scales, as in Unit 7, for
example, and in other contexts, eg Units 7 and 9, and environment, eg Unit 8.
Children can also develop their fieldwork skills, see Unit 8, and their mapping and enquiry skills in all subsequent units.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES
LEARNING OUTCOMES
POINTS TO NOTE
CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN
CHILDREN
Where is the locality in relation to other places? Where is our school?
* to investigate places
* about the wider context of
places
* to make maps and plans
* to use and interpret maps
* Ask the children to locate the UK on a globe and then, on
progressively larger scale maps, to locate region, county,
village.
* Ask the children to find the school site on a map and
aerial photographs of the village. Ask them to give
directions from the school to specific points in the village,
recording their directions on a map and identifying
features in sequence.
* locate their village and
school on maps at a range
of scales
* plan routes around the
village on a base map
What is the village like?
* about physical and human
features
* about land use in
settlements
* to use and interpret maps
* to use secondary sources
* Help the children to match ground photographs of the
main human and physical features to a base map of the
village, naming features and listing questions for further
research. Produce a class word bank.
* Ask the children to study an oblique aerial photograph of
the village. Ask them to use the word bank to identify the
main land uses and features and then label an outline
plan showing key land use boundaries.
* Discuss with the children the layout of the settlement and
reasons for why it is like it is.
* identify main human and
physical features of the
village
* develop awareness and
understanding of land use
in the village
To answer the main enquiry questions, focus activities on
specific questions, eg What are the main physical and
human features? What are the main land uses? Why is the
village like this?
Literacy: the work on the word bank can be linked to
ongoing work on collecting and categorising vocabulary.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES
LEARNING OUTCOMES
POINTS TO NOTE
CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN
CHILDREN
What are the main land uses in the village?
* to collect evidence
* to use fieldwork techniques
* about physical and human
features
* about land use in
settlements
* to use ICT to handle data
* Before finding out about the land use in the village, ask
the children how they think land use can be recorded.
* In the field, divide the children into pairs. Ask each pair to
identify land use, eg houses, shops, roads, services,
farm land, within a small area of the village and mark it on
a base map using a colour-coded key.
* In class, collate the children’s results and ask the children
to present their results using ICT, eg in databases, as
simple graphs, as simple pie charts.
* Discuss the findings with the children and relate their
findings to the land use plan of the village produced
earlier.
* identify and understand
different land uses
* record land use on a map
using a key
* present findings using ICT
IT: these activities can be linked to IT when children use
different types of software to present their results (Unit
4D).
What jobs do people do? How do they get to work? What services do nearby settlements provide?
* to collect and record
evidence
* about how the locality is
linked with other places
* to use and interpret maps
* With the children’s help, design and conduct a class
survey to identify adult jobs within and beyond the
school. List the jobs and ask the children to sort them into
categories and investigate where and how far people
travel to work.
* Ask the children to use a map or atlas to list three or four
nearby towns that villagers could use to buy certain
goods, eg furniture, clothes. Ask them to use an
Ordnance Survey map to work out how they would get
to these places and to produce a map describing the
route they would travel to buy a pair of trainers.
* classify types of work
* understand the relationship
between work and travel
* describe a journey,
including the route and type
of transport
* draw a simple map to show
a route
World of work: when children discuss types of jobs,
location of jobs and travelling to work.
Literacy: the children can consider the different formats
used for recording information, eg lists, charts, when they
identify and categorise types of jobs.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES
LEARNING OUTCOMES
POINTS TO NOTE
CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN
CHILDREN
What changes have taken place in the village?
* to use fieldwork techniques
* to use secondary sources
* about environmental impact
* about sustainability
* Ask the children what happened to the bridge in the
village in autumn 1997 (the main recent change in the
village) and consider why it happened.
* Ask the children to study photographs of the old bridge
and label problems, eg cracking arches. Discuss with the
children why these problems occurred. Discuss
photographs of the 1997 bridge repairs and visit the
bridge to identify improvements.
* Discuss with the children other potential environmental
concerns in the village and how they might be
addressed.
* identify damage to the
environment
* describe improvements to
the environment
* know about other
environmental concerns
and how they might be
addressed
Environmental education: use of an issue or event of note
to stimulate investigation.
Where teachers want to shorten the unit, the
sections under italicised questions are those that
may be omitted.
SAFETY – All off-site visits must be carried out in
accordance with LEA and school guidelines.
Primary Schemes of Work: Geography Unit 6 Investigating our local area
? QCA 1998
Browse, save, edit or print Schemes of Work from the Standards Site at www.standards.dfee.gov.uk
Ref: QCA/98/253W
? QCA 1998
Browse, save, edit or print Schemes of Work from the Standards Site at www.standards.dfee.gov.uk
Ref: QCA/98/253W
Browse, save, edit or print Schemes of Work from the Standards Site at www.standards.dfee.gov.uk
Primary Schemes of Work: Geography Unit 6 Investigating our local area
? QCA 1998
2
Ref: QCA/98/253W
