Topic title: Food and Finches
Year group: 7
When taught: Summer term
Overview: Food and Finches teach pupils about our natural environment, and how every living thing is interlinked. This topic introduces fundamental ideas such as food webs, adaptations, predator/prey relationships and classification. Pupils will then study how living things have evolved by natural selection and the key scientist behind this theory, Charles Darwin.
What the students targets for this topic?
| I know that organisms are classified according to similarities and differences, and this is called classification |
| I know the key features of the 5 vertebrate groups |
| I can describe what a habitat is |
| I can list abiotic factors present in different habitats |
| I can give examples of plant and animal adaptations for survival in certain environments |
| I know what plants and animals compete for and can list some of the adaptations that allow an organism to be a successful competitor |
| I know that food chains show the flow of energy through an ecosystem |
| I know that several food chains may be linked to form more complicated food webs |
| I know how predator/prey cycles arise |
| I know what a population is and what factors can limit its growth |
| I can state the meaning of evolution |
| I can describe the processes of evolution and natural selection |
| I can use real life examples to describe the idea of natural selection |
| I know fossils are evidence that can be used to describe how an organism has changed over time |
| I know that organisms are classified according to similarities and differences, and this is called classification |
| I know the key features of the 5 vertebrate groups |
Why is this important to know?
- This topic looks at the importance of classifying living things based on the features they have in common.
- The theory of evolution is explored and supported by looking at the fossil record of the horse. This is then revisited at greater depth in KS4.
- During this topic, the interactions of living organisms with their environment are explored including food webs, predator prey cycles, habitats, and adaptations. This is in preparation for the ecology modules studied at GCSE.
Where does this link into our past and future learning?
- The idea of classification; how living things are placed into broad groups based on observable characteristics as studied in KS2 is built upon to include the binomial naming system and the works of scientists including Carl Linnaeus and Charles Darwin.
- We build upon the KS2 content of how fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago and look at examples from the fossil record as evidence to support the theory of evolution by introducing the evolution of the horse which is key KS4 content.
- We will start linking how characteristics that allow an organism to survive (natural selection) drives evolution in preparation for KS4 content which explores ways that humans can manipulate evolution for their benefit with genetic modification and selective breeding.
How will we be assessed on this topic?
- There will be an end of unit test in class to formally assess the skills developed. There will be online homework quizzes to help students practice their skills.
What makes a strong piece of work in this topic? What are teachers hoping to see?
- Learning key words related to content and using them correctly in work.
- Interpreting data from graphs in relation to predator/prey cycles and applying this skill to answer exam style questions.
- Using pencils and clearly labelling diagrams, making sure they are large, and all contain relevant detail.
What key words are there in this topic?
What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
- Research what crops are selectively bred.
- Learn about cycles such as the carbon cycle and decay cycle.
What wider reading can be done on this topic?
The decay cycle – click here.
How did life on Earth evolve – click here.
