Topic title: Green Planet
Year group: 8
When taught: Spring Term
Overview: Green Planet teaches us the importance of looking after our planet, and the challenges we face in tackling environmental issues. It will see pupils use their geography knowledge combined with newly learnt scientific theory to describe the water and carbon cycles, know what impact an increasing global population is having on the Earth’s resources, discover what is meant by potable water and how our sewage is treated, plus the challenges we face with tackling environmental issues.
What the students targets for this topic?
| I know ways in which CO2 is added to the atmosphere |
| I can state causes that have changed the environment |
| I can label a diagram to show the key stages in the carbon cycle |
| I know what is causing global warming |
| I can name the main gases that make up the Earth’s atmosphere |
| I can describe how the Earth’s atmosphere has changed since its formation |
| I can name the processes involved in the water cycle |
| I can describe the difference between potable and non-potable water |
| I can describe how metals are obtained |
| I know what a metal ore is |
| I can describe how different resources can be conserved |
| I know the causes of acid rain |
| I can describe the effects of acid rain |
Why is this important to know?
- This topic enables pupils to link their geography and science knowledge together to understand the natural world.
- It develops pupils’ understanding of how the human population impacts the Earth’s resources.
- It widens their understanding of the processes needed for us to have clean water and for sewage management.
- The knowledge gained in this topic helps to develop pupils as citizens with an awareness of the impact humans have on the planet and how this might affect them in the future.
- It helps them understand that the Earth’s natural resources are important to conserve as much as possible.
Where does this link into our past and future learning?
- This topic builds on the Key Stage Two curriculum delivered in Year 4 where students have learnt about the human impact on the environment and the water cycle.
- The knowledge learnt in this topic feeds into the Key Stage 4 Science curriculum:
- It links to Biology topic 4.7 (Ecology), including aspects such as the carbon and water cycles, and the impact of humans on ecosystems (including effects on biodiversity, waste management, acid rain, land use, deforestation, global warming).
- It links to Chemistry topic 5.9 (Chemistry of the atmosphere), including aspects such as Earth’s early atmosphere and how it has changed over time, the contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming and climate change.
- It also links to Chemistry topic 5.10 (Using Resources), including aspects such as using Earth’s resources, potable water, waste water treatment, metal extraction methods and recycling.
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?
- Attention to detail
- Using key words correctly
- Title and date written and underlined
- Green pen used for self-assessment and adding corrections / additional detail
WAGOLL
What key words are there in this topic?
What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
- Study more about how humans are impacting the Earth.
- Read more about how carbon is cycled round on Earth and the role decomposers play in this.
- Read more about the different methods of water sanitation used around the world.
What wider reading can be done on this topic?
Article about clean water and sanitation: click here
Article about green mining as a new option for metal mining: click here
Article about climate change: click here
