What are we learning?
Ecosystems
In this unit pupils are given the opportunity to consider their environment in a more in-depth way. They will look at the basic theories of ecosystems and explore them at the local and global levels. This unit prepares pupils for a more in depth study of two major global biomes in the next unit by looking at:
- Elements of an ecosystem
- Soil
- Climate
- Interactions within and between ecosystems
- Global Biomes
Rainforests and Deserts
This unit focuses on two major global biomes to contextualise the material studied in the unit on ‘Ecosystems’.
Pupils will produce an extensive project on Rainforests, which combines a number of class activities, media studies and personal research on the following topics:
- Where are the rainforests?
- Climate of the rainforests
- Plants and Animals
- People of the rainforest
- Destruction of the rainforest
- Conservation of the rainforest
- Personal reflections
The deserts are studied as an example of extreme and hazardous biomes. Pupils will look at the climate and natural hazards encountered in the desert and consider how people could survive in these conditions.
Where in the World?
This is a very basic unit on locational knowledge where students will use a range of mapping and research activities to learn where places are in the world. This is divided into the following scales:
- Northern Ireland – counties, major settlements and physical features
- British Isles – constituent countries, major settlements and physical features
- Europe – countries, capital cities, the European Union and physical features
- World – continents and oceans, major world cities and physical features
People and Where They Live
So far this year, pupils will have looked at the natural world and where places are from the local to the global scales. This unit will assess the human aspect of the world in which we live. Pupils will look at population change and distribution as well as global patterns of population distribution.
Topics include:
- Factors affecting population change
- Migration – why do people move?
- Illegal migration
- Factors affecting global population distribution
- The balance of population and resources