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Local living things - what are they?

Science Year 4
This unit is part of Year 4 Science Name That Living Thing!

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Objectives

Take a trip within the local environment, observe habitats and record the different living things you find.

Science Objectives
i) Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment.

Working Scientifically

  1. Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.
  2. Make systematic and careful observations.
  3. Record findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables.

Extended Writing Opportunities
Non-chronological writing: Write a newspaper article, for the Nature column, about your observations during your trip within the local environment.

You Will Need

Provided Resources

  • Post-it notes record sheet (1 each)

Additional Resources

  • Clipboards (1 each)
  • Cameras (as many as possible)
  • Small plastic bags or petri dishes for samples
  • Tweezers
  • Magnifying glasses (as many as possible)
  • Plastic teaspoons and paintbrushes
  • Flipchart

Weblinks
Leaf identification PDF from www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Spotter sheet downloads from www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Instructions for safe and considerate collection methods for insects (Pg.3) from www.forestryengland.uk
Minibeast identification from www.science-resources.co.uk

Lesson Planning

Teaching

  • Ask questions about the local habitats and to carefully observe and record the living things in the local area.

Activities

  1. Ask questions about local habitats and consider how to answer them.
  2. Take a trip within their local environment (the school grounds or further if possible).
  3. Carefully observe the micro-habitats they can see around them.
  4. Record different living things they can see (animals and plants).
  5. Gather a small sample of different leaves and photos/notes of different animals.

Investigation - exploring, sorting, classifying and identifying
Observe local habitats and record living things they see around them.

Vocabulary
Habitat, living thing, alive, dead, never been alive, plant, animal, insect, local, natural, man-made, observation, record, vertebrate, invertebrate, arachnid, question

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