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Oceans and Seas
The Galapagos Islands and Charles Darwin

Enter the world of famous naturalist Darwin and his discoveries. Research the Galapagos Islands and create a fact-file. Meet Darwin, learn about adaptation, create Naturalist’s Notebooks similar to those of Darwin. Collect plant samples, make sketches and notes like a real naturalist. Make a documentary to introduce others to the world of Darwin.

Block Overview

Session 1 Where in the world?

Session plan Download all files

Objectives

Geography

  • Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places, both terrestrial and marine.
  • Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, globes and aerial photographs.
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features, including ‘volcano’, ‘vegetation’, ‘season’ and ‘weather’.

Computing

  • Use search technologies for locating information.

Teaching and Activities

Research the Galapagos Islands using photographs, maps and the internet. Create a simple fact-file.

Teaching Outcomes
 To locate The Galapagos Islands and to research features of the islands such as the weather and the physical geography.
To use the Internet to search for information about The Galapagos Islands. To create a simple fact-file of The Galapagos Islands.

Children will:

  • Gain geographical knowledge of the Galapagos Islands.
  • Search the internet effectively.
  • Create a fact-file on the Galapagos Islands.

You Will Need

  • Magnifying glasses (optional)
  • Computers or tablets with internet access

Session 2 Wildlife of the Galapagos Islands

Session plan Download all files

Objectives

Geography

  • Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places, both terrestrial and marine.
  • Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, globes and aerial photographs.
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features, including ‘volcano’, ‘vegetation’, ‘season’ and ‘weather’.

Science

  • Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.

English

  • Choose relevant information to create a non-fiction non-chronological report.

Teaching and Activities

Investigate the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands and their adaptations. Create own ‘naturalist notebook’ similar to those of Charles Darwin.

Teaching Outcomes
 To locate the Galapagos Islands; To explore features of the islands such as the weather and physical geography.
To relate adaptation to animals of the islands.
To write a naturalist notebook on the animals of the islands.

Children will:

  • Know the animals that are unique to The Galapagos Islands.
  • Create a naturalist’s notebook containing information on animal adaptation.

You Will Need

  • Computers or tablets with internet access

Session 3 Meeting Mr Darwin

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Objectives

Geography

  • Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places, both terrestrial and marine.

History

  • Gain knowledge of the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.

English

  • Adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role.
  • Become more familiar with and confident in using language in a variety of situations and for a variety of role-play situations.

Science

  • Understand the adaptation of plants.

Teaching and Activities

Meet and question ‘Mr Darwin’. Go on a thinking walk; Collect plant samples and make sketches and notes like a real naturalist.

Teaching Outcomes
 To understand that an island is an area of land that is completely surrounded by water.
Use the 4 compass points to find a point within the school grounds; Develop knowledge of compass points; Develop map-reading skills.
To design a treasure map and to create an aged effect.

Children will:

  • Gain knowledge of an important person from history.
  • Understand the work of naturalists and the impact they made on today.

You Will Need

  • Naturalist notebooks (from session 2)

Session 4 A naturalist's records

Session plan Download all files

Objectives

Geography

  • Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places, both terrestrial and marine.

Art

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design
  • Use drawing to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.

History

  • Gain knowledge of the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.

Teaching and Activities

Explore the effects you can make with different pencils. Study the sketches made by Darwin and then carefully make detailed sketches like a naturalist.

Teaching Outcomes
 To develop knowledge of the Galapagos Islands.
To explore the varying effects that can be created with different types of pencil; To use sketching techniques to record details of animals carefully, in the same style as Darwin.
To explore the life of Charles Darwin; To understand how important Darwin’s records were to the development of what we understand today.

Children will:

  • Understand the importance of Darwin’s records.
  • Experiment with different sketching techniques.

You Will Need

  • Drawing pencils
  • Sketch paper

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Session 5 Darwin is the 'new' David Attenborough!

Session plan Download all files

Objectives

History

  • Gain knowledge of the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.

Design and Technology

  • Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design.
  • Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.

English

  • Become more familiar with and confident in using language in a variety of situations and for a variety of role-play situations.

Teaching and Activities

Create a puppet theatre. Make a documentary in the style of David Attenborough to introduce younger children to Charles Darwin.

Teaching Outcomes
 To explore the life of Charles Darwin.
To design and make puppets linked to Charles Darwin story.
To retell the story of Charles Darwin through puppets.

Children will:

  • Use design and making skills to make a theatre and puppets.
  • Collaborate in role as characters in a puppet show.

Provided Resources

  • Darwin’s story
  • Puppet theatre background
  • Puppet images
  • How to make a shoebox theatre
  • How to make stick puppets

You Will Need

  • A £10 note
  • A globe
  • Wooden skewers or craft straws
  • Shoeboxes
  • White card
  • Small wooden beads
  • Craft knife
  • Cutting mat

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