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Upper Key Stage 2 Comparing People and Places
Alps

Learn fascinating facts about the awesome Alps. Make models and use maps to help investigate the key features of the Alps. Learn about the countries around these mountains and study their fascinating cultures. Invite visitors into the classroom to share your learning.

Session 1 Alps from above

Objectives

Geography

  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography in a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country.
  • Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography including climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
  • Describe and understand human geography including types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.

D&T

  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
  • Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work. Understand and use mechanical systems in their products.

Lesson Planning

Study aerial maps and use Google Maps to become familiar with the heights of the mountains; recognise some of the features of the Alps, including recognising some glacial features; make a group model of the Alps from modroc.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To learn about key facts about the Alps.
  • To make a group model of the Alps from Modroc™.

Children will:

  • Learn facts about the Alps, including where they are located.
  • Study aerial maps and use Google Maps to become familiar with the heights of the mountains.
  • Be able to recognise some of the features of the Alps, including recognising some glacial features.
  • Make a group model of the Alps from Modroc™.

Provided Resources

  • What can we find out about the Awesome Alps
  • How to make an Alpine mountain range

You Will Need

  • Food associated with countries bordering the Alps, e.g. pretzels, cheese, and spicy sausage
  • Internet access to google maps
  • Cardboard
  • Paper
  • Tape and scissors
  • Modroc™

Session 2 The Natural Alps

Objectives

Geography

  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography in a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country.
  • Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography including climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
  • Describe and understand human geography including types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.

D&T

  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
  • Understand and use mechanical systems in their products.

Lesson Planning

Recognise vegetation and climate of the Alpine mountains and compare to life in the foothills; paint and decorate the group model to reflect the vegetation and climate.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To become familiar with the vegetation and climate of the Alpine mountains and to compare with life in the foothills.
  • To paint and decorate the group model to reflect the vegetation and climate.

Children will:

  • Recognise vegetation and climate of the Alpine mountains and compare life in the foothills.
  • Paint and decorate the group model to reflect the vegetation and climate.

You Will Need

  • Paint (browns, greens, white) & paintbrushes
  • Tissue paper
  • PVA glue
  • White air-drying clay
  • Sponge or green modelling sponge for trees

Session 3 Living in the Alps

Objectives

Geography

  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography in a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country.
  • Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography including climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
  • Describe and understand human geography including types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.

D&T

  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
  • Understand and use mechanical systems in their products.

Lesson Planning

Be familiar with the countries containing the Alps, including the languages, foods and capital cities; understand more of the lifestyle of those people living in these countries; include examples of settlements on the Modroc model, including some features of tourism.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To become familiar with the countries with the Alps on their borders and study the lifestyle of those countries, including the effects of tourism.
  • Include examples of settlements on the Modroc model, including some features of tourism.

Children will:

  • Be familiar with the countries containing the Alps, including the languages, foods and capital cities.
  • Understand more of the lifestyle of those people living in these countries.
  • Include examples of settlements on the Modroc model, including some features of tourism.

You Will Need

  • Internet and Google maps
  • Newspapers or cloths
  • Air-drying clay
  • Felt tips
  • PVA glue

Session 4 Build a ski lift

Objectives

Geography

  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography in a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country.
  • Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography including climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
  • Describe and understand human geography including types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.

D&T

  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
  • Understand and use mechanical systems in their products.

Lesson Planning

Explore a section of the Alps involved with ski tourism, including the hotels, shops and cable cars; plan, design and make a ski button lift model with working mechanisms to take a person to the top of a mountain on the Modroc model; invite visitors into the classroom to see the Modroc models.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To look at a section of the Alps involved with ski tourism, including the hotels, shops and cable cars.
  • To plan, design and make a ski button lift model with working mechanisms to take a person to the top of a mountain on the Modroc model.

Children will:

  • Explore a section of the Alps involved with ski tourism, including the hotels, shops and cable cars.
  • Plan, design and make a ski button lift model with working mechanisms to take a person to the top of a mountain on the Modroc model.
  • Invite visitors into the classroom to see the Modroc models.

Provided Resources

  • Exploring Chamonix using Google maps
  • How to make a ski lift on the Alpine mountain range

You Will Need

  • Modroc mountain models
  • Air-drying clay or balsa wood wheels
  • Art straws
  • Knife & clay tools
  • String