Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No.

Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 9 Animals in forests

Curriculum objectives B2.2A – Understand the term ‘habitat’ as being the place where animals and plants are found living
Learning focus Living in a forest

Key vocabulary habitat; forests; rainforests; orangutan; tigers; snake; anaconda; frog; temperate; squirrel; brown bear
Book references Textbook pages 38–39 Workbook pages 38–39
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS1: Rainforest
PIPS Y2 TP2 RS2: Temperate forest
Video: Forests
Other resources needed Library access to reference books/picture books about rainforests and woodland/temperature forests
Access to computer resources/websites with information about these habitats and the animals that live there
Pens/pencils/crayons/paints
White paper, coloured paper, scissors and glue for presenting research and making items for collages
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/rain-forest
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/nature/habitats/article/temperate-forest
https://www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/amazon

Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

In the first three lessons of this topic, learners will study different habitats: rainforest; temperate forest; oceans; freshwater; grassland and desert.
Therefore, the format of these lesson plans is similar. Use this as an opportunity to make classroom displays of animals from each habitat and the
habitat itself using collage, paintings, etc. This would also be a place where learners can be set independent research that can be displayed.

The tasks in these first three lessons differentiate by outcome, giving your most confident learners an opportunity to investigate animals and habitats
of interest.

Although the text in the internet links provided is for older learners, there is excellent photography showing rainforest and woodland/temperate forest
habitats and the animals that live there.

Note: Lesson 4 is a hands-on, outdoor activity and can be swapped at short notice with any of the first three lessons if your local
weather conditions are unpredictable.

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Introduction:
Introduce the place where an animal lives as its habitat and that an example of a habitat is a forest. Ask learners to describe a forest. Depending on
where you live you may get a description of a temperature forest or a rainforest, so ensure that you define a forest as a place where lots of trees
grow together.
Main activity:
Move into the main activity by distinguishing between these two different types of forest, linking it to climate, using textbook pages 38 and 39 as
stimulus material, the video ‘Forests’ and the images provided in the resource sheets ‘Rainforest’ and ‘Temperate forest’.
 Rainforest – warm and wet all year round; animals have constant living conditions.
 Temperate forest – warm in the summer, colder in winter, leaves may fall from trees as winter approaches and animals have different living
conditions according to the season.

Show pictures of animals that live in each of the forest habitats above. Ask learners to choose an animal that lives in a rainforest and an animal that
lives in a temperate forest to investigate. The task set can be differentiated according to the skills of individual learners and the resources/support
available. For each animal:
 draw or find a picture of it
 give the picture a title and write at least one sentence about the animal
 more independent learners can write more about their animals and label the parts on their picture, describing points such as what it eats and
how it moves.

Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 38 and 39.
Plenary:
As a whole group, invite learners to share one fact that they found out about one of their animals.

Support Some learners may require support using computer or other reference resources.
Extension Make/draw/paint tall trees for the rainforest collage and brown/orange/yellow leaves for the temperate forest. The latter is
an opportunity to revisit leaf shapes and drawing from Year 1.
Homework / Follow-up Complete any remaining work on forests before the next lesson.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 10 Animals in water

Curriculum objectives B2.2A – Understand the term ‘habitat’ as being the place where animals and plants are found living
Learning focus Living in water

Key vocabulary oceans; salty; seas; coral; plankton; ponds; lakes; swamps; rivers; freshwater; dam
Book references Textbook pages 40–41 Workbook pages 40–41
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS3: Ocean and freshwater
Other resources needed Library access to reference books/picture books about aquatic habitats
Access to computer resources/websites with information about these habitats and the animals that live there
Pens/pencils/crayons/paints
White paper, coloured paper, scissors and glue for presenting research and making items for collage
https://www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/oceans
https://www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/rivers-and-wetlands
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/nature/habitats/article/freshwater
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ocean
Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

This is the second of three lessons in which learners study different types of habitat. Rainforest and temperate forest have already been covered, and
this lesson introduces aquatic habitats. Continue to make classroom displays of animals from each habitat and show what the habitat is like, using
collages, paintings and independent research.

As in Lesson 9, the tasks differentiate by outcome, giving your most confident learners an opportunity to investigate animals and habitats of interest.

Although the text in the internet links provided is for older learners, there is excellent photography showing ocean and freshwater habitats and
animals that live there.
Introduction:
Start by revisiting the word ‘habitat’ and its meaning before asking learners to describe an ocean. Point out that they are just like seas (or ‘the sea’)
but bigger and, hence, the middle of them is often further from land. Ask learners to name or describe other aquatic habitats – this may be easier if
you first ask for other places that fish can live, as this should prompt ‘pond’ or ‘lake’ as an answer that you can then build on.
Main activity:
Develop the theme of aquatic habitats by distinguishing between oceans/saltwater and freshwater habitats, linking it to saltiness, using textbook
pages 40 and 41 as stimulus material and the images provided in the resource sheet ‘Ocean and freshwater’. Use the following definitions:
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  oceans – large bodies of water covering more of the Earth than land does – animals live in salty water that is often very deep
 freshwater – ponds, lakes, swamps and rivers are examples – the water is not salty, but animals may have much less water in dry seasons
because these are much smaller bodies of water.
Ensure that learners understand that ‘freshwater’ means not salty. It has nothing to do with how new or fresh the water is, and it does not mean it is
drinking water for anyone other than the animals that live there. Tell them that is why it is written as freshwater, not fresh water to avoid confusion.

Show pictures of animals that live in oceans and freshwater habitats (see resource sheet ‘Ocean and freshwater’). Ask learners to choose an animal
that lives in an ocean and an animal that lives in freshwater to investigate. The task set can be differentiated according to skills of individual learners
and the resources/support available. For each animal:
 draw or find a picture of it
 give the picture a title and write at least one sentence about the animal
 more independent learners can write more about their animals and label the parts on their picture, describing points such as what it eats, how
it moves and whether it stays in water all the time.

Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 40 and 41.
Plenary:
As a whole group, invite learners to share one fact that they found out about one of their animals.
Support Some learners may require support using computer or other reference resources.
Extension Make/draw/paint coral and seaweed for the ocean collage and/or waterlily leaves for the freshwater collage.
Homework / Follow-up Complete any remaining work on aquatic habitats before the next lesson.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 11 Grassland and desert
animals
Curriculum objectives B2.2A – Understand the term ‘habitat’ as being the place where animals and plants are found living
B2.2B – Understand that within a habitat there may be smaller microhabitats
B2.2C – Recognise that animals and plants may have features that best suit them to a particular habitat in order to
survive
Learning focus Living in dry places

Key vocabulary grassland; desert; savanna; burrow; spines

Book references Textbook pages 42–44 Workbook pages 42–44
(leave page 45 for transition to the next lesson) (leave page 45 for transition to the next lesson)
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS4: Desert and savanna
Other resources needed Library access to reference books/picture books about desert and grassland/savanna habitats
Access to computer resources/websites with information about these habitats and the animals that live there
Pens/pencils/crayons/paints
White paper, coloured paper, scissors and glue for presenting research and making items for collages
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/desert
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/deserts
https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/habitats/savanna
Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

This is the final lesson of three covering different types of habitat. Forests and aquatic habitats have already been visited. In this lesson, learners look
at drier habitats, such as savanna and hot, dry desert. We are omitting the idea of cold, polar desert to avoid confusion. The ideas of survival
mechanisms and the use of microhabitats as one survival mechanism are also introduced here. Further, more detailed work on curriculum objective
B2.2C will be carried out later in the topic.

In this lesson, you may wish to steer learners away from choosing a camel as their desert animal as it is covered in more detail in a
later lesson.

Although the text in the internet links provided is for older learners, there is excellent photography showing desert and savanna habitats and animals
that live there.

Continue to make classroom displays of animals from each habitat and show what the habitat is like, using collages, paintings and independent
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research.

As in Lessons 9 and 10, the tasks differentiate by outcome, giving your most confident learners an opportunity to investigate animals and habitats of
interest.
Introduction:
Start by revisiting the word ‘habitat’ and its meaning, before asking learners to describe deserts. Explain that deserts are some of the driest places
on Earth and that lack of rainfall makes a place a desert. The subtropical deserts with which learners are often familiar are hot during the day and
colder at night. Ask: What is grassland like? Hopefully, learners will tell you that lots of grass grows there. From this point, ask whether they think lots
of grass grows in a desert. (no) Ask: Why do you think grass can grow in savanna/grassland but not in a desert? (Savanna/grassland is not so dry; it
has more rainfall than desert.)
Main activity:
Develop the theme of desert habitats by distinguishing between deserts and savanna/grassland, linking it to rainfall and using textbook pages 42 and
43 as stimulus material along with the images provided in the resource sheet ‘Desert and savanna’. Use the following definitions:
 Hot, dry deserts – these have very low rainfall, and animals must try to keep cool, so they may use microhabitats, such as holes between
rocks, to hide in during the hot days. They can then hunt for food at night when it is cooler. Animals living in deserts must find and save every
drop of water that they can.
 Savanna – grass needs more water than is available in a desert; grass needs less water than trees, so animals that graze on grass can live in
open savanna.

Show pictures of animals that live in each of the habitats above, avoiding camels (see ‘Before you teach’ section). Ask learners to investigate an
animal (not a camel) that lives in a hot, dry desert, and an animal that lives in savanna. The task set can be differentiated according to individual
skills and the resources/support available. For each animal:
 draw or find a picture of it
 give the picture a title and write at least one sentence about the animal
 more independent learners can write more about their animals and label the parts on their picture, describing points such as what it eats, how
it moves and what it does to keep cool.

Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 42 to 44; leave page 45 until the next lesson.
Plenary:
As a whole group, invite learners to share one fact that they discovered about one of their animals.
Support Some learners may require support using computer or other reference resources.
Extension Read pages 36 and 37 of the textbook and discuss the pictures and questions.
Homework / Follow-up Complete any remaining work on desert and savanna habitats before the next lesson.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 12 Exploring habitats*

Curriculum objectives B2.2B – Understand that within a habitat there may be smaller microhabitats
ESE1.3 – Obtaining and presenting evidence: Use observations to suggest answers to simple questions
Learning focus Looking at habitats and microhabitats

Key vocabulary microhabitats; lizard; survive; cooler; racoon; exploring; sunny; windy; weather; cones; cardboard; hollow; pitfall
Book references Textbook pages 46–47 and recap of pages 44–45 Workbook pages 45-47
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS5: Habitat observation sheet
Other resources needed Toy windmill(s) for observing wind speed
Assorted natural materials for making microhabitats, for example, non-plastic string, cut lengths of bamboo, cones,
twigs, bark, driftwood and shells. Corrugated cardboard that will later decompose could also be used
Hand lenses – ideally one per learner
Clipboards, paper and pencils or notebooks, pencils and habitat observation sheets (see workbook page 47 for an
example)
Empty plastic yoghurt pots or similar for pitfall traps
A flat stone to cover each pot
Trowel(s)/hand fork(s) for digging holes
Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

This is a hands-on, outdoor activity to do in a local habitat, such as a patch of woodland or a garden area near the school. Ideally, it should have a
mix of sunlight and shade, but this is not essential. It also needs to be a place where you can set up pitfall traps and leave the microhabitats that
learners make.

*If you have a distance to walk to explore a habitat or have lots of materials for making microhabitats and want to go back to install
them somewhere, you could make this a two-lesson project by making the microhabitats first in one lesson and then taking them to
the habitat and making observations there in the second lesson. This has the advantage that learners can see whether anything is
living in their microhabitat between lessons.

Look at textbook pages 46 and 47, and workbook page 47 in advance to plan what equipment you need to take outdoors to observe the habitat, such
as the windmills and observation sheets/clipboards. You may wish to retain this habitat as a longer project over the term. Also, prepare natural
materials for making microhabitats and materials for pitfall traps. The ability to do the latter activity will depend on your climate and how hard the
soil is.

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If using the resource sheet ‘Habitat observation sheet’, you will need to make copies for learners in advance.

If you plan to set pitfall traps, you will need to factor into your planning a time during the next day to go back to check them, release the animals and
remove the plastic from the environment for recycling. Therefore, it may be more convenient to set these up close to school. The same may apply to
the microhabitats.
Introduction:
Recap on the definition of a habitat and introduce a microhabitat. Describe a microhabitat as a smaller place within a habitat where conditions differ
from the main habitat; for example, it may be cooler/warmer or give shade or protection from rain/wind. Show learners some examples of natural
microhabitats by revisiting textbook pages 44 and 45.
Main activity:
Introduce the activity by showing learners the materials you have available for them to make a bug house or other place where small creatures can
have a microhabitat. Ask learners to make these, individually or in pairs.

Then, as a group take the bug houses and the other equipment to your chosen location and place the bug houses in suitable sites. Group learners in
pairs and, if the ground is not too hard, ask them to dig a small hole in which to place their yoghurt pot. They should put a couple of leaves in it, then
place a flat stone on top supported by smaller stones or sturdy twigs either side.

Make observations of the environmental conditions together and complete the observation sheet (see resource sheet ‘Habitat observation sheet’).
Ask learners to point out the sunny and shaded areas. Position learners each holding a windmill in different places/facing different ways, but not out
of your sight. Ask the class to decide which windmill, if any, is turning fastest. If the air is very still you could do the same thing back in the classroom
to decide if it is just a still day or the habitat is very sheltered from wind. If this is the case, discuss what is causing it to be sheltered. (trees,
building(s), wall(s))

Return to the classroom for the plenary and to complete the workbook pages. The observation sheet can be stuck onto workbook page 47 or the
information transferred, depending on how damp or dirty it is.

Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 45 to 47.
Plenary:
Discuss what learners found out about the habitat. Ask What living things did you draw?
Support Pair less dextrous learners with an adult or a more dextrous partner for building the microhabitats.
Extension Extend this to a longer-term observation of this habitat by keeping diaries (manual, electronic or class wall chart) of what
changes.
Homework / Follow-up Make return visits to check pitfall traps and observe the microhabitats. Observe and record sun/shade/wind on different
days.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 13 Animal adaptations

Curriculum objectives B2.2C – Recognise that animals and plants may have features that best suit them to a particular habitat in order to
survive
ESE1.2 – Investigating: Make simple observations to compare objects and/or living things
ESE1.3 – Obtaining and presenting evidence: Use observations to suggest answers to simple questions
Learning focus What features do animals have to survive?

Key vocabulary adapted; adaptations; polar; thick; paws; eyelashes

Book references Textbook pages 48–49 Workbook pages 48–49
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS6: Polar bears
PIPS Y2 TP2 RS7: Camels

Other resources needed Names of habitats already covered, listed on the whiteboard
Beaker of water with ice cubes in it
Potted plant to set up in a cupboard; needed for Lesson 15 – see ‘Before you teach’ section

Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

There is a full topic on animal adaptations in Year 3, and the polar bear is looked at in more detail there. Therefore, this lesson is only an initial
glimpse, and focus should be on the wording of curriculum objective B2.2C, i.e. quite generalised. You have looked at a variety of habitats and the
animals that live there already. In this lesson, aim to consolidate the general adaptations that animals must make in dry, wet and cold habitats rather
than focusing on one animal. That said, the camel is used as a detailed example in the textbook (page 49) to exemplify the range of adaptations that
an animal may need. Such adaptations are not always obvious in other animals, for example, if they are internal adaptations to deal with salty water,
etc.

List the habitat types already covered on the whiteboard, or similar, before the lesson starts. This will be needed again during the next lesson.

In Lesson 15, you will need a potted plant that has been kept in a dark place (but kept watered) for long enough to start yellowing. You may need to
set this up now, depending on how far apart your lessons are. You will be comparing it with one that has not been in the dark, so choose one of a pair
of similar plants to put in the cupboard.

Introduction:
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Ask learners to reflect on the habitats they have met so far. Work through your list on the whiteboard, briefly discussing each habitat and asking for
some simple adaptations that the animals living there must make. Define adaptations as ‘features that help animals and plants to survive’. Listed
below are some examples, but you and the learners will think of others.
 Rainforest – many animals are adapted to climb or swing from trees; birds can fly up to high trees; animals need to be able to see in low light.
 Temperate forest – animals need to cope with changing trees and seasons, and to find and store food for winter.
 Aquatic – most animals need to be able to swim and all must have a way to get air.
 Grassland – not many places to hide so animals need to run fast and/or be colours that blend in with the habitat.
 Desert – animals need to survive with very little water, and they must adapt their behaviour to keep cool in the day, which also conserves
water.
Main activity:
Show the pictures of polar bears provided in the resource sheet ‘Polar bears’ and have the beaker of water with ice in it ready. Tell learners that polar
bears are mammals and ask for one thing they can see that confirms this. (fur) Start with a distant photograph so that the sea and the ice are visible.
Learners have not yet met a polar habitat but have sufficient experience of what to look for to allow you to make them think about this habitat rather
than just telling them. Ask:
 What can you see? (snow/ice/water)
 Do you think it is hot or cold in this habitat? What will the sea be like? (Very cold; let them feel the icy water in your beaker to illustrate this.)
 Can you see plants or other animals? Why is this? (No, it is too cold for most living things.)
 So, what are the two main problems a polar bear faces to survive? (Keeping warm and finding food.)

Now, remind learners of a hot, desert habitat and show pictures of the camel provided in the resource sheet ‘Camels’. Again, start with a distant shot
of the whole animal in its habitat. Ask similar questions to those asked about the polar bear:
 What can you see? (sand/sand dunes)
 Do you think it is hot or cold in this habitat during the day? (hot) What will it be like at night? (colder)
 Do you think there is much rainfall here? (No, very little.)
 Can you see plants or other animals? (No, it is too dry for most living things.)
 So, what are the two main problems a camel faces to survive? (Keeping cool and not using much water.)
 How are the camel’s sense organs protected from sand? (Hairs protect ears; nostrils close to protect nose; big eyelashes and eyebrows protect
eyes.)

Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 48 and 49.

Plenary:
Discuss the adaptations of the howler monkey on workbook page 49 to check that learners have understood how animals make adaptations to their
habitats.
Support Nothing specific required.
Extension Look at the thorny devil on textbook page 43. Note that any water landing in its spines is channelled towards its mouth.
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 Look at the sea turtle and the blue whale on textbook page 40. Discuss their adaptations to living in water.
Homework / Follow-up Look at the pictures of other animal adaptations on textbook pages 38 to 45.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 14 Plant adaptations

Curriculum objectives B2.2C – Recognise that animals and plants may have features that best suit them to a particular habitat in order to
survive
ESE1.2 – Investigating: Make simple observations to compare objects and/or living things
ESE1.3 – Obtaining and presenting evidence: Use observations to suggest answers to simple questions
Learning focus What features do plants have to survive?

Key vocabulary cactus; ridges; spines; stones

Book references Textbook pages 50–51 Workbook pages 50–51
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS8: Plant adaptations
Other resources needed Names of habitats already covered, listed on the whiteboard
Living cactus plant in pot, if available
Small potted succulent plants, as available
Drawing paper
Pens/pencils/crayons/paints

Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

As with the animal adaptations lesson, keep this lesson quite generalised (as in the curriculum objective) and keep the focus on the habitats that
have been studied. More details about cacti and other desert plants follow later in the course.

Again, list the habitats you have covered so far on the whiteboard, or similar, before the lesson starts.

The use of light by plants is covered in the next lesson so it only needs a passing reference related to learners’ experience of seeing sunny and shady
parts of the local habitat you visited.

The homework/follow-up task is a simple observation task with which to open your discussion in the next lesson.

Check on the plant you put in the cupboard ready for the next lesson.

Introduction:

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As before, ask learners to reflect on the habitats they have studied. Working through the list on the whiteboard, briefly address each habitat and ask
for some simple adaptations that the plants living there must have made. Check that learners remember that adaptations are ‘features that help
animals and plants to survive’. Below are some examples, but you and the learners will think of others.
 Rainforest – trees are very tall, so other plants need ways of growing with less light, but they do have plenty of water.
 Temperate forest – plants need to cope with changing seasons, and many will lose their leaves in winter. But without leaves, they do not lose
as much water.
 Aquatic – water plants can float so they do not need to be strong like land plants/trees.
 Grassland – grasses need good roots to get water, and they need to be able to grow again after parts of them have been grazed.
 Desert – see ‘Main activity’.
Main activity:
Without naming it, show the cactus you have brought in along with the pictures provided in the resource sheet ‘Plant adaptations’. Ask:
 Do you know what sort of plant this is? (cactus)
 How did you recognise it as a cactus? (spines/prickly/no leaves)
 What sort of habitat do you think it usually grows in? (hot, dry desert)
 Most plants have leaves. What adaptation does this plant have? (spines instead of leaves)
 What is its stem like? Why is this? (Very wide so it can store water.)
 Which part of the cactus takes in water from underground? (roots) Where are the roots on your potted cactus? (inside the pot)

Look at textbook pages 50 and 51 as a whole group and discuss the adaptations of the plants shown there. You could also use the pictures on the
resource sheet at this point. Show any succulents you have brought in, describing their fleshy leaves as places where water can be stored.

Give learners time to draw or paint a hot desert scene showing some of the animals and plants that live there.
Workbook:

Complete workbook pages 50 and 51.

Plenary:
Ask learners to think about the plant adaptations they have studied today. Discuss how these adaptations were mainly about two key things – getting
light and getting/saving water. Point out that plants have a conflict here because big leaves lose a lot of water but trap a lot of sunlight! A plant must
have the right balance of these two things to survive in a certain habitat. Ask: What plant adaptations prevent animals eating a particular plant and
thus getting its water? (spines; same colour as the background so they are not seen easily; thorns on stem)

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Support Nothing specific required.
Extension Look at adaptations that plants around your school have made to get light or water. Alternatively, look at a flower
adaptation, for example, a long flower that is the right length for a hummingbird to drink from.
Homework / Follow-up Observe different plants that you see this week. Look specifically at their leaves and consider whether they overlap and
shade each other.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 15 Plants as producers

Curriculum objectives B2.2D – Understand that living things may be interdependent

ESE1.2 – Investigating: Set up simple practical tests
ESE1.2 – Investigating: Observe changes, such as new materials being formed or growth and development of living
things
Learning focus Plants make food for other living things to eat

Key vocabulary dark; sugar cane; food store; nutrients; food chain
Book references Textbook pages 52–55 Workbook pages 52–55
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS9: Food chains
Other resources needed Plant from cupboard and plant that has not been in the dark
Scissors – one pair per learner
Sheets of A4 or A3 paper (see ‘Support’ section)
Glue
Pens/pencils for drawing arrows
Food chain activity 1 to 5 written in advance on whiteboard, or on cards to collect
Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

Food chains are introduced now but are covered in a lot more depth later in the course, so do not over-teach this during this lesson; just focus on the
order and the arrows. The aim of the lesson is to show that because plants can make their own food, other living things become interdependent.
Something must eat the plants to release their nutrients and then another animal can eat that animal and so on. Describe this for now as plants
‘starting the chain’ for all the living things to obtain food.

Note these reminders from Year 1 about setting standards for vocabulary that learners will copy now, rather than correcting them in later years.
 When referring to the function of leaves, use the word trap (or absorb), not active words like ‘catch’, ‘try to find’ or ‘look for’. Likewise, call it
‘sunlight’ or ‘light’, not ‘Sun’ or ‘sunshine’.
 When referring to the function of roots, use the words take in (or absorb) not active words like ‘suck in’, ‘try to find’ or ‘look for’.

Prepare copies of the resource sheet ‘Food chains’ for making food chains. Allow two sheets per learner as some organisms will be needed more than
once. The size you make them affects whether you need A3 or A4 paper for learners to stick them on (see also ‘Support’ section).
Introduction:
Recap on nutrition being a life process that all living things carry out and, remind learners that plants can make their own food, but animals cannot.
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Explain that nutrients are the different materials that living things need to stay alive and healthy. Encourage learners to make the connection
between ‘nutrition’ and ‘nutrients’ – nutrition is the making or taking in of nutrients.

Ask learners how plants make their food. They should remember that sunlight is trapped by leaves, water is taken in by roots and that air goes in and
out of the leaves. Show learners the two plants – one from the dark cupboard and one left in the light – and compare the differences in their
appearance, asking learners for a reason why this has happened. (The one from the cupboard looks less healthy because it has not been able to
make any food while in the dark.)

Look at textbook pages 52 and 53 together and discuss the processes shown. Page 52 shows plants making food for themselves to stay alive,
whereas page 53 shows plants making food for us to stay alive. Explain that when we eat plants, we are eating the food that they have made. Look at
the leaves of the sugar cane – they are spread out to trap lots of sunlight to make sugars we eat. Ask: Do you notice how plants spread their leaves
so that they do not shade other leaves? (Refer to homework/follow-up from the previous lesson.) Next, look together at the potato plant. Explain how
it stores the food its leaves make in potatoes underground. The potatoes are a starchy food store that we eat, and the plant can use it too.
Main activity:
Remind learners that we know that plants make their own food and animals eat plants; we can show this using a diagram called a food chain. Start it
very simply like this so you can focus on showing that the arrow shows the direction in which the nutrients go.
 The grass makes the nutrients; the rabbit eats the nutrients the grass has made because it cannot make any itself.
 These nutrients make the rabbit grow and run about.
Now, ask learners if they know of any animals that eat rabbits. (You may get several examples but go with fox.)
 The fox eats the rabbit to get the nutrients in the rabbit’s body.
We can put those two ideas together to show that the nutrients the grass made, using light/air/water, passed to the rabbit and then nutrients from
the rabbit passed to the fox.

Give each learner scissors, paper, access to glue and the animal/plant pictures provided in the resource sheet ‘Food chains’. Direct them to cut out
one grass, one rabbit and one fox picture (around it, not in fine detail). They should then stick these pictures in the correct order at the top of their
paper and draw arrows between them.

On the whiteboard, write the lists below and ask learners to make food chains from these. As well as writing them on the whiteboard, you may also
need to read them out. Note that the underlined text shows the three animals learners need to use each time.
1. Blackbirds eat slugs, and slugs eat blackberries.
2. A mouse eats grass, and a fox eats the mouse.
3. A sparrow eats grass, and a sparrowhawk eats the sparrow.
4. A mouse eats rosehip berries, and a hawk eats the mouse.
5. Optional extension for faster workers: Draw your own pictures in a food chain to show a zebra eating grass, and a lion eating a zebra.

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Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 52 to 55.
Plenary:
As a whole group, check understanding of food chains. Ask: Can you see a pattern of plants and animals in every food chain? (They always have a
plant at the start; they always have just animals after that.)

Support It may help some learners plan the space for their food chains if you draw lines or make gentle folds to mark the area
where they should stick their food chains.
Instead of (or as well as) writing the list of food chains 1 to 5 on the whiteboard, you could write them on cards for learners
to collect one card at a time.
Extension Food chain number 5 is an extension activity.
Homework / Follow-up Complete the workbook tasks from today’s lesson.

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Year Topic No. Topic Name Lesson No. Lesson Name
2 2 Living things in the environment 16 What affects where
plants and animals can
live?
Curriculum objectives B2.2E – Understand that environmental factors, such as availability of food, water, light and shelter, may affect the
distribution of animals and plants
Learning focus What affects where plants and animals can live?

Key vocabulary affect; environmental factor; environment; factor; shelter; dig; burrow; underground; tunnels; hole
Book references Textbook pages 56–61 Workbook pages 56–61
Resources supplied PIPS Y2 TP2 RS10: Factors affecting where plants and animals live
Other resources needed N/A
Lesson Outline

Before you teach:

This final lesson ties together aspects of the whole topic, introducing the term ‘environmental factors’.
Introduction:
Introduce the term ‘environment’, explaining to learners that it means the surroundings in which plants and animals (and humans) live. Explain that
the exact place where an animal lives is called its habitat, but that the word ‘environment’ is a broader word that takes into account all the other
factors (things) there, like other animals or plants or the light/shade. Look at textbook page 56 together where there is a dialogue between the
characters about this. Explain that animals and plants are adapted to their habitats, but that they must also survive when environmental factors
change; for example, if there is less water than usual, plant roots may need to grow further into the soil to get water from deep down. To illustrate
this concept, look at the plants on textbook page 57 and discuss how they get more light.
Main activity:
Start by looking at what factors affect where animals can live. Ask: Can you remember the two things that animals need to stay alive as well as air?
(water, food)

Availability of water has already been discussed with reference to hot, dry deserts, so now focus the discussion on food, using textbook pages 58 and
59 and the resource sheet ‘Factors affecting where plants and animals live’ as stimulus material, by asking the following questions and discussion
points to keep the teaching moving forwards.
 Ask: What do lions eat? (zebras, impala, etc.)
Say: So, lions must live in places where they can survive AND where what they eat can survive.
Ask: What would happen if lions ate fish? (The lions would have to live in an aquatic habitat or have no food.)
 Ask: What do polar bears eat? (seals, fish)
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 Say: So polar bears need to be able to swim and move over land to get to the fish.
 Ask: What do giant pandas eat? (bamboo)
Ask: What if all the bamboo is chopped down to make way for a new road or some houses? (Giant pandas die or have to move to other places
where there is bamboo still growing.)

Explain to learners that the greater variety of foods an animal eats, the more likely it is to survive if one of its foods is not available.

Group learners in pairs and ask them to think of different ways that animals get shelter in their habitat. Explain that this might be shelter from
heat/cold, rain, snow, or shelter to lay eggs or to hide so that they are not eaten by bigger animals. Use textbook page 59 as a starting point.

As a whole group, ask for the places learners thought of.

Regroup learners in pairs and give them time to discuss textbook pages 60 and 61 before discussing their ideas in the plenary. As learners finish this
task, they can move on to the workbook pages listed below.

Workbook:
Complete workbook pages 56 to 59.
Plenary:
As a whole group, go over textbook pages 60 and 61 and discuss learners’ ideas from their activities.
Support Ensure learners are appropriately paired for the discussion tasks to complement strengths and weaknesses.
Extension Go back to the key vocabulary on workbook page 37 and complete the task there.
Homework / Follow-up Complete the self-assessment task on workbook pages 60 and 61.
If doing a topic test, consolidate learning and key vocabulary.

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