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Lesson 2 of 6
  • Year 5

Writing a fieldwork enquiry question

I can write a fieldwork enquiry question about solar power and my school.

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View unit
Lesson 2 of 6
New
New
  • Year 5

Writing a fieldwork enquiry question

I can write a fieldwork enquiry question about solar power and my school.

Download all

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A good geographical question can help us to learn more about solar power and our school.
  2. Fieldwork enquiry questions can start with one of the 'W' question words.
  3. Geographers often try to predict or estimate what the answer to their enquiry question might be.

Keywords

  • Enquiry question - a geographical question that helps us to focus our investigation

  • Answerable - a question is answerable if it is possible for us to find the answer by doing a fieldwork enquiry

  • Hypothesis - a prediction that geographers make about the results of their enquiry

Common misconception

All geographical questions make good fieldwork enquiry questions.

Fieldwork enquiry questions have to be answerable within the practical realms of data collection. Therefore some brilliant geographical questions might not be good fieldwork enquiry questions.


To help you plan your year 5 geography lesson on: Writing a fieldwork enquiry question, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Keep a copy of some of the great enquiry questions that pupils generate. Later in the fieldwork investigation pupils might like to reflect on what else they could have studied in relation to solar power.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - outdoor learning

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What type of land use is best for solar farms?

education
woodland
Correct answer: empty spaces
housing

Q2.
After geographers collect their data, they will then their data.

Correct Answer: present

Q3.
How many stages are there to the enquiry cycle?

Correct Answer: 6, six

Q4.
Which of these statements is true?

Correct answer: Fieldwork looks at a geographical concept in a specific place.
Fieldwork involves researching a concept in books.
Fieldwork only happens in far away places.
Fieldwork helps us to discover more about the world in general.

Q5.
Why might schools be a good place for solar panels?

Correct answer: Schools require a lot of energy.
Schools are always sunny places.
Schools have lots of empty land.
Schools are very sustainable places.

Q6.
What is the first stage of the enquiry cycle?

answering a question
Correct answer: asking a question
drawing graphs and maps
going outside

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What W words often begin good fieldwork enquiry questions?

weather, windy and winter
white, wet and whole
Correct answer: what, when and who
water, woodland and wheel

Q2.
Which of the following statements is true?

All geographical questions are good questions for fieldwork.
Geographical questions and fieldwork questions are never the same.
Correct answer: Not all geographical questions make good fieldwork enquiry questions.
Fieldwork questions and geographical questions are the same thing.

Q3.
A is a prediction that geographers make about their fieldwork results.

Correct Answer: hypothesis

Q4.
The enquiry question is like which part of a car?

The wheels because there are four of them.
The brake because it stops the enquiry from going too fast.
The exhaust because it is the last thing you do in the enquiry.
Correct answer: The steering wheel because it guides the enquiry.