Animals in danger (Climate Change & Sustainability)
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand that changes to environments can sometimes pose dangers to animals.
Key learning points
- An animal's environment must contain all the things required for living things to survive and grow.
- Changes to environments can cause danger to the animals within them.
- Estimating the number of animals in an environment can be a challenging task and can be done in different ways.
- Researchers may directly observe animals in the wild, and also use technology such as drones to survey large areas.
Keywords
Environment - The environment is the surroundings of a living thing, including other plants or animals, and the conditions they live in.
Endangered - An endangered plant or animal is one that is at risk of becoming extinct.
Estimate - To estimate is quick calculation of what the size, value or amount of something might be.
Researcher - A researcher is someone who studies a subject, especially in order to discover new information or reach a new understanding.
Common misconception
Humans are separate from an ecosystem and human actions cannot affect an ecosystem.
Using the slides and secondary sources, share with pupils the many different ways that human actions can negatively impact on animals' environments and endanger the animals that live there.
Teacher tip
Think about their own local environment; are there any animals in danger locally due to negative impacts on their environments? E.g. hedgehogs, great crested newts, natterjack toad.
Equipment
Junk modelling resources to create a model environment for Task A. Task B photos are on worksheet.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What word is used to describe the surroundings of a living thing, including other plants or animals, and the conditions they live in?
Q2.Which of these might be part of a rock pool environment?
Q3.Match the living thing to where it you might find it.
desert
ocean
pond
rainforest
grassland
Q4.Which of these things could you use to observe an animal in the wild?
Q5.Which of these human actions can cause danger to animals?
Q6.An plant or animal is one that is at risk of becoming extinct.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A must contain all the things required for living things to survive and grow.
Q2.What requirements must environments contain for the animals that live there?
Q3.Counting the exact number of animals in an environment can be a challenging task. Which of the following is the name of a method which is commonly used to estimate the numbers of animals?
Q4.Why might the numbers of hedgehogs be decreasing in the UK?
Q5.Why do researchers find it difficult to estimate the number of animals in an environment?
Q6.Which types of technology might researchers use to survey animals in large areas?
To help you plan your 4 science lesson on: Animals in danger (Climate Change & Sustainability), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 science lesson on: Animals in danger (Climate Change & Sustainability), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Living things and the environment unit, dive into the full primary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.