Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Our curriculum in action

Year 3 - What can I find out about my local area?

In this unit of work, Year 3 firstly learnt about how their school is in Bishop Auckland which is in County Durham, England. They enjoyed using North, South, East and West to locate England and Bishop Auckland on the Globe and maps. The children found out all about Auckland Castle and Binchester Roman Fort, two human features of Bishop Auckland. They also learnt about the River Wear and River Gaunless to begin their journey into physical features. More than anything the children loved carrying out fieldwork in town to see why people visit Bishop Auckland.

Pupil Voice:

What is a human feature? Humans have built and created it like the church and the Spanish Art Gallery.

What is a physical feature? It has not been made by humans and is naturally there like a river.

What are some of the human features of Bishop Auckland? Spanish Art Gallery, Cockton Hill Junior School, shops

What are the four compass directions? North, East, South, West

Year 3 - What are my local rivers?

In this unit of work, Year 3 pupils used maps to locate the River Wear and River Gaunless to help them recognise that they flow through Bishop Auckland. They are secure in their knowledge that a river is a physical feature and know that Wearhead is the source and the North Sea is the mouth of the River Wear. The children also learnt that the River Gaunless is a tributary of the River Wear and understand what a confluence and meander is with regards to rivers. Finally, the children enjoyed visiting the river where they made annotated sketches from observations even including direction and position.

Pupil Voice:

What type of feature is a river? It is a physical feature.

Which rivers run through Bishop Auckland? River Wear and River Gaunless

Where are the source and mouth of the River Wear? The source is Wearhead and the mouth is at Sunderland.

What is it called where two rivers meet? A confluence

What is a meander? A meander is where the river curves and bends. 

Year 3 - Why doesn't England have volcanoes?

In this unit of work, Year 3 linked their work to Italy and Mount Vesuvius. The children know that Italy is a country in Europe and can locate it on a map of Europe, the world and a globe. Children are also aware that Mount Vesuvius is a volcano in Italy and can also successfully locate it on a map of Italy. The layers of the Earth are well rehearsed by the children. The movement of tectonic plates and how this can cause volcanoes on boundaries is now understood. This has helped children to understand why Italy has volcanoes and we do not.

Year 4 - What is the North East of England like?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils moved their Geography knowledge on to the North-East of England looking at local cities such as Sunderland, Newcastle and Durham. They located these cities on a map and described their location using 8-point compass directions. The children enjoyed learning about and locating two North-Eastern human features: Hadrian’s Wall and The Angel of the North and two North-Eastern physical features: High Force and the Durham Heritage Coast. Further to that, the children used 4 figure grid references to locate these features on OS maps successfully. Thematic maps were also introduced with the children investigating how land is used in the North East.

Pupil Voice:

What are the cities in the North East? Durham, Sunderland and Newcastle

What are two human features in the North East? Angel of the North and Hadrian’s Wall

What are two physical features in the North East? River Wear and High Force

How is land used for food and farming in the NE? There is sheep farming on the hills. Farms are also used for meat and growing wheat.

Why do we use a key on a map? We use colours or symbols and label these with the information.

Year 4 - Where in the world are we?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils worked hard on learning about where we are in the world. They improved understanding of the equator and how that splits the earth into the southern and northern hemisphere. Children also began to use lines of latitude and longitude as coordinates to describe positon. After learning the difference between weather and climate, they used a thematic map to find the climate zones of the UK and Antarctica. They then thought of their own geographical questions to compare the UK and Antarctica, thinking about climate, current weather, flora and fauna.

Pupil Voice:

Can you locate the Equator, Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere on a map? The equator is at the middle of the Earth. The Northern Hemisphere is above this and the Southern Hemisphere is below it. 

Which hemisphere is the UK in? The Northern Hemisphere. 

What are lines of latitude and longitude and how can they be used? Lines of latitude go around and lines of longitude go up and down the earth. They are used on maps to show where places are. 

How do the UK and Antarctica differ? Antarctica is colder because it is further away from the equator. The UK is warmer than Antarctica because it is closer to the equator. 

Year 4 - How does erosion affect the coast?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils learnt the features of a coastline: cliff, headland, crack, cave, arch, stack and stump and how erosion causes these features. Happisburgh was then studied to see just how erosion can change a coast over time and what can be put in place to slow down the process. Finally, the children visited Marsden Rock to see coastal erosion in the local area after identifying areas of coast on an aerial photograph. There they drew annotated sketches from observations including descriptive labels and indicating direction and position.

Year 5 - Is it the same all over Europe?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils enjoyed studying Europe and its surrounding seas. They know that Europe is made up of many countries and can name Italy, Russia, the UK, Norway, France, Germany and their capital cities. The children can also locate Europe on a globe and range of maps using 8-point compass directions. Thematic maps were used again by the children. This time to look at climates across Europe including Maritime, Mountain, Polar, Mediterranean and Continental. The children enjoyed asking and answering geographical questions around weather differences in European capital cities.

Pupil Voice:

What are the seas of Europe? Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, North Sea, Baltic Sea

Which climate zones can be found in Europe? Maritime, tropical, desert and Mediterranean

What are the capital cities of the UK, Russia, Norway, Germany, France and Italy?

UK – London

Russia – Moscow

Norway – Oslo

Germany – Berlin

France – Paris

Italy - Rome

How does the weather compare in these capital cities? The weather is different in these cities because they are in different climate zones. 

Year 5 - How are mountains and earthquakes formed?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils studied Italy and were introduced to both human and physical features of the country such as the River Po, the Apennines, the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The children used both atlases and independent research to locate and find necessary information. Children are now knowledgeable on the four major mountain ranges and how the Alps spread across a range of countries, not only Italy. Children also enjoyed learning about the different parts of a mountain range such as the base, the summit and the snow line and how mountains are formed in particular fold-mountains. Finally, the children used Digimaps to investigate tectonic plates to support their understanding of earthquakes and why they might happen in Italy.

Pupil Voice:

Name 3 landmarks of Italy and where they are. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is in Pisa, the Colosseum in Rome and The Grand Canal is in Venice.

Tell me a river in Italy and a mountain range. The River Po and the Apennnies.

Why do earthquakes occur? An earthquake happens when tectonic plates rubs together. 

Year 5 - Is a river the same from source to mouth?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils enjoyed an in depth river study using the question: Is a river the same from source to mouth? The children used OS maps to identify the upper, middle and lower course of the River Wear before carrying out fieldwork to visit an upper section in Wolsingham, a middle section in Low Barnes and a lower section in Spennymoor. Whilst using OS maps, the children developed their use of symbols, 8 point compass directions and 6 figure grid references. During fieldwork the children drew annotated sketches including descriptive and explanatory labels, position and direction. The children also collected and recorded data to show speed of river flow.

Year 6 - In-depth study of South America

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils studied South America, its countries, oceans and seas. They showed independence when locating South America on maps, atlases and the globe. Year 6 were also able to show skill when using the 8-point compass to describe direction. Thematic map work was further developed looking again at climate but this time in South America and also population. The children enjoyed researching other aspects of human geography in South America such as life expectancy, health and religion and asking geographical questions around these areas. Finally, they carried out fieldwork to record South American exports to the UK after finding out about trade in some of the different countries including Equador and Brazil.

Pupil Voice:

Name some countries of South America. Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador

What is the climate in South America? A tropical climate so it is hot and humid.

What are the trades of South America? In South America, they trade fruit and vegetables because it is a tropical climate, gold, oil, shrimp, petroleum, coffee.

Why can South American countries export a lot of goods? In tropical climates you get a lot of heat so a lot of products can be grown and found there such as bananas.

Year 6 - What is the climate like in America?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils used a thematic map to locate areas of rainforest including the Amazon Rainforest, identifying that it is located between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. While studying rainforests, the children learnt the names for the four layers and plants and animals found in each layer. Year 6 also enjoyed learning about biomes and vegetation belts and the effect of climate on these. They built on their Year 4 work to look at weather and this time a tropical climate, comparing temperature and rainfall in Manaus and London using graphs. Lastly, the children looked at the positives of deforestation but also the actions we can take to prevent negative effects.

Pupil Voice:

Where is the Amazon rainforest? It is in South America including in countries like Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

What is the weather like in a tropical climate? The weather is damp and arid.

What are the four layers of the rainforest? The emergent, canopy, understory and forest floor layers. The emergent layer gets most of the sunlight. The canopy is where most creatures nest. The understory layer has little light and is dark and humid. The forest floor layer has barely any light so animals need to be able to see in the dark.

What is life like for traditional tribespeople? Tribespeople usually live in homes made of straw. They hunt for their own food and don’t have things like television. They keep their own animals.

Year 6 - What is my local forest ecosystem like?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils carried out fieldwork at Hamsterley Forest. They talked about how Hamsterley Forest compares to the Amazon Rainforest. Before their visit, the children independently used thematic maps to identify areas of deciduous forests and used this to describe and explain the distribution of the world’s deciduous forests. Biomes and vegetation belts were also studied by the children and how climate affects these. Whilst out on fieldwork, the children drew annotated sketches including descriptive and explanatory labels, position and direction. They also collected and recorded data to show how a woodland is used, showing this data in pie and bar charts before analysing it and asking geographical questions around the data.

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