LKS2 Topic: the Rainforests Block A: Introducing the Rainforests

LKS2 Topic: The Rainforests Block A: Introducing The Rainforests

Session 1 What is a rainforest?
National Curriculum / Geography: To locate vegetation belts around the world;To identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator; To use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied.
Teaching Objectives / To learn geographical vocabulary relating to rainforests; To locate the rainforests and to explore the relationship of them to the Equator.
National Curriculum / Computing:Use search technologies for locating information.
Teaching Objectives / To use the Internet to search for information about the rainforests.
National Curriculum / English: To discuss and clarify the meanings of words, linking new meanings to known vocabulary.
Teaching Objectives / To use dictionaries to understand meanings of words; To create a question and answer board based on the rainforests.
Resources
What is a rainforest presentation; Senses Journey; Vocabulary Matching Game; Post-It Notes; Computers/Tablets. / Weblinks
Flying over the rainforest.
Whole class: We are going to be learning about rainforests. Do you know anything about the rainforests? What are they like? Where in the world are they? What grows there? Has anyone been to visit a real rainforest or seen one on TV? Encourage chn to share information (first with a talk partner and then with the class) & express what they already know. Go through the presentation and discuss any questions that arise. Say we are going to visit a rainforest from the air, tell chn to imagine they are there and to use their senses to help: what might you see, hear, smell, feel and taste?Watch video clip.
Chn to complete a group Senses Journey arrow (session resources) based on the clip. Now explain to the chn that they are now going to play a words and meanings game – to build their geographical vocabulary linked to rainforests – using the vocab matching game (session resources). Say they will need to use some of their existing knowledge, along with a dictionary to help solve the answers. Encourage chn to have lots of discussion about the words and definitions prior to using a dictionary.
Ask chn what they would like to find out about the rainforest. Write up one or two suggestions in the form of a question. Show the chn how to type this into a Google search engine. Write an answer under the question. Now show the chn that they are going to create a class ‘Question Time’ board using Post-It notes. They should write their questions onto the front note and write the answer on the note behind – (as in a ‘lift the flap to find out’ scenario).
Hard/Medium/Easy
Part 1: Chn to complete a senses journey (session resources) based on the rainforest. After 10 minutes ‘pair share’ their work – (talk in partners and magpie best ideas from other pairs).
Part 2: Match the words and definitions game. Play in groups of 4 using the resource.
Part 3: Chn work in pairs to compile relevant questions relating to the rainforest, then use the internet to find out the answers. Write their questions and answers on Post-It notes to add to class display.
Plenary / Feedback after Part 1. After Part 2 have a discussion about new words the chn have learnt along with some of the words they already know. Part 3: Chn feedback any amazing discoveries from their findings.
Outcomes / Children will

Gain geographical knowledge and vocabulary linked to rainforests
Use a dictionary effectively
Search the internet for relevant information

We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.