New draft Experiences and Outcomes within Planet Earth - Biodiversity  

Let's Talk       Plants Matter – a little taster

Draft Outcomes

From a range of sources including my local environment, I can identify and classify examples of living things to help me appreciate their variety. SCN 205B
I can research examples of extinctions in the past and recent times and use my understanding to develop arguments that could be used in a campaign to save an endangered species. SCN206B
I can express an informed opinion on the role of zoos, wildlife parks and botanical gardens. SCN 207B
Having carried out a series of activities and research, I can contribute to a display showing how plants have benefited society and will continue to improve our quality of life. SCN 209B

Let's Talk

Schools have begun to use the materials from the Let’s Talk project, which have been produced by Marjorie Smith from ‘Science and Plants for Schools’ (SAPS). The resources are from a project called ‘Let’s Talk’ which has been supported by the Wellcome Trust’s ‘Engaging Science’ grants scheme.

The resources contain “activities to encourage primary pupils to explore scientific issues”. They enable young people to become responsible citizens who are able to:

• make informed choices and decisions
• evaluate environmental, scientific & technological issues
• develop informed, ethical views of complex issues

The materials use approaches such as drama and the expressive arts to promote debate for engaging pupils in scientific issues. The areas include Human Reproduction, Environmental Issues and Plants Matter:

Plants Matter – a little taster

In groups, the pupils are given one of the plant environment pictures and asked to rate the importance of the statements. Each picture has 10 statements. The pupils have to give each statement an ‘importance mark’ out of 5 but they only have 35 points to give out. For example if a group was looking at the farm and decided that the statement ‘Farms throughout the world provide almost all the food which we all need to survive’ was very important they would assign a score of 5 to box F on the pupil sheet. They need not use all their 35 points but must not use more than 35 points. They need to think about “what matters most?” and prioritise their points.

Let's Talk Farm

The activities can be used with pupils from age 9-11 when they are studying plants and perhaps at a point when they are learning about the importance of plants as foods, medicines, habitats for animals etc. The activity aims to encourage the pupils to discuss some of the issues and conflicts associated with preserving forests, providing habitats for wild animals within farmland, food transport issues etc.

For more information about these resources:

Email Marjorie Smith at lets.talk@btinternet.com

A Professional Development Unit about this resource will soon be available.

Planet Earth - Climate & Earth Science