activities & lesson plans: key stage 2 - cornwall council · plan activities & lesson...

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Activities & Lesson Plans: Key Stage 2

SchoolTravelPlan

This booklet covers School Travel Plan classroom exercises and other travel-themed plans.

ContentsA Safe Route to School How would you like to travel to school? Bicycle Quiz Big Bike Collage Impact Art The Wheels on the Bike Art - A Local Journey Big Photo Workshop My Healthy Breakfast The Footsteps Game

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KS2LessonPlans

Learning Objectives

Children will learn:• To investigate places• About the wider context of places• To use and interpret maps• To locate features on a map• About environmental impact• About sustainability• To propose environmental change in an

area• How people affect the environment

These objectives have been taken from the QCA Geography units for KS2. The subject links with the following QCA units:

• Unit 6: Investigating our local area• Unit 8: Improving the environment• Unit 12: Should the high street be closed to

traffic?• Unit 20: Local Traffic – an environmental

issue

Children will also:• Identify unsafe areas on their journey to

school• Annotate this information on a map• Think about why they travel to school in

a certain way and be encouraged to use information to make their future choices

A safe route to school

Resources

• Map of local area• Aerial photograph from

Google or another mapping provider

• Interactive white board to display the maps

• A3 sized copies of map area• Mapping Worksheet*• Mapping Worksheet lower

KS2 (optional)*• Coloured pens/pencils• Coloured stickers (optional)• Sticky notes• Enlarged paper copy of

map• Camera (optional)

*These items can all be downloaded from the ‘KS2 Resources’ section of our website

Outcomes Annotated map showing where pupils feel unsafe on their journey to school

Timings 45 minutes in total (activities)

Introduction Using a map of your local area (i.e. from Google or another mapping provider):

• Orientate the children with local landmarks and locate local features• Compare the aerial photograph of the school with the ordinance survey map• Local the school and some of the main routes to school• Ask children to identify areas where they feel unsafe or where there is a problem

which prevents them from walking to school. Perhaps areas where it is dark and scary, where it is muddy or slippery with leaves at certain times of year or where traffic is particularly fast.

Main As a demonstration, ask a volunteer to locate their house and plot their route to school on the enlarged map. Ask how they get to school and why, what they pass on the way and to identify two unsafe areas. Discuss why these areas are unsafe.

Give out A3 copies of the map and explain the task. The children should:

• Draw their route to school in coloured pen/pencil• Mark 2+ unsafe areas with different coloured stickers or other markers e.g. numbers• In the table in the Mapping Worksheet place a corresponding sticker/number, and

then explain why the area is unsafe in the table• Write down some possible suggestions to address these problems in the appropriate

column in the table

Differentiation: There is an additional work sheet for lower KS2 which asks pupils to draw a freehand map of their journey to school. They are asked to locate two unsafe areas in the spaces provided and link these with arrows to the map (an example is shown on the worksheet.

Plenary Provide each child with a sticky note and ask them to write down on problem they have identified on their route to school and a proposed solution.Invite children to place their sticky notes on an enlarged copy of the map and discuss proposed solutions, i.e. zebra crossing on a busy road.

School Travel Plan evidence: Photographs, children’s individual work. Children’s suggestions and concerns should form part of the decision making process.

SchoolTravelPlan

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KS2LessonPlans

How would you like to travel to school?

Learning Objectives

Children will learn about:• Environmental impact• Sustainability• How people affect their environment

Children will also:• Identify key issues around sustainable travel to

and from school• Think about why they travel to school in

a certain way and be encouraged to use information to make their future choices

These objectives have been taken from the QCA Geography units for KS2. The subject also links with the following QCA units:

• Unit 6: Investigating our local area• Unit 8: Improving the local environment• Unit 12: Should the high street be closed to

traffic?• Unit 20: Local Traffic – an environmental issue

Please Note: This activity is designed to find out how pupils travel to school now and how they would prefer to travel to school ideally. This should show the level of potential support for any initiatives introduced. The discussion preceding the survey should inform children before they make their decision.

Resources

• Map 1: showing where pupils live in relation to school, colour coded by mode of travel

• Map 2: showing a half mile and mile radii from school

• Map showing where pupils live who drive to school for car sharing potential (optional)

• Interactive white board• Hands up survey form* • Preferred mode

worksheet (optional)*

*These items can all be downloaded from the ‘KS2 Resources’ section of our website.

Outcomes • Data regarding pupils’ actual and preferred mode of travel to school to be fed into the School Travel Plan

• A discussion including pupils views about how they do and how they would like to travel to school

Timings 45 minutes in total (activities)

Discussion(15 mins)

Explain that the school is carrying out a School Travel Plan and that part of this process is to find out how pupils travel to school at the moment and how they would like to travel to school if barriers to particular modes of transport were overcome. In order to persuade people to travel to school in a certain way we need to understand their existing travel choices.

Continued overleaf...

SchoolTravelPlan

Discussion (continued)

Map 1: Pupil Distribution

• How many coloured dots can you see? What does this mean?• How far away do most children live?• Which distances do you think could be walked/cycled?• What sort of roads lead to the school?

Map 2: Half mile and mile radii

• Are any of the children living within a half mile radius driven to school? Why do you think this is?

• What about the children within a mile radius? Is this a distance which could be walked/cycled?

• What are some of the reasons why pupils choose to walk/cycle/drive to school?

From this discussion, the advantages and disadvantages of walking, cycling and driving should become apparent

Map 3: Car SharingDiscuss car sharing potential and highlight the advantages and disadvantages, E.g: • After school clubs make this difficult• Younger children need to be collected by their parents• Saves fuel, money and time for parents

Survey(20 mins)

Brainstorm the arguments for and against each mode of travel before carrying out the survey. This could be done in groups with each group taking a different mode of transport. Use the hands-up survey form to complete the survey:

• Ask pupils to show how they travel to school usually by raising their hand when their mode of transport is said

• Ask pupils to show how they would prefer to travel to school by raising their hand when their preferred mode of transport is said

Differentiation:

1. Use the Preferred Mode Worksheet to record this information which includes space for pupils to state reasons for their choices

2. Use the data from the survey to work out proportions and percentages and plot this as bar or pie charts

3. Ask pupils from KS2 to carry out surveys for the whole school and collate this information for the Travel Plan as part of a numeracy lesson

Plenary(10 mins)

The maps can be used to spark discussion on the environmental and health impact of the school’s collective journey each day and over the course of a year. It provides a useful basis for discussion about global warming, pollution and how exercise links to health.

The children could use the current percentages for each mode of travel to decide on realistic targets for the coming year.

KS2LessonPlans

Speed Camera Workshop

These workshops, run by the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, are a great way to highlight the dangers of speeding outside the school. Children are given first-hand experience of using a speed gun and can even interview offending drivers.

Please contact your local PCSO to organise one of these workshops. Devon and Cornwall Constabulary general enquiries 101.

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SchoolTravelPlan

Scooter Skills

Learning Objectives

• To understand how to carry out a basic scooter check• To understand what to wear in terms of safety equipment

when scootering• To be able to perform controlled manoeuvres and

understand good conduct when scootering in public

Organisation Groups of up to 12 children. The rest of the class will need another activity.

Timings 2 hours

Introduction Set the ground rules for scooter training – respect one another, take turns etc. Agree as a group.

Carry out a basic scooter and helmet check with the children using the scooter check sheet to help. Get the children to check their own scooters.

Explain that the activity is for them to learn and practice basic skills for scooting to and from school.

Q : Why is this important?

To keep us safe, to make sure other road users are also safe

Resources

• Scooters• Helmets• Knee pads• Cones• Chalk• Scooter Skills

worksheet (optional)*


Activity Starting and stopping

Identify whether any scooters have brakes (sometimes over the back wheel). Practice starting, stopping and emergency stops (braking/ jumping off). Do this one by one or as a group if there is plenty of space.

Scoot in a straight line

Mark a start and end point with cones. Get the children to scoot between the two, alternating feet every 3 pushes as they go. Stop safely.

Scoot around objects

Set up an obstacle course, including slalom. Children to ride around the course, travelling at a steady speed (not too fast) and leaving plenty of room between them and the person in front.

Scootering in public

Discuss courtesy to other road users and safety.

Q: If someone is walking towards you and there isn’t much room, what do you do?

Stop and wait for them to pass.

Q: If you’re unsure or feel unsafe, what do you do?

Push your scooter instead of riding it.

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Activity(continued)

Emphasise the following rules:

• Always scoot with an adult• Never scoot on the road• Don’t scoot down steep hills• Stop at kerbs

On the road

Without scooters, walk children to a pavement near school. Discuss driveways, kerbs, pedestrians and junctions and any other hazards or challenging situations and how these would be tackled on a scooter.

Plenary You can conclude the activity with a longer scoot around the school grounds (away from moving traffic) and apply everything the trainees have learnt so far.

Worksheet Answers

Q1: What can you wear to keep you safe when you scoot?Helmet, Knee and Elbow pads, suitable clothing

Q2: Where should you scoot?On the pavement

Q3: Name 5 things to check every time you scoot

1. Folding mechanisms

2. Adjustments (nuts, bolts, quick releases)

3. Brakes

4. Handlebars

5. Wheels

SchoolTravelPlan

Learning Objectives

To design (and make) a storage item or clothing for cycling.

Organisation There are two separate ideas for design and make activities which can be carried out in a DT lesson.

Timings Depending on whether the items are actually made, timings will vary.

Introduction Look at examples of the items being made on the internet or use actual examples: storage/panniers, bike accessories, cycle clothing.

• What are the main features? • Why do you think they have these features?• What are they made from? • Who or what are they designed for?

Bicycle Design Ideas

Resources

• Examples of the item(s) being investigated.(Either pictures or actual items.)

• Paper and drawing materials

• Suitable materials for construction if making as well.

Introduction (continued)

Look at examples of the following (there are plenty of examples on Google images)

Storage: front baskets, panniers, front panniers, saddle bags…etc

Clothing: racing clothing, mountain biking/bmx protective padding, helmets. The attached hoodies article is an inspiring story from Sustrans magazine about cycle clothing designed for and by teenaged girls.

Activity Design ideas:

1. Storage: people need to carry things on bikes for many different reasons. Discuss some of these reasons: Going on a cycling holiday, travelling to work, going shopping and travelling to school. What sort of things would you need to take with you? Some storage is designed to carry a tent and everything you would need for months of holidaying and some will neatly fit a small first-aid kit. Design your storage based on a specific user and purpose. Questions to consider: How will it open and fasten? What sized compartments will you need? Where will it sit on the bike? Will it need to be waterproof? Will it need to lock?

2. Clothing: Cycling clothing is designed for different purposes. Racing clothing needs to be tight and aerodynamic and designed to keep you cool and dry. BMX/mountain-biking clothing needs to be padded so protect you from falls. Some clothing for commuters and people cycling in heavy traffic is designed to be seen with fluorescent or reflective properties. It also needs to be practical with useful pockets on the back, easily folding down to nothing to be packed away, easy to dry, easy to clean etc. It mustn’t catch on the bike, hence the need for bicycle clips for trousers. Decide on a user and purpose and design your clothing taking these considerations into account.

KS2LessonPlans

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Bicycle Quiz

Questions Answers

How many wheels does a unicycle have?

1 - Discuss the word origin and how this is related to cycles: uni, bi, tri, quad.

What force do brakes use to make you stop?

Friction - When you squeeze your brakes, rubber pads squeeze your tyres, which slows your bike down with friction. You bike also requires friction to stay on the road and to move. Without it you would skid.

What should you always wear on your head if you are going to cycle?

A cycle helmet - It isn’t a legal requirement to wear a cycle helmet but it is highly recommended. There is no doubt that they save lives.

What do you legally need to have on your bike at all times?

A bell and reflectors - Ask the children what they think the reasons behind this law are.

What do you need to have on your bike if you are going to cycle in the dark?

Lights - The lights must be working and there must be a red one at the back and white one at the front. What are these for? To light your way and to enable others to see you. What else could you wear? Reflective clothing at night and fluorescent during the day.

What are bicycle tyres filled with? Air - The first pneumatic tyres were invented in 1888 by John Boyd Dunlop, a Belfast vet. Before this, tyres were wood or metal which made for a very uncomfortable ride.

What is the frame of a bike most often made with?

Metal - Frames are most often made with aluminium, titanium or steel. They are made with tubing with thin walls which still makes them very strong but they are much lighter than ever before. The earliest frames were made with cast iron and wood and were very heavy.

What should you check regularly on your bike?

Tyres and brakes - Tyres should feel firm when pinched and the shape should not change much whether you are on or off your bike. Check your brakes by squeezing them and trying to push your bike forward when you are off you bike.

How can you let other traffic know which way you would like to turn?

Signalling - Your Cyclewise or Bikeability course in Year 6 will teach you everything you need to know. Remember to always carry out a safety check for vehicles and signal clearly.

You could play this quiz in groups, as a class or ask pairs to find out the answers together.

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Bicycle Quiz - continued...

Questions Answers

True or false: it is illegal to cycle on the pavement.

True - Cycling on the pavement can carry a hefty fine. Look out for cycle paths which will take you off road but are perfectly safe and legal.

What could you wear to make sure other traffic can see you

Various answers - A fluorescent jacket or cover for your rucksack, lights, reflectors or reflective clothing or stickers.

Name 2 of the benefits of cycling Various answers - It keeps you fit and is good for the environment. It cuts down congestion and pollution. It’s great fun and it is very invigorating seeing the world whiz by from your bike.

What do you legally need to have on your bike at all times?

A bell and reflectors - Ask the children what they think the reasons behind this law are.

True or false: the first ever bike had no pedals

True - The first bike was the Hobby Horse in 1818. It had no pedals and cyclists had to propel it along with their feet.

What was a penny farthing and what did it look like?

An early bike. It had a huge wheel at the front and a tiny one at the back - It was very unsafe because the cyclist had to sit so high up. Afterwards came the safety bike which looks much more like one of our modern day bikes.

What is the Tour de France? An annual bike race around France - 2017 is the Tour de France’s 97th year and will be 3600km in length. It will take place from the 3rd – 25th July.

If you leave your bike in a public place, what should you remember to do?

Lock it up securely - A study in 2007 by an insurance company estimated that 440,000 bikes are stolen in the UK each year.

What is a recumbent bike? A bike which you ride in a sitting position.

What is a tandem bike? A bike for 2 people.

What would you do with a pannier?

Use it to carry things with you on your bike.

I bought my cycle helmet second hand from eBay – was this a good idea?

No - You don’t know whether the helmet was involved in an accident or how much wear it has had. It is best to buy a brand new cycle helmet from a good bike shop. Make sure it fits properly; when the straps are tightened you should be able to fit 2 fingers comfortably between the strap and your chin and the helmet shouldn’t wobble about on your head.

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KS2LessonPlans

Walking the World Posters

Learning Objectives

This activity celebrates walking together by looking at walking to school across the world. In this activity, children are asked to design a poster to encourage walking to school making use of persuasive writing in different languages. It starts with a discussion to explore the issues facing us if we continue our dependence on the car and goes on to look at examples of Walk to School promotional materials from Switzerland, France, Italy, Canada and Sweden. Children are encouraged to use phrases in French, Chinese, Spanish, German and Cornish in their final poster design.

Timings 45 minutes +

Resources

• Pens• Paper• Phrase Sheet• Foreign Language leaflets

and posters (download) or white board to display them on

Introduction Start by brain-storming reasons why it is good to walk to school: Health, Exercise, Environment, Pollution, Sociability, Safety, Congestion, Cost etc.

Explain that children are encouraged to walk to school all over the world, not just in Britain.

Look at the examples of posters from different countries: what do they have in common?

• They are bright and eye-catching • They have bold text• They use pictures and photos

Now look at the language in the table below and practice using the phrases. You may wish to put the phrases on individual cards and get children to practice saying them in pairs. (This may prove a little challenging for Chinese and Cornish!)

Activity Ask the children to design their posters in pairs/individually and present them at the end of the activity.

Plenary Children can present their posters to the rest of the class and display them around the school.

SchoolTravelPlan

Phrase Keep Fit Have Fun Walk to School Week

Help the Environment

Walk to School

Stay Healthy

Language

Chinese 健身有趣步行上学周帮助保护环境步行上学保持健康

Cornish Omwithewgh Gwiw

Omlowenhewgh An Seythen rag Kerdhes dhe’n Skol

Gweresewgh an Kyrhynnedh

Kerdhewgh dhe’n Skol

Gortewgh Yagh

Spanish Hacer Hersicio

Divertise Esta semana andamos al colejio

Halluda al Entorno

Andas al colejio

Mantenerse bien de salud

French Garde la forme

Amuses-toi La semaine va-a-l’ecole-a-pied

Oeuvrez pour l’environnement

Allez a l’ecole a pied

Reste sain

German Bleib fit Hab Spass Zu Fuss zur Schule Woche

Hilf der Umwelt Zu Fuss zur Schule

Bleib gesund

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Phrase Sheet...

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Environmental Film

Learning Objectives

• To explore environmental films and the features they use persuade you

• To understand the key benefits of walking and cycling to school

• To plan and make a short environmental film

Organisation 2 sessions are required

Timings Timings will vary

Resources

• Internet access - websites for films: • http://video. nationalgeographic.com/video/

environment• http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/nature.html• http://www.videoproject.com/libuco.html • If possible, video-cameras provided by the school• Props• Paper, pens etc for planning• Key facts page* • Planning sheet*


Introduction Play two or three video clips which can be accessed from the internet.

Ask the children:

• What are key themes explored in each of the films• Who is the intended audience for each film?• How have they put the message across differently?• Which do you think are most effective? (e.g. use of celebrities, repetition of the

message, is this a general message or do they want you to do something specific? Use of footage (e.g. speeding up film to increase impact), how have they tugged at your heart strings/conscience? Do you think the message they are putting across is valuable?)

Activity Your challenge is to make an environmental film to persuade more children to walk or cycle to school.

What are some of the key benefits of walking/cycling to school and some of the key drawbacks of driving to school? Brainstorm these on a whiteboard.

Hand out Facts from Living Streets for children to use in their films. (e.g. 20% of traffic at 8:45 are doing the school run.)


SchoolTravelPlan

Activity(continued)

In groups, plan your video:

• Are you going to use a voice-over script? • Will you dress up as your favourite celebrities/pop-stars to endorse walking and

cycling? • Will you make it health-themed or environment-themed?• Will you need to collect footage of pupils walking and cycling or of cars?• Could you interview teachers/celebrities for their sustainable travel-themed tips and

advice?• Which are the key facts you will use? (see key facts page)• Could you promote the school’s on-site facilities such as cycle storage/wet-weather

shelters• If it is Walk To School Week or Bike Week soon – could you promote this?

Practice and film each scene:

• Make sure you know who is going to do what and make sure everyone has a task• Choose settings for different shots e.g. the bike racks/wet-weather shelter at school

before you start• Think about props/location and script before you start

Alternatively, if the technology isn’t up to scratch or if there isn’t enough of it to go round…

• Make a storyboard for an environmental film in pairs with script, cast and location suggestions

• Plan and act out a short performance using props and different locations around the school

Plenary(to be done as a separate session)

Have a mini-sustainable travel film festival for another class where you show the films and discus their effectiveness. Ask a couple of pupils to find out the titles of each film and make a programme.

Show the best ones to the whole school in an assembly or during Walk to School Week or Bike Week

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Mapping your walk to school

Learning Objectives

• To learn about your locality

• To understand maps

• To relate this to road safety

Timings 50 minutes

Resources

• Computers with internet access and ability to display one to whole class on whiteboard.

• Printer

• Highlighter pens

• Enlarged print out of map

• Extra copies of area map in case printer is not available

Introduction Show a plan of the school using Google maps. Explain how this is displayed. Discuss how a satellite image is produced. Swap between, map, satellite and terrain – what do these different maps show?

Ask children to point out relevant landmarks on the map:

• The playground• Their classroom?• The school gates/entrances/car parks etc…• Extend this to beyond the school grounds.• Are there any changes since this aerial photo was taken?

Get the children to think about their journey to school. If they were walking, what are the potential dangers near the school? Invite children to point these out around the map.

Whilst carrying out the above switch to the satellite image/map and scroll in and out as appropriate to the questioning.

Activity Get the children to locate the school on Google maps. Explain that they are going to be responsible for assessing the route for a walking bus to school.

They will need to find a suitable meeting place on the map. (Show how to get directions using the website.)

Find directions from the chosen meeting point to the school.

Try to imagine the route/plot the route on the map as your partner reads it out.

Is this the route you would take?

Ask the children to identify any safety issues on the map and the directions.

If they can, print these out. Get them to mark the hazardous areas on the map (model this on an enlarged printout).

Plenary Show the children how to change a route to show it by walking/public transport/car – how does it differ?

Follow Up Activity

The children could re-write the directions for the walking bus including safety information. Design a poster to promote the walking bus showing the route and map.

SchoolTravelPlan

Learning Objectives

To understand:• What moderate exercise is• The health benefits of moderate

exercise and how it affects our bodies

• How walking and cycling to school contribute to your daily hour of moderate exercise

Organisation Whole class, or smaller groups, who undertake the activity in a large space i.e. the school hall

Timings 60 minutes in total

Moderate Exercise

Resources

• Flip Chart and pens• Worksheet for each child*• Heart and felt body from Health

Promotions (if possible)• Dopler (heart monitor) from Health

Promotions (if possible)• Large clock with second hand


Introduction Ask the children what their body feels like at the moment, while they are sitting quietly. Make a note of the words on the flip chart (perhaps get a child out to be the scribe).These might include:

Warm, relaxed, tired, hungry, cold, thirsty, squashed, happy

Tell the children that the way our bodies feel changes with what we are doing – the more active we are the greater the physical changes – getting more out of breath, red in the face etc. Explain to the children that we need an hour of moderate exercise a day.

Question: What do you think moderate exercise is? (Answer: When you can still talk, but you get sweaty and your heart beats faster)

Explain to the children that we’ll be looking and thinking about what moderate exercise is and how we can fit it in to our daily routines.

Activity Distribute the worksheets and pencils. Ask all children, and staff to stand (as quietly as they can!) Ask the children to walk / jog / run for 2 minutes each and write down how their bodies feel after each activity.

• Ask the children to move round the room in the same direction• On all but the jogging and chatting exercise they should move around in silence.

When asked to jog and chat they should chat NOT shout to each other. Before setting off on this exercise they need to identify a partner to jog and chat with

• To limit the speed of jogging (and prevent total exhaustion) ask the children to run behind a leader who can set the pace (perhaps the class teacher?)

• Children should not move with pencils in their hands!

At the end of each exercise ask the children to sit down and write 2 descriptive words on how they feel.

Ask the children and staff to sit as quickly and quietly as possible once all the activities have been undertaken.

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Activity(continued)

Review how the children felt with each activity. Words might include: hot, sweaty, out of breath, heart racing, lungs hurting, wheezy, happy, flushed

Q: Which parts of our bodies work harder with exercise? (A: Heart, lungs, muscles)

Q: Where are your heart and lungs? (A: Point to them, or use the Felt Body).

Q: How do we know our heart is working harder? (A: Pulse increases)

Ask for three volunteers and take their pulse over 10 seconds (keep a record of this on the flip chart)

• Ask one to sit, one to walk on the spot, and one to jog on the spot• Retake the pulse of each after 10 seconds

Q: Why do we need to keep our bodies exercised? (A: keep healthy, fight disease, have more energy)

Returning to moderate exercise: Q: What type of exercise do you feel is moderate? What changes do you see in your body when doing moderate exercise?

Tell the children that one way of getting more moderate exercise is to walk or cycle to school. Not only is it good for them but it’s also good because:

• It’s better for the environment as less cars mean less pollution• Less cars means less congestion (traffic jams) and safer roads• Walking to school is more sociable• Walking and cycling is cheaper than travelling by car

SchoolTravelPlan

Learning Objectives

To understand how cars are powered and how the way they are powered has an impact on the surrounding environment.

Organisation Up to 8 students at a time, split into pairs.

Timings An afternoon.

Introduction Use the pollution picture to initiate a short discussion about how cars are contributing to climate change. Explain that the problems are two-fold:

1. Burning of fossil fuels is contributing to climate change

2. We are approaching “peak oil” which means that we have nearly reached the peak of our oil production. Eventually oil and gas deposits will run out as they are a finite source of energy rather than a renewable source of energy. Explain that renewable means it will keep being renewed and won’t run out – e.g. the energy from the sun, the sea, in the plants we grow and therefore the food we eat.

Show the pictures of different cars and ask the children how they think they might be powered?

Explain and discuss the advantages, disadvantages and special features (shown in table opposite).

Solar Powered Workshop

Resources

• Display of different renewable energy powered cars

• Short animations from the science museum website (Internet access)

• Assorted junk to make bases and decorate cars

• Rubber bands (15)• Metal eyelets (60)• Dowels (30)• Wheels (60)• Small pulleys (8mm diameter) (15)• Larger pulleys (40mm diameter)

(15)• Solar panels (4 x 4 to have 4 cars

tested at a time)• Crocodile clips (30)• Low-inertia motors (15)• Motor mounts (15)• Double sided tape/gaffer tape etc.• Glue• Sandpaper• Small saw to cut dowels• Design sheet*• Stop watches for individual groups


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KS2LessonPlans

Advantages Disadvantages Special Features

Hydrogen Car • Only emits water • Completely

renewable

• Needs a lot of energy to make hydrogen

• Very expensive

• Stream-lined and aerodynamic

• Powered by Hydrogen which gets converted into water

Electric Car • No emissions if electricity is from renewable sources

• No nasty exhaust fumes

• Need to keep charging up

• Still need to make sure your electricity comes from renewable sources

• Can’t go very far so not for long distances

• Little and compact for using around the city and driving short distances.

• Has lead to recharge over night and carries batteries on board

Solar Powered Car • No emissions as energy comes from the sun

• Very expensive• Needs a lot of

batteries to store electricity produced

• Streamlined/aerodynamic shape

• Large surface area of solar panels

Bio Diesel Car • Re-uses oil from chip-shop

• Can convert existing cars to bio-diesel

• Need to grow crops especially for fuel which takes land away from food production.

• No special features – you can convert your old banger!

Activity We are going to have a go at designing and making a solar-powered car using some basic materials. There are enough materials to make cars in pairs and enough solar panels to test the cars in small groups (3 or 4 cars per group). Take a look the solar panels we are going to use.

How can we make the car faster?

• Keep the weight down

• Think about the shape

• Make sure solar panel is tilted towards the sun for maximum solar gain


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Activity(continued)

What else do we need to consider?

• Space for the solar panel and somewhere to mount it

• Aesthetics – logos and design

• Special features

• Wiring – what connects to what?

• Use the design template or plain paper to design a car in pairs.

• Make the car as per the instructions using recycled materials

• Decorate and individualise your cars

Each car requires:

• 2 dowels

• One base

• 4 hooks to be screwed into the base

• 4 wheels

• 1 small and 1 large pulley

• 1 low-inertia motor

• 1 motor mount

• 1 elastic band

• (use of 4 x solar panel)

Testing and summary:

When all the cars have been made, have a go at testing them outside on a table top.

Groups will need to time how long their car takes to go a certain distance (e.g. 1 or 2 tables placed together)

Ask groups to judge cars based on time/distance travelled, aesthetics and team work.

Design a sheet to record this information and compare the cars.

Points to note to make to the cars run smoothly:

• Try out cars across a smooth surface e.g. table

• Tilt the panels towards the sun

• If it doesn’t work store the cars and try on a sunny day

• Only use the low-inertia motors as normal motors won’t work

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KS2LessonPlans

More than just a journey

Learning Objectives

This activity is to encourage students to think about travel, not just in terms of the impact on their health and the environment at the moment of travel, but the impact of the travelling in relation to the tools that they use to travel – that is to say the impact of creating cars, bicycles, and shoes. To do this students will tell the story of the creation of a car and bike using picture cards and track the movement of materials and products on a world map.

Organisation Split the class into 5 groups, each issued with a set of resources.

Timings 1 hour in total

Resources

• A set of picture cards• A world map• Sheet of ‘Questions for

Students’*• Information sheets on shoes,

bicycles and cars*• Information sheet on ‘where

does stuff come from?’*


Introduction Explain that they are to tell the story of a car and bicycle from the beginning (its raw materials and creating the basic components of the machine) to end (when we buy it). Demonstrate with the creation of a pair of shoes using the larger cards as an example.

Lay the cards out one by one where pupils can see them (across a table, or blutac to a wall). Ask students what the next stage will be.

For example …

A pair of leather shoes are made from leather (for the upper and inner), rubber (or synthetic rubber) for the sole, cotton and plastic for the laces, and steel for the eyelets.

A majority of leather is sourced from the USA. To create leather you need …

• Grazing land to feed the cattle.

• Lorries to transport the cattle to slaughter factories.

• Lorries then transport the skins to factories to make leather for shoes

• Leather is then transported by lorry to freight ship, to the UK factories to make up the shoes


SchoolTravelPlan

Introduction(continued)

Rubber for the soles of shoes is made from rubber plants grown in India. To create rubber for soles you need…

• Cropland for rubber.

• Tractors to tend to the plants and take the rubber to more processing factories where blocks of rubber are made.

• Lorries to transport the rubber to freight ships to European ports which are then transported by lorry to factories to produce rubber soles.

• Lorries transport the rubber soles to UK factories where the soles are glued on to the leather to make the shoes.

Cotton laces need to have cropland (usually in Africa), plastic on the laces have their raw material based on oil (from the Far East), and the steel for eyelets has to be quarried from Australia. All need the various materials transported to factories for making and distributing.

Activity Issues highlighted in the list of questions for pupils can be identified and discussed. Once the story has been completed for shoes students should do similar stories for first bicycles and then cars (7 mins each).

In doing each story students should work through the list of questions for students. They should also use their world maps to identify the countries that the parts of the car or bicycle have travelled.

Students should be encouraged to compare the global impact of walking, cycling and travelling by car.

• Which is healthier?

• Which is better for the environment whilst doing the travelling?

• Which is better for the environment when considering where shoes, bicycles and cars come from?

• Do students agree that when we make choices about how we travel we are connected to people all over the world and our choices have political, social, economic and environmental consequences?

• Does such insight influence how they think about travelling?

Plenary • Students will have 2 stories in pictures that they can talk through - the story of both the car and bicycle (from raw material to final product sold to the consumer).

• Students will have a world map highlighting the different places materials have travelled from and to in order to create a car and bicycle.

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KS2LessonPlans

KS1LessonPlans

The Oranges Game

Learning Objectives

This game is a visual demonstration of the proportion of carbon released by each of the 6 main continents during 2005 (data taken from the Guardian Dec 2007). It then aims to compare this to the population for each of these continents to spark a discussion about the reasons for these anomalies and what would happen if everyone produced as much carbon as America and Europe.

Organisation Whole class activity


Introduction It would be useful to start with explaining what Carbon Dioxide is, where it comes from and why it is bad for the planet. You can use the Carbon Video Clip to help you.

Resources

• Carbon Video Clip: https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/today/carbon-dioxide.html

• You will need to ask each class member to bring in an orange. You will then need to make this up to 30 if there are not enough. Alternatively any 30 objects could be used, provided 2 of them could be cut in half.

• 6 PE hoops• Clear labels: Africa, Asia,

Europe, South America, North America, Oceania

Activity Lay the hoops out around the class room and label each with a different Continent.

Ask the children to place their oranges in the hoops as per the table (overleaf) to show the proportion of the world’s population each contains. (Refer to the numbers as well as this puts it in context. Explain that one billion is a thousand million)

Q: Which continent has the most people?

Q: How big are these continents? (refer to a map of the world)

Ask the children to decide who they think produces the most Carbon Dioxide, and why?

Now ask the children to move the oranges to represent the amount of Carbon each continent produces. Talk about the inequalities and think of reasons why this might be the case as you do this.

The following questions may be useful to aid discussion:

• Asia’s population and Carbon emissions proportions are roughly equal - so why are people worried about the amount of Carbon coming out of Asia (because there are so many people)

• Africa and South America have very low carbon emissions compared to the number of people - why? (They are the poorest continents – what sort of things produce carbon? Cars, electricity e.g. TVs, computers, appliances)

• Who has the most disproportionate amount of emissions to population and why do you think this is? (America – why is this?)

• How do you feel about Europe’s carbon emissions compared to their population? How can we improve?

SchoolTravelPlan

CONTINENT CARBON x bn tonnes

% of world’s carbon emissions

Oranges Oranges Population % of world population

Oranges Oranges

Europe 4.67 16.56615821 4.969847 5 731683 10.90925546 3.272777 3.5

North America 6.99 24.79602696 7.438808 7.5 337168 5.027111255 1.508133 1.5

South America 1.1 3.902092941 1.170628 1 577147 8.605152861 2.581546 2.5

Africa 1.04 3.689251508 1.106775 1 972752 14.50354876 4.351065 4.5

Asia 13.939 49.44661227 14.83398 15 4053868 60.4424069 18.13272 18

Oceania 0.451 1.599858106 0.479957 0.5 34375 0.512524763 0.153757 0

TOTALS 28.19 100 30 30 6706993 100 30 30

The Oranges Game

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KS2LessonPlans

Learning Objectives

• To understand that we get energy from food

• To understand that the energy from food can be ‘used up’ by walking and cycling

• To use multiplication, addition and division

• To solve word problems

Organisation Whole class activity with differentiation for lower, medium and higher ability students


The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Resources

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar book• Worksheet 1: Lower Ability*• Worksheet 2: Medium Ability /Higher

Ability*• Worksheet 3: Higher Ability extension

activity*


Introduction Explain that there is a certain amount of energy in different types of food and that this gives us energy for all of the activities we do.

1. What activities have you done since breakfast? Which of these have used up the energy in your breakfast? (PE, walking to school, an energetic playtime…)

2. What does the energy in these foods power? Your heart, muscles, internal organs, growth etc.

Explain that we are going to study the amount of energy consumed by a very famous character from a book and then calculate how far he could have walked or cycled to school on each day.

Read ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.

Activity Explain that energy is measured in calories. (A calorie is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by 1 °C.) In this case the measure of energy is heat but energy can be given out as movement and light as well.

The worksheets contain an energy value list for all the different foods which the hungry Catepillar eats during the week. Explain that 5 calories are burnt for each minute of walking and 8 calories are burnt for each minute of cycling.

On the differentiated worksheets 1 and 2, children are asked to calculate:

• How many calories the hungry caterpillar consumed for each day (multiplication/addition) (L/M/HA)

• For how long and how far he could walk to school each day (L/M/HA)• For how long and how far he could cycle to school each day (M/HA)

Extension activity (Worksheet 3):Using the list of food items and their calorific values, devise a diet plan for the week for the caterpillar for different journey lengths, assuming a set number of calories required for all other activity.

SchoolTravelPlan

If you would like this information in another format or language please contact:

Cornwall Council, County Hall Treyew Road, Truro TR1 3AY

Telephone: 0300 1234 100 Email: [email protected]

www.cornwall.gov.uk

Plenary Share the answers which the children have found out.

Key Questions:

• Does the hungry caterpillar have a healthy diet? • Does he have more energy than he needs for his journey? • Do you need to eat only the energy required for your journey to school? • The hungry caterpillar doesn’t use the energy from the food for travelling to school.

What does he use his energy for? (HINT: it was mentioned in the starter discussion)• Why is it good for you to walk or cycle to school?

KS2LessonPlans

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