Geography: ‘What makes a beautiful world?’

Through their project learning on climate zones and biomes, Year 6 reflected on the essential question, ‘What makes a beautiful world?’ and considered how they could create a lasting impact on the whole school community. They decided to present their learning through a ‘Climate Change’ conference in which they shared their deep knowledge and understanding of the climate zones, biomes and how we can protect our world in the future.

As part of the project, the children engaged in the opportunity to learn about climate activism, learning from geography experts at the Eden Project and WWF. They practised identifying whether they were ‘shoppers’, ‘doers’, ‘learners’ or ‘shouters’ before creating their own sustainable, earth-friendly products.  Tying into this theme, the pupils were also inspired by David Attenborough’s Netflix series, ‘Our Planet’ and his four defining principles for looking after our world:

-          The phasing out of fossil fuels and using renewable energy

-          Moving away from unsustainable agriculture to efficient food production and the reduction in the consumption of meat

-          Reducing overfishing and single-use plastic to clearing up our oceans and having no fishing zones

-          Rewilding to preserve and encourage nature

This learning journey led to their final outcome in which they confidently presented their knowledge for the importance of saving our planet.  This was shared with the whole school community but also to young adults who were invited from a local school.

Science: How does mankind impact on biodiversity?

Year 6 were challenged with the essential question, “How does mankind impact biodiversity?”. For the children to have an informed view, they explored a range of biomes around the world and the impact of deforestation, single-use plastic and cattle grazing on biodiversity. They also attended workshops hosted by RHS Kew Gardens and the Eden Project on how organisations and charities are striving to protect the world’s biodiversity and the steps that we as individuals can do to have a positive change.

With all of their new understanding, a unanimous decision was made by the year group to write to the Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, to persuade him and his government to commit Britain and the other members to more aggressive targets in the next Conference of Parties (COP) in tackling climate change which will ultimately have a positive impact on biodiversity.

For their project’s outcome, the children hosted a workshop demonstrating how a ‘biome in a bottle’ could be created and how it is self-sustaining with its own water and carbon cycles within the bottle. Members of the church and wider community were invited to their talk on how mankind is impacting biodiversity and they modelled how a ‘biome in a bottle’ could be made.