3. Homes in the Past Local studies 4. Homes Today Human environments

Subject: Geography Strand: Natural environments Strand Unit: The local natural environment

Curriculum objectives

• Investigate and become familiar with some natural features in the local environment.

• Observe and explore ways in which these features have affected the lives of plants, animals and humans.

• Investigate the ways in which these features have been used by humans and the changes which have occurred as a result.

Skills

• A sense of place and space, using pictures, maps and globes, questioning, observing, recording and communicating, predicting

Key words

• climate, coastline, ecosystem, environment, erosion, fauna, flora, glacier, landscape, tourist

FYI

• A bog provides the perfect environment for preserving organic matter. The acidity of the peat and its lack of oxygen can mummify matter. • The oldest bog body, Cashel Man, was found in Cashel, Co. Laois in 2011. Radiocarbon dating places him at around 2000 BC (more than 600 years before Tutankhamun was born in Ancient Egypt). This was the early Bronze Age in Ireland, approximately 4,000 years ago. • Bogs are explored further in Chapter 53 – Peat.

Resources

• Digital – interactive map of Ireland • Digital – video about coastal erosion at the Cliffs of Moher • Differentiation Toolkit DT 1 – Group Work Cards

Lesson

• Introduce the key words and elicit suggested meanings. • Class brainstorming: What are ‘natural features’? Can you identify natural features in your locality? • Use the digital interactive map of Ireland to discover some interesting facts about prominent natural features in Ireland. Have the children seen any of these natural features before? • Do the children know of any natural features in their local area, such as rivers, streams, mountains, headlands, bogs, etc.? • Read through the case study with the children. Ask them if they think they would find these animals and plants in their local area. • Ask the children to describe the natural features at the Cliffs of Moher. How do they think the cliffs, caves and sea stack were formed? (What is erosion? How does it happen? What has it caused?) • Watch the video about coastal erosion at the Cliffs of Moher.

• Ask the children what they think the Cliffs of Moher will look like 320 million years from now (preparation for Activity Book page 5, activity C).

• Carry out the Show What You Know and Let’s Get Exploring activities. • Revise the information learned in the lesson.

Think like a geographer!

• What types of flora and fauna are found in your locality, local park, school grounds or home garden? • Can you identify different types of natural features on a map? • How have people in your area had positive/negative effects on the local flora and fauna?

Differentiation

• Show What You Know: Questions 1–5 are lower order; 6–7 are higher order. • Adapting the Let’s Get Exploring activities for differentiation: 1 Complete orally with a partner. 2 Assign mixed-ability pairings. The children could look up the rivers in their local area on Google Maps and identify other features in their county. 3 Assign roles within mixed-ability groupings. Roles could include a cartographer (draws the map), a designer (designs the symbols and key), a researcher (sources the information), etc.

Assessment

• Can the children identify the natural features shown in the Textbook? Can they give other examples? • Can the children complete the Show What You Know and Let’s Get Exploring sections and the Activity Book activities, consolidating the information learned in the lesson?

Extension ideas

• Look up your local area on Google Maps. Can the children find their school and identify natural features (bodies of water, fields, etc.)? • Using the internet, research the flora and fauna of natural features in Ireland such as the Burren and the Giant’s Causeway, or a natural feature in your locality.

STEAM

• Model-making: Make a model of the Cliffs of Moher, using cardboard or a shoebox, paper, glue, paint and other art materials. Ensure that the children add the natural features discussed in the lesson.

Integration

Gaeilge: Sa bhaile. Cad atá sa ghairdín?

Literacy: Persuasive writing. Design an advertisement for the Cliffs of Moher, encouraging people to come and visit.

Science: Investigate the flora and fauna around your school.

Useful links

• Cliffs of Moher visitor centre; the ‘Experience the Cliffs’ section contains information about the flora and fauna – www.cliffsofmoher.ie

• Tourism guide to the Wild Atlantic Way and the Cliffs of Moher – www.discoverireland.ie/wild-atlantic-way

Subject: Science Strand: Materials Strand Unit: Properties and characteristics of materials

Curriculum objectives

• Identify and investigate a range of common materials in the immediate environment.

• Describe and compare materials. • Distinguish between raw and manufactured materials.

• Group materials according to their properties • Investigate how materials may be used in construction.

Skills

• Predicting, questioning, observing, investigating and experimenting, analysing, recording and communicating

Key words

• absorbent, characteristics, engineer, flexible, fragile, opaque, properties, rigid, transparent, waterproof

FYI

• Some materials, although hard, need to be flexible or move a little in order not to break, for example, materials used to build tall buildings and bridges. • Floor surfaces must be hard enough to withstand wear and tear from shoes and furniture.

Resources

• Digital – experiment video • Digital – matching activities • Differentiation Toolkit DT 1 – Group Work Cards • PCM 1 – Science Investigation Template

Lesson

• Begin with a class discussion on common properties of materials, using a dictionary if necessary. Elicit examples of a material in the classroom or the home with each property. • Discuss the properties of materials used to make household objects such as a countertop, a sink, a bath, a kitchen table, a sofa, a rug, a mattress, bedding. • Ask the children why, when building or making something, it is important to choose the correct material(s). Can they predict what might happen if household objects were made of different materials, for example, a frying pan made of rubber? • Explain that many materials need to have more than one property, e.g. strength and flexibility. Why might this be? Think of examples of such objects in the home, school or outside world. • Carry out the Let’s Experiment investigations. (1) Secure each material to the edge of a table with sticky tape. Hang a selection of weights from each material to test flexibility. (2) Place each material under the legs of a chair. Weigh down the chair with books. In a few days, remove the chair and check to see which material has the deepest indentation, using a ruler for precise measurements. • Carry out the Show What You Know and Let’s Get Exploring activities. • To consolidate learning, in pairs, ask the children to each share three things they have learned about materials and how they can be used.

Think like a scientist!

• Which materials in the classroom and home are man-made and which are natural?

• Engineers must understand the properties of materials to choose the most suitable ones for building. Why do you think houses in Ireland are built using concrete blocks rather than timber? • Houses in hot countries usually have tiled floors. Why might this be?

Differentiation

• Show What You Know: Questions 1–5 are lower order; 6–7 are higher order. • Adapting the Let’s Get Exploring activities for differentiation: 1 Complete orally with a partner. 2 Assign mixed-ability pairings. 3 Assign roles within mixed-ability groupings.

Assessment

• Can the children explain the meaning of each property and give an example of a material with that property? • Can the children explain why it is important to understand the properties of materials when building a house or laying a floor? • Can the children complete the Show What You Know and Let’s Get Exploring sections and the Activity Book activities, consolidating the information learned in the lesson?

Extension ideas

• Explore flexibility, using an opened-out cereal box. Test it flat, and then rolled lengthways or widthways with weights placed on top. • Research the types of materials that are used in flooring (timber, tiles, fabric, etc.). • Choose six objects in the classroom. Discuss each object and decide if it has more than one of the properties listed in the list on page 29 of the Textbook. • In pairs, design a waterproof tent for a Lego figure.

STEAM

• Model-making: In pairs, design a model of a piece of furniture. Identify the properties it needs to have. Look up designs of current furniture for ideas. Draw a plan. How can you test that the materials have the necessary properties? Evaluate the finished product – what could be improved?

Integration

Art: Design and construct a perfect den.

Gaelige: Sa bhaile

Geography: Explore how climate influences the materials used to build homes around the world.

Literacy: Write a letter to your principal, explaining that you would like to change your classroom chairs. Explain what type of chairs you want, the materials they should be made of and why they would be better than the current ones.

Maths: Design a survey about common household materials.