Year 4 Topic 1

Year 4 - Topic 1

Geography - Mountains and volcanoes: what, where and why?

 

This topic builds on the children’s understanding of physical geography by introducing mountain and volcanic landscapes and how they form. The children will study peaks in the UK and around the world, learn about volcanic eruptions, and explore how these features affect the lives of people who live nearby. The placement of the unit supports progression from rivers in Year 3, helping pupils connect physical processes with real places and their human impacts.

 

The topic introduces mountains and volcanoes, how they form, and what they’re like. Children study peaks in the UK and around the world, learn about volcanic eruptions, and explore how these features affect the lives of people who live nearby.

 

In Science, children will identify and sort animals into groups based on their features. Children will use the term vertebrate to describe an animal with a spine and invertebrate to describe an animal without a spine. Children will use simple keys to sort animals correctly. Children should know that flowering plants produce flowers and fruit and non-flowering plants do not. Children will carry out practical activities where they observe plants closely and group them based on different features. Children will provide an answer to the enquiry question. They may choose to show their findings in classification keys, presentations, or in simple written and verbal responses. By the end of this topic, children will know that animals with a spine are called vertebrates and those without a spine are called invertebrates, they will be able to use closed questions in a classification key and group and classify living things.