English National Curriculum - Science

4. Explore how climate change affects our planet

Mission Objectives

Identify and describe the main impacts of climate change

Explain how climate change affects people, animals, and plants

Evaluate the most significant effects of climate change

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Keywords

Words and meanings to learn

flooding

the overflow of water onto normally dry land

ice caps

massive, thick layers of ice that cover the polar regions

glacier

a massive body of thick ice that slowly flows downhill

heatwave

an extended period of very hot weather

drought

a long period of abnormally low rainfall

This lesson has been written by

Sarah Mintey MBE

Sarah is a former headteacher and charity CEO who founded Developing Experts in October 2015 with the goal to create a fit-for-purpose curriculum for schools. The company has created a science curriculum for children ages 4-16 which is delivered through sequenced lessons mapped against the National Curriculum in biology, chemistry, and physics. Developing Expert's innovative approach to learning has already been road-tested and voted 'best EdTech product in Europe', winning Tech Nation’s Rising Stars earlier in 2019 and a place on Google for Startups Immersion program 2020. In 2022 Developing Experts won the BETT Awards for Best Classroom Resource - Teaching Aid. Sarah is a 'LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leader' 2022. In October 2022 Developing Experts joined Tech Nation's Upscale 8.0 programme.

Sarah is delighted to be working with over 6500 UK schools and clients such as the Royal Horticulture Society, Network Rail, Rolls Royce, BEIS, National Nuclear Labs, Anglian Water and the Ministry of Defence.

Sarah was awarded an MBE for her services to tech and education in 2020. 

Clare Faulkner

Clare is an experienced primary teacher with extensive experience across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. She has a strong background in curriculum design and development, contributing to programmes across EYFS, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2, ensuring they are engaging, inclusive, and pedagogically effective.

Before joining Developing Experts, Clare served as a QA Inspector for a childcare agency, rigorously applying the Ofsted inspection framework to evaluate and enhance educational provision. She also brings insight into school governance, supporting strategic decision-making and understanding the operational and pedagogical challenges faced by schools.

Clare is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed learning experiences that inspire curiosity and foster academic and personal growth. She maintains a deep knowledge of current educational research, teaching strategies, and best practices to continually enhance teaching and learning outcomes.

Emma Wilding

Emma is an experienced primary teacher with over twelve years of classroom experience and a strong background in curriculum leadership. She has led history within schools and contributed to curriculum development across academy trusts, supporting the design of coherent, knowledge-rich programmes that enable pupils to build understanding over time.

Emma has a particular passion for writing high-quality curricula that are carefully sequenced, engaging, and rooted in strong subject knowledge. She is committed to creating lessons that are lively, meaningful, and accessible, helping children to grasp complex ideas through clear explanations and purposeful activities that support long-term learning.

Through her curriculum leadership, Emma has supported schools in preparing for successful Ofsted inspections, ensuring that subjects are well structured and effectively implemented. She is dedicated to designing learning experiences that spark curiosity and help pupils make meaningful connections between the past, the present, and the wider world.

Required Resources

Resources: Handouts

Support Handout (1): A handout with tables to record the main impacts of climate change (with definitions given to support) and the effects these have on humans and wildlife.

Core Handout (2): A handout with tables to record the definitions of the main impacts of climate change and the effects these have on humans, animals, and plants.

Challenge Handout (4): A handout which provides space to rank the four main impacts of climate change in order of severity, and space to justify these decisions. 

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