Download a key stage 2 unit: volcanoes and earthquakes

Key Stage 2 unit: volcanoes and earthquakes
Key Stage 2 POS from National Curriculum England: Describe and understand key aspects of
physical geography including volcanoes and earthquakes.
Key concepts: Place, space, physical processes, human-environmental interaction.
Key concepts – may
help focus planning
and review
Focus statement for the unit:
Through studying individual examples, pupils investigate what happens during an earthquake and
volcanic eruption and some of the associated landforms. They learn about the effects of these
events on people. They learn simple explanations for these tectonic events through basic
understanding of the structure of the Earth. By investigating the location and distribution of these
features they add to their developing framework of world knowledge and develop their skills in
using atlases/online mapping.
This is one way to describe
your purposes for the unit or…
Pupils will show evidence of these aspects of achievement:
Contextual knowledge
 the global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes
 locational knowledge of specific eruptions or earthquakes.
… adapt the three
aspects of
achievement
Understanding
 the structure of the Earth and the movement of tectonic plates
 the relationship between earthquakes, volcanoes and plate movements
 what happens in a volcanic eruption and earthquake, and the landforms created
 the impact of an earthquake and/or volcanic eruption on people, and what they can do to
respond.
Procedures and skills
 atlas skills to locate and describe distributions of volcanoes and earthquakes.
Key Questions, for example:
Key questions
help keep an
enquiry focus –
one way to form
objectives

What is the structure of the Earth?

What and where are the Earth’s plates? What happens when they move?

What happens during a volcanic eruption or earthquake?

Where do earthquakes and volcanoes occur? Why? What causes them?

How do earthquakes and volcanoes affect people? How can people prepare for them?
Remember – these sections are optional –
choose which are useful.
geography.org.uk/2014NC
A chance to include
some challenging/
intriguing questions
A more formal way
to set objectives,
helping to fix
expectations
Unit objectives, for example:





Know the location of [the examples of volcanoes and earthquakes studied]
Know that the Earth has a molten core and a crust that moves
Know that volcanoes and earthquakes are most common in particular parts of the world
Understand that most earthquakes and volcanoes are caused by movements of plates
Know what happens during a volcanic eruption or earthquake and some of the landforms
they cause
 Understand why volcanoes and earthquakes are dangerous, and what people can do to
reduce the risk
 Be able to use a range of country and thematic maps in atlases or online to investigate the
location and distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes.
Criteria for this
unit, informed by
the expectations
Pitch, for example, I can:
for age 11





describe the structure of the Earth and why the crust moves
describe some features of volcanoes and earthquakes and explain how they are caused
describe where volcanoes and earthquakes happen, and explain why they happen there
describe the effects of a volcanic eruption or earthquake and what people did as a result
use maps, globes and atlases to describe where some volcanoes and earthquakes are found.
Alternatives: ‘I will be
able to…’ ‘Pupils …’ ‘I
know, I understand’
You can use these to
devise a mark scheme,
support self-assessment
Assessment opportunities. For example:
Can share with
pupils
You could sample
assessed work
e.g. from three
pupils to build up
your portfolio
Ongoing: informal/formative through AfL
Week 3: matching keywords/definitions test
Week 7: group display – annotated world map showing research into volcanic landforms
Week 10: structured news report into a recent/historic earthquake, with peer/self assessment,
assessed using a mark scheme based on the criteria for the unit.
Remember – this is the menu, not the set meal, though you probably need to identify
objectives, criteria and assessment opportunities. Choose/adapt what is useful.
geography.org.uk/2014NC