Scheme of Work: Biomes and Vegetation

Subject: Geography | Year: 6

Class/Set: ____________ Date/Term: ____________

Intent: Students will develop a sophisticated understanding of the world’s major biomes, analysing the causal relationship between latitude, climate, and the specific adaptations of vegetation within these distinct ecological regions.

Timeframe / Lesson	Lesson Title	Learning Objective (LO)	Key Activities / Assessment
Lesson 1	Defining Biomes	To define the term 'biome' and identify their global distribution.	Identify: Locate the five major biomes on a world map. Categorise: Sort photographs of landscapes into biome types.
Lesson 2	Climate and Latitude	To explain how latitude and temperature determine biome locations.	Explain: Model the 'Curvature of the Earth' to show solar intensity. Analyse: Match climate graphs to specific global coordinates.
Lesson 3	Rainforest Layers	To describe the vertical stratification of vegetation in the tropical rainforest.	Label: Complete a detailed diagram of the four rainforest layers. Examine: Identify specific plant adaptations (e.g. buttress roots).
Lesson 4	Mid-Unit Assessment	To demonstrate knowledge of biome distribution and climate factors.	Assessment: Complete a structured knowledge retrieval paper. Review: Self-assess using the provided mark scheme (Task A & B).
Lesson 5	The Frozen North	To compare the vegetation and conditions of the Tundra and Taiga.	Contrast: Use a Venn diagram to compare coniferous trees vs mosses/lichens. Discuss: The impact of permafrost on root growth.
Lesson 6	Arid Adaptations	To explain how xerophytic vegetation survives in hot desert biomes.	Draw: Create a technical drawing of a cactus with annotated adaptations. Sequence: Order the process of the ephemeral life cycle.
Lesson 7	The Savanna	To investigate the relationship between seasonal rainfall and grasslands.	Model: Create a 'Seasonality Timeline' for the African Savanna. Predict: Explain how vegetation changes between the wet and dry seasons.
Lesson 8	Human Impact	To evaluate the threat of deforestation and climate change on global biomes.	Evaluate: Write a persuasive report on biome conservation. Plenary: Debate the tension between economic gain and biodiversity.

Resources Needed:

• World maps and atlases.
• Climate data sets for major global cities.
• Samples of succulents or coniferous needles for sensory observation.
• Visual stimuli showing the impact of deforestation in the Amazon.

---

⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

🌍 Pedagogical Overview

This unit for Year 6 is designed to bridge the gap between primary descriptive geography and secondary-level causal analysis. Encourage students to move beyond "what it looks like" to "why it grows there." Focus heavily on oracy during Lesson 2 to ensure the concept of latitude is fully grasped before moving to specific vegetation studies.

💡 Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Provide 'sentence starters' for the evaluation task in Lesson 8. Use pre-labelled maps for Lesson 1 to focus students on the shading/identification rather than transcription.
• Challenge (Greater Depth): Ask students to research 'Altitudinal Zonation'—how biomes change as you move up a mountain, mimicking the change from the equator to the poles.

📝 Assessment Key (Mid-Unit Assessment)

Task A: Biome Matching (1:1 Mirror)

• Question 1: Which biome is characterised by high temperatures and high rainfall all year round?
  • Task A Answer 1: Tropical Rainforest.
• Question 2: Which biome is found at the highest latitudes with very little vegetation?
  • Task A Answer 2: Tundra.
• Question 3: What is the name for the 'transition' biome consisting mostly of grasses and few trees?
  • Task A Answer 3: Savanna (or Grasslands).

Task B: Climate Logic (1:1 Mirror)

• Question 1: Explain why biomes near the equator are warmer than those at the poles.
  • Task B Answer 1: The sun's rays hit the equator directly (at a right angle), concentrating the heat energy. At the poles, the same amount of energy is spread over a larger, curved area.
• Question 2: Identify one adaptation of a plant in the Tundra.
  • Task B Answer 2: Growing low to the ground to avoid cold winds / Darker colours to absorb solar heat / Shallow roots due to permafrost.

Task C: Rainforest Stratification (1:1 Mirror)

• Question 1: Name the four layers of the rainforest from top to bottom.
  • Task C Answer 1: Emergent, Canopy, Understorey, Forest Floor.
• Question 2: Why do plants in the Understorey have very large, broad leaves?
  • Task C Answer 2: To capture as much sunlight as possible in the shade created by the Canopy layer above.

🛡 Safety & Nuance Check

• Sensitivity: When discussing deforestation (Lesson 8), maintain political neutrality as per the Sovereign Constitution. Present both the environmental impact and the economic reasons why developing nations may utilise their natural resources.
• Resource Safety: If using real plants (e.g., cacti or lilies) for classroom observation, ensure a COSHH check is performed for spikes or allergens.