Learning Pathway: Environment, adaptation, inheritance and evolution
Vocabulary to develop: feature, characteristic, nutrition, energy, reproduction, excretion, respiration, habitat, microhabitat, environment, condition (wet/dry warm/cool,
light/ dark) wetter/ drier, warmer, cooler, colder, lighter, darker, more damp/ less damp, organism, life–cycle, predator, prey, producer, consumer, food chain, grow,
adapt/adaptation, inherit, propagation, asexual, sexual , eggs, live young, ,living, dead, never been alive, move, grow, feed, have young, offspring, babies, sense,
local habitats such as park, pond, field, wood, sea shore,microhabitats wood pile, under a stone, under a hedge, suited, suitable, evolution, inherit, inherited, fossils,
fossil record, basic needs, food, depend, shelter, classification, observable characteristics/features, key, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, vertebrates,
invertebrates, germination, pollination, seed formation, seed dispersal, pollen, stamen, stigma, plantlets, runners, similarities, differences, micro-organisms, fungus
PoS
KS1
Learning objectives
Outcomes
(Possible pathway)
(Children will be able to..)
Children can (I can..)
Year 2
Living things and their habitats
To explore and compare the
differences between things that
are living, dead, and things that
have never been alive
observe and describe living things
describe simple characteristics of a variety of animals and plants.
sort and group living things
group animals and plants according to observable features and/ or
characteristics.
identify common features and differences of plants and animals
give reasons for groupings
Identify common features of plants and animals
identify common things that animals and plants (living things) do i.e. move,
feed, grow.
identify common things that all living things do
identify what plants and animals need to stay alive
identify what animals and plants do
describe that animals and plants do these things to stay alive, grow and
produce new plants and animals.
sort and group objects
sort objects
give reasons for groupings
identify the differences between non- living, living things and
those that have never been alive.
sort things into those that are living, those that are non-living and those that
have never been alive.
© Ian Clarke, Wendy Precious and Shaun Smith 2014
To identify and name a variety of
plants and animals in their
habitats, including micro-habitats
To describe how different
habitats provide for the basic
needs of different kinds of
animals and plants, and how they
depend on each other
Make close observations of different kinds of plants and animals in
the local environment
describe and sort the animals and plants.
Identify and name a variety of plants and animals.
Identify and name a variety of plants and animals
Identify and describe different habitats ( a habitat)is a place where
animals and plants live – food/shelter/place to
reproduce/conditions might be different
describe a habitat as a place where animals and plants live.
identify different habitats
describe the conditions in different habitats
Identify and describe microhabitat s
describe a microhabitat as a very small habitat in a habitat. identify and
describe microhabitats
suggest what the habitat has that plants and animals need to live
and survive (continue living).
suggest that a plant or animal might live in a habitat because of the
conditions there.
observe and describe how plants and animals depend on each
other – and over time
give reasons why plants and animals depend on each other in a habitat.
suggest how animals and plants are suited to the habitat in which
they live.
suggest how a plant or animal is suited to the habitat in which they live.
describe how animals get their food (which gives them energy)
identify and name what different animals eat (food sources)
state that food gives animals energy
use a simple food chain to describe how animals get their food
(which gives them energy)
use food chains to describe how animals get their food (which gives them
energy)
recognise that living things can be
grouped in a variety of ways
sort and classify living things in a variety of ways
sort living things in a variety of ways
suggest reasons for my groupings
explore and use classification
keys to help group, identify and
name a variety of living things in
their local and wider environment
make suggestions on why it is important to identify animals and
plants and assign them to groups
make suggestions on we group animals and plants
review ideas on classification with why scientists think it is important.
use classification keys to identify and name living things
use classification keys to improve the our own keys
sort and classify into the major scientific groups e.g.
invertebrates/invertebrates, flowering/nonflowering
use a classification key to identify and name animals and plants.
To identify that most living things
live in habitats to which they are
suited.
To describe how animals obtain
their food from plants and other
animals, using the idea of a
simple food chain, and identify
and name different sources of
food.
Year 4
Living things and their habitats
recognise that environments can
change and that this can
sometimes pose dangers to living
things.
sort animals and plants into the main scientific groups like scientists.
© Ian Clarke, Wendy Precious and Shaun Smith 2014
identify how the conditions in a habitat can change
observe changes to habitats and the plants and animals that live
there over time e.g. food, shelter.
recognise that the surroundings around a habitat (environment)
changes
identify how the surroundings around a habitat (environment) can change
identify how the changes in an environment can impact on the animals and
plants in a habitat.
identify how changes in the environment impact on the plants and
animals in a habitat
predict the impact of different changes in the environment on the habitat and
the animals and plants that live there.
use and apply understanding to make predictions
Year 5
Living things and their habitats
To describe the differences in the
life cycles of a mammal, an
amphibian, an insect and a bird
Observe and research how animals and plants grow and
reproduce to produce offspring (new plants and animals)
compare how animals and plants grow and reproduce
To describe the life process of
reproduction in some plants and
animals.
describe how different animals and plants grow and reproduce to produce
new plants and animals and that these are called offspring.
identify similarities and differences between how plants and animals
reproduce.
Identify features of a lifecycle
describe the life cycles of different of different animals and plants.
Identify the key features of a life cycle.
describe the process of reproduction in some plants and animals
describe the process of reproduction in some plants and animals.
explore how to propagate plants
describe how to propagate different plants.
compare life cycles of plants and animals (in local and global
environments)
identify similarities and differences between life cycles of different
animals and plants
describe changes as a human grows to old age
describe changes to the human body
explore and identify any patterns in the gestation period of
different animals
identify similarities and differences between different life cycles.
Suggest reasons for similarities and differences.
describe how the human body changes as a human grows to old age.
identify and suggest reasons for similarities and differences between the
gestation periods of different animals.
compare asexual and sexual reproduction
explore how asexual or sexual reproduction helps a species
survive.
describe the differences and similarities between asexual and sexual
reproduction.
suggest reasons for why asexual or sexual reproduction help species
survive.
Compare and refine ideas based on what scientists think
© Ian Clarke, Wendy Precious and Shaun Smith 2014
Year 6
Living things and their habitats
To describe how living things are
classified into broad groups
according to common observable
characteristics and based on
similarities and differences,
including micro-organisms, plants
and animals
To give reasons for classifying
plants and animals based on
specific characteristics.
Evolution and inheritance
To recognise that living things
have changed over time and that
fossils provide information about
living things that inhabited the
Earth millions of years ago
To recognise that living things
produce offspring of the same
kind, but normally offspring vary
and are not identical to their
parents
To identify how animals and
plants are adapted to suit their
environment in different ways and
that adaptation may lead to
evolution.
sort and classify living things
classify according to observable characteristics
give reasons for their groupings
sort living things into grouping based on their observable characteristics.
Give reasons for my ideas.
Refine classification in the light of how scientists classify
classify animals, plants and microorganisms like scientists
classify animals into invertebrates (insects, spiders, snails, worms) and
vertebrates (fish, mammals, reptiles)
Classify living things as scientists do
give scientific reasons for classifying the living things.
use equipment to magnify
use a microscope to identify features too small to be seen with the naked
eye.
know that some living things are too small to be seen with the
naked eye
describe some organisms that are too small to be seen.
identify features (character, factors, characteristic behaviours)
that can be passed down to their offspring
describe features/ characteristics that might be passed down to offspring.
describe how characteristics can be advantageous or a
disadvantage to the survival of the living
suggest why particular characteristics might be disadvantageous or
advantageous
model how offspring can inherit different characteristics from their
parents
Model how different offspring can inherit the same/ different characteristics
from their parents
make suggestions on how an inherited characteristic might be
advantageous / disadvantageous and may make it more likely /
less likely that the living things survive to reproduce
Model how some characteristics could make it more likely for the living thing
to reproduce
identify or suggest examples of adaptation to evolution
.
describe some real life examples of how living things have evolved.
consider evidence of how living things have evolved
give examples of evidence for how living things have evolved.
consider how a fossil record can provide evidence to support the
theory for evolution
identify how the fossil record can provide evidence to support the theory of
evolution.
© Ian Clarke, Wendy Precious and Shaun Smith 2014