In this session children start a sustained piece of work on African animals. They look at the different animals across the continent and link this to the variety of climates and landscapes. Each child decides which animal they will focus on for their own project. Suitable for years 5 and 6. Find other lesson plans and resources at www.hamilton-trust.org.uk.

In this session children get a better understanding of why there is so much rain in rainforest regions. Chn create simple explanations in wordsildren pictures and diagrams. Suitable for years 3 and 4.

Children research the impact of dirty water on health. They present research to the class and identify the biggest killer diseases. Opportunity here to link back to the water topic, and understanding of a preventable disease. Suitable for years 5 and 6.

The global well is in trouble – not enough water to go around. Take action to conserve water! Children use ‘clue stations’ to discover water-saving tips, working out how much water they would save. They are set homework to log water use at home over 3 days. Suitable for years 5 and 6.

Children create a piece of rainforest in the classroom in this session. After looking at images of rainforests and their trees, children use coloured papers to create trees and leaves for display. Suitable for years 3 and 4.

Who says learning can’t be fun! Children play and interact with a variety of computer games in the internet, all with a serious message. Children evaluate which are the most fun to play but also best at getting that message across.

90% of the world’s animals and plants live in the 6% of the world that rainforests cover! In this session the class splits into groups to find out more about animals that have rainforests as their habitat. Suitable for years 3 and 4.

Children find out about the diversity of music in Africa. African music has been influenced by the music of other cultures, but it has also influenced other music itself. Children listen to some African music, comment and try to identify instruments used. Suitable for years 5 and 6. Find other lesson plans and resources at www.hamilton-trust.org.uk.

Children read the description of a fictional tourist town, they consider the way the town is dependent upon the tourist industry that surrounds the Coral Lake. A proposed new bylaw aims to change things – what effects will this have? Children hold a town meeting.

Children consider the different types of erosion, water, wind, glacial, sea and soil. In groups each with a different type of erosion children research for information and then draw cartoon strips explaining how the types of erosion occur.

Children consider ways in which we use the land and how it has changed since WW2. The four main ways are human land use, industrial agriculture, deforestation and urban sprawl. Children help decide the future of the imaginary Grousebrook Valley in the Peak District NP.

Children look at streets around the school, houses, shops and street furniture. Compare today with the 1940s. Use old photos of home town/village or city as resources. Children produce a leaflet showing how their street has changed between then and now.

Discuss extreme weather events from present and past. Using data they have been given about England’s weather over the past 30 years, some children draw a climate graph and predict what will happen in the future. Other children create a weather forecast for 2050.

Read some poems from We are Britain by Benjamin Zephaniah and ask what these children have in common. Discover where in the world children in the class came from originally – locally, elsewhere in Britain, another country? Write poetry about each other in BZ style.

Using an informative and clear leaflet downloaded from WaterAid, children read and discuss how children in parts of Africa are affected by lack of clean water and sanitation. Facts are collected before creating own posters and leaflets entitled ‘Children and Water’. Suitable for years 5 and 6.

Children look closely at the continent of Africa. They recognise that it is a huge and diverse land with many different countries and widely varying landscapes and climates. They take 1/2 countries each and create a huge collage-map of Africa. Suitable for years 5 and 6.

Children begin to consider issues determining food security. This session helps them to understand that food security is not only an issue for African counties but is a global issue also affecting us here. Children work in groups to discuss different causes.

Dramatic changes to people’s lives occur when access to clean, safe water and latrine facilities are brought to a community. Children discuss ‘The Long Walk Is Over’ and read Amina’s story. They make ‘before and ‘after’ diary entries for her, expressing this change. Suitable for years 5 and 6.

Children are introduced to the idea that there are some staple foods which exist in all cultures. These are usually carbohydrates, and in many African countries they consist of foods made from Maize or corn. Children make fufu.

Find out about children’s experience of water all around the world using Oxfam’s Our World Of Water and compare with life in the UK. In a similar style to the book, children create a ‘scrapbook’ page comparing their lives with Khadija or Gamuchu from Africa. Suitable for years 5 and 6.