Exploring Our World

Subject Title

Geography

Strand

Environment and Society

Strand Units

• Our Community
• Land and Sea
• Living in the Local Area

Learning Outcomes/Content Objectives

According to the Irish Primary School Curriculum, students should be enabled to:

• Differentiate between various landforms and water bodies in their community.
• Recognise the importance of the environment and how to protect it.

Learning Objectives

• The child should be enabled to: identify different types of landforms in their local area.
• The child should be enabled to: explain how water bodies impact the environment.
• The child should be enabled to: understand the importance of caring for their environment.

Assessment

• Method of Assessment: Observational assessment during group discussions and individual responses.
• Assessment of: Students' understanding of landforms and water bodies, their environmental awareness.
• Where Recorded: Teacher’s observation notes to be kept in the students’ Geography folders.

Teaching Questioning

• Introduction (I):
  • What types of places do we see in our local area?
  • Can anyone name a landform or water body they have seen?
• Development (D):
  • How do you think these landforms were formed?
  • What can happen if we do not take care of our local rivers and mountains?
• Conclusion (C):
  • What is the most interesting thing you learned today?
  • How can we protect our environment together?

Language Development Opportunities

• Use of geographical vocabulary such as "mountain," "river," "valley," "community," "environment."
• Encourage students to describe landforms and water bodies using full sentences in group discussions.

Literacy Development Opportunities

• Reading and interpreting maps and images related to local geography.
• Writing a short paragraph summarising their understanding of a chosen landform or water body.

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Lesson Structure

Introduction (10 minutes)

• Stimulus: Begin with a quick interactive game where students describe a landform while others draw it on the board.
• Elicit Prior Knowledge: Ask questions about what students see when they walk around their community.
• WALT: "We are learning about different landforms and water bodies in our area."
• WILF: "I am looking for you to name and explain landforms and how we protect the environment."

Development (25 minutes)

• Step 1 (5 min): Teacher will show a PowerPoint presentation on local landforms and water bodies, including images and names.
• Step 2 (10 min): Students will work in pairs to match pictures of landforms to their names and descriptions.
• Step 3 (5 min): Discuss the impact of water bodies on local environments. Teacher will ask students to share their paired work and present an understanding of what they learned.
• Step 4 (5 min): Brainstorm in groups on what actions they can take to care for their environment. Each group will present one idea.

Conclusion (10 minutes)

• Discussion: Reflect on the day's activities. What did you find most interesting?
• Questions: Teacher will pose review questions to assess understanding.
• Recap WALT & WILF: "Today, we learned about landforms and water bodies, and I wanted you to share what you know about caring for our environment."

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UDL Section

Pupil	Reason	Method	Additional Comments
12 (ASD)	Needs clear instructions and visuals	Use images and lists, allow extra time for tasks	Provide a quiet corner for focus if needed
23 (Dyslexia)	Struggles with reading	Use simple texts and highlight key words	Pair with a buddy for reading and discussion
25 & 26 (EAL)	Language barriers	Pair with English-speaking peers	Use visual aids and gestures to describe concepts
4 (Hearing Impairment)	Needs enhanced communication	Use visual cues and check understanding frequently	Ensure close proximity during discussions
24, 9, 17 (High Ability Maths)	Need more challenge	Assign leadership roles in group work or advanced project ideas	Encourage them to explore beyond the lesson
22 (Lower Ability)	Needs extra support	Provide more structured guidance during group activities	Use simplified tasks and give reassurance during work
15 (Social/Emotional Support)	Needs social skills reinforcement	Pair with supportive peers and encourage participation	Use positive feedback frequently to boost confidence

Learning Environment

• Classroom with an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), desks arranged for group work, and quiet corner for focused tasks.

Resources/Materials Needed

• PowerPoint with images of local landforms and water bodies.
• Printed pictures of different landforms for matching activity.
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Geography folders for assessment notes.
• Drawing materials for the introduction game.

This lesson plan provides an engaging and structured approach to learning about the environment while offering techniques for inclusivity and support for all students.