Year Group

Year 3 (Age 7-8)

Duration

30 minutes

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Identify and describe different habitats: forests, wetlands, and grasslands.
• Understand which plants and animals live in each habitat.
• Discuss the importance of habitats for supporting life.

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National Curriculum Links

Science - Year 3 - Plants and Animals, including humans

• NC Programme of Study:
  • Identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition. (Links via understanding habitats and food sources)
  • Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants.
  • Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain. (Introduced lightly here, to be developed in following lessons)

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Success Criteria

• I can name three different types of habitats.
• I can describe at least two plants and animals found in each habitat.
• I can explain why habitats are important for plants and animals to survive.

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Resources Needed

• Large colourful habitat posters/pictures (forest, wetland, grassland)
• Set of laminated animal and plant picture cards specific to each habitat
• A simple habitat sorting mat (three labelled sections)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Dyslexia-friendly fact sheets (simple font, clear layout, with pictures) about each habitat
• ‘Habitat Hero’ badge for the student to collect by the end of the lesson

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Lesson Outline

Starter (5 minutes)

• Engagement question: "Where do animals and plants live? Can you think of places where you might find different animals and plants?"
• Show pictures of three habitats (forest, wetland, grassland) and ask the student to describe any animals or plants they recognise.

Main Activity (20 minutes)

1. Introduction to Habitats (5 mins)

   • Brief explanation using the posters: what is a habitat?
   • Discuss each habitat: forest (lots of trees, shaded, cool), wetland (wet, marshy areas), grassland (lots of grass, open space)
   • Introduce a few common plants and animals per habitat (e.g., forest – oak tree, squirrel; wetland – reed, frog; grassland – grass, rabbit)

2. Matching Game (10 mins)

   • Use the laminated animal and plant cards.
   • Ask the student to place each card on the correct habitat mat.
   • Discuss each placement: Why does this animal/plant live here? What do they need?
   • Encourage speaking in full sentences to develop vocabulary: “The frog lives in the wetland because...”

3. Importance Discussion (5 mins)

   • Talk about why habitats are important. For example, provide shelter, food, and water to animals and plants.
   • Use simple cause-and-effect visuals or sentence starters: “If the wetland is destroyed,...”

Plenary (5 minutes)

• Recap learning with a simple quiz: Name one animal from each habitat.
• Award the ‘Habitat Hero’ badge - celebrate the student’s understanding.
• Introduce the idea that next lesson they will become 'Detectives' to find out more about animal adaptations.

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Type	Strategy
Visual Learners	Use of colourful posters, picture cards, and labelled sorting mats.
Auditory Learners	Encourage discussion, repetition, and verbal explanations during activities.
Learners with Dyslexia	Provide dyslexia-friendly fact sheets with clear, large fonts and images.
EAL (English as Additional Language)	Use simple language, visual aids, and model simple sentence structures.
Learners with Additional Needs	Allow more time for matching and discussion; break tasks into smaller steps if needed.

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Extension for Advanced Learners

• Encourage creating their own mini-habitat by drawing or crafting a simple scene showing plants and animals.
• Ask them to explain how energy flows through the habitat by making a simple food chain using chosen animals.
• Challenge question: “Can you think of any animals that can live in more than one habitat? Why?”

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during the matching activity and discussion.
• Use questioning throughout to check understanding of habitat names, inhabitants, and importance.
• End-of-lesson quiz and informal teacher-student dialogue to track progress against success criteria.

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Notes for Teacher

• This is a one-on-one session, allowing personalised attention and immediate feedback.
• Focus on developing scientific vocabulary while making the lesson interactive and memorable.
• Use positive reinforcement to build confidence, especially when the student articulates their understanding aloud.
• Incorporate real-life curiosities or stories about animals/plants if time allows (for example, how beavers build homes in wetlands).

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Summary

This lesson introduces Year 3 students to the fundamental concept of habitats in an engaging, visually rich, and student-centred way. It aligns directly with the National Curriculum goals of understanding habitats and the organisms they support and sets the stage for deeper ecological learning in the subsequent lessons of the unit Eco-Detectives: Habitat Heroes.