Living Sustainably

Overview

Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 25
Year group: Year 7
Curriculum link: National Curriculum for England (Science Y7) – KS3 Programme of Study:

• “Pupils should be taught about how scientific developments impact society and the environment”
• “Pupils should develop understanding of energy and resource conservation and sustainability”

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Understand the meaning of sustainability and its importance in conserving natural resources (National Curriculum: Working scientifically – Evaluate risks, benefits and implications).
2. Identify key natural resources and recognise why they need conserving to protect the environment.
3. Explain how individuals and communities can take practical actions to live more sustainably.

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Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Define sustainability in their own words and explain its relevance to everyday life.
• Describe at least three natural resources that need conserving and why.
• Suggest three practical ways people, including themselves, can help conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Activity: Brainstorm & Class Discussion

• Pose question: “What do you think sustainability means?”
• Record student suggestions on the whiteboard or flipchart using simple keywords and pictures.
• Clarify the definition: Sustainability means meeting our needs without harming resources that future generations will need.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters printed on coloured cards (e.g. “Sustainability is…”, “We need to conserve…”) for students who need scaffolding.
• Use a short animated video clip or illustrated slides about sustainability and natural resources for visual learners and dyslexic students.

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2. Exploring Natural Resources & Importance of Conservation (15 minutes)

Activity: Resource Posters – Group Work

• Divide class into 5 groups; assign each group one natural resource (e.g., water, forests, fossil fuels, minerals, soil).
• Provide dyslexia-friendly fact sheets (with bullet points, large font, icons) about their resource: its use, why it is important, and threats it faces due to overuse or pollution.
• Each group creates a quick poster with the resource’s name, importance, and a drawing or symbol to represent it.

Differentiation:

• Provide images/stencils for drawing for students with fine motor difficulties.
• Mixed ability grouping ensures peer support.

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3. Ways to Contribute to Sustainability (15 minutes)

Activity: Interactive Role Play & Discussion

• Present short scenarios for individuals or communities (e.g., reducing plastic, saving water, recycling, choosing renewable energy).
• Volunteers roleplay the scenario for the class.
• Class discusses how these actions help conserve resources and why everyone’s participation matters.

Extension:

• Advanced learners suggest additional or innovative sustainability actions (e.g., urban gardening, upcycling, community sharing schemes).

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4. Reflection & Assessment (15 minutes)

Activity: Sustainability Diary Entry

• Students write a short diary entry describing:
  • What sustainability means to them now
  • One resource they will help conserve
  • One action they will take at home or school to live sustainably
• Provide sentence starters to support writing for those who find it difficult to start.
• Use dyslexia-friendly lined paper with spacing and font size adjusted.

Assessment:

• Assess entries against success criteria: clarity of definition, identification of resources, realistic personal action.
• Oral feedback for those preferring to explain ideas verbally (alternative assessment).

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual aids, simplified reading materials, and sentence starters support learners with reading difficulties including dyslexia.
• Hands-on group work and role play engage kinesthetic learners and support EAL learners by reducing abstract language.
• Mixed ability grouping encourages peer mentoring.
• Extra time or scaffolded writing steps provided for students who need it.

Extension Activities

• Research project: Investigate a local sustainability initiative (e.g., community garden, recycling centre) and present findings.
• Design a poster or digital infographic promoting sustainability actions for their school community.
• Experiment design: Measure water usage in daily activities and explore reductions.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard/flipchart and markers
• Dyslexia-friendly fact sheets on natural resources
• Drawing materials (paper, pencils, coloured pens)
• Sentence starter cards
• Dyslexia-friendly lined paper for diary entry
• Optional: short animated video on sustainability

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Curriculum References

• KS3 Science Programme of Study: “Pupils should be taught... about the impact of science and technology on the environment, and how society can help reduce this impact.”
• Literacy across curriculum: developing skills in writing and speaking for a purpose, using subject-specific vocabulary.
• Working Scientifically: interpreting information, communicating scientific ideas clearly, evaluating implications for environment and society.

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This lesson plan combines multimodal approaches to engage diverse learners and ensures adherence to the England National Curriculum’s emphasis on scientific understanding linked with societal and environmental responsibility, while promoting active, reflective learning.