Saving Habitats

Overview

Unit: Exploring Habitats and Conservation (Lesson 6 of 20)
Duration: 60 minutes
Class: Year 2 (Ages 6-7)
Class size: 30 students
Subject: English (Aligned with National Curriculum for England)

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National Curriculum Links

English Programme of Study (Year 2):

• Spoken Language:
  • Participate in discussions, expressing views and responding to others (NC English - Spoken Language Year 2).
  • Use full sentences when speaking.
• Writing - Composition:
  • Writing for different purposes, including writing to persuade (NC English - Writing, Year 2).
  • Plan or say out loud what they are going to write about (link to brainstorming).
  • Vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation: Use sentences with capital letters, full stops, and conjunctions for adding information (and, because).

Science/Geography link:

• Understand basic habitat characteristics and the importance of protecting them (to enrich factual knowledge supporting persuasion).

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Develop persuasive arguments for habitat conservation.

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Success Criteria

I can:

• List three reasons to save habitats.
• Use persuasive words such as “because”, “important”, and “need”.
• Work with others to share ideas clearly.

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Resources

• Large paper or whiteboard for brainstorming
• Sentence starters printed on cards (e.g., “We should save habitats because…”, “Habitats are important for…”).
• Pictures of different habitats and animals (local woodland, pond, rainforest).
• Worksheets for differentiated writing tasks (see differentiation).
• Clipboards, pencils, coloured pens.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details	Differentiation/Extension
0-10 mins	Hook and Introduction	Show pictures of habitats + animals; ask: “Why do you think we should save these places?” Brief discussion to activate prior knowledge.	Use visual prompts and gestures for EAL or SEND pupils.
10-25 mins	Brainstorming Reasons to Save Habitats	Whole class brainstorm on whiteboard: list reasons. Model sentences using sentence starters. Encourage children to use “because” to explain.	Sentence starter cards for those needing support. More complex sentence frames for greater depth learners.
25-35 mins	Group Discussion and Sharing	Small groups of 4-5 children share ideas. Adults or TA to scaffold where needed. Groups pick 3 best reasons to share.	Mixed ability grouping; use visual aids and prompts.
35-45 mins	Writing Activity	Children write simple persuasive sentences or 3 reason lists on differentiated worksheets:

• Working towards: Copy/repeat sentences with support.
• Expected: Write 3 reasons independently using sentence starters.
• Greater Depth: Write a short paragraph including conjunctions to add reasons. | Provide clipped sentence starters for writing frames; advanced learners write a short speech draft. | | 45-55 mins | Sharing Speeches (Extension) | Selected children read their persuasive speeches aloud to the class, focusing on expression and clarity. | Encourage expressive speaking for confident learners. | | 55-60 mins | Plenary and Review | Recap WALT and success criteria; thumbs up/down self-assessment. Quick quiz: “Name one reason we should save habitats.” | Verbal feedback and sticker rewards to encourage participation. |

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Differentiation

• Visual support: Use pictures and sentence starters to support understanding and confidence with language.
• Sentence starters examples:
  • “We need to save habitats because…”
  • “Habitats are important for…”
  • “Without habitats, animals will…”
• Scaffolding writing: For pupils working towards, allow copying and sentence matching; for expected, independent writing with prompts; for greater depth, encourage complex sentences with “and” or “because”.
• Group work: Mixed-ability groups ensure peer support and accessible discussion.

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Extension Activities

• Prepare and present a short persuasive speech to the class for habitat conservation using the reasons brainstormed.
• Draw a poster showing reasons why habitats should be saved, including persuasive sentences.
• Create a “Habitat Hero” character who helps save habitats and write a short story including persuasive language.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation of contributions during brainstorming and group discussion.
• Written output: Check writing worksheets for understanding of persuasive language and reasons.
• Speaking skills: Assess clarity and persuasive intent when sharing ideas or speeches.
• Self-assessment: Thumbs up/down on success criteria understanding.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• Science: Learning about habitats and why they are important to animals.
• PSHE: Caring for the environment and understanding responsibility.
• Art: For extension, using drawing to reinforce conservation messages.

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This lesson plan maximises engagement with persuasive writing through collaborative discussion and differentiated support, ensuring every child can contribute meaningfully to conservation awareness from an early age. The variety of kinaesthetic, oral, and written activities address different learning styles and needs as recommended by the national curriculum for Year 2.