Year 4 - Living Things

Take your Year 4 children outdoors to cover the ‘Living things and their habitats’ objectives in a practical way, connecting them to your local outdoor spaces while deepening their understanding of how environments can impact the living things that thrive there.

Lesson Plans

Grouping animals in different ways

During this outdoor lesson your children will have the opportunity to group a variety of animals in different ways, through active movement, all while using their existing understanding of animals to hold discussions.

Learning objective:

To explore the ways in which animals can be grouped

Using classification keys for animals

The main activity of this outdoor lesson gives your children the opportunity to explore the wildlife found in your outdoor space, observe their characteristics and features and begin to use appropriate questions to classify them.

Learning objective:

To understand how classification keys are used to classify animals

Using classification keys for trees

Deepen your children’s understanding of classification keys by having them apply their knowledge of trees to create one of their own. This lesson works great in a natural setting or park space!

Learning objective:

To use classification keys to identify trees

Identifying how habitats change throughout the year

Combine science and maths with this practical outdoor lesson that requires minimal resourcing and preparation. Your children will be encouraged to revisit your outdoor space throughout the seasons and apply their existing knowledge to their observations.

Learning objective:

To identify how habitats change throughout the year

Recognising how human impact changes environments

The main activity of this outdoor lesson focuses on the impact humans can have on nature, both positive and negative, through a visual, hands-on experience that children will remember.

Learning objective:

To recognise how environments can change through human impact

Before you get started

Safety and sustainability is super important!