What are the consequences of human endeavour?
| People | Place | Problem | Possibilities |
| Charles Darwin | Easter Island | An island in the Pacific Ocean, which is completely barren of flora and fauna, unlike any other in the same area | The consequences of exploration. Taking care to understand and consider the impact on an environment before exploring. |
Synopsis
The project begins with an explorer (teacher in role) journeying to islands in the Pacific Ocean. At each island, the explorer introduces what they can see, and the children record this in their diary. When approaching the final island, the explorer asks the children to imagine what they will see on this island, but then arrive and find it void of all life. Looking at soil samples from the island, children will begin to create theories about what has happened to create this different landscape. Children will write their own theories about what happened on Easter Island.
Children will learn how to work scientifically. They will have the chance to create scientific drawings of specimens they find in nature and then create a clay tile, after looking at the artwork of Karl Blossfeldt, depicting the natural world.
The project will then move forward to study Darwin’s journey on the Beagle and his discovery of similar but different finches on the Galapagos Islands. Children will learn about Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. At the same time, children will discuss different world views on how the world begin, researching different religious beliefs and taking a more detailed look at Christian beliefs about creation.
Moving forward in time, the project will then look in detail at how reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park in 1995 changed the landscape of the park, and how the impact of the wolves can be seen through the way the rivers change.
Knowledge Organiser
Knowledge Organiser_What are the consequences of human endeavourTrips out/Visitors In
Natural History Museum
Cotswold Wildlife Park to meet a naturalist
Learning Exhibition
An Art Gallery