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Year 5 - Geography

Using energy wisely

Sustainable world: does it matter how we live?

Unit Summary

This unit introduces sustainability by exploring how human choices affect the environment. Pupils learn about energy use, food waste, biodiversity and urban living, and consider how individuals and communities can work towards a more sustainable future.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to identify ways to reduce use of fossil fuels and explain why this matters.

Key Notes

  • Energy use (electricity, heat and transport) account for more than 60% of carbon emissions.
  • Monitoring electricity usage around the school, i.e. where appliances are left on or on standby, can reduce energy use.
  • Generating renewable energy creates far lower emissions than burning fossil fuels.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • transport: Transport is a way of travelling between places.
  • inequality: Inequality is when something is not shared evenly between everyone.
  • renewable: Renewable means that something can be re-used and will not be used up or run out.
  • energy: Energy is the power used to make things work.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Some children may think that net zero means zero carbon emissions.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.

Energy use (electricity, heat and transport) account for more than 60% of carbon emissions. Monitoring electricity usage around the school, i.e. where appliances are left on or on standby, can reduce energy use.

2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'transport'

Transport is a way of travelling between places.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: Some children may think that net zero means zero carbon emissions. Correction: Net zero actually refers to a state in which the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by their removal out of the atmosphere.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 5 Geography guide library.