Year 5 - Science
Life expectancy (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)
Human development
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit describes the changes humans undergo from birth to old age. It involves planning scientific enquiries, measuring accurately, recording complex data, and presenting findings. Emphasis is on identifying evidence to support or refute ideas, drawing conclusions, and explaining results.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to research and compare life expectancy over time.
Key Notes
- Life expectancy is the measure of how long a person is expected to live.
- Life expectancy varies worldwide and involves many factors.
- The average life expectancy in the UK is around 79 years for males and 83 years for females.
- Life expectancy can be researched using secondary sources of information.
- Life expectancy can be plotted on a line graph to show changes over time.
Vocabulary To Learn
- life expectancy: Life expectancy is the measure of how long a person may live.
- average: An average is a number that is calculated by adding amounts together and then dividing the total by the number of quantities.
- research: To research something is to find out about it or investigate it carefully.
- line graph: A line graph is a type of diagram that can be used to show how something changes over time.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that life expectancy is a prediction for individuals or a guarantee.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Life expectancy is the measure of how long a person is expected to live. Life expectancy varies worldwide and involves many factors.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'life expectancy'
Life expectancy is the measure of how long a person may live. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may think that life expectancy is a prediction for individuals or a guarantee. Correction: Using the lesson resources to support, explain that life expectancy is a measurement we can make using data that we have about human lifespans. We cannot use it to predict how long an individual or group's life will be.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing data about human height Study Guide
- Changes during puberty Study Guide
- Changes in adulthood Study Guide
- Changes in childhood Study Guide
- Changes in humans before and after birth Study Guide
- Changes in old age Study Guide
- Finding out about human height Study Guide
- More about human development Study Guide
- Representing data about human height Study Guide
- The impact of population growth ( non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
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