Teaching Resource
The Natural Environment of Africa - Inquiry Task
An inquiry task focusing on the natural environment of the grasslands of Africa.
In this inquiry task, students imagine they are a zoo keeper at Taronga Zoo (located in Sydney, Australia). The zoo has just announced plans to open a new ‘Animals of Africa’ exhibit. The welfare of the plants and animals in the new exhibit is the zoo’s top priority.
The students must use their knowledge of African plants, animals and climate to plan one of the animal enclosures.
Inquiry Questions
• What is the climate (temperature/rainfall) like in the grasslands of Africa?
• What is the climate (temperature/rainfall) like in Sydney, Australia?
• Will your animal adapt easily to the Australian climate?
• What types of vegetation (plant life) will be needed in the enclosure?
This teaching resource includes:
- a detailed overview of the inquiry task
- various scaffold and planning worksheets
- reflection questions.
This inquiry task could also be used as an assessment piece.
National Curriculum Curriculum alignment
- Key Stage 2 (KS2) - Lower
Key Stage 2 (KS2) - Lower covers students in Year 3 and Year 4.
- Geography
Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and ...

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