St. George’s Primary School – Humanities Curriculum Overview

Year Group / Autumn 1 / Autumn 2 / Spring 1 / Spring 2 / Summer 1 / Summer 2
1 / Houses and Homes / North and South Poles / Farmyard Fun / Toys to Treasure / Mary Seacole / Dinosaurs and Fossils
2 / Brazil and the Rainforest / Spectacular Space / The Great Fire of London/The Plague / Rosa Parks / Seaside Adventures
3 / Tudor Times / Kings and Queens / Europe / Making Mountains / Egypt Exploration / The Caribbean
4 / Robots
(Tim Berners-Lee) / Comparing Countries / Living in the Mountains
(India) / Times and Lines / The Romans
5 / World War Two / Saving the Rainforest
(2015 only) / Changing Africa / Ancient Greece / Invaders and Settlers: Vikings
6 / Britain Since 1950 / Early Islamic Civilisation / Water / Climate Change / 1066 / Maps

Yellow highlight indicates maths links across the curriculum.

Blue highlight indicates English links across the curriculum.

Year 1 / Topic / Key Vocabulary / Resources/Ideas
Geography:
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the counties, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
  • Use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map

A1 / Geography: Houses and Homes
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key human features
  • Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
/ city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour, shop
map, plan, key, symbols / Hamilton Trust – Houses and Homes (old curriculum)
compass directions
positional and directional language
A2 / Geography: North and South Poles
  • Name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans
  • Identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the UK and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
/ season, weather, hot, cold, hotter, colder, North Pole, South Pole / Hamilton Trust – Weather Experts
data collection and interpretation
Sp1 / Geography: Farmyard Fun
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key human features
  • Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
/ city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour, shop
map, plan, key, symbols / Hamilton Trust - Food And Farming (old curriculum - please note that this topic will be phased out in December 2015)
Sp2 / History: Toys to Treasure
  • Learn about changes within living memory
/ modern, new, old, before, after, when parents/carers were young, when grandparents were young, rusty, shiny, dirty, clean
ordinal numbers, e.g. first, last / Hamilton Trust – Changes within Living Memory – Block E: Toys and Books
Old QCA unit:

sorting and classifying toys
language relating to dates
sequence events in chronological order
Su1 / History: Mary Seacole
  • Learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements
/ Mary Seacole, Crimean War, soldier, nurse, battle, wounds, Jamaica, Britain, travel, prejudice / Hamilton Trust – Famous for more than Five Minutes – Block F: Medical
language relating to dates
sequence events in chronological order
Su2 / Geography: Dinosaurs and Fossils
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the UK (where fossils could be found)
/ beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season, weather / Hamilton Trust – Carnival of the Animals – Block I: Fossils
sorting and classifying
reasoning about similarities and differences
Year 2 / Topic / Vocabulary / Resources/Ideas
Geography:
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the counties, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
Use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
A1 / Geography: Brazil and the Rainforest
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the UK, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country
/ beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season, weather / Hamilton Trust (LKS2) – Rainforests – Blocks A-D (E and F studied in Y5)
reasoning about similarities and differences
A2 / History: Spectacular Space
  • Learn about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally – space exploration/the moon
  • Learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements – Neil Armstrong
/ space, exploration, moon, landing, Neil Armstrong, space travel, solar system, gravity, discovery / Hamilton Trust – Changes within Living Memory – Block A: Transport
Hamilton Trust (LKS2) – Space (Old Curriculum)
sequence events in chronological order
language relating to dates
Sp1 / History: The Great Fire of London and The Plague
  • Learn about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally – The Great Fire of London and The Plague
  • Learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements – Samuel Pepys
  • Learn about significant historical events, people and places in their own locality - London
/ London, River Thames, Tower of London, Samuel Pepys, The Monument, King Charles II, Pudding Lane, diary, leather jacket, fireman, burning / Hamilton Trust – The Great Fire of London
sequence events in chronological order
language relating to dates
Sp2 / plague, Black Death, plague doctor, infection, spread, control, disease, Mayor, protect / Hamilton Trust – The Great Fire of London – Block F: Diaries
sequence events in chronological order
language relating to dates
Su1 / History: Rosa Parks
  • Learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements – Rosa Parks
/ Rosa Parks, African-American, segregation, activist, racism, refuse, civil rights, equality / Hamilton Trust – Famous for more than Five Minutes – Block E: Activists
sequence events in chronological order
language relating to dates
Su2 / Geography: Seaside Adventures
  • Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key human and physical features
/ city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour, shop
beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season, weather / Hamilton Trust – Oceans and Seas – Block A: Oceans and Seas of the World
Hamilton Trust (LKS2) – Mountains, Rivers and Coasts – Block H: Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
reasoning about similarities and differences
Year 3 / Topic / Vocabulary / Resources/Ideas
Geography:
  • Use world maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
  • Use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including OS maps) to build knowledge of the UK and the wider world
  • Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies

A1 / History: Tudor Times
  • Learn about an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 – the changing power of monarchs using case studies (Henry VIII)
/ Tudors, Henry VIII, wives, Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I / Hamilton Trust – Talking Of Tudors (old curriculum - please note that this topic will be phased out in December 2015)
sequence events in chronological order
language relating to dates
Roman numerals
A2 / History: Kings and Queens
  • Learn about an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 – the changing power of monarchs using case studies (after Henry VIII/Victoria as Q/Victoria-Elizabeth II/current monarchy)
/ King, Queen, Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II, monarch, monarchy, Commonwealth / Hamilton Trust (KS1) – Famous for more than Five Minutes – Block A: Monarchs
sequence events in chronological order
language relating to dates
Roman numerals
Sp1 / Geography: Europe
  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities
/ Earth, world, continent, country, capital, city, Europe, European, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, climate, population, languages / time – flight times and time zones
Sp2 / Geography: Making Mountains
  • Name and locate counties and cities of the UK, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and river), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
/ earth, land, mountain, valley, tectonic plates, formation, formed, rocks / Hamilton Trust – Mountains, Rivers and Coasts – Block D: Mountains – what are they?
Hamilton Trust (UKS2) – Earth Matters – Block C: Mountains
compare heights of mountains in m
Su1 / History: Egypt Exploration
  • Learn about the achievements of the earliest civilizations – and overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of Ancient Egypt
/ Egypt, Egyptian, pyramid, pharaoh, tomb, sphinx, scarab beetle, Canopic jars, mummification, desert, Nile / Hamilton Trust (UKS2) – Earliest Civilisations: Ancient Egyptians
sequence events in chronological order
timelines – BC and AD
Su2 / Geography: The Caribbean
  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities
  • Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes
/ Earth, world, continent, country, capital, city, Caribbean, biodiversity, climate, population, languages / negative numbers - compare temperatures place value – compare populations
weigh and measure to make Caribbean food – g/kg, ml/l
Year 4 / Topic / Vocabulary / Resources/Ideas
Geography:
  • Use world maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
  • Use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including OS maps) to build knowledge of the UK and the wider world
  • Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies

A1 / History: Robots (Tim Berners-Lee)
  • Learn about an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 – a significant turning point in British history – the invention of the WWW. Pupils should learn about Tim Berners-Lee as a significant British historical figure (still alive)
/ World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, web page, web browser, hyperlink, communication, HTML, content, network / Hamilton Trust (KS1) – Famous for more than Five Minutes – Block I: Communicators
Hamilton Trust – Rise of the Robots (Old Curriculum)
sequence events in chronological order
calculation – robot function machines
A2 / Geography: Comparing Countries
  • Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the UK, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America
/ UK, Europe, North America, South America, continent, country, capital, city, similar, different, compare / Hamilton Trust (UKS2) – Comparing People and Places
reasoning about similarities and differences
co-ordinates - maps
Sp1 / Geography: Living in the Mountains (India)
  • Name and locate counties and cities of the UK, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and river), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
/ continent, country, India, hill, mountain, peak, Himalayas / Hamilton Trust – Mountains, Rivers and Coasts – Block E: Living in the Mountains
reasoning about similarities and differences
compare heights of mountains in m
Sp2 / Geography: Times and Lines
  • Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
/ latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic, Antarctic, time zones / sequence events in chronological order
timelines – BC and AD
time zones
parallel lines – Equator and Tropics
shape – hemispheres
positional numbers - compass points
Su1 / History: The Romans
  • Learn about the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain. This could include:
  • Julius Caesar’s attempted invasion in 55-54 BC
  • the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army
  • successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian’s Wall
  • British resistance, for example, Boudicca
  • ‘Romanisation’ of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs, including early Christianity
  • Learn about Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire
/ Roman Empire, Julius Caesar, invasion, power, army, conquest, Hadrian’s Wall, resistance, impact, culture, beliefs / Hamilton Trust – The Romans in Britain
sequence events in chronological order
timelines – BC and AD
Roman numerals
Su2
Year 5 / Topic / Vocabulary / Resources/Ideas
Geography:
  • Use world maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
  • Use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including OS maps) to build knowledge of the UK and the wider world
  • Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies

A1 / History: World War Two
  • Learn about an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 – WWII
/ World War Two, outbreak, Battle of Britain, the Blitz, D-Day landings, Hitler, concentration camps, Anne Frank / Hamilton Trust - World War 2: WW2 in Europe and the Battle of Britain
sequence events in chronological order
A2 / Geography: Saving the Rainforest (2015 only)
Describe and understand key aspects of:
  • physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
  • human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
/ rainforest, endangered, extinct, destruction, threatened, damage, action, fair trade, ecosystem, habitat / Hamilton Trust (LKS2) – Rainforests – Block E: The Rainforest Under Threat
Hamilton Trust (LKS2) – Rainforests – Block F: Saving the Rainforest
reasoning about similarities and differences
compare heights of levels of the rainforest in m
statistics/tables/graphs - % of creatures
Sp1 / History and Geography: Changing Africa
  • Describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
/ Africa, continent, countries, health, water, food, fair trade, Nelson Mandela / Hamilton Trust – Africa (Old Curriculum)
reasoning about similarities and differences
statistics/tables/graphs - % of trade/wild animals in savannah, etc.
Sp2 / History: Ancient Greece
  • Learn about Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world
/ Greece, Greek Empire, Pythagoras, Plato, Hippocrates, Homer, Alexander the Great, Olympics, mathematics, alphabet / Hamilton Trust – Ancient Greece
sequence events in chronological order
timelines – BC and AD
history of mathematics and mathematicians
algebra and geometry
Su1 / History: Invaders and Settlers: Vikings
  • Learn about the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor. This could include:
  • Viking raids and invasion
  • resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England
  • further Viking invasions and Danegeld
  • Anglo-Saxon laws and justice
/ Viking, freeman, archer, slave, long boat, axe, sword, shield, thatched house, Danelaw, raid, invasion, king, Anglo-Saxon / Hamilton Trust (LKS2) – Invaders and Settlers: Vikings
sequence events in chronological order
timelines – BC and AD
Su2
Year 6 / Topic / Vocabulary / Resources/Ideas
A1 / History: Britain Since 1950
  • Learn about an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 – cultural changes in Britain since 1950 and the reasons for these
/ Coronation, Mount Everest, television, motorway, hula hoops, fish fingers, Elvis Presley, video tapes, credit cards / Hamilton Trust - Modern Britain (Old Curriculum - Please note that this Topic will be phased out in December 2015)
sequence events in chronological order