Curriculum Organisers

Experiences and Outcomes for planning learning, teaching and assessment

Benchmarks to support practitioners’ professional judgement of achievement of a level

Ideas, resources and links

People, place and environment

I can explain how the interaction of physical systems shaped and continue to shape the Earth’s surface by assessing their impact on contrasting landscape types. SOC 4-07a

I can discuss the sustainability of key natural resources and analyse the possible implications for human activity. SOC 4-08a

Having evaluated the role of agriculture in the production of food and raw material, I can draw reasoned conclusions about the environmental impacts and sustainability. SOC 4-09a

I can develop my understanding of the interaction between humans and the environment by describing and assessing the impact of human activity on an area. SOC 4-10a

Having researched the globalisation of trade, I can explain the interdependence of different parts of the world and assess the impacts for providers, consumers and the environment. SOC 4-11a

I can identify threats facing the main climate zones, including climate change, and analyse how these threats impact on the way of life. SOC 4-12a

• Explains in some detail how at least two landscape types from across the globe are formed.
• Evaluates the sustainability of at least two key natural resources and analyses possible implications for human activity.
• Evaluates the role of agriculture in food production and draws at least three reasoned conclusions about the environmental impacts and therefore the sustainability of these methods.
• Assesses the impact of developments in transport infrastructure in a chosen area.
• Contributes to a discussion on the development of sustainable systems.
• Describes and makes at least three valid conclusions about the impact of human activity on a chosen area.
• Explains in some detail how any chosen urban area has developed, and evaluates the impact on the society.
• Explains the impact of an economic activity in a chosen area and beyond.
• Explains the interdependence of countries and areas of the world and assesses the impact on providers, consumers and the environment, for example low wages and environmental damage in developing countries.
• Explains how the control of important raw materials can affect the international power and influence of states, for example, oil.
• Asks and responds to questions about the future implications of population structures for Scotland and a contrasting area.
• Identifies at least three threats facing main climate zones and analyses how these threats impact on the way of life.
• Suggests the impact and possible outcomes of climate change on a chosen region and proposes reasoned strategies to slow or reverse the impact.
• Explains links between weather and air pressure.
• Evaluates different types of maps, and geographical representations of information to inform discussion on at least three topics.

SOC 4-07a
World agriculture maps 6 amazing Global Agriculture Maps – Farming Visualised.

SOC 4-08a
Find out more about the issues facing Scotland’s environment, with links to useful data Scotland’s environment web.
Biodiversity & Climate Change Education Resource – case studies.
Fairtrade and the Climate Crisis.

SOC 4-09a
What am I hill, arable or dairy?​​ Venn diagram activity.
Scotland’s’ environment Get Learning.
Acid Attacks: What effect does the pH of a pond have on the organisms that are found living there?
Find out more about the role of chemicals in farming.
Food miles – a card sort.
Sustainability of the Scottish Red Meat Industry / Environment and Welfare in Scottish Red Meat Production.
Find out more about crops and sustainability and what is being done to improve our food security.
Field to fork food miles — This activity looks in detail at the journey made by Brussel sprouts from field to dinner plate and introduces the concept of foods with protected names.

SOC 4-10a
Rural Land Use – Case Studies on Conflict & Resolution.
Transform Our World - all your environmental education needs in one place (registration required).
A growing human population demands increased food production. 

SOC 4-11a
STEM teaching resources focus on a whole range of global issues including energy, climate change and disaster risk reduction – some great challenges to get involved with.
Transform Our World - all your environmental education needs in one place (registration required).

SOC 4-12a
Climate change and nature information publication.
Impacts of climate change: regional, national or global?
Be your own farmer with a simulation app.
International food miles calculator.
Map of Scotland showing agriculture areas.
Weather Observation Website (WOW) allows anyone to submit their own weather data, anywhere in the world.
NASA climate resources, activities and games.
Met Office School Resources.
Transform Our World - all your environmental education needs in one place (registration required).
How to talk about climate change resource.
Metlink provide resources and weather instrument hire for teaching about weather and climate.

Curriculum Organisers

Experiences and Outcomes for planning learning, teaching and assessment

Benchmarks to support practitioners’ professional judgement

Ideas, resources and links

The Food Experience

Tasting, selecting and evaluating

The social context

Religious and cultural influences

I enjoy eating a diversity of foods in a range of social situations. HWB 4-29a 

• Explains how sensory perception impacts on food choice.
• Evaluates the diversity of foods available and the impact this has on health.

HWB 4-29a
Sensory evaluation resources (you will need to scroll to the bottom to see the resources).
Quality Meat Scotland meat vouchers and teaching resources.
A taste of plants information and recipes.
Fish tasting presentation.

Developing Healthy Choices

Linking food and health

Decision making

Varied diet

Individual needs

Stages of life

Having researched food and health policy and dietary legislation, I can explain how
this impacts on individuals, the community and the world of work. HWB 4-30a

I can apply my knowledge and understanding of nutrition, current healthy eating advice and the needs of different groups in the community when planning, choosing, cooking and evaluating dishes. HWB 4-31a

Having identified diet-related conditions, I can adapt and cook recipes to suit individual needs. HWB 4-32a

• Identifies the main features of current food and health policy and legislation and their impact on individuals, the community and the world of work.
• Applies knowledge of nutrition/healthy eating to plan, make and evaluate dishes to meet the nutritional/health requirements of different groups
  in the community.
• Adapts and cooks dishes for specific diet related conditions, for example, anaemia, food allergies.
• Explains how nutritional needs change throughout life, for example, babies, children, teenagers, adults, the elderly, woman during pregnancy and lactation.

HWB 4-31a
Sugar Detectives.
An interactive PowerPoint presentation resource on nutrition and red meat.
Introduction to cuts of meat.

HWB 4-32a
Soup recipe cards.
Insight and analysis on the latest trends in dairy.
Adapt it!  
Eat like a champ healthy eating resources.

Keeping Safe and Hygienic

Principles of food safety and hygiene

Minimising risk

Preparing food safely and hygienically

Having explored the conditions for bacterial growth, I can use this knowledge to inform my practice and control food safety risks. HWB 4-33a 

• Applies knowledge to minimise bacterial growth when preparing food items.
• Explains what happens to bacteria at key temperatures.

HWB 4-33a
Storage Solutions.
Bacteria Busters.
Food hygiene board game.
Elementary Food Hygiene.
You can register your school with REHIS to deliver food hygiene.

Links to SCN 4-13b

The Journey of Food

From farm to fork

Sustainability

Influences on consumer choices

Preparing food appropriate to learning

Having explored a range of issues which may affect food choice, I can discuss how this could impact on the individual’s health. HWB 4-34a 

Having investigated the effects of food processing on the nutritional value of foods, I can critically assess the place of processed foods in a healthy balanced diet. HWB 4-34b 

I have examined and evaluated food packaging and can understand the legal requirements for manufacturers.
HWB 4-36a 

By investigating the different influences on the consumer, I can discuss how the consumer can be influenced by external sources HWB 4-37a

• Identifies and explains different influences on consumer choice, for example, the environment, social justice, food security.
• Evaluates the role of processed foods for consumers, for example, cost, shelf life, availability, nutritional value.
• Identifies and explains legal requirements in relation to food packaging.
• Applies knowledge about consumer rights and responsibilities and identifies where to get help.

HWB 4-34a
Allergen Action!
Sugar Detectives.
Quality Meat Scotland meat vouchers and teaching resources.
Dairy facts.
Livestock dial - make your own dial looking at the sustainability of all types of red meat.
Sustainable meat production resources.  The RHET year of beef has produced a wide range of resources covering everything from cows to cookery for all ages and stages.

HWB 4-34b
Explore food has been designed to be easy to use, guiding pupils through the analysis of a recipe or a day’s diet.
Food processing presentation.

HWB 4-36a
Facts about packaging.
Virtual burger builder.
Food labels presentation.
Market it!

HWB 4-37a
A wide array of presentations, information and activities linked to meat. 
Request a contemporary food issues session for your class email training@rhet.org.uk.
Global Food Challenge: Cross-curricular resource to teach secondary learners about global food issues.
Scotland is one of the most sustainable and reputable places in the world to produce beef, lamb and pork.

Food and Textile Technologies

Creativity

Design

Dexterity

Problem solving

Developing appropriate items

I can explore the properties and functionality of ingredients, textiles and equipment to establish their suitability for a task at home or in the world of work.
TCH4-04a

I confidently apply preparation techniques and processes to make food and textile items using specialist skills, materials, equipment in their place of learning, at home or in the world of work. TCH4-04b

Showing creativity and innovation, I can solve increasingly complex design briefs which satisfy the needs of the user, at home or in the world of work. TCH4-04c

I can apply skills of critical thinking when evaluating the quality and effectiveness of my own or others’ products. TCH4-04d

• Demonstrates an understanding of the functional properties of food, for example, adding air, binding, glazing, thickening, through preparing a variety of foods.
• Selects appropriate fabrics, taking into consideration fabric properties, to meet the needs of a task. 
• Independently carries out a range of techniques and processes to make food and textile items, for example,
  Food: whisking, folding, sauce making, testing for readiness, blending.
  Textiles: seam finishes – pinking, zig zag, hems, casing, simple applique, simple pocket, fastenings.
• Within a food/textile context;
  Uses a range of strategies to provide a detailed investigation of a more complex design brief.
  Creates a detailed specification to meet
  the design brief.
  Identifies and justifies potential solutions for the brief.
  Researches and selects appropriate materials and resources.
• Designs and makes item to meet the needs of the brief.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of the item
  in relation to the specification.
• Justifies improvements to own and others’ products.

TCH 4-04a
Information on ingredients and food science.
Resource focusing on the themes of the use of fair trade textile.

TCH 4-04c
Wool4school programme: the opportunity to design a multi-functional outfit that asks students to think ‘out of the box’ and come up with creative designs for clothing/accessories that can convert into new garments/accessories or have secondary functions.

TCH 4-04d
The ultimate food and drink challenge.

Curriculum Organisers

Experiences and Outcomes for planning learning, teaching and assessment

Benchmarks to support practitioners’ professional judgement

Ideas, resources and links

Planet Earth

Biodiversity and interdependence

• Describes how plants and animals depend on each other for food, shelter and pollination, using scientific vocabulary such as ‘population’, ‘community’ and ‘species’.
• Explains the possible effects of removal or addition of species on food webs and biodiversity.
• Summarises research findings to provide examples of structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations which lead to species survival.

SCN 4-01a
Scotland’s’ environment Get Learning.
Acid Attacks: What effect does the pH of a pond have on the organisms that are found living there? A simple comparison of pH within and across ponds and how life differs depending on this.
Blooming Algae: What causes the “bloom” of algae in ponds? A lab-based activity that measures the effect of increased nutrients on algal growth.
Designing Keys: Why are keys so important? Students can develop and use a pond-based key using their own observations of the organisms they find.
Getting oxygen: All organisms demonstrate adaptations to their environment. How do aquatic invertebrates get oxygen? This simple game of bingo helps students to identify a few key organisms and link their physiology knowledge to the process of gas exchange.
Photosynthesis: How well do plants photosynthesise in aquatic environments? This activity compares three species and their photosynthetic activity.
Water Biochemistry: Why is water so essential for life? This lesson focuses on the chemistry of water as it applies to ponds and its inhabitants, and is more suited to A-level biologists and beyond.
Eco-Schools Curricular map for Biodiversity.​
Teaching Resources on Biodiversity and Agriculture.
The science behind agriculture's most important event, harvest. Science of the Harvest themes include:
Germination and the conversion and storage of glucose.
How photosynthesis is vital to the success of farming.
How the combine harvester has changed the way we farm
The development of artificial selection in farming.
The importance of animal pollinators and their relation to our fruit harvest.
The science of ripening and seed dispersal.
Check out the Science of Harvest here.
Story of Water education pack.
Biodiversity & Climate Change Education Resource – case studies.
Visualisation of spread of Chalara ash dieback.
Find out more about crops and sustainability and what is being done to improve our food security.
Outdoor learning pack.

• Compares natural and artificial techniques to propagate plants, for example, seeds, bulbs and cuttings, and suggests commercial uses such as food production and food security.

SCN 4-02a
RHS has a vast array of resources to help propagate plants.
A series of how to activities, from how to grow potted herbs through to how to grow potatoes in containers.
Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis in crop growing.

• Describes the nitrogen cycle and explains the importance of each stage.
• Explores and explains the possible impact of the use of fertilisers, for example, algal blooms.

SCN 4-03a
Background information and activities on the nitrogen cycle.
Investigate the benefits of growing peas in rotations.
Food production and fertilisers.

Biological systems

Body systems and cells

• Describes the properties and industrial uses of at least one microorganism, for example, the use of yeast in brewing and bacteria in yogurt production.
• Describes the properties of at least one enzyme used in industry, for example, enzymes within biological detergents and stain removers or pectinase in the breakdown of plant material to release juice.

SCN 4-13b
Brewing yeast theory and practise.
Information about yoghurt production.
Background information on enzymes in fruit juice production.
Information about cheese – how it is made and the different types of cheese in Scotland.
Brewing and distilling in Scotland – information and infographics.
Make your own yoghurt.
Experiment and resources linked to egg cuticles and breeding for cuticle traits.
A pack highlighting a wide variety of microorganisms with a range of activities to undertake in class.
Fungi lifecycles, fungi and food and lots more linked to fungi.

• Formulates a reasoned argument, based on evidence and using correct scientific vocabulary, to debate moral and ethical issues of the chosen controversial biological procedure, for example, the collection and use of stem cells and DNA profiling.

SCN 4-13c
Factsheet on genomic evaluation in dairy cows.
Easter Bush Outreach Workshop (Mid Lothian): Farmer Jamie needs your help to find a mischievous sheep. Can you use evidence from the farm and DNA profiling to solve the mystery?

Inheritance

• Investigates and researches the life cycles of at least two organisms and compares and contrast their related growth and development.

SCN 4-14a
Short video on Why is Plant Breeding Important?
The importance of animal pollinators to our fruit harvest.
Data and information on improving breeding genetics in dairy cows.
Looking at environmental stresses in fruit production.

• Evaluates and compares data and information on sexual and asexual reproduction, for example, rate of reproduction and numbers of organisms, and explains the importance of both methods for survival of species.

SCN 4-14b
Information on strawberry reproduction.

• Describes how the genetic information received from parent(s) determines some of our physical characteristics and demonstrates understanding that some genes have dominant and recessive versions called ‘alleles’.
• Produces a worked example to solve a simple genetic problem, for example, a monohybrid cross to show the passage of genes from parents to offspring. 

SCN 4-14c
Factsheet on genomic evaluation in dairy cows.
Six impact case studies linked to genetics.
Easter Bush Outreach Workshop (Mid Lothian): Farmer Jamie needs your help to find a mischievous sheep. Can you use evidence from the farm and DNA profiling to solve the mystery?

Materials

Properties and uses of substances

• Summarises data and information from research to explain the properties, practical application and potential impact of a novel material.

SCN 4-16a
How sugar is produced.
Request a visit from a STEM ambassador to come to school.
Try the 'Jam Jar' experiment which looks at particle size or the 'Super Sponges' experiment which involves considering the water holding capacity of different soils.

Chemical changes

• Analyses and interprets findings from environmental sample data to identify the quantities of pollutants present.
• Gives at least one reason for the presence of a pollutant in an environmental sample and describes the environmental change which may occur as a result of the presence of the pollutant.

SCN 4-18a
OPAL have a range of surveys where you can collect data and compare what you collect with other local site data collected.  There are surveys for water, biodiversity, air, climate, soils and metals. 
Scotland’s’ environment Get Learning.
Visit SASA – they provide a wide range of data which can be used for interpretation work.
Outdoor vegetable crops.
Wildlife incident reports.
Air Quality in Scotland keeps you informed about latest and forecast air pollution in your region.
Story of Water education pack.
Life Below Water.

Topical sciences

Topical science

• Researches and communicates developments in science, explaining how current and future applications might impact on life.
• Demonstrates increasing understanding of how the transferrable skills developed through the sciences are used in a wide variety of jobs including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

SCN 4-20a
Update on the SMART farming projects taking place in Scotland.
Future farms small and smart image.
Careers in the seafood industry.
Tasty careers – information on careers in the sector.
The Future of Farming & Agriculture.
Food and drink careers, skills and workforce development resources.
Sustainable aquaculture learning resources.
A career in agriculture presentation.
Useful land-based STEM resources.
Experience a Perthshire harvest or Highland sheep husbandry in 360^O through Lantra’s YouTube page.
The science behind agriculture's most important event, harvest. Science of the Harvest themes include:
Germination and the conversion and storage of glucose.
How photosynthesis is vital to the success of farming.
How the combine harvester has changed the way we farm
The development of artificial selection in farming.
The importance of animal pollinators and their relation to our fruit harvest.
The science of ripening and seed dispersal.
Check out the Science of Harvest here.
Squashed Tomato Challenge.
It is the year 2050. How has society reacted and adapted to climate change?
Visualisation of spread of Chalara ash dieback.
Resources to help teach aquaculture.

Links to SOC 4-22a / MTH 4-12a

• Selects and analyses scientific content of topical interest from a range of sources, including the media.
• Identifies examples of bias in sources and justifies decisions in separating fact from opinion.
• Critically analyses a scientific issue and gives consideration to the ethical, moral, environmental, social or political implications of the scientific theme selected to develop an informed argument.

SCN 4-20b
Range of topical science issues from Scotland.
Series of videos covering topics such as livestock health.
Should fracking be allowed?
The future of food resource looks at the future of food consumption worldwide.

Curriculum Organisers

Experiences and Outcomes for planning learning, teaching
and assessment

Benchmarks to support practitioners’ professional judgement of achievement of a level

Ideas, resources and links

Number, money and measure

Mathematics – its impact
on the world, past, present and future

I have discussed the importance of mathematics in the real world, investigated the mathematical skills required for different career paths and delivered, with others, a presentation on how mathematics can be applied in the workplace. MTH 4-12a

• Contributes to discussions and presentations on the role of mathematics in everyday
  life and in the workplace.
• Investigates the mathematical skills required for a range of careers, including those in STEM subjects.

MTH 4-12a
An online resource supports STEM learning STEM central.
Videos and resources linked to careers in the rural sector.
Scotland's career roadmap.
Careers in the seafood industry.
Case studies showing the variety of rewarding careers food and drink has to offer.
Sustainable aquaculture learning resources.

Links to SCN 4-20a /SOC 4-22a

Data and analysis

I can evaluate and interpret raw and graphical data using a variety of methods, comment on relationships I observe within the data and communicate my findings to others. MNU 4-20a

In order to compare numerical information in real-life contexts, I can find the mean, median, mode and range of sets of numbers, decide which type of average is most appropriate to use and discuss how using an alternative type of average could be misleading. MTH 4-20b

• Interprets raw and graphical data.
• Uses statistical language, for example, correlations, to describe identified relationships.
• Calculates the mean, median, mode and range of a data set.
• Selects the most appropriate statistical diagram to display a given data set, for example, stem and leaf.
• Justifies the most appropriate statistical diagram to display a given data set.
• Uses different types of charts to display discrete, continuous and grouped data appropriately.

MNU 4-20a
SRUC resource (in development).
Muddying the water data analysis resource.
Keeping the pizza hot Pupils collect data (virtually or in reality) and model the cooling of a pizza. They explore different packaging to keep it warm for delivery.
Data relating to the sugar industry trade imports/exports.
A Maths lesson where pupils work out the carbon footprint of spaghetti bolognaise with data from Zero Waste Scotland’s carbon metric.

MTH 4-20b
SRUC resource (in development).