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Year 6

Researching the polar regions and their importance

I can describe the world’s polar regions and explain a number of ways in which they are important.

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Year 6

Researching the polar regions and their importance

I can describe the world’s polar regions and explain a number of ways in which they are important.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Because an essay is a non-fiction piece of writing, it must be based on facts.
  2. Facts are obtained through research, using reliable sources.
  3. Research can be collated using bullet points under different headings.
  4. Our essay will show just one side of an argument.
  5. We can break an essay question down into smaller questions in order to structure our essay.

Keywords

  • Essay - a piece of writing that explores arguments about a particular issue

  • Evidence - information or facts to show something is true

  • Research - find out more about a topic or idea, using reliable sources

Common misconception

Pupils may need support in understanding how the Arctic and Antarctica differ.

Use maps and images to show that the Arctic is circled by land while Antarctica is land surrounded by sea.


To help you plan your year 6 english lesson on: Researching the polar regions and their importance, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Children should already be familiar with the process of climate change; if they are not, refer to our unit 'Climate emergency: journalistic writing' for a brief overview.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the below are features of an essay?
it's a fiction text
Correct answer: it's a non-fiction text
Correct answer: it explores arguments on an issue
it is based on the author's imagination
Q2.
Which of these essay titles suggest an essay that gives just one side of the argument?
Correct answer: Explain why phones should be banned for under-16s.
Should phones be banned for under-16s?
Correct answer: Why should phones be banned for under-16s?
Would it be beneficial for phones to be banned for under-16s?
Q3.
Which of the below best describes a logical argument?
Correct answer: one that goes step-by-step, giving evidence and leading towards a conclusion
one that goes in random order, leading towards a conclusion
one that goes step-by-step, describing the author's emotions
Q4.
Which of the below is not a type of evidence we can use to support a logical argument?
facts
Correct answer: the opinions of friends and family
expert opinions
statistics
references to official reports
Q5.
What type of evidence is used in the following sentence? 'The expansion of cities and farms, which has continued since the Industrial Revolution, has led to the loss of large areas of woodland.'
Correct answer: explanation
fact
statistic
expert opinion
reference to an official report
Q6.
What type of evidence is used in the following sentence? 'In addition to this, Britain’s woodlands lock in huge quantities of carbon dioxide.'
explanation
Correct answer: fact
statistic
expert opinion
reference to an official report

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Why do we research before writing an essay?
Correct answer: because it's a non-fiction text so it should be based on facts
Correct answer: because our argument should be supported by evidence
to explore our emotional responses to the information
to generate ideas for descriptive vocabulary
Q2.
What type of evidence is used in the following sentence? 'Antarctica is bordered by all of the world's oceans.'
statistic
Correct answer: fact
expert opinion
explanation
Q3.
What type of essay is suggested by the following title? 'What makes the polar regions unique and why should we do more to protect them?'
Correct answer: a one-sided argument
a two-sided argument
an essay that weighs up different opinions
Correct answer: an essay that proves the point made in the title
Q4.
Put the smaller questions raised by the following essay title into the most logical order: 'What makes the polar regions unique and why should we do more to protect them?'.
1 - What are polar regions?
2 - Why are they important?
3 - What do they need protecting from?
4 - What is currently being done to protect them and what more could be done?
Q5.
In what ways do the polar regions help control our climate and reduce the effects of climate change?
Correct answer: snow and ice reflect the Sun's heat back into space
Correct answer: sea ice traps heat in the sea
icebergs store heat
Correct answer: permafrost stores carbon
Q6.
Which statements are true?
If polar glaciers melted, the world's sea level would rise by 6 metres.
Correct answer: Parts of Antarctica are technically a desert.
Correct answer: If polar glaciers melted, the world's sea level would rise by 60 metres.
No-one lives in the Arctic.