New
New
Year 6

Sourcing our food

I can explain the impact that climatic and seasonal differences have on food availability.

New
New
Year 6

Sourcing our food

I can explain the impact that climatic and seasonal differences have on food availability.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Many food crops can only be grown in places with the right climatic conditions
  2. Some food crops grown in the UK are only ‘in season’ for part of the year because of the UK’s temperate climate
  3. Seasonal differences between the northern and southern hemispheres mean that some crops are imported out of season
  4. Atlases can be used to investigate the location and climate zones of the place of origin of imported food crops

Common misconception

All the food we eat comes from the UK.

A lot of the food we eat comes from different countries.

Keywords

  • Imported - Goods that are imported are brought in from another country

  • Climate - Climate is an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more)

  • Harvested - When a crop is harvested it is picked, cut or gathered ready for use

  • Out of season - Out of season means the time of year when a food is not naturally ready for harvesting

  • Hemisphere - A hemisphere is half of Earth, usually divided into the Northern or Southern Hemisphere by the Equator, or Eastern and Western hemispheres by a line that runs through the poles

Unpack a shopping bag containing different food items and sort these depending on whether they can be grown in the UK. Learners could also try growing their own food in a school garden!
Teacher tip

Equipment

Atlases, information books and/or access to the internet

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the food to the correct place of origin.
Correct Answer:Potatoes,The Andes

The Andes

Correct Answer:Rice ,South East Asia

South East Asia

Correct Answer:Coffee,East Africa

East Africa

Correct Answer:Chocolate,Central America

Central America

Q2.
What are greenhouse gases?
gases that are green in colour
gases produced in a greenhouse
Correct answer: gases that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere
Q3.
Put these times in history in order, the oldest first.
1 - The Stone Age
2 - The Romans
3 - The Tudors
Q4.
Which of these are positives to transporting food around the world?
An increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Correct answer: A better variety of food available.
Correct answer: The easier and quicker distribution of food.
Q5.
Match the word to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:Preserving,this helps food to last longer, so it is available year round

this helps food to last longer, so it is available year round

Correct Answer:In season,the time of year when a food is naturally ready for harvesting

the time of year when a food is naturally ready for harvesting

Correct Answer:Food processing,the process of turning raw materials into food that can be eaten

the process of turning raw materials into food that can be eaten

Q6.
Which of these are examples of early food processing?
canning
refrigeration
Correct answer: fermenting
Correct answer: drying food in the sun

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the key word to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:import,bring good in from another country

bring good in from another country

Correct Answer:harvest,pick, cut or gathering food ready for use

pick, cut or gathering food ready for use

Correct Answer:out of season,the time of year when a food is not naturally ready for harvesting

the time of year when a food is not naturally ready for harvesting

Q2.
Which of these foods are grown in the UK?
Pineapples
Correct answer: Strawberries
Correct answer: Pears
Coconuts
Q3.
How can you lengthen the growing season for a crop?
plant it at a different time of year
Correct answer: use a greenhouse
Correct answer: grow in a polytunnel
give the plant extra water
Q4.
Why do we import goods?
To help British farmers
Correct answer: It makes food cheaper
Correct answer: Food is available all year
Q5.
Which of these methods preserve food?
Correct answer: drying
Correct answer: refrigeration
put them at the back of the cupboard
Q6.
How can we get apples in the UK all year round?
Correct answer: import them
Correct answer: artificial growing season
pick them each month
grow them all around the UK