Check it! - Airports and Train Stations - Year 2

In an educational setting for Year 2 students, the topic of exploration is the bustling environments of airports and train stations. To ensure that children retain the information they learn about these transportation hubs, the teaching plan incorporates various review strategies. These strategies include a 'Brain dump', where children can freely express all they remember, 'Give me FIVE!', which prompts them to list five specific examples, such as UK airports or London train stations, and 'Add to my mind map', which encourages them to visually organize their knowledge. Additionally, 'Expand and Elaborate' invites them to delve deeper into the subject, for instance, by discussing the importance of airports or the roles of the many employees who work there.

The 'Retrieval Pyramids' exercise is designed to assess and enhance the children's recall abilities in a structured manner. Starting from the base, children are asked to name five train stations and airports in the UK, followed by naming three airports outside the UK. Progressing up the pyramid, they are challenged to explain the role of a ticket inspector on a train and to define what a timetable is. At the apex of the pyramid, they contemplate the significance of trains and aeroplanes in modern society. This approach ensures that all students can confidently answer the simpler questions at the bottom, while the more complex questions higher up offer a challenge for those who are ready to extend their learning.