Geography

Geography is the study of Earth's landscapes, peoples, places and environments. It is, quite simply, about the world in which we live. 

Image by: Gareth Thompson

2015 is warmest year ever recorded

Data collected by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed that the global average temperature was 0.13C warmer t...

Acid Rain

Acid rain is a result of air pollution. When any type of fuel is burnt, lots of different chemicals are produced. These can mix in the atmosphere a...

Activities on Environment and Wildlife

We get many emails from young people asking us what they can do to play a greater part in the conservation movement, and so we have compiled this l...

Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, containing the geographic South Pole. It is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphe...

Australian Wildlife Part 1

About 50 million years ago Australia was joined to a giant landmass called Gondwanaland but it then became separated and it is its isolation that h...

Biodiversity

Biodiversity describes the whole range of the different varieties of living things and systems on this earth, including animal species, plant speci...

Biosphere

We humans not only live in the biosphere but are absolutely dependent upon it for almost every aspect of our existence. 

Calling young writers

At YPTE, we would like to start giving young people the chance to have their voices heard about environmental issues.  So from now on, we'll be pub...

Climate Change

The earth's climate has seen many changes in its 4.55 billion years. Now many people believe that we must act fast to avert climate catastrophe.

Climate Change and Animals

This factsheet takes a look at some of the challenges that animals might have to face in the future.  How does climate change affect them?

Climate change

The fact that human activities are increasing the rate of climate change is now almost universally accepted by scientists.  In this suite of lesson...

Climate change update

The Bank of England has said that up to £16 trillion of assets could be wiped out if the current climate emergency is not tackled effectively by bu...

Cold Areas: Antarctica

This suite of lesson plans explores the continent of Antarctica.  Designed to be used alongside the Powerpoint presentation, packed full of stunnin...

Cold Areas: The Arctic

This set of lesson plans explores the Arctic - one of the coldest regions on our planet.  The accompanying Powerpoint presentation brings the Arcti...

Conservation Education 07 - Deserts

Deserts are some of the harshest environments on our planet. At first sight, they seem completely hostile to life. Whether hot or cold, rocky or sa...

Conservation Education 22 - Weather

Britain is famous for its changeable weather. We are always talking about it and there is a saying “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minute...

Copenhagen Climate Conference

The Copenhagen Climate Change summit was a gathering of world leaders in the capital of Denmark over a two week period from 7th - 18th December 200...

Desert Regions

When you hear the word 'desert', what picture does it bring to mind?  Perhaps you think of a very dry place, a place without people or plants livin...

Desertification

It has been said that forests came before human beings, deserts followed them. Desertification is becoming a major problem as more and more of the ...

EU backs ban on single use plastics

The ban doesn't have legal force yet.  Member states still have to back the directive before it can become law, but with voting so overwhelmingly i...

Earth Summit 2002

The World Summit on Sustainable Development organised by the United Nations (UN) in Johannesburg was held in August and September of 2002.

El Nino and Indonesia

This Fact Sheet was originally written in November 1997, when major fires in the forests of Indonesia were blamed on the El Nino effect.  

Food: Fairtrade

It can be difficult for farmers in poorer countries to get a fair price for the food they produce; Fairtrade exists to address this issue. These...

Food: Farming and the Environment

As consumers we can choose to buy food that has been produced ethically and sustainably. These resources comprise a set of informative teacher n...

Food: Food Miles

The food we eat makes up about 30% of our carbon footprint.  Knowing how far it has travelled and how it has been stored is essential if we wish to...

Food: Food Waste

Around a billion people don't have enough food to eat, yet we throw away around a third of all the food produced. These resources comprise a set...

Food: Packaging and Recycling

Our food is packaged in a variety of ways, all of which have impacts on the environment.   These resources comprise a set of informative teacher...

Fuels and Energy Resources

A suite of 3 lessons for Key Stage 3 with accompanying PowerPoint presentation to compare the pros and cons of different types of renewable and non...

Fukushima

The powerful earthquake which hit Japan on 11th March 2011 caused a tsunami which added to the destruction of millions of people’s homes and liveli...

Global Warming

Global warming is the increase of average world temperatures as a result of what is known as the greenhouse effect. 

Greenhouse gases at new high

Against the backdrop of a climate emergency, the gap between targets set by governments for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and the real sit...

Heathland

Heathlands are largely artificially created habitats. They only persist if they are managed. Many of the heaths in England would quickly become woo...

Home Learning Pack: All about weather

Find out about the weather with this Home Learning Pack!  It is full of great activities to help you learn and there are instructions for making lo...

Home Learning Pack: Dramatic Earth

With volcanoes and earthquakes, planet Earth gets up to some pretty dramatic stuff every year!  This new Home Learning Pack gives you some fantasti...

Home Learning Pack: Rocks and Minerals

Find out more about rocks and minerals with this exciting Home Learning Pack.  Learn about the difference between sedimentary, igneous and metamorp...

Home Learning Pack: Super Soil

More fantastic ideas for learning about soil - something that is vital for us all, but is often overlooked!  Find out about different types of soil...

Hot Areas: The Sahara

This suite of lesson plans explores the Sahara - the largest hot desert on Earth.  It also looks at the spread of the Sahara into the Sahel and the...

Indigenous People of the Rainforest

Rainforests are very rich in natural resources, but they are also very fragile. For this reason, indigenous people have become instinctive conserva...

Less Arctic Ice Than Ever

So it looks like our climate is changing and things are getting warmer. But three years of data proves nothing. There are blips and variations in w...

List of Talks

The school talks service is available in person for schools within a 30-mile radius of our office in Yeovil OR on Zoom, Teams etc. for schools anyw...

Make climate change a greater priority!

In his inaugural speech as Prime Minister, Mr Johnson said that Britain was  “leading the world in the battery technology that will help cut CO2 an...

Mirage

A mirage is a phenomenon where you think you see water... 

New halt to fracking in England

No future fracking projects will be allowed by the government until compelling new evidence is provided that fracking could be safe.   Preston N...

Oil Pollution Case Study

The 147,000 tonne oil tanker Sea Empress ran aground on February 15th 1996 at 8.07 pm, despite being under the control of one of Milford Haven’s ha...

Outcomes of COP28

Many countries and environmental groups remain concerned that the more definite "phase out" of fossil fuels - asked for by over 130 countries -  wa...

Overpopulation

At present there is still space enough on Earth for humans, wildlife and wild places, but can this be maintained?

Ozone Layer

Ozone is a naturally occurring gas found in the atmosphere where it absorbs most of the sun's ultraviolet light - invisible rays which are harmful ...

Rainbow

A rainbow is sunlight spread out into an arc of colours and seen by your eyes when the sun shines through water droplets

Rainforests

Rainforests are forests which grow in areas of high rainfall.  Tropical rainforests are found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capric...

Rivers

Rivers can run for many hundreds of miles. The longest river in the world is the Nile in Africa. It is 6,700km long. The longest river in Britain i...

Scotland bans fracking

The public consultation attracted more than 65,000 responses, with 99% of replies originating from areas targeted by the fracking industry opposed ...

Seashore

A rocky shore consists of rocky ledges with pools of salty water, boulders and pebbles.  Living in this habitat is a community of hardy plants and ...

Seasonal Changes (Key Stage 1)

A suite of four lessons on our seasons and how they differ from each other, with accompanying Powerpoint presentation filled with inspirational ima...

Some good news, some bad news

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) now looks like 2016 will mark another milestone for climate change for being the first yea...

Survival at the Poles

Polar bears and penguins never bump into each other! Why is this? The answer, of course, is simple; polar bears live only in the Arctic (the North ...

Sussex: The Weald

Thanks to support from the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, we have produced this set of classroom reference guides to the regions of Sussex, for...

Sussex: The Coastal Plain

Thanks to support from the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, we have produced this set of classroom reference guides to the regions of Sussex, for...

Sussex: The South Downs

Thanks to support from the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, we have produced this set of classroom reference guides to the regions of Sussex, for...

The Greenhouse Effect

Here is a short video to explain the greenhouse effect.  Great for teachers to use in lessons!

The heatwave continues...

The Met Office has issued an amber heat watch warning today, which applies from 9am today to 9am on Friday in the Midlands, south-eastern and easte...

To Work on Two Wheels!

So, we take the train, we take the bus, or we take the car. We know that taking public transport reduces our carbon footprint, so in many cases it’...

UK set to see wetter winters

Alarmingly, the research suggests that there is a high risk of record-breaking rainfall in the coming decade, with a 34% chance of an extreme weath...

Water Cycle

A suite of five lessons on the water cycle, illustrated with a PowerPoint presentation and accompanied by suggestions for activities and experiment...

Wet wipes set for a clean-up

An analysis of these monster sewer-stoppers by Water UK, the membership body for water providers, found that the 'fatbergs' were in reality more li...

Why Plastic's Not So Fantastic

Short film on plastic, its uses, its history and why it is now presenting us with such a major environmental problem. Presented by YPTE Director Pe...

Wildlife Areas for Schools

Schools that have begun to develop their grounds often report that this has led to beneficial changes in relationships and  attitudes and to the at...

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