Local traffic - an environmental issue
Begin to account for their own views about the environment, recognising that other people may have reasons for thinking differently; identifying how people affect the environment and recognise ways people try to manage it for the better.
Teaching Resources
Key questions to consider:
- Why are journeys made?
- Where do our pupils come from and how do they get to school?
- What effect does our coming to and leaving school have upon the local area?
- What can we do to ease or solve any problems that may be caused?
 Investigation into traffic near the School ICT and Literacy Link
Children conduct a traffic count early morning on four consecutive days. They enter the data into a data handling package. Using this data, they analyse results and draw conclusions. Once all data has been collated they use the results to produce a report on the impact of traffic outside the school.
- Weather
- Day and date
- Total number of vehicals logged
- Number coming from each direction
- Number parked in School Lane
- Number parked in other roads to drop children off
- % of cars arriving after 08:35 hours
- % of cars parked more than 5 minutes in road
Getting to School Survey ICT Link
Children put together a questionnaire for all parents to fill in. Enter this data into a simple database and search for any connections e.g. between the use of types of transport used and the distances travelled.
- Origin of journey
- Miles travelled
- Direction of travel approaching school
- Mode of transport,
- How many adults and children in car
- approximate time of arrival at school
Are the results of the survey similar to the Traffic Count above?
Compare the results with 'Trips to and from school: by main mode of transport, 1999-2001'
 Download excel sheet of data (www.statistics.gov.uk)
 Stats for Schools - lesson plans and resources
Traffic Survey
Children carry out a traffic survey and enter into a spreadsheet all the information gathered. They use formula to add total of different vehicles seen. Can the predict how many seen in a week / month and use the multiply formula to check? Compare data with types of traffic recorded in another part of town. Are the types of traffic seen the same?
Extension activity
Count the traffic at different times of the day (include the busiest time, e.g. either the start of the day or at home time). Work out an average of how much traffic passes the school each day.
 PDF Local Traffic Survey Sheet
 Multimedia Presentation ICT Link Unit 6A
Having researched a local issue e.g. building a bypass, create a multimedia presentation to present their suggestions of how the issue can be resolved.
Local Area Newsletter ICT Link Unit 4A
Children create a newsletter with interviews from people giving reasons for and against the issue.
Where do people go?
Lesson plan and resources from UK Department for Transport
Safe Cycling
Lesson plan and resources from UK Department for Transport
 Friends of the Earth - Transport
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The Local Traffic - Channel 4
This 4learning site offers information for the children, worksheets for the teacher to download, an image bank for each of the units, weblinks connected to the unit visited and onscreen activities to be done at home, by the children, to support the learning in school.
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