KS2 Geography - British Cheese Board

Fantastic activities and ideas for your teaching
CHOOSE
CHEESE
GEOGRAPHY PACK
Fully curriculum-linked Geography teaching pack for Key Stage 2

Choose Cheese
British Cheese Board Geography Pack for Key Stage 2
Contents
Introduction 3
Curriculum matrix 4
Section 1: Geography activities 5–9
Section 2: Copy masters 10–23
Section 3: Glossary and useful websites
24 and Back cover
Authors: Roger Knill and John Smith
Consultant: Rachel Sparks
Poster and illustrations: Fred Pipes
First Published 2004 by Magenta Project
Management Ltd
www.magentaonline.co.uk
ref: M11/196
Acknowledgements
With grateful thanks to Mark Robertson,
owner of the Northumberland Cheese
Company
This pack was originally produced by the
British Cheese Board with support from
British dairy farmers through the
Milk Development Council.
This edition published 2011
© British Cheese Board
2

Introduction
Geography is a subject that offers Key Stage 2
teachers and their pupils a wealth of opportunities
to explore the world around them in a way that is
exciting, topical and relevant to every aspect of
their lives. Through geography the pupils can
acquire important geographical skills and
knowledge, and also reinforce skills, knowledge
and understanding from other areas of the
primary curriculum. Many of the activities
suggested within this pack have clear links to
literacy, numeracy and science. In addition, the
topical nature of many of the key issues offers
excellent opportunities to incorporate thinking
skills, assessment for learning and education for
sustainable development.
Cheese is a food that the vast majority of the
pupils are familiar with but often at a superficial
level. Understanding cheese production, even at a
basic level, necessitates an understanding of the
location of the dairy industry in the UK. This in
turn requires knowledge of climate and vegetation
variations. The process of making cheese introduces
the concept of primary (milking), secondary (manufacturing
cheese) and tertiary (retail) industry. The
means by which cheese gets to their plate (or
sandwich!) raises many important questions
about perishable products
and the impact of
‘food miles’ on the
environment.
The focus of this
pack is a letter from
‘Linda’ who wants to
find an ideal place
within Britain for
making cheese. The
pupils are asked to help
her to decide where to
base her farm and dairy.
Each activity provides
valuable information to
help the pupils and Linda to
make a decision. Sharing
Linda’s letter – found in
Section 2 – with the class at
the start of the ‘Choose
Cheese’ topic will place the
activities within a meaningful
context. It encourages the pupils
to develop a sense of place that not only makes
abstract theories more concrete and manageable, but
also emphasises the diversity of the world.
A PowerPoint slide illustrating the cheese
production cycle accompanies this resource; it
can provide a good stimulus display at the
beginning of the project and in particular is useful
for Activities 2 and 7.
The starters, activities and plenaries suggested in
this pack aim to develop:
● active learning
● questioning of information
● analogies with more familiar experiences
● sorting, selecting and rationalising
● discussion with peers and class groups
● reflection on learning objectives and outcomes,
whether specific to a lesson topic (e.g. knowledge
of place) or related to long-term aims (e.g. working
collaboratively or developing speaking skills)
● thinking skills.
The activities also:
● encourage learning skills that can be transferred to
other subjects and situations
● create time for pupils to justify their findings and
modify them in the light of
discussions with peers
● fulfil Assessment for
Learning (AfL) requirements
– as they offer opportunities
to encourage sharing and
exemplification of objectives
and learning outcomes
– and they allow
pupils to recognise (with
the help of their peers and
teachers) where they are
in their learning and
identify which steps they
must take to move on to
the next stage.
There is a video
available to support
your teaching
showing the cheesemaking
process. It
can be downloaded
from the British Cheese Board website
www.britishcheese.com
3

Key Stage 2 Geography curriculum matrix
Activity
Geography
Ask geographical
questions.
Geographical enquiry and skills Knowledge and Patterns
understanding of places and
processes
Collect
and
record
evidence.
Use maps
and plans
at a range
of scales.
Use
secondary
sources of
information.
Identify
and
describe
what
places are
like.
Analyse
evidence
and draw
conclusions.
Decisionmaking
skills.
Consider
how and
why
places are
similar to/
different
from
other
places in
the same
country.
Recognise
and explain
patterns
made by
individual
physical
and human
features in
the
environment.
Where is
cheese x x x x x x x
made
How does
climate
affect the x x x
production
of cheese
Who
makes x x
cheese
Comparing
graphs x x
Clues from
photos x x
Where is
cheese x x x x x x x
sold
Calculating
food miles x x
Cheese
survey x x
Shop
survey x x x
Internet
survey x x x x
4

Activity 1: Where is cheese made
GEOGRAPHY ACTIVITIES: SECTION 1
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● understand the effects of climate and
relief on dairy farming
● know where cheeses are made in Britain
● work collaboratively to decide which
are the most important factors affecting
where cheese is made.
Key vocabulary:
dairy farming, dairy products, pastoral
farming, climate, weather, temperature,
precipitation, relief
Organisation:
class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 1 – Copy masters A and B, scenesetting
letter, whiteboard
Introduction/starter:
Hand out enough copies of the definitions
cards so that every child has one (i.e.
some will have duplicates). Explain that
the pupils will have 5 minutes to find as
many other people as they can to share
the meanings on the cards and learn what
the words mean. When they meet a peer
they need to:
1 Check they have different statements.
2Read out their own word and definition
while the other person listens.
3 Listen to their statement as the partner
reads it out.
4 Move on to find another partner.
Ask the pupils to hand in definition slips then
sit back in their places. Write ‘Farming,
Animals, Climate and Land’ as four columns
on the board. Ask who can give one of the
words that they have been looking at that
fits the farming column. Ask another pupil to
provide the definition. Repeat this for the
other words. Ask if there are some that
could be in more than one column. Why is
this Help the pupils to realise that although
it is helpful to group these words to
understand them, they are all linked.
Activity:
Show the pupils the Copy masters. Compare
and contrast the dairy farming map with the
relief, rainfall and temperature maps. Explain
that they are going to investigate cheese in
the UK, and that cheese is made from milk
and is a dairy product. Using the maps for
information ask the pupils to sort these
statements into true and false.
‘Cheese is made in dairy farming areas’:
a) Most cheese is made in the south and east
of Britain
b) Most cheese is made in places where it is
coldest on average
c) Most cheese is made in the highest parts
of the country
d) Most cheese is made where it is very dry
e) Most cheese is made in the west and east
of the country
f) Most cheese is made where rainfall is higher
g) Most cheese is made in the west and
north of the country
h) Most cheese is made where the land is
lower
i) Most cheese is made in places where it is
warmer on average
Ask the pupils to concentrate on the ‘True’
column and try to link at least two
statements that may help to explain why
cheese is made in that area. First explain
how the statements are linked then say
how this could help support dairy farming.
Give an example such as the one below of
one complete statement on the board.
‘Most cheese is made where the land is
lower and most cheese is made where it is
warmer on average.’ This is because
lowland areas tend to be warmer.
These conditions are better for growing
grass and producing milk all year round.
Mention that where the grass grows faster
farmers can cut it up to three times. The cut
grass is turned into silage and stored to help
feed the cows during winter. Farmers need
to consider what is the most profitable use
of their land. For example, in the east of the
country the soil is better for growing crops
and cereals, so it would not make sense to
graze cattle on this land.
Encourage the pupils to test their
answers out on each other to check if they
need to add or modify their responses.
Plenary:
Ask pairs of pupils to share reading out their
best sentence, with one doing the link and one
explaining why it is important. Ask the pupils
to suggest links between the contributions of
different pairs. Introduce the scene-setting
letter which can be found on page 10
Extension:
Ask the pupils to think of answers from
what they know so far for some of the
questions posed in the letter.
Activity 2: How does climate affect the production of cheese
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● know cheese is made from milk
● work out the sequence from milk to
cheese in the shops
● consider the most important parts of the
cheese-making process.
Key vocabulary:
milking parlour, dairy, protein, calcium,
yoghurt, cream, curd, rennet, starter
culture, perishable
Organisation:
class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 2 Copy master, dominoes (to be cut
up and placed in an envelope) one set per
pair/small group, Cheese Cycle PowerPoint
slide.
Introduction/starter:
Ask the pupils to divide randomly the
dominoes from their pack into two piles
and to take turns to read out their
dominoes and suggest the link between
each side. Ask them to remember any
words they are not sure about. Ask for
volunteers to identify difficult words and to
share possible answers. Can they spot any
order or pattern in the cards already
Tell the pupils that just as there are links
within each domino, so there are links
between the dominoes, but there is likely to
be an order.
Activity:
Ask the pupils to spread out the dominoes
and try to work out an order. (Note: The
order given on the Copy master is the most
likely outcome.)
Ask fast finishers to think back to Linda’s
letter. The pupils should identify the two or
three phases that they think are probably
the most important part of the process for
Linda to consider.
Plenary: Top Five
Ask the pupils to talk through their own
domino pattern. Ask others to try to add one
improvement from their own work and
explain why it is better. What would be the
top five messages they would send to Linda
Extension:
Use enlarged versions of the dominoes to play
a whole class game of placing them in order.
Stick the class Top Five messages on A3
paper for Linda to consider. Encourage the
pupils to annotate their choices.
5

Activity 3: Who makes cheese
GEOGRAPHY ACTIVITIES: SECTION 1
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● know that keeping cows to produce milk
is a primary industry
● know that cheese making is a kind of
secondary industry
● be aware of the range of people
employed by the industry (directly and
indirectly)
● be able to classify jobs according to the
three-fold division of industry.
Key vocabulary:
primary, secondary, tertiary, manufacturing
Organisation:
class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 3 Copy masters A and B
Introduction/starter:
Ask the pupils what kind of job they would
like to do when they grow up. Take a tally.
Some may choose jobs in the service or
tertiary sector (services such as jobs in
shops and offices). Others might see
themselves making products (manufacturing
– secondary sector) or growing/
extracting foods, materials or fuels
(extraction – primary industries). Point out
that without the primary and secondary
categories there would be nothing for the
third category to sell.
Activity:
Hand out cards to be sorted. Explain that
all of these cards show jobs that are
related to cheese making in some way.
Some are directly related and some
indirectly. Explain that, working in pairs,
they need to sequence the cards and must
think carefully about which job needs to
be done first.
Plenary:
Ask the pupils to explain their sequences
and suggest improvements for each other’s
outcomes. Which jobs do they think are the
most important (directly related) to cheese
making and which are less important
(indirectly related)
Extension:
Write part of the letter to Linda explaining
who she might need to employ or pay to
get her cheeses to market. Do the cardsort
related to school dinners.
Activity 4: Comparing graphs
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● read information from line graphs
● compare and contrast graphs
● modify their initial conclusions in the light
of additional evidence.
Key vocabulary:
line graph, butterfat, protein
Organisation:
Class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 4 Copy master, labels (‘spring’,
‘summer’, ‘autumn’, ‘winter’)
Introduction/starter:
Stand your ground
Tell the pupils that the four corners of the
classroom represent spring, summer,
autumn, winter. Ask them to say which
season of the year they think people are
most likely to want to eat cheese. Tell them
to go and stand in the place that represents
the season of their choice (without changing
their minds because of where others are
standing!). Ask some to explain why they
think people will want cheese more during
that season. If the middle of the room
means cheese is popular all year round
would anyone change their position
Point out that people do tend to eat
more of certain cheeses at certain times, for
example Stilton, which is seen as a ‘special
occasion’ cheese, sells more in November
and December. Cottage cheese is another
example – sales rise in January as people are
trying to lose weight or in the summer when
they eat more salad. However, overall there
is high demand for cheese all year round. If
we eat cheese all year round what does that
mean about when we should make it
Activity:
Hand out the graphs. Make sure the pupils
only look at the first graph: Graph A. Ask
the pupils to identify when most milk is
produced in Britain – encourage the pupils
to quote figures to support their answers.
Ask for suggestions as to why. Establish the
link that grass grows well in the early
summer when the sunshine, warmth and
rain provide ideal conditions. Ask them to
decide when would be a good time for
Mark to make most of his cheese and to
justify their choice.
Introduce the second set of graphs. Ask
why a cheese maker might want to know
how much butterfat and protein the milk
contains. Ask them to decide the best time
to make cheese based on the new
information. Ask those who have changed
their minds to justify the changes. Ask them
what other factor about Mark’s cheese
making they need to take into consideration
Plenary:
Point out that Mark makes cheese all year
round but he makes extra cheese in the
autumn. This is partly because there is a
high demand around Christmas, but also
because the butterfat/protein content of
the milk is at its best at this time; many
smaller cheese makers say that their
cheeses made at this time of year are richer
and taste their best. Also point out that the
bigger cheese makers make cheese all year
round but they tend to use milk from
several farms so the taste of their cheese
can be more consistent.
Ask the pupils why they were asked to
quote figures when describing the graphs.
Stress that descriptions that are supported
by facts and figures are better than vague
answers.
Ask the pupils if changing their position
from the starter to the decision at the end
of the main activity was a good or a bad
thing. Establish that we need to change our
ideas when new information comes along.
They should realise that cheese is made all
year round, and that extra cheese is
produced for times of high demand.
Extension:
Write part of the letter to Linda explaining
why the time of year is something she
should realise might be important to a small
cheese maker.
6

Activity 5: Clues from photos
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● read photos for information
● interpret photos by annotation
● speculate on which additional photos
would add to their understanding.
Key vocabulary:
annotate
Organisation:
in pairs
Resources:
Activity 5 Copy master
Introduction/starter:
Ask the pupils to think of any photos they
have seen in the last week. They should
think where they saw them, what they
showed, who was able to see them and
who may have taken them. Suggest
groupings for the responses based around
purpose, e.g. to inform, to amuse, to
shock/grab attention, to explain, etc. Stress
that all photos are taken for a purpose.
Activity: Think, Pair & Share
Assign pupil pairs to one photo each from
the Northumberland Cheese Company. Ask
them to try to list as many things as they can
in the photo and why they think the photo
was taken. Take feedback from the class on
what is in the pictures and why they are
GEOGRAPHY ACTIVITIES: SECTION 1
important to help explain how the cheese is
made at the Northumberland Cheese
Company. Complete the photo annotation
until each pupil has a set of comments for
each picture.
Plenary:
Ask the pupils which is the most important
picture and why. Can the pictures be used
in a sequence to tell the story of cheese
making at the farm Which additional
pictures would they like to have to
complete the story
Extension:
Use the pictures to make a non-fiction book
on cheese making or a ‘farm for sale’
brochure for Linda.
Activity 6: Where is cheese sold
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● describe spatial patterns
● measure distances
● suggest reasons for distribution
patterns.
Key vocabulary:
pattern, distribution, even, uneven,
clustered
Organisation:
class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 6 Copy master, atlas of the UK or
online resource www.multimap.co.uk
Introduction/starter:
Ask the class if they all spread out evenly
over the playground at break. Most of the
pupils will realise they cluster. Ask for
reasons why this might be (e.g. warmer, less
windy places; proximity to key features;
different surfaces – grass versus tarmac;
popular areas). Stress that few things in
nature are spread evenly and there are
reasons why patterns vary.
Activity:
Give the map to pairs of pupils. Ask the
pupils to describe the patterns they see.
Encourage them to use phrases like
even/uneven, grouped, bunched or
clustered/spread out. Encourage the
pupils to consider:
● Why might there be more stockists in the
North East (The Northumberland
Cheese Company is in Northumberland,
10 miles north of Newcastle.)
● What factors would help to explain why
some shops in London stock their cheeses
but nobody in the South West does
Explain how to use a scale to work out
how close most of the shops are to Mark’s
farm and how far others are away. You can
either enlarge a page of the atlas to plot
and measure some of the outlets where
Mark’s cheese is sold, or go online to
www.multimap.co.uk to measure
distances.
Below is a list of the places where Mark’s
cheeses are sold:
Farm Shops: Corbridge, East Layton,
Morpeth, Seaton Burn, Wooler
Farmers’ Markets: Alnwick,
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hexham, Morpeth,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ponteland, Stanhope
Retailers: Alnwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed,
Birtley, Chatton, Corbirdge, Helmsley,
Hexham, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Ponteland, Seahouses, Wooler
Wholesalers: Bedale, Buxton, Chester,
Consett, Loanhead – Mid Lothian, London,
Manchester, Market Rasen, Morpeth,
Preston
Help the pupils to understand the
importance of transport costs, local
knowledge, and relative low cost of product.
Ask the pupils to annotate description and
explanation points around the edge of the
map for the patterns they see.
Plenary:
Ask two pupils to explain their description
of the distribution pattern. Invite others to
suggest refinements. Discuss what the map
might look like for a big creamery/producer
such as Dairy Crest. Why might a shop in
New York, USA, sell cheese from the
Northumberland Cheese Company What
could make it worth flying cheese all the
way to New York
Extension:
Consider what the pupils would need to tell
Linda about how far away she could expect
to sell her cheeses.
7

Activity 7: Calculating food miles
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● sequence cards to represent the journey
from cheese making to buying
● calculate food miles
● consider the impact of food miles on the
environment.
Key vocabulary:
food miles, warehouse, maturing,
environment, Edam, Brie, Parmesan
Organisation:
class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 7 Copy master, poster.
cheese cycle PowerPoint slide
Introduction/starter:
Write on the board Edam, Brie, and
Parmesan. Ask the pupils who has heard of
or eaten any of these cheeses. Ask if they
know where they are originally from.
Explain that they are from Holland, France
and Italy (although many versions/substitutes
are made in the UK). Explain that to have
arrived in our shops they must have
travelled about 500 to 1200km from our
partner countries in the EU.
Ask the pupils to think about what
types of transport are most likely to have
been involved in the journey. Point out
that all these cheeses add to our choices
but the journeys they make must have an
impact on the environment (noise,
pollution, road damage, increased traffic
accidents from increased journeys).
Explain that food miles represent the
distance foods have to travel from being
made (manufacturing) to being sold in our
shops (retailing). Discuss the fact that
cheese from New Zealand looks as cheap
as cheese from the UK but there are
other costs to be considered as well.
Activity:
Distribute the pre-cut-up cards: one
pack/pair or small group of pupils. Explain
that the cards represent a jumbled-up
version of the journey involved in making
and selling Northumbrian cheese. It is only
one possible journey. You can offer more
help by stating that milk from Blagdon Farm
is taken to the Northumberland Cheese
Company where the cheese is made and
then sent to various supermarket chains and
shops. Ask the pupils to re-order the cards
into a sequence that will best represent the
journey and to calculate the food miles.
GEOGRAPHY ACTIVITIES: SECTION 1
Plenary:
Ask the pupils to volunteer to explain the
sequence of their cards and why they
believe that they have the right order. Ask
other pupils to try to improve on the
ordering or the reasons given for the
order.
Ask the pupils what they calculated the
food miles to be and how they arrived at
that figure.
(Note: Some pupils will have added all the
figures up together but could be challenged
to consider whether distances before milk
collection or distances involved in purchasing
should be added into the equation. The best
calculation of food miles might be those
figures from milk collection to the shop –
about 171 km.)
Stress that although these food miles
compare very well with imported cheeses
and would suggest less damage to the
environment, by only consuming British
cheese we would all lose out in terms of
taste and choice.
Extension:
Explain to Linda what might be the main
problems to the environment and
atmosphere if her cheeses are sold over
long distances.
Activity 8: Cheese survey
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● complete a class survey
● work out average responses
● consider the link between customer
demand and cheese production.
Key vocabulary:
Cheddar, Mozzarella, Blue cheese, vacuumpacked
Organisation:
class working in pairs or small groups
Resources:
Activity 8 Copy masters A and B
Introduction/starter:
Ask the pupils during the lesson before to
find out what kind of cheeses they have in
their fridge and write down the name and
type of cheese. OR
Give them 2 minutes to try to recall the
cheeses they know they eat at home.
Ask what it is about those cheeses they like
(encourage them to talk about the taste,
smell, way it is prepared or packaged).
Explain that they have just given you very
valuable information and ask them to guess
who might be very keen to obtain such
information. Make the link between customer
tastes, demand and cheese sales. What they
like and will buy in the future is information
vital to the cheese-making industry.
Activity:
Distribute the class cheese survey sheet: one
per pupil. Ask the pupils to complete it on
their own. When finished, ask them to turn to
a partner and describe their choices and what
they think the most important factor
influencing their choice is. Replicate the
options on the board and use a show of hands
to do a tally summary for each possibility.
Ask the class to identify and record the
top 3 choices for each question. The pupils
should answer questions comparing their
responses to the class summary.
Plenary:
Ask the pupils what this says about the
similarity or dissimilarity of their responses.
How useful is the average and what does it
tell them/not tell them Encourage the
pupils to understand that the most popular
choice doesn’t show the full range of their
responses.
Extension:
Add comments to the letter to Linda to
explain what the next generation of cheese
buyers might like to buy in the future. Point
out that this could change as tastes change
with age (how many are still eating rusks!).
8

Activity 9: Shop survey
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● conduct a survey of the cheeses in a local
supermarket and/or shop
● describe and suggest reasons for the
range of cheeses available
● compare and contrast their outcomes to
those of their peers.
Key vocabulary:
survey, country of origin, kilograms (kg)
Organisation:
to be carried out by individuals
Resources:
Activity 9 Copy master (multiple copies),
calculators
Introduction/starter:
Ask the class a week before the lesson to
see if they can obtain a small selection of
cheese labels from packs no longer needed
at home. As a class, use the labels to start to
fill in an enlarged version of the survey
sheet. As you read out key pieces of
information, ask the pupils to suggest which
columns they should go under. Calculate
the cost per kg together. OR
Tell the class a week before the lesson that
they are going to do a survey in a shop
that sells cheese, or a supermarket, using
the survey sheet. They must be
accompanied, preferably by an adult or at
least one other friend, and should have
permission from their parents. They must
be considerate to other store users and
avoid busy times. They may not be able to
log all the cheeses on one visit, but they
could share the task with peers in a large
supermarket.
Activity:
Ask the pupils to complete a survey sheet
with some of the labels they have brought
in. When completed ask them to compare
with peers to get a wider range of data. OR
Use class time to share their survey data
GEOGRAPHY ACTIVITIES: SECTION 1
from the homework exercise and calculate
the cost-per-kilogram figures.
Plenary:
What were the differences between
different shops Are there any cheeses
that are more common than others Do
they have similar prices for similar
cheeses Why do some shops charge
more Why are there so many types of
Cheddar
Extension:
Write another part of the letter to Linda
explaining the results of your survey and
what this may mean for the kind of cheeses
she should think about making. OR
Write up the results of your survey and
suggest how even a survey done by a
whole class may not tell the whole
picture.
Activity 10: Internet survey
Learning Objectives
Children will:
● conduct an internet survey of cheese shops
● consider how shopping for cheese may
change.
Key vocabulary:
Internet, online, delivery
Organisation:
class working in pairs
Resources:
Activity 10 Copy master, Internet access in
class/computer room and/or at home, blank
map of the UK
Introduction/starter:
Ask the pupils what kind of products or
services they know they or their parents
have bought or searched for on the Internet.
The responses will be dominated by
books/CDs/appliances, etc, but some may
have been involved in supermarket home
delivery of food (including cheese!). Ask
what the benefits are thought to be. Draw
out the ideas of choice, time saving, lower
cost on occasion and convenience for
people in remote areas.
Ask them for a show of hands as to
whether they would buy cheese online.
Which factors would influence their
decision to buy it online or not Explain that
there are a growing number of people
buying just cheese online because they are
looking for lesser-known cheeses that are
not sold in large supermarkets. They might
also like to consider transport costs as a
factor. Internet shops will deliver a relatively
small amount of cheese to an individual,
whereas a wholesaler will deliver a large
quantity to a shop. Consider how the
Internet cheese will be transported; for
instance, the carrier will need to provide
insulated packaging and the cheese will
need to be delivered next day so that it
doesn’t spoil. These factors can affect
whether we buy our cheese online.
Activity:
Use the websites supplied to find out:
● how many cheeses are available
● what the costs of cheeses are
● what the delivery costs are
● what the delivery times are
● how people pay
● how they are assured their transactions
are safe.
Identify 10 cheeses from at least five
different regions of the UK.
Either transfer information from screen to
sheet and locate 10 cheeses on a base map
using an atlas, or complete the task using
on-screen resources.
Plenary:
Ask the pupils to present their findings.
What do they think the range of online
shops, found on the Internet, offer that a)
their local corner shop or b) local big
supermarket doesn’t offer Point out that
online shops can be more informative and
specialist whereas big shops have to pay for
expensive buildings and large numbers of
staff so they are more concerned with big
sales of the most popular cheese.
Extension:
Pupils may investigate the ‘protected
designation’ of some cheeses. This means,
simply, that some cheeses can only be made
in certain places in the UK. For example,
there are only five dairies in the UK that are
licensed to make Blue Stilton. To investigate,
go to www.defra.gov.uk, select the ‘Food
and Farming’ tab, click on ‘Food’ and then
look for ‘Protected food names’. Finish with a
letter to Linda, telling her whether or not she
should try selling her cheese on her own
website.
Bringing it all together –
Interview with Linda:
Invite an adult, not known to the class, to be
‘Linda’. Ask her to interview the class to
discover where she should set up her cheesemaking
business. Encourage the pupils to
prepare for the meeting and to draw on all
their knowledge acquired through the
‘Choose Cheese’ activities as they give
reasons for their recommendations.
Extension:
In ICT, make brochures outlining recommendations
for the farm, dairy and
marketing of the cheese.
9

Copy masters SECTION 2
Dear Class,
I have been farming in South Africa for many years and am
hoping to move soon to the UK. I wish to move into a new line
for me – cheese making. I admit that I don’t really know much
about it at the moment, but I am keen to be successful. I need
your help to find out the answers to some important questions
before I set up my dairy.
Are some places in Britain better for cheese making than others
What should I look for when choosing an area to farm and
make cheese in
What kind of facilities do I need on my new farm to start
making cheese
Is there a best time of year to make cheese
What kind of cheeses do people in the UK like
Where do people go to buy their cheese
I am sure you can think of many other questions I should have
asked!
It’s a lot of information to request, but I am sure that if you can
concentrate on just one question at a time you can find the
answers to my queries. My whole future life depends on the
quality of your research.
I’m counting on you!
All the best,
Linda
10

Activity 1: Copy master A
Definition cards
SECTION 2
DAIRY
FARMING
Farming to
produce milk.
DAIRY
PRODUCTS
Foods that are
made from
milk such as
yoghurt, butter,
cream and
cheese.
PASTORAL
FARMING
Rearing animals
for milk (cows,
goats, sheep)
or meat (sheep,
pigs, cattle,
poultry).
CLIMATE
The average
weather for an
area (average
over 30 years).
WEATHER
The day-to-day
conditions of the
atmosphere
around us (e.g.
how warm,
windy, cloudy,
rainy it is today).
TEMPERATURE
How hot or cold
it is (measured
in degrees
centigrade;
e.g. 12 0 C).
PRECIPITATION
All forms of
water that fall
to earth like
rain, snow and
hail.
RELIEF
The height of
the land. High
lands, like
mountains, have
high relief and
lower lands,
near the sea,
have low relief.
PASTURE
Land left for
grass to grow so
that cattle can
graze.
DAIRY
COWS
Cows kept
mainly to
produce milk.
11

Activity 1: Copy master B SECTION 2
Major Dairy Farming Areas
Average Annual Rainfall Amount 1971–2000
Dairy
farming
areas
Rainfall
amount (mm)
466–740
741–1290
1291–4577
High Ground Relief Map
Average Annual Mean Temperature 1971–2000
High
ground
Over 500 metres
Mean
temperature ( o C)
0.9–7.9
8.0–9.7
9.8–12.0
12

Activity 2: Copy master
Dominoes
SECTION 2
Rainfall varies
throughout
Britain.
The west and
north of Britain
are wetter than
the east.
Rain falls to
the ground.
Water soaks
into soil.
Roots take
up water from
the soil.
Grass needs
water to grow.
Grass grows
better with
more rainfall.
Cows eat grass.
Cows need grass
all year round.
Cows produce
milk.
Milk is needed
all year round.
Cows are milked
at least twice a
day in a milking
parlour or dairy.
Dairy products
are good sources
of protein and
calcium.
Some milk is
used to make
cream, yoghurt
and cheese.
Cheese is made
from milk by
adding starter
cultures and
rennet.
The curd is
pressed to
form the new
cheese.
Most cheeses
need time to
develop flavour.
Cheese may be
stored to allow
it to mature.
Maturing times
can range from
days to over
a year.
Once matured,
cheese can be
transported.
Cheeses are
sent by road,
rail, boat and
plane.
Most cheese is
taken to the
shops by road.
Cheeses can be
sold at markets,
from shops or
online.
Most people
buy their
cheese from
supermarkets.
People store
their cheese in
a fridge at
home.
Cheese is
perishable
(goes off in
time).
Cheeses have
sell-by dates.
Most people in
the UK buy some
cheese at least
once a week.
13

Activity 3: Copy master A SECTION 2
Cheese making is a job. People are employed to
make cheese for you. But although you all eat
cheese, it is unlikely any of you will know anyone
who does this job!
There are three main types of job. These are:
● PRIMARY JOBS – producing raw materials
from the land
● SECONDARY JOBS – or manufacturing, when
raw materials are turned into finished products
that can be sold to the public
● TERTIARY JOBS – or services, where people do
not make any products. These workers provide a
service to the public, or to other workers.
The people described on the cards are all involved
in the production and sale of cheese. Sort the cards
into three piles to show which are primary workers,
secondary workers and tertiary workers.
Now, sort the cards into a flow diagram to show
how the different jobs help towards the final
production of the cheese.
❝ I work on a dairy
farm. I am the
cattle man.
I am in charge of
milking the cows❞
❝I work in a
creamery.
I am responsible for
making cheese❞
❝ I sell cheese
to shops and
caterers❞
❝I sell cheeses in a
grocery shop❞
❝ I drive a lorry and
deliver cheeses
from the creamery
to the shop❞
❝ I work in an office
next to the creamery.
I type out bills and
check the payments
sent to the creamery
from the shop that
we supply❞
❝I work in a factory
making boxes.
Some of our boxes
go to a creamery
for packing their
cheese in❞
❝ I am a logger.
I cut down the trees
that are used in the
box factory❞
❝ I taste the cheese
while it is stored to
make sure it is ready
to be sold❞
14

Activity 3: Copy master B SECTION 2
You sorted the workers who make and sell cheese, then you fitted
them into a flow diagram.
Now sort out these workers into three groups. Next, make your
own flow diagram to show how your school dinner reaches the
plate. Remember that this only shows a small section of all the
different jobs that go to make your dinner!
School
Dinner Lady
AN AMAZING FACT
Queen Victoria was once presented with a drum of Cheddar cheese
that weighed 11cwt (558kg), formed from the milk of over 700 cows.
Worker
in a yoghurt factory
Cattleman
on a dairy farm
Lorry Driver
collecting the milk
Miller
who mills the grain to
make flour
Baker
Bread Van Driver
Plastic
Manufacturer
School Secretary
who collects dinner
money
Wage Clerk
who sends out pay to
school meals staff
15

Activity 4: Copy master SECTION 2
Cheese can be made at any time of
year, but Mark Robertson at the
Northumberland Cheese Company
says demand for his cheeses
increases at certain times of the
year.
1. Look at Graph A opposite
Graph A shows milk production
during the year (spring – mid
summer high)
a. At what time of year is milk
production highest
b. Suggest one reason for this.
AN AMAZING FACT
It takes around 10 litres of milk to
make 1 kilogram of cheese
(Cheddar-type).
million litres
46
44
42
40
38
36
34
32
30
Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
4.25
4.15
Graph A showing MILK production during year
Average daily production of milk in the UK
Graph B showing BUTTERFAT content during year
Average butterfat content of UK milk
2. Look at again at Graph A
a. When do you think would be a
good time for Mark to make
extra cheeses
b. Suggest one reason for this.
AN AMAZING FACT
A Cheddar-type cheese usually
contains 35% fat and 25%
protein.
3. Look at Graphs B & C
opposite
Graph B shows butterfat content
in milk during the year (autumn
high)
Graph C shows protein content
in milk during the year (autumn
high)
a. When do you think would be a
good time for Mark to make
extra cheeses
b. Suggest one reason for this.
4.
a. Was your answer for Question
3 different from your answer
to Question 2
b. Explain why you think your
answer changed.
percentage percentage
4.05
3.95
3.85
3.75
Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
3.50
3.40
3.30
3.20
Graph C showing PROTEIN content during year
Average protein content of UK milk
3.10
Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
AN AMAZING FACT
In 1901, the village of Cheddar was chosen to despatch an
order of 3500lb (1588kg) of cheese to Captain Scott aboard
the ship Discovery, for his famous Antarctic Expedition.
AN AMAZING FACT
The natural colour of cheese ranges from white to pale yellow.
Some cheeses have a natural dye added to create a deeper
yellow/orange colour. The dye comes from the seed of a South
American tree called the Achiote.
16

Activity 5: Copy master
Picturing Mark’s Farm
Mark sent these pictures of the farm where he
makes his cheese. They tell us something about
different aspects of his work. What do they tell you
about what a cheese maker needs to be able to
make cheese
1. Make a list of the things you can see in each
picture – try to be precise.
2. Try to think why each feature might be
important to the success of Mark’s business.
3. If you could have three more photos about
Northumberland Cheese Company cheeses to
gather information from, what would they be
SECTION 2
17

Activity 6: Copy master SECTION 2
Mark Robertson makes his cheeses at
the Northumberland Cheese
Company, at Make me Rich Farm,
Northumberland. He is not the
biggest cheese producer in the world
but his cheeses are in demand in
places as far away as New York. The
map shows some of the places in
which Mark’s cheeses are sold.
18

Activity 7: Copy master SECTION 2
Route to market – follow the directions taken and distances covered
by a cheese from farm to plate.
The milk from Blagdon Farm in Northumberland goes towards
making Coquetdale cheese at the Northumberland Cheese
Company. From there, some is sent to wholesalers who distribute it
to stores. This is where most people buy their cheese. It can be a
long journey!
Cows milked in dairy
500m from fields
Milk stored
50m
Tanker collects milk and takes
to creamery 1km
Milk turned into
cheese in creamery 50m
Cheese stored for maturing
and packing 75m
Cheese taken to wholesaler
warehouse 20km
Cheese stored until required
by stores 50m
Cheese taken to
stores 150km
Stores keep the
cheese 115m
Cheese on display
counter 40m
Cheese selected by customer
and put in basket 40m
Cheese taken home 80m
19

Activity 8: Copy master A
Marketing survey
You are a very important person in the world of cheese
making. The people who eat cheese are called
consumers (you consume, or use up, a product). All
the people who eat cheese in Britain make up the
market. A marketing survey tries to find out what you
think about cheese. Cheese makers need to know
SECTION 2
what kind of cheese you like and why you like it. If
they don’t produce the right kind of cheese, you won’t
buy their product. You might choose another type.
Fill in the sheet by yourself, or with a partner if
you never eat cheese. You can tick as many boxes as
you need to for each question.
1. How often do you eat cheese
❑ a) Once a day ❑ b) Once a ❑ c) More than ❑ d) Less than ❑ e) Never
week once a week once a week
2. When do you eat cheese
❑ a) Breakfast ❑ b) Snack ❑ c) Lunch ❑ d) Teatime/ ❑ e) Other
Dinner
3. How do you eat cheese
❑ a) On its own ❑ b) Sandwiches ❑ c) Hot meals ❑ d) Cold meals ❑ e) Snacks
❑ f) Other
(including
salads)
4. What kind of cheese do you like best
❑ a) Cheddar- ❑ b) Other hard ❑ c) Mozzarella ❑ d) Other soft ❑ e) Blue cheese
type cheese cheese
❑ f) String ❑ g) Cheese ❑ h) Other
cheese
spread
5. How strong do you like your cheese
(some cheeses taste/smell more powerfully than others)
❑ a) Very mild ❑ b) Mild ❑ c) Medium ❑ d) Strong ❑ e) Very strong
6. How do you like your cheese
❑ a) Loose ❑ b) Vacuum- ❑ c) Processed ❑ d) Mini ❑ e) Grated
(cut from block) packed pieces (e.g. triangles/ cheeses/fun
❑ f) Slices ❑ g) Cubed
slices)
shapes
❑ h) Other
7. Who chooses the cheese in your home
❑ a)Parents/ ❑ b) Children ❑ c) You ❑ d) Combination ❑ e) Other
guardians
The most important thing for me when choosing cheese is ...
20

Activity 8: Copy master B
Class average
SECTION 2
The top 3 answers for questions 1– 7 were
1st 2nd 3rd
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
● In comparing my answers to the class averages
the main similarities are…
● The main differences are…
● One reason for this could be…
● Another reason is…
● My best piece of advice to a cheese maker
would be…
Study the pie chart below. Does the kind of cheese
made in the UK reflect the results from your class
survey about what kind of cheese you like to eat
Other Cheeses
including Mozzarella 20.6%
Blue Vein 2.6%
Cheshire, Caerphilly,
Wensleydale, White
Stilton and
Lancashire 3.1%
Double Gloucester,
Leicester, Derby 6.5%
Cheddar 67.2%
UK cheese production by type 2010
(excluding farmhouse manufacture)
21

Activity 9: Copy master
Shop survey
SECTION 2
Name Country of origin Type Protein Fat Cost Weight Cost Use by/
per 100g per 100g kg per kg best
before
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
How many UK cheeses can you find in a
supermarket or shop
Your local supermarket or shop will almost
certainly sell cheese in several forms. They
only sell what people want to buy. If they
stock too many types, some may not sell fast
enough. If they stock too few, people might
go elsewhere for a better choice.
All pre-packed cheese has a ‘Health Mark’.
This is a reference number which is in a small
oval shape on the packaging. This reference
number identifies where the cheese was
packed and allows the product to be traced if
there is any problem with it. See if you can
find the ‘Health Mark’ on the cheese you
looked at.
Add up the total number of different
types of cheese on sale
TOTAL COUNT
22

Activity 10: Copy master SECTION 2
Websearch – controlled links to different ways of
buying cheese. Here are some links you can look at.
You may like to find some of your own.
www.britishcheese.com – go to ‘Members’ page
www.northumberland-cheese.co.uk
www.stiltoncheese.com
www.welshcheese.co.uk
Name of Internet site/shop
1 2 3 4 5
How many cheeses are available
What are the costs (lowest to highest)
What are the delivery costs
What are the delivery times
How do people pay
How are they assured their
transactions are safe
Can you find 10 different cheeses from five different regions of the UK
1 CHEESE REGION
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
AN AMAZING FACT Cheese appears in 32% of British lunchboxes and sandwiches. Cheese
on toast and other bread uses account for more than 60% of all meal occasions featuring cheese.
23

SECTION 3: Glossary of terms
Acidity
The condition of the milk, whey
or cheese curd at various stages
of manufacture, expressed as a
percentage of lactic acid present
in the sample tested.
Bandaging
Covering cheese with a cloth
bandage after pressing, for the
protection of the cheese and
retention of its shape.
Cheddaring
Treatment of the curd
following removal of the whey,
in order to produce a sufficiently
dry, firm and acid
condition for milling.
Country of origin
The country where a product
was made.
Curd
The solid mass formed when
milk is coagulated by rennet.
Dairy establishment
Any undertaking handling
dairy products.
Distribution
The way things are spread out.
Food miles
How far in miles each part of a
food product has to travel to get
to your plate, e.g. a lasagne
made in the UK could contain
flour from Canada, tomatoes
from Spain and cheese from
Italy.
Hazard
A biological, chemical or
physical property that may
cause food to be unsafe for
consumption.
HTST pasteurisation
High Temperature Short
Term continuous flow milk
pasteurisation.
Industry
Extracting, making and selling
products and services to make
a profit (money).
Manufacturing
Making products from raw
materials.
Moulds (hoops, chessles)
Containers of various sizes and
shapes according to the variety
of cheese, into which the milled
curd is placed before pressing.
Perishable
All food products ‘go off’ in
time and must be consumed by
a sell-by date.
Pitching
Setting of the curd to form a
mass in the bottom of the vat
after scalding and before the
whey is run off.
Primary industry
Produces raw materials and
foods from the land or sea.
Includes farming, fishing,
forestry and mining.
Relief
The height and slope of the
land. Low relief means low
altitude and gentle slopes.
Rennet
A substance that curdles milk
in the cheese-making process.
Ripening of cheese
The storing or maturing of
cheeses after removal from the
moulds, under controlled
conditions of temperature and
humidity varying with the
different varieties of cheese.
Ripening of milk
Development of lactic acid prior
to adding rennet.
Secondary industry
Makes goods or prepared
foods from raw materials.
Often manufactured in a
factory.
Starters
Cultures of lactic acidproducing
bacteria which are
added to milk to promote acid
development.
Survey
An investigation or study to
work out trends or patterns in
all aspects of life, e.g. what
people like to buy or which
products are stocked in a shop.
Temperature
How hot or cold the air is.
Measured in degrees Celsius.
Tertiary industry
Does not produce goods or
foods but offers services like
transport or selling (retail).
Whey
The serum or watery part of
the milk that remains after the
separation of the curd by
coagulation.
24

First Published 2004 by Magenta Project Management Ltd
www.magentaonline.co.uk
Updated 2011 © British Cheese Board
CHOOSE
CHEESE
GEOGRAPHY PACK
Useful websites
British Cheese Board: www.britishcheese.com
British Nutrition Foundation: www.nutrition.org.uk
Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural
Affairs): www.defra.gov.uk
Geographical Association: www.geography.org.uk
Google Maps: www.maps.google.co.uk