Key Stage 1: Geography
Geography: Key Stage 1
Curriculum Requirement
Locational knowledge
- name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans
- name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
Place knowledge
- understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country
Human and physical geography
- identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
- use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to:
- key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather
- key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
- use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
- use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
- use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.
Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
National Curriculum in England: primary curriculum, Section: "Subject content", p. 185.
Our World: Continents and Oceans
The world is a giant globe, mostly covered in water. The huge areas of water are called oceans, and the giant pieces of land are called continents.
But Earth is more than just rock and water. The Earth is the only place we know where life exists! Over a very long time, the land and water settled to create the perfect home for living things. Because some parts of our planet are very hot and some are freezing cold, the continents and oceans became full of different landscapes—from snowy mountains and deep blue seas to hot deserts and green jungles. This created thousands of different habitats for all the amazing creatures we share our planet with.
Nature Examples
Amazing Earth Facts
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Our continents and oceans are full of incredible plants and animals!
💡 Fun Facts
- The ocean is home to the biggest animal that has ever lived: the blue whale. It's as long as three school buses!
- The Amazon rainforest, on the continent of South America, is so huge and full of trees that it makes its own rain clouds.
- In the warm oceans, you can find coral reefs. They look like colourful underwater gardens but are actually built by millions of tiny living animals.
- The continent of Antarctica is a giant, icy desert. It is so cold that emperor penguins huddle together in massive groups to keep warm.
- Sea turtles hatch from eggs on sandy beaches (on land) but spend almost their whole lives swimming across the ocean, travelling thousands of miles.
The Seven Continents
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A continent is a massive area of land. There are seven of them.
The continents are:
- Asia
- Africa
- North America
- South America
- Antarctica
- Europe
- Australia
💡 Fun Facts
- Asia is the biggest continent, and more people live there than anywhere else!
- Antarctica is at the very bottom of the world (at the South Pole) and is almost completely covered in ice. It is where penguins live.
- Australia is a continent that is also a single country. It is home to animals like kangaroos and koalas, which you can't find anywhere else.
The Five Oceans
An ocean is a huge body of salty water. There are five oceans that are all connected, but different animals like to live in different parts!
The oceans and their animals:
- Pacific Ocean – home to the Sea Otter and the Giant Octopus.
- Atlantic Ocean – home to the Humpback Whale and the Manatee.
- Indian Ocean – home to the Clownfish and the Great White Shark.
- Southern Ocean – home to the Emperor Penguin and the Leopard Seal.
- Arctic Ocean – home to the Narwhal (the unicorn of the sea!) and the Walrus.
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💡 Fun Facts
- Tiny plants living in the ocean create more than half of the air we breathe on Earth.
- The deepest parts of the ocean are pitch black, so some creatures, like the Anglerfish, make their own light to attract food.
- Many ocean animals migrate; Grey Whales swim thousands of miles every year to move between cold waters for feeding and warm waters to have their babies.
Our Home: The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom (or UK) is the country where we live. It is an island (which means it is surrounded by water) and is actually made up of four smaller countries all joined together!
The Four Countries of the UK
England
England is the largest country in the UK. Its capital city is London.
How to identify:
Its flag is a red cross on a white background, called the St. George's Cross.
💡 Fun Facts
- London is home to the King and has famous landmarks like the London Eye and the Tower of London.
- The River Thames is a very long river that flows through London and out to the sea.
- The national flower of England is the Tudor Rose.
Scotland
Scotland is the country to the north of England. Its capital city is Edinburgh.
How to identify:
Its flag is a white 'X' shape on a blue background, called the St. Andrew's Cross (or the Saltire).
💡 Fun Facts
- Scotland is famous for its mountains (called 'Munros') and deep lakes (called 'Lochs').
- The most famous lake is Loch Ness, which is said to be the home of the Loch Ness Monster!
- The national flower of Scotland is the thistle, a prickly purple flower.
Wales
Wales is the country to the west of England. Its capital city is Cardiff.
How to identify:
Its flag is very easy to spot as it has a giant red dragon on a green and white background.
💡 Fun Facts
- Wales is famous for its beautiful coastline, its many castles, and its mountains.
- The tallest mountain in Wales is called Snowdon (or 'Yr Wyddfa' in Welsh).
- Wales has two national symbols: the daffodil (a yellow spring flower) and the leek (a vegetable).
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is across the Irish Sea, to the west. It shares an island with another country (the Republic of Ireland). Its capital city is Belfast.
How to identify:
Northern Ireland does not have its own official flag, but is often represented by a red hand inside a white star.
💡 Fun Facts
- It is famous for the Giant's Causeway, which is an area on the coast made of thousands of stone columns that look like steps.
- The factory where the famous 'Titanic' ship was built is in Belfast.
- The national symbol is the shamrock, a small green plant with three leaves.
What's it Like There?
When we study geography, we look at two different types of features.
- Physical Features: These are the natural things that have always been there (like mountains, rivers, and forests).
- Human Features: These are the things that people have built (like cities, farms, and shops).
Nature Examples
Key Physical Features
These are the natural parts of our world.
Examples:
hill, mountain, river, coast, forest, sea, beach, soil, valley
💡 Fun Facts
- A hill is a raised bit of land, but a mountain is much, much taller.
- The coast is the special place where the land meets the sea. This can be a sandy beach or a rocky cliff.
- A river is fresh water that flows in a long line across the land towards the sea or a lake.
Key Human Features
These are the places that people have built.
Examples:
city, town, village, farm, house, office, factory, shop, port, harbour
💡 Fun Facts
- A village is usually smaller than a town, and a town is smaller than a city.
- A farm is a place in the countryside where people grow food (like vegetables or wheat) or keep animals (like cows and sheep).
- A port or harbour is a place on the coast where boats and ships can park safely.
Activities & Reflections
Activities
School Fieldwork Hunt
Take pupils on a walk around the school grounds or local area. Give them a sheet with two columns: 'Physical Features' and 'Human Features'. Ask them to draw or write down everything they see and put it in the correct column (e.g., 'tree' in Physical, 'fence' in Human).
Make Your Own Map
Give each pupil a piece of paper. Ask them to draw a 'bird's-eye view' map of their classroom or the playground. They must include a 'key' with symbols for at least three things (e.g., a square for a table, a circle for a bin, a triangle for a tree).
Compass Directions Game
In the school hall or playground, label the four walls with big signs for 'North', 'South', 'East', and 'West'. Play a game (like 'Simon Says') where you shout "Simon says... take 3 steps North!" or "Hop to the East!".
What's the Weather?
Create a simple weather chart for the week. Every day, ask a pupil to be the 'weather watcher' and draw a symbol (sun, cloud, rain) for the morning and afternoon. At the end of the week, talk about what the weather was like.
Reflections
Self-Reflection (Exit Ticket)
On a small piece of paper, ask pupils to draw their favourite 'human feature' and their favourite 'physical feature' they saw on their walk.
Paired Reflection (Think-Pair-Share)
Ask pupils to turn to their partner and tell them the names of the four countries of the United Kingdom and which one they live in.
Group Reflection
In small groups, give pupils a globe or world map. Ask them to find all seven continents. Which one do they think is the biggest? Which one is the smallest?
Whole Class Share-Out
As a class, look at a globe. Point to the Equator (the imaginary line around the middle) and the North and South Poles. Ask: "Do you think it is hotter or colder near the Equator? What about at the Poles? Why?"
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