Students will learn how to interpret height on maps using layer colouring, spot heights and contour lines. It will also help them to draw cross sections of contour maps. Firstly the students are introduced to the different ways in which height can be shown on maps. Then they will complete the layer colouring activity in the map skills booklets, answers are included in the lesson PowerPoint. Next students will undertake two activities that involve matching contour lines to hill shapes to help develop their understanding of relief. After that there are 3 cross-section activities to complete in the map skills booklets, answers are included in the lesson PowerPoint.

In this lesson students will learn how to measure straight line distance and actual distance. Firstly, the students will learn how to measure straight line distance using the map skills booklet and the Cambridge maps (I have enclosed a copy but you will need to enlarge them so 2cm =1km). Next, there is a video and an explanation of how to measure straight line distances, accompanied by a series of Cambridge map questions. After that there are two more scale questions, also included in the map skills booklet. Answers to all activities are included in the PowerPoint.

This lesson builds students knowledge from 4 to 16 point compass directions. It also teaches students to describe places in relation to one another. There are two quizzes which test pupil understanding one about skull island, which also test understanding of the use of map symbols and the other using direction to draw a symbol. A map skills booklet accompanies this lesson

In this lesson pupils will learn about OS map symbols. There is a workbook to accompany this series of lessons. Map symbol cards are included in the lesson. I usually cut these up and get the whole class involved in amass card sort, matching up the cards and the symbols. This can be repeated to consolidate pupil’s understanding of map symbols. A the end there is a map symbol quiz.

Students are introduced to the threats to the Amazon rainforest before being introduced to a sustainable development scheme- the Central Amazonian Conservation Complex. Students take notes from the worksheet in order to identify what happens in each zone. The plenary is an opinion line evaluating the success of the scheme.

This is a lovely decision making exercise. there are 3 plans to develop the rainforest in Madagascar. pupils have to outline each scheme before designing criteria to judge the schemes on. Finally they need to write a paragraph to justify their choice of scheme and rejection of other schemes. There is a writing frame to support this. The plenary asks the pupils to consider and develop a compromise.

This is a series of 3 lessons during which the students will research groups involved in rainforest exploitation and preservation. There are role play cards outlining the characters and a writing frame to support speech writing. There is a mark scheme which you can adapt to your schools Key Stage 3 assessment strategy. At the end there is an opinion line for pupil to consider their opinions about rainforest exploitation and preservation.

This resource gives the template to create a website on PowerPoint with hyperlinks between the different pages. Pupils can use this as a project over the course of 2-3 lessons in an ICT room

The starter is a rainforest plant adaptation card sort. Students are then introduced to animal adaptations. They are then given a wide range of plant images. They have to chose one image and explain how the plant has adapted to living in the rainforest. Pupils then need to pick from a list of adaptations and design a plant, which they can then make. Once complete they need to annotate it with adaptations to living in the rainforest. Finally there is a Venn diagram comparing the rainforest to the UK.

This lesson introduces animals that have adapted to their environment and then asks the students to apply the adaptation strategy to plants in the rainforest. they are given fact cards on epiphytes, trunks and bark, roots and leaves to take notes on. Finally there is a rainforest plant card sort which matches adaptations, with explanations and photos of plant features, to test the students understanding.

Pupils are introduced to the concept of food webs and shown a range of diagrams. They are then split into groups. Each group is given a set of images of rainforest animals. They then need to use the internet to research what the animals eat and to classify them into herbivores, carnivores etc. before sticking them down and creating their own food web. There is a plenary bingo activity to tests the students understanding of the key terminology used in the lesson.

Students will learn about the rainforest climate. they will complete a climate graph and annotate its features. Pupils will summarise the characteristics before using a writing frame to describe the climate.

This lesson introduces the rainforest location, with a writing frame for locating the forest. It then uses a guided fantasy (story telling) to create a sense of place. There are diagrams and descriptions of the layers of the rainforest. Finally there is a plenary quiz.

This lesson includes a range of maps, photos and facts which tell the story of the andesitic eruption in 1991. Pupils can take notes to build up their case study of the eruption.

This includes two lessons, the first involves students researching the different volcanic hazards including lava, gas, pyroclastic flow, tsunami, landslides, lahars and tephra. there is also a plate margin Venn diagram to use as a starter to test student’s knowledge of each plate margin. In the next lesson pupils will present their findings to the rest of the class. there is a PowerPoint presentation including photos and diagrams of the hazards to support if student research is not quite detailed enough.

This lesson starts by identifying the characteristics of a volcano and how a volcano erupts. There are facts, photos, maps and diagrams about each types of volcano, these are categorised as basaltic, andesitic and rhyolitic. There are also details of other ways in which volcanoes can be categorised e.g. volcano explosivity scale (VEI). There is also a note taking sheet and a card sort to consolidate students knowledge of the different volcano types.

This lesson explains clearly how island chains are formed. It incorporates a wide range of maps and diagrams. there is a word bank and writing frame to help students structure their explanation. in addition students can use atlases to recognise and locate island chains.