I've worked in primary teaching for over 10 years and specialise in creating fun and engaging educational resources, particularly for Geography and History.
I've worked in primary teaching for over 10 years and specialise in creating fun and engaging educational resources, particularly for Geography and History.
This set of resources is designed for teaching the KS1 History unit about the Great Fire of London. It is suitable for Year 2 children and more able Year 1 children.
The bundle includes all the planning, lessons and activities necessary to teach the topic. The planning can be downloaded for free here. Lessons include:
L1 - Introduction and timeline activity
L2 - Finding out about the Great Fire of London from Samuel Pepys’ diary
L3 - Sequencing the events of the Great Fire of London
L4 - Understanding why the Great Fire of London spread so quickly
L5 - Exploring how London changed after the Great Fire
L6 - Understanding how fire safety has changed since the Great Fire
Optional FREE lesson:
Unscrambling sentences about the Great Fire of London
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This resource is designed for teaching the Great Fire of London KS1 History unit. You can download the planning for free here. It is suitable for Year 2 children and more able Year 1 children.
The presentation explores how the Great Fire of London gave birth to the very first fire brigades in the late 17th century. It also looks at how fire safety has improved, including changes in our homes and innovations in fire fighting equipment.
There are two differentiated worksheets which challenge children to sort fire safety related pictures and vocabulary into ‘Now’ and ‘Then (1666)’. They include:
a standard activity sheet with eight words/phrases for children to draw and label
an easier activity sheet (with stickers) with ten words/phrases for children to label
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Exploring the United Kingdom, a Geography unit designed for KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-4).
The presentation helps students understand the difference between human and physical geographical features. It then challenges them to classify famous UK landmarks as either human or physical.
There are two engaging activities included:
Partner activity:
Students sort pictures/descriptions of UK landmarks into human and physical geographical features.
Individual activity:
Students match pictures of UK landmarks to their descriptions. This is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students match 8 features to their descriptions.
Medium – Students match 12 features to their descriptions.
Harder – Students write a description of each UK landmark using a word bank.
Extension – Students sort the UK landmarks into human and physical geographical features.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Mountain Environments, a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS2 (Y4-6).
First the presentation introduces some of the most famous mountain ranges from around the world.
The differentiated activity then challenges students to locate the world’s mountain ranges and encourages them to use and explore atlases. It is recommended that students do the activity in pairs.
Easier – Students identify the world’s famous mountain ranges (less writing).
Medium – Students identify the world’s famous mountain ranges (first letter clues)
Harder – Students identify the world’s famous mountain ranges (no clues)
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is designed for KS2 students. It can be taught as a stand alone lesson but is also available as part of two wider units, both of which are available on TES:
-Volcanoes
-Volcanoes & Earthquakes
The presentation investigates the five deadly features of a volcanic eruption including volcanic ash, lava flows, volcanic bombs, pyroclastic flows and mud flows (or ‘lahars’).
The activity challenges students to match pictures of each feature to a description. It is differentiated four ways:
Easier – Students match pictures of the five features of a volcanic eruption to the descriptions.
Medium – Students complete cloze procedure sentences. They then match pictures to each description.
Harder – Students complete cloze procedure sentences. They then match pictures to each description and add a title for each section.
Hardest – Children stick pictures of the five features of a volcanic eruption in their books and write their own description next to each one.
Extension – Which feature of a volcanic eruption do children think is the most deadly? Can they explain their answer?
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
Exploring Brazil is a Geography unit designed for students in KS2 (Y4-6).
The planning overview, topic title page and vocabulary page can be downloaded for free here. Lessons include:
L1 – Identifying the countries and capitals of South America
L2 – Writing a Brazil fact file
L3 – Using 4 and 6-figure grid references to locate Brazilian cities
L4 – Identifying the human and physical features of Brazil
L5 – Exploring Brazil’s ecosystems
L6 – Investigating Brazil’s weather and climate
Each lesson includes a presentation and differentiated activities/worksheets.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of The Seaside, a Geography unit designed for students in KS1 and lower KS2, but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
The presentation takes students on a tour of eight seaside towns and cities around the United Kingdom including: Ayr and St Andrews in Scotland; Aberystwyth in Wales; Blackpool and Newquay in England.
The activity then challenges students to use their map skills to locate these towns and cities on a map of the UK. This can be done using an atlas or the prompt maps included.
Easier - Students label 8 seaside towns and cities using a prompt map.
Medium - Students label 12 seaside towns and cities using a prompt map.
Harder - Students label 12 seaside towns and cities using an atlas.
Extension - Students locate and label 2 further seaside towns and cities from each country of the UK.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This resource is part of Exploring Australia, a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-Y4). All resources are compatible with both Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
First the presentation introduces the concepts of human and physical before looking at some of Australia’s famous landmarks, from the Sydney Opera House to the Great Barrier Reef.
The activity challenges students to look at ten famous geographical features of Australia and identify them as human or physical:
Easier - Students look at each feature and circle human or physical.
Medium - Students draw each feature and circle human or physical.
Harder - Students identify each feature and label as human or physical.
Extension - Students complete a cloze-procedure paragraph about Australia.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Exploring the United Kingdom, a Geography unit designed for KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-4).
This lesson encourages students to identify geographical features found in the city/countryside and think about the similarities and differences between urban and rural areas in the UK.
First the presentation shows small segments of images from around the United Kingdom and challenges students to work out whether they are from the city or countryside.
Children then complete a Venn diagram-based activity which can be done in two ways:
Group activity:
In pairs or trios, children sort images of the city and countryside using a Venn diagram. This can also be done using two PE hoops and makes a nice classroom display.
Individual activity:
Students sort city and countryside vocabulary using a Venn diagram:
Easier – Students sort 12 city/countryside words
Harder – Students sort 18 city/countryside words
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of The Seaside, a Geography unit designed for students in KS1 and lower KS2, but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
The presentation first explains the difference between human and physical geographical features. It then challenges students to identify a range of seaside features (e.g. cliffs, lighthouse, river mouth) and classify them as human or physical.
In the activity, students identify a range of seaside features and classify them as human or physical.
Easier - Students classify seaside features as human or physical.
Medium - Students label seaside features (with initial letter clues) and classify them as human or physical.
Harder - Students label seaside features (no clues) and classify them as human or physical.
Extension - Students unscramble sentences about the seaside.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Understanding Latitude and Longitude, a unit designed for students in upper KS2 and KS3. It can also be taught as a stand-alone lesson.
The presentation introduces the concept of lines of latitude and longitude, including the Equator and Prime Meridian, and goes on to explain their purpose and relationship to Earth’s hemispheres and poles.
In the activity, students have to identify all of these features on diagrams of the Earth. It is differentiated two ways and includes an extension:
Easier – Students have label clues and a vocabulary bank to help them.
Harder – Students have only a vocabulary bank to help them.
Extension – Students fill in the missing words in a text about latitude and longitude.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is designed for KS2 students. It can be taught as a stand alone lesson but is also available as part of three wider units, all of which are available on TES:
-Volcanoes
-Earthquakes
-Volcanoes & Earthquakes
The presentation introduces the idea that the world’s crust is split into tectonic plates and looks at how these are related to volcanoes and earthquakes.
The activity challenges students to identify tectonic plates using a map. It is differentiated two ways:
Easier – Students identify the world’s tectonic plates using a colour-coordinated map.
Harder – Students identify the world’s tectonic plates using a plain map.
Extension – Students use an atlas to find out which tectonic plate countries of the world are located on.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Exploring the United Kingdom, a Geography unit designed for KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-4).
The presentation first explains how every country – just like people – has its own special features and characteristics. It then introduces a variety of famous UK landmarks, sports and foods and challenges students to work out whether each is from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The activity can be done in two ways:
Partner activity:
In mixed ability partners, students match 20 features and characteristics to the four UK countries.
Individual activity:
Students match 20 features/characteristics to the four UK countries.
Easier – Students match features/characteristics to each country (using stickers with labels).
Harder – Students match features/characteristics to each country and label each one (using stickers without labels).
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
Our World is a comprehensive Geography topic about Planet Earth, suitable for KS1 and lower KS2 (Y1-3).
The planning overview, topic title page and vocabulary page can be downloaded for free here. Lessons include:
L1 – Completing a world map jigsaw
L2 – Identifying the continents and oceans of the world (FREE)
L3 – Where do we live?
L4 – Identifying human and natural features of the world
L5 – Investigating satellite photos of famous world landmarks
L6 – Introduction to compass directions
L7 – Identifying world climate zones
L8 – Identifying the countries and capitals of the UK (FREE)
Each lesson includes a presentation and differentiated activities/worksheets.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Understanding Trade, a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS2 (Y5-6).
The presentation starts by recapping what imports and exports are. It goes on to look at the UK’s top ten exports – mainly manufactured products – and the human and physical factors which help UK exports in this area.
In the activity, students use Microsoft PowerPoint to create a table of the UK’s top ten exports. They then use an online chart maker to produce either a pie chart or bar graph to illustrate this data. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students use step-by-step instructions with some data already filled in
Medium – Students use step-by-step instructions
Harder – Minimal instructions – IT experts only!
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Mountain Environments, a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS2 (Y4-6).
First the presentation recaps the structure of the Earth and how its crust is split into tectonic plates. It then investigates the different ways tectonic plates can move and how two tectonic plates colliding can form fold mountains (e.g. the Himalayas).
The differentiated activity challenges students to work out which tectonic plates formed different fold mountain ranges around the world.
Easier – Students have to find one tectonic plate.
Medium – Students have to find two tectonic plates.
Harder – Students find the name of each mountain range and two tectonic plates.
Extension – Students complete a cloze procedure paragraph about fold mountains.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
The Seaside is a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-Y3).
The planning overview, topic title page and vocabulary page can be downloaded for free here. Lessons include:
L1 – Identifying features of the seaside
L2 – Identifying human and physical features of the seaside
L3 – Locating seaside towns and cities of the UK
L4 – Investigating a seaside town - Lyme Regis
L5 – Identifying islands of the United Kingdom
L6 – Investigating what life is like on a small island
L7 - Packing for a seaside holiday
Each lesson includes a presentation and differentiated activities/worksheets.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
This lesson is part of Exploring Brazil, a Geography unit designed for students in KS2 (Y4-6), but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
It takes students on a tour of the geographical features of Brazil. First students investigate a satellite photo of South America. They then look at a map of Brazil itself to see what human and physical features they can spot (e.g. Brazilian cities, Amazon rainforest).
In the activity students identify human and physical features of Brazil. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students label 10 physical features of Brazil.
Medium – Students draw in arrows and label 10 physical features of Brazil.
Harder – Students stick a map of Brazil into their book, draw in arrows and label 10 physical features.
Extension – Students use atlases to also identify 8 Brazilian cities.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
Exploring Spain is a Geography unit suitable for KS2 (Y4-6).
The planning overview, topic title page and vocabulary page can be downloaded for free here. Lessons include:
L1 – Writing a Spain fact file
L2 – Identifying human and physical features of Spain
L3 – Using 8 points of the compass to locate cities in Spain
L4 – Using 4-figure grid references in Spain
L5 – Investigating Spain’s weather and climate
L6 – Taking a tour of Madrid
Optional lesson – Identifying the countries and capital cities of Europe
Each lesson includes a presentation and differentiated activities/worksheets.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.
Understanding Latitude and Longitude is a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS2 and KS3.
The unit contains a sequence of four lessons which are carefully designed to help students understand the key concepts of latitude and longitude and learn the skill of reading coordinates on a world map.
The planning overview and topic title page can be downloaded for free here. Lessons include:
L1 – Introduction to latitude and longitude
L2 – Finding latitude and longitude coordinates on a world map
L3 – Reading latitude and longitude with greater accuracy
L4 – Locating world capital cities using latitude and longitude
Each lesson includes a presentation and differentiated activities/worksheets.
If you like this resource, we would appreciate a review! We will happily send you a free resource in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk.