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 lesson is part of Understanding Trade, a Geography unit designed for students in upper KS2 (Y5-6).
First the presentation asks students to consider how everyday products arrive in our supermarkets. It then introduces and explains the concept of supply chains, looking specifically at the chocolate supply chain. There are two activities:
Group Activity:
The group activity challenges students to order the chocolate supply chain.
Writing Activity:
An accompanying writing activity is based on ‘The Story of Our Chocolate Journey’ (available on YouTube). It challenges students to sequence and explain the processes involved in the chocolate supply chain. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students use a writing frame.
Harder – Students write in an exercise book using a vocabulary prompt.
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).
In the lesson, students learn about the four seasons and characteristics associated with each. First they have to guess each season using different clues. They then find out about the different types of weather associated with each season.
The colourful activity is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students match 16 pictures (with labels) to the seasons.
Medium – Students match 20 pictures (with labels) to the seasons.
Harder – Students match 20 pictures to the seasons and label them.
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 gives students a chance to find out all about Brazil. The presentation introduces key vocabulary (e.g. population, currency) and then asks students what they know about Brazil and how they could find out more.
There are two activities:
Research Activity:
Students research Brazil using information sources (e.g. information books or suggested websites).
Easier – Students research famous landmarks, people, wildlife and Brazilian food.
Harder – Students choose their own topics to research.
Extension: – Students draw pictures for each topic or find appropriate images online.
Writing Activity:
Students write a fact file using the information they have found.
Easier – Students write about famous landmarks, people, wildlife and Brazilian food.
Harder – Students write about their own topics.
Extension – Students draw pictures or stick photos into the boxes for each topic.
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.
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.
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
First the presentation locates the Caribbean island of Montserrat. It then looks in detail at the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano from 1995-99 and the devastating impact on the island.
There are two activities which accompany this lesson, plus extension activities:
Quiz Activity:
Video quiz activity which can be done in pairs/groups.
Writing Activity:
Students write a volcano fact file about the Soufriere Hills volcanic eruptions. This is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students have statements to stick or copy into their fact file.
Medium – Students have a sequenced vocabulary prompt to scaffold their writing.
Harder – Students have an unsequenced vocabulary prompt to support their writing.
Extension – Students complete a cloze procedure text about the eruptions of Soufriere Hills.
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 introduces the concept of highest value exports. It then draws a link between a country’s highest value export and its human and physical resources (e.g. transport links, oil reserves). Four example countries and their highest value export are then looked at in more detail.
In the activity, students are challenged to identify the highest value exports and GDP/capita of countries around the world using Google Maps/atlases and an online map. The activity is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students identify highest value exports of 25 countries
Medium – Students identify highest value exports and GDP/capita of 25 countries
Harder – Students identify highest value exports and GDP/capita of 30 countries
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).
N.B. Ideally students have a grounding in latitude and longitude prior to this lesson. The unit Understanding Latitude & Longitude is an ideal introduction to the topic.
First the presentation introduces students to latitude and longitude and goes through how to find the coordinates of a point step-by-step. It then asks students to find the latitude and longitude of several world capital cities.
The activity and extension then challenge children to locate famous world mountains using their latitude and longitude:
Easier - Students locate 12 famous world mountains using latitude and longitude.
Harder - Students locate 16 famous world mountains using latitude and longitude.
Extension - Students add more famous mountains to their world map using latitude and longitude 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 part of Exploring Spain, a Geography unit designed for upper KS2 students (Y4-6), but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
First the presentation covers key vocabulary (e.g. population, currency). It then locates Spain within Europe, asks students what they know about Spain and challenges them to think of ways to find out more.
There are two activities:
Research Activity:
Students research Spain using information sources (e.g. information books or suggested websites).
Easier – Students research famous landmarks, people, wildlife and Spanish food.
Harder – Students choose their own topics to research.
Extension: – Students draw pictures for each topic or find appropriate images online.
Writing Activity:
Students write a fact file using the information they have found.
Easier – Students write about famous landmarks, people, wildlife and Spanish food.
Harder – Students write about their own topics.
Extension – Students draw pictures or stick photos into the boxes for each topic.
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 is a great introduction to South America. The presentation first locates the continent on a world map and then explores its political and physical geography.
There is a choice a shorter or a longer activity. In both, students identify the countries and capitals of South America. They are differentiated three ways:
Activity 1 (shorter):
Easier – Students have letter clues for countries and capitals marked on their map.
Medium – Students have capitals marked on their map.
Harder – Students have to mark capitals on their map themselves.
Extension – Students identify the capital cities of each country.
Activity 2 (longer):
Easier – Students have boxes for each country name and capitals marked on their map.
Medium – Students have capitals marked on their map.
Harder – Students have a blank map and have to mark their capitals themselves.
Extension – Students add other features to their map (e.g. Amazon rainforest) and complete a key.
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 Investigating Rivers, a unit designed for upper KS2 (Y4-6).
It investigates rainfall patterns in the UK and how flooding can occur when too much rain falls in a short period of time. Students also explore the consequences of too little rain – i.e. drought – and the effects this can have.
In the comprehension activity, students answer questions based on a text called ‘Floods and Droughts’. It is differentiated two ways:
Easier - Students answer standard comprehension questions.
Harder - Students answer trickier comprehension questions.
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 Investigating Rivers, a unit designed for upper KS2 (Y4-6).
First the presentation looks at sources of water and highlights the importance of this critical resource. It then introduces the main processes of the water cycle including key concepts such as evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
The activity then challenges students to label a diagram of the water cycle. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students have all the label clues.
Medium – Students have only four label clues.
Harder – Students have no label clues.
Extension – Students complete a cloze procedure paragraph about the water cycle.
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.
This lesson gives students a chance to consolidate the skills the have learned in the unit so far. The presentation first encourages students to estimate latitude and longitude and then challenges them to work out the coordinates of several capital cities.
The activity can be used as an assessment tool for the unit or done in partners to promote discussion and sharing of ideas. There is also an extension activity.
Activity – Students identify world capital cities using latitude and longitude clues.
Extension – Students locate and label 6 more capital cities on their world map and answer further challenge questions.
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 Spain, a Geography unit designed for upper KS2 students (Y4-6), but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
In the presentation students embark on a tour of Madrid, learning interesting facts about Spain’s capital city along the way. They visit sites including the famous Royal Palace, the Sun Gate and the Santiago Bernabeú Stadium, home of Real Madrid.
The lesson has two activities:
Quiz activity:
Students use an online encyclopedia to answer questions about Madrid.
Guided tour writing activity:
Students give their very own guided tour of Madrid.
Easier – Students write a guided tour of Madrid using a writing frame.
Harder – Students write a guided tour of Madrid by sticking images into their exercise books.
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 Spain, a Geography unit designed for upper KS2 students (Y4-6), but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
In the presentation students recap the 8 points of the compass and locate Spanish cities using these compass directions. They also learn how to locate cities in relation to each other (e.g. Valencia is north of Alicante).
The activity challenges students use all 8 compass directions to locate Spanish cities. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students locate Spanish cities (with answer clues + cities marked on the map)
Medium – Students locate Spanish cities (with answer clues)
Harder – Students locate Spanish cities (no answer clues)
Extension – Students locate Spanish cities in relation to each other.
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 an ideal introduction to compass directions for younger children.
It is part of Our World, a Geography unit designed for students in KS1 and lower KS2 (Y1-3), but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson.
The presentation introduces the four cardinal points of the compass (North, East, South and West). It then challenges students to describe the position of objects using these compass directions.
The activity worksheets are differentiated two ways:
Easier – Students describe the position of objects using compass directions (simple questions).
Harder – Students describe the position of objects using compass directions (mixed questions).
Extension – Students fill in the blanks on a compass using different vocabulary.
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 Exploring the United Kingdom, a Geography unit designed for KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-4).
First the presentation introduces children to the flags of the United Kingdom and their names.
Students then complete one of two differentiated activity worksheets:
Easier – Students complete cloze procedure sentences about UK flags (with clues)
Harder – Students complete cloze procedure sentences about UK flags (no clues)
Extension – Students colour in the three UK national flags which together make up the Union Jack.
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.
This fun jigsaw activity is a great geography resource for reinforcing children’s knowledge of the world.
It is also available as part of the Our World topic, an introduction to the geography of Planet Earth for KS1 and lower KS2
The presentation introduces students to a map of the world and highlights physical features including the continents, oceans, rivers and mountain ranges.
The jigsaw puzzle activity is differentiated six ways. The age brackets below are a rough guide:
6 pieces – EYFS
12 pieces – EYFS/Y1
24 pieces – Y1/2/3
36 pieces – Y2/3/4
48 pieces – Y3/4/5
60 pieces – Y4/5/6
A guide map is included for students in Early Years and KS1. Challenge more able KS2 students to complete the puzzle without the guide map.
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.