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 a wider cross-curricula unit called London Zoo which is designed for KS1 and lower KS2 students (Y2-4).
The colourful presentation introduces students to some of the animal groups children might see at London Zoo including mammals, fish, insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
The activity then takes students on a tour of the zoo and challenges them to record the animals they would see at different points in their journey. It is differentiated two ways:
Easier – Students identify 20 different animals (with first-letter clues).
Harder – Students identify 20 different animals (no clues).
N.B. The activity worksheet can be photocopied to A3 size to allow for children with larger handwriting.
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 a wider unit called Exploring St Lucia and is designed to teach KS2 students about a contrasting non-European country.
The presentation explores the main geographical features of St Lucia and asks students to categorise these into human and physical.
The activity then challenges students to identify these features on a map of St Lucia. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students identify human & physical features of St Lucia (with clues)
Medium – Students identify human & physical features of St Lucia (no clues)
Harder – Students identify human & physical features of St Lucia (no clues and students also have to draw arrows)
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 a wider unit called Exploring St Lucia and is designed to teach KS2 students about a contrasting non-European country.
It first introduces St Lucia and the wider Caribbean area, helping students to locate the island within the wider world.
The activity then challenges students to identify St Lucia and other islands in the Caribbean. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students identify 8 countries (with first-letter clues).
Medium – Students identify 10 countries and 3 seas/oceans (with first-letter clues).
Harder – Students identify 10 countries and 3 seas/oceans (no clues).
Extension – Students complete a cloze procedure text about the location of St Lucia.
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 a wider cross-curricula unit called London Zoo which is designed for KS1 and lower KS2 students (Y2-4).
The presentation first introduces students to grid references. It then challenges them to give grid references for animals on a map of London Zoo.
In the activity, students are challenged to describe the position of animals at London Zoo using grid references. It is differentiated two ways:
Easier – Students have six colour coded questions so they can locate animals easily.
Harder – Students have to find the animals themselves.
Extention – Students find the grid references of other locations at the zoo (e.g. the gift shop).
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 resource is part of Tropical Rainforests, a Geography unit designed for students in KS2, but can also be taught as a stand alone lesson. All resources are compatible with both Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
The presentation starts by recapping the issue of deforestation and its detrimental impact on rainforests around the world. It then challenges students to think of practical ways we can all help protect tropical rainforests (e.g. buying sustainable products, using less paper).
Next, it introduces some of the charities working to save the world’s tropical rainforests including the Rainforest Trust and WWF. If your students wish to organise a fundraising event, there are lots of ideas and inspiration.
For their activity, students create a ‘Save the Rainforests’ poster to advertise your fundraising event and/or raise awareness of ways we can all help protect tropical rainforests.
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 a wider cross-curricula unit called London Zoo which is designed for KS1 and lower KS2 students (Y2-4).
The engaging presentation takes students on a journey through the main events in the London Zoo’s history, from its founding by Sir Stamford Raffles to the arrival of Winnie the bear (the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh) and also more recent developments such as the opening of Tiger Territory.
The timeline activity reinforces this learning by encouraging students to place these events in chronological order. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students place 8 events on the timeline (using stickers)
Medium – Students write 8 events on a timeline with dates
Harder – Students write 8 events on a timeline without dates
N.B. It is recommended that the activity sheets are photocopied to A3 size to fit the stickers and allow for children with larger handwriting.
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 a wider cross-curricula unit called London Zoo which is designed for KS1 and lower KS2 students (Y2-4).
The engaging presentation first introduces students to compass directions. It then challenges them to describe the location of animals at London Zoo using north, east, south and west.
In the activity, students describe the position of animals at London Zoo using compass directions. It is differentiated two ways:
Easier – Students have colour coded questions so they can locate animals quickly.
Harder – Students have to find the animals themselves.
Extension – Students are challenged to state the position of animals in relation to other animals (e.g. The owls are north of the gibbons).
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 a wider Geography unit called Great Missenden – A Village Settlement which is designed for students in upper KS2 (Y4-6).
This lesson is the last in the unit and is ideally done after the fifth lesson – Surveying Great Missenden High Street using Google Street View.
The presentation briefly outlines the RICEPOTS system for categorising land use. It then introduces students to a survey map showing land use in Great Missenden High Street.
The activity challenges students to interpret information from the survey. In the extension activity students complete a bar chart showing land use on Great Missenden High Street.
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 part of a wider Geography unit called Great Missenden – A Village Settlement which is designed for students in upper KS2 (Y4-6).
First the presentation introduces students to satellite photos. It then challenges them to use their detective skills to identify various human and physical geographical features in and around Great Missenden.
In the writing activity, students try to identify features in satellite photos of Great Missenden, explaining the reasoning behind their ideas. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Student identify one feature in each satellite photo.
Medium – Student identify two features in each satellite photo.
Harder – Student identify three features in each satellite photo.
Extension - Students sort the features they have found in the satellite photos 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 a wider Geography unit called Great Missenden – A Village Settlement which is designed for students in upper KS2 (Y4-6).
First the presentation reminds students how to find grid references. It then challenges them to locate various geographical features in Great Missenden using 4-figure grid references.
In the activity, children locate features of Great Missenden using grid-references. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students locate features of Great Missenden using 4-figure grid references (with clues).
Medium – Students locate features of Great Missenden using 4-figure grid references (no clues).
Harder – Students locate features of Great Missenden using 6-figure grid references.
Extension – Students complete sentences using compass directions to describe the location of features of Great Missenden 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 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 simple set of activities is a great way for students to sharpen their map skills and learn the location of the states of the USA.
The worksheets can be used as an introduction to the geography of the US for younger students or to revise core geographical knowledge with older students. The states are even numbered in the order in which they joined the Union! There are three activities:
Activity 1:
Students write numbers on a map to identify each US state.
Activity 2:
Students use an atlas or map and write in the full name of each US state.
Activity 3:
Students use state abbreviations to write in the full name of each US state.
For more Geography and History resources, check out our TES shop.
If you like this resource, please review it. We will happily send you a free resource of your choice in return for a review or useful suggestions/feedback. Contact us at ed@teachitforward.co.uk
This is the free planning overview for Our World, a comprehensive introduction to the geography of Planet Earth. A vocabulary page and topic title page are also included.
This unit is designed for students in KS1 and lower KS2 (Y1-3) and includes a variety of engaging lessons, differentiated activities and worksheets.
All the resources described in the planning are available on TES, either individually or as a bundle. 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)
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 is a simple matching activity to help children recognise and identify the continents of the world. It is suitable for children in KS1 & KS2.
This resource works well with the World map jigsaw and Continents and oceans of the world.
It can also be used to play Pelmanism, a fun game which promotes concentration and memory skills.
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 free lesson is an ideal introduction to the geography of the British Isles for students in KS1 and KS2. It is also part of Exploring the United Kingdom, a Geography unit designed for KS1 and lower KS2 (Y2-4).
The colourful presentation teaches students the countries, capitals and seas of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The activity worksheets are differentiated four ways:
Easier – Students identify the countries & capitals of the UK and Ireland (with a map prompt).
Medium – Students identify the countries & capitals of the UK and Ireland (with vocab & map prompt).
Harder – Students identify the countries & capitals of the UK and Ireland (with vocab but no map prompt).
Hardest – Students identify the countries, capitals and seas of the UK and Ireland (no vocab or map 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 a wider unit called Exploring St Lucia and is designed to teach KS2 students about a contrasting non-European country.
The presentation introduces the students to satellite photos. It then challenges them to use their detective skills to identify the various human and physical geographical features of St Lucia.
It is accompanied by a writing-based activity which challenges students to identify the features in the satellite photos and explain their reasoning. It is differentiated three ways:
Easier – Students identify 1 feature per satellite photo.
Medium – Students identify 2 features per satellite photo.
Harder – Students identify 3 features per satellite photo.
Extension – Students sort the features they have found into human and physical.
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 a wider unit called Exploring St Lucia and is designed to teach KS2 students about a contrasting non-European country.
First the presentation introduces students to the directions of the compass. It then helps them to locate places in St Lucia using compass directions – first using the four cardinal points (N, E, S, W), then also using the four ordinal points (NE, SE, SW, NW).
The accompanying activity gives students a chance to locate places in St Lucia using the points of the compass. It is differentiated two ways.
Easier – Students locate places using the eight points of the compass (with compass direction hints).
Harder – Students locate places using the eight points of the compass (no compass direction hints).
Extension – Students complete another compass direction challenge.
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).
First the presentation introduces the banana trade and the concept of ‘supply chains’. Students are then challenged to sequence the banana supply chain in a group activity.
The Banana Split game, produced by Cafod, is then introduced. This is a great way to help children understand the uneven distribution of power and money in the supply chains of many of every day foods. There is also an activity sheet for students to complete as they progress through the game.
Finally the Fairtrade movement is introduced as a way for consumers to improve the conditions of workers in developing countries around the world. In the plenary, Fairtrade is also linked to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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.