Geography: Teaching and Learning

At Zouch Academy, we provide a high-quality Geography curriculum that is carefully designed to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills, understanding and subject-specific vocabulary. Our curriculum is thoughtfully sequenced to ensure that learning builds progressively across all year groups, enabling children to deepen their geographical understanding year on year.

Through the study of Geography, we aim to inspire curiosity and a lifelong interest in the world around us. Pupils explore a wide range of physical and human geographical features at local, national and global scales, developing an appreciation of the diverse environments, cultures and communities that shape our world.

Children learn about different regions, countries and continents, developing their understanding of how places are connected and interdependent. They make meaningful comparisons between locations, considering similarities and differences in landscapes, climates, populations, economies and ways of life. Through this, pupils gain a deeper understanding of global relationships and the ways in which people and environments influence one another across the world.

Lesson Structure

Geography is taught regularly throughout the academic year. Pupils receive a Geography lesson each week during the term in which it is taught. Through carefully planned units of work, learning builds upon prior knowledge and supports clear progression across each key stage. At the beginning of each lesson, pupils are challenged to recall and retrieve key knowledge from previous learning. This regular retrieval practice helps to strengthen understanding, embed important geographical concepts and vocabulary, and support long-term retention of knowledge.

Year Group Unit Overview

Year 1

United Kingdom
  • Explore the local area and where we live.
  • Learn key vocabulary including town, county and country.
  • Develop an understanding of the countries of the UK.

 

Our World
  • Explore the frozen regions of the world.
  • Learn about the Arctic and Antarctica.
  • Understand how climate shapes environments.
  Forests and Woodlands
  • Investigate local woodland habitats.
  • Identify physical and human features.
  • Explore how people interact with woodland environments.

 

Year Group Unit Overview

Year 2

 Continents and Oceans
  • Name and locate the world's continents and oceans.
  • Explore seas and oceans and their features.
  • Develop locational knowledge and map skills.

 

 Homes Around the World
  • Explore different homes and settlements globally.
  • Compare weather and climates.
  • Understand how environments influence lifestyles.
  Africa: Kenya
  • Study Kenya and the continent of Africa.
  • Explore human and physical features.
  • Compare life in Kenya and the UK

 

Year Group Unit Overview

Year 3

 Treetop Explorers
  • Explore forests around the world.
  • Learn about climates and ecosystems.
  • Understand the importance of forests.

 

 Food Sources
  • Investigate where food comes from.
  • Learn about agriculture and climate.
  • Explore food production around the world.
  Rivers
  • Study rivers across the globe.
  • Learn key river features and processes.
  • Understand their importance to people and places.

 

Year Group Unit Overview

Year 4

 South America: Brazil
  • Explore the geography and culture of Brazil.
  • Study human and physical features.
  • Compare Brazil with the UK.

 

 Mountains
  • Learn about major mountain ranges.
  • Focus on Nepal and the Himalayas.
  • Understand how mountains shape environments.
  The Amazon
  • Study the Amazon River and rainforest.
  • Explore biodiversity and conservation.
  • Understand environmental challenges.

 

Year Group Unit Overview

Year 5

 Cartography
  • Learn about map-making through history.
  • Explore changing perceptions of the world.
  • Develop advanced mapping skills.

 

 Extreme Environments
  • Investigate some of the world's most extreme places.
  • Explore how people adapt and survive.
  • Understand environmental challenges.
  The USA
  • Study North America with a focus on New York.
  • Explore physical and human geography.
  • Compare locations in the USA with the UK.

 

Year Group Unit Overview

Year 6

 Salisbury to London
  • Compare London with Salisbury. 
  • Explore transport, population and land use.
  • Identify similarities and differences between locations.

 

 Around the World
  • Explore global travel and trade.
  • Learn about time zones.
  • Understand global connections and interdependence.
  Natural Disasters
  • Study earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis.
  • Investigate causes and impacts.
  • Learn how communities respond to disasters.

Geography Beyond the Classroom

If you would like to continue exploring Geography with your child at home. Here are some useful websites and places to explore:

National Geographic Kids
BBC Bitesize Geography
Google Earth
DK Find Out! Geography
Ordnance Survey MapZone

Geography Activities at Home

  • Explore maps and atlases to locate countries, continents and oceans.
  • Use Google Earth to visit famous landmarks around the world.
  • Compare the weather in the UK with another country.
  • Research a country and create a fact file about its people, culture and environment.
  • Plan a journey using maps and identify human and physical features along the route.
  • Learn about different habitats, ecosystems and natural landscapes.
  • Discuss current world events and locate the countries involved on a map.
  • Create a travel brochure for a place you would like to visit.
  • Go to a local library and explore travel brochures, atlases and encyclopaedias.