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Lower Key Stage 2 Mountains, Rivers and Coasts
Mountains - what are they?

Become an enthusiastic mountain expert! Locate the highest peaks, identify mountain ranges, and research key facts about these. Create 3D mountain models and create presentations to share expertise.

block outcomes

Session 1 The 7 summits

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Objectives

Geography

  • To use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied.
  • To name and locate the world’s seven continents (KS1).

History

  • To study an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.

Lesson Planning

Using an atlas, locate the highest peaks in each of the 7 continents, identify to which mountain ranges they belong and in which countries the ranges are.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To locate, using an atlas, the highest peaks in each of the 7 continents
  • To identify to which mountain range they belong and which countries the ranges are in.
  • To consider the achievements of mountaineers such as Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

Children will:

  • Identify the different continents of the world.
  • Use an atlas to locate large mountain ranges and the highest peaks in each continent.
  • Begin to consider dangerous challenge of mountain climbing, what some people have achieved and why they might have chosen to undertake such a challenge.

Provided Resources

  • World Map
  • World Map Outline
  • The World’s Highest Peaks

You Will Need

  • A globe
  • Atlases
  • Coloured pens

Session 2 How are mountains formed?

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Objectives

Geography

  • To describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including mountains and volcanoes.

Lesson Planning

Discover how mountain ranges are formed and begin to understand the composition of the earth.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To begin to understand how the mountain ranges of the world were formed
  • To understand the composition of the earth: crust, mantle and core.

Children will:

  • Understand that mountains are formed in a number of ways.
  • Know that the Earth’s crust is made of plates.
  • Begin to consider how the land on the Earth has changed over time.
  • Understand that volcanoes are a type of mountain & study how they are formed.
  • Begin to understand the composition of the earth – crust, mantle & core..

You Will Need

  • A globe or atlas
  • 5 hard-boiled eggs (with the shells still on)

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Session 3 Mountain climates

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Objectives

Geography

  • To describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including mountains and volcanoes.
  • To identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, the Equator, the northern and southern hemispheres.
  • The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.

Science

  • To find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (air) (KS1).
  • To explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow).

Lesson Planning

Learn the correct geographical language to describe the features of mountains and find out about mountain climates.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To use geographical language to describe some features of mountain ranges and the climate experienced there.
  • To understand that we breathe oxygen from the air and that there is less oxygen in the air at high altitude.

Children will:

  • Use and understand the terms ‘snowline’ and ‘treeline’
  • Begin to understand mountain climates and how altitude affects living conditions
  • Understand that we breathe oxygen from the air and that there is less oxygen at high altitude.
  • Begin to understand the significance of the Equator and the Tropics and identify their positions.

Provided Resources

  • Mountain climates fact sheet
  • Mountain diagram
  • Mountain climates missing words game
  • Mountain climates missing words answers
  • Snowline chart
  • Mountain ranges of the world map

You Will Need

You do not need any particular resources for this session.

Session 4 The Andes or the Alps

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Objectives

Geography

  • To describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including mountains and volcanoes.
  • To locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
  • To identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, the Equator, the northern and southern hemispheres, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the Arctic and Antarctic Circle.

Computing

  • Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content.

Lesson Planning

Research and understand the key physical features of the Alps or the Andes.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To use maps, atlases, non-fiction books and the internet to research and understand key physical features of the Alps or the Andes.
  • To safely use the internet to research facts about their mountain range.

Children will:

  • Use the internet and non-fiction books to research the Andes or the Alps mountain ranges.
  • Name and locate the countries in which the mountain ranges are found.
  • Describe some key features of both mountain ranges (including the highest peak)
  • Decide how best to present their information.

Provided Resources

  • Mountain ranges of the world map
  • Mountain research questions

You Will Need

  • Atlases
  • Information books about mountain ranges

Session 5 Making a mountain range

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Objectives

Design and Technology

  • To select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.
  • To select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
  • To apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures.

Geography

  • To describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including mountains and volcanoes.

Lesson Planning

Recreate an area of either the Andes or the Alps mountain ranges in a 3D model.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To select materials to create a 3D mountain range and to begin to consider how best to strengthen the structure.
  • To demonstrate an understanding of the key aspects and details of mountain ranges when creating and describing a model mountain range.

Children will:

  • Choose an area of either the Andes or the Alps mountain ranges to recreate in a 3D model.
  • Plan how best to build the model, and which resources would best suit the task.
  • Consider key features that need to be included in their model, including snowline and vegetation.

You Will Need

You do not need any particular resources for this session.

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Session 6 Presenting your findings

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Objectives

Geography

  • To describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including mountains and volcanoes.
  • To locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
  • To understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of physical geography of a region in Europe and a region within North or South America.

English

  • To write for a range of real purposes and audiences as part of their work across the curriculum.

Lesson Planning

Use your model to present an instructional presentation that showcases your expert knowledge of the Alps or the Andes mountain ranges.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To demonstrate an understanding of the key aspects of mountains and mountain ranges and to begin to consider the similarities and differences between the Alps and the Andes.
  • To create a presentation for an audience about their mountain range.

Children will:

  • Present information about a mountain range.
  • Consider the similarities and differences between the two mountain ranges.
  • Demonstrate an ability to name and locate the countries within which the mountain ranges fall.
  • Use geographical language to describe some of the key features of mountains.

Provided Resources

This session does not need any provided resources.

You Will Need

  • A projector for presentations (optional)

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

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