Greece Today

Bring modern Greece to life through exploration and comparison with these ready-to-teach Geography lessons for your Year 5 and Year 6 children! Pupils will locate Greece on a world map using key geographical terms and explore its physical features, including mountains, islands, rivers and coastlines. They will compare Greece’s Mediterranean climate with that of the UK, investigate how its landscape influences land use and settlements, and explore key economic activities like tourism and trade. The unit ends with a comparison of the human and physical geography of Greece and the UK, developing pupils’ global understanding through enquiry and real-world context.

Each lesson pack within this Greece Today KS2 Geography scheme includes a detailed plan, a set of engaging and informative PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources to support children in their independent learning.

A Knowledge Organiser is available to support the learning in this scheme. It is included in the Complete Series download or can be purchased individually.

You may also like our Ancient Greece Topic Bundle – great if you're looking for a cross-curricular approach to your teaching! 

The Location of Greece

In this first lesson, children will explore where Greece is in the world by using world and European maps. They will identify its neighbouring countries, surrounding seas, and key locations like Athens and Crete. Pupils will also learn how to describe Greece’s position using compass directions, hemispheres, and latitude and longitude.

In their independent activities, children will label key features and complete sentences to show their understanding, and apply their knowledge to identify accurate geographical facts about the country.

This lesson pack includes a detailed plan, a set of informative PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources to support your class's independent learning.

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Physical Geography

In this lesson, children first look at the difference between political and physical maps. They will then explore a physical map of Greece together, looking at the key physical features of Greece, including major mountain ranges, rivers, island groups, and the extensive coastline.

Children will mark these features on a map of Greece, and record some facts about them. In the alternative activity, children decide and explain which type of Greek landscape they would choose to live in: a mountainous village, an island or a coastal town.

Everything you need for this lesson is included in this ready-to-teach pack - a detailed plan, a set of PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources.

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Comparing Climates

After recapping on their understanding of Greece’s location and physical geography using maps and a word bank, children will learn the difference between weather and climate, and explore why different parts of the world have different climates.

Your class will be introduced to the Köppen Climate Classification system, and then compare the climates of Greece and the UK. They will interpret climate graphs for Athens and London, and discuss how climate affects farming and tourism in both countries. In their independent activities, children will further analyse climate graphs for cities in Greece and the UK.

An easy-to-follow plan, a set of informative PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources are all included in this ready-to-teach, downloadable lesson pack.

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Greek Culture

In this lesson, your class will explore different aspects of Greek culture. They will learn how culture is shaped by geography (climate, islands, mountains and coastline) and how micro-cultures in villages and towns differ from cities.

In their independent activities, children will research specific cultural aspects (food, festivals, traditions, landmarks, clothing, art, music and dance) and present their findings, explaining how geography and history influence daily life and celebrations.

This lesson pack includes a detailed plan, a set of informative PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources to support your class's independent learning.

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Economic Activity

In this lesson, children explore three key economic activities in Greece - farming, tourism and trade - and how they connect Greece to the world.

They learn what economic activity means, identify main crops and products, see how tourism brings income, examine imports and exports, and discuss how Greece’s location in the Mediterranean supports trade. In their independent activities, children will further analyse Greece’s imports and exports. In the alternative activity, they explore the advantages and disadvantages of tourism.

Everything you need for this lesson is included - a detailed plan, a set of PDF slides for the teaching input, as well as differentiated activity ideas and resources.

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Comparing the Peloponnese and South West England

In this final lesson, children compare two regions: the Peloponnese in Southern Greece and South West England. As a class, they explore the physical and human geography of each region, learning about landforms, farming, tourism and the influence of the sea.

In their independent activities, children compare and contrast these regions in greater depth. In the alternative activity, they are challenged to take part in a class quiz to show what they know!

An easy-to-follow plan, a set of informative PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources are all included in this ready-to-teach, downloadable lesson pack.

View Lesson 6

This Year 5/6 Geography Knowledge Organiser has been created to complement our Geography Locational and Place Knowledge strand. It is designed to support your children’s understanding of key vocabulary linked to this scheme of work. Key questions and relevant geographical skills have been identified to encourage children to apply their knowledge around this topic.

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