KS1 Geography Curriculum Resources

Popular KS1 Geography Schemes of Work:

Frequently Asked Questions about KS1 Geography

What is taught in KS1 Geography?

In KS1 Geography, children develop knowledge of their local area, the United Kingdom and the wider world. They learn about continents and oceans, countries and capital cities of the UK, contrasting places, weather patterns and human and physical features. Children also begin to develop geographical skills through maps, atlases, globes, compass directions, aerial photographs and fieldwork.

What are the main areas of the KS1 Geography curriculum?

The National Curriculum for KS1 Geography is organised around locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, and geographical skills and fieldwork. Children should build knowledge of places while also learning how geographers use maps, observations and other sources of geographical information to investigate the world.

What Geography topics are taught in Year 1?

Schools can organise the KS1 Geography curriculum across Years 1 and 2 in different ways, so there is no fixed list of Year 1 Geography topics. Common topics include the local area, the United Kingdom, weather and seasons, continents and oceans, maps and contrasting places. Year 1 Geography usually introduces children to basic geographical vocabulary and simple map and fieldwork skills.

What Geography topics are taught in Year 2?

Year 2 Geography often builds on children's knowledge of the UK and wider world with topics such as continents and oceans, contrasting locations, hot and cold places, settlements, weather and the local area. Children can also develop their map-reading, compass, observation and fieldwork skills. The exact division of KS1 Geography content between Years 1 and 2 is decided by individual schools.

What is human and physical geography in KS1?

Human geography explores features created or influenced by people, such as towns, villages, houses, shops, farms and transport. Physical geography focuses on natural features and processes, including beaches, cliffs, forests, hills, mountains, rivers, seas, weather and seasons. KS1 children learn to recognise and describe both human and physical features in different places.

What map skills should children learn in KS1?

KS1 children should learn to use simple maps, atlases and globes to identify places and geographical features. They should also use simple compass directions, including north, south, east and west, and use locational and directional language. Aerial photographs, simple plans and maps of the school or local area can help children understand how places are represented from above.

What does Geography fieldwork look like in KS1?

KS1 Geography fieldwork should give children opportunities to observe and investigate their surroundings. This might include exploring the school grounds, identifying human and physical features in their local area, following a route, creating a simple map, recording the weather, carrying out a survey or comparing different parts of their local environment.

How can I make KS1 Geography engaging?

KS1 Geography works particularly well when children can connect their learning to real places and experiences. Maps, globes, photographs, fieldwork, simple investigations and comparisons between familiar and unfamiliar places can all help make geographical concepts meaningful. Practical activities also give children opportunities to use new geographical vocabulary in context.

What do PlanBee KS1 Geography resources include?

PlanBee's KS1 Geography resources include ready-to-teach lesson plans and schemes of work for Years 1 and 2, with teaching slides, differentiated activities, printable worksheets and supporting resources. Our schemes cover a range of KS1 Geography topics and geographical skills, helping teachers deliver engaging lessons while reducing planning and preparation time.

Are PlanBee KS1 Geography resources aligned with the National Curriculum?

Yes. PlanBee KS1 Geography schemes of work are designed to support the National Curriculum for Geography at Key Stage 1, including locational and place knowledge, human and physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork. Different schemes focus on different curriculum requirements, allowing schools to select resources that complement their wider Geography curriculum.