Year 2 Geography Resources and Lesson Plans
Explore ready-to-teach Year 2 Geography resources, lesson plans and schemes of work for teaching the Year 2 Geography curriculum. Discover engaging Geography activities and worksheets that help children explore the UK and the wider world, compare contrasting places, investigate human and physical features and develop their map skills, fieldwork and geographical vocabulary.
Popular Year 2 Geography Schemes of Work:
What should children learn in Year 2 Geography?
Year 2 Geography builds on children's early knowledge of places and environments. They develop a broader understanding of the UK and wider world, compare different locations, use a wider range of geographical vocabulary and become more confident with maps, fieldwork and geographical enquiry.
Compare places and environments
Help children compare familiar and contrasting places, identifying similarities and differences in their human and physical features, climate, landscape and ways of life.
Develop human and physical geography
Build children's understanding of features such as coast, river, forest, city, village and farm, and explore how people and places are connected.
Build confidence with maps
Use maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and simple keys to locate places, follow routes and use compass directions including north, south, east and west.
Develop fieldwork and enquiry skills
Encourage children to observe, record and compare geographical features in their local area using simple surveys, maps, photographs and other fieldwork activities.
Explore our Year 2 Geography Resources
Browse our complete collection of Year 2 Geography resources, lesson plans and schemes of work. Discover engaging Geography topics for Year 2, including maps and directions, the UK and wider world, contrasting localities, human and physical geography and fieldwork, with ready-to-teach lessons and activities designed to support the KS1 Geography curriculum.
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Planning Year 2 Geography
When planning Geography in Year 2, build on children's knowledge of familiar places while giving them opportunities to explore and compare locations further afield. Topics that investigate the UK, contrasting places and environments, human and physical features, and the wider world can help children develop a stronger understanding of how places are similar, different and connected.
Continue to develop geographical skills through maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and fieldwork. Children can become more confident using compass directions, recognising map symbols and keys, locating places and using geographical vocabulary to describe what they observe. Revisiting these skills across different Year 2 Geography topics helps build secure foundations for progression into KS2.
Planning Geography for your whole school? Explore our Geography Curriculum Packs →Frequently Asked Questions about Year 2 Geography
What should children learn in Year 2 Geography?
In Year 2 Geography, children continue to develop their knowledge of the UK and the wider world. They explore different places and environments, identify human and physical geographical features and develop practical skills using maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and fieldwork.
What Geography topics are taught in Year 2?
There is no fixed set of topics that every Year 2 class must study because the National Curriculum sets out requirements for the whole of KS1 rather than individual year groups. Popular Year 2 Geography topics include the UK, continents and oceans, contrasting locations, coasts, maps and directions, human and physical features, and the local area.
What does the Year 2 Geography curriculum include?
Schools usually use Year 2 to build on geographical knowledge and skills introduced in Year 1. Across KS1, children need to develop locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork. By the end of Year 2, children should be increasingly confident applying these skills when investigating different places.
What map skills should Year 2 children learn?
Year 2 children can use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the UK, its countries and other locations around the world. They can also use aerial photographs, recognise landmarks, create simple maps, use basic symbols and keys and use the four compass directions of north, south, east and west.
What is human and physical geography in Year 2?
Children learn to identify and describe human and physical geographical features. Physical features include beaches, cliffs, coasts, forests, hills, mountains, seas and rivers, while human features include cities, towns, villages, factories, farms, houses, offices, ports, harbours and shops.
Do Year 2 children learn about continents and oceans?
Yes. By the end of KS1, children should be able to name and locate the seven continents and five oceans. Year 2 provides opportunities to revisit this knowledge and use it when locating and comparing countries and places around the world.
Should Year 2 children compare different places?
Yes. Place knowledge is an important part of KS1 Geography. Children should explore similarities and differences between places, including a small area of the UK and a contrasting non-European country. Comparisons might consider landscape, climate, homes, settlements, physical features and how people use the environment.
What fieldwork can children do in Year 2?
Year 2 fieldwork can include exploring the school grounds or local area, following routes, identifying human and physical features, conducting simple surveys, taking photographs and recording observations. Children can then use their findings to create maps, drawings, charts or simple geographical descriptions.
How can I make Year 2 Geography engaging?
Practical activities can help make Geography meaningful for Year 2 children. Try using maps and globes, local walks, photographs, weather observations, simple investigations, map-making activities and comparisons between familiar and unfamiliar places. Giving children opportunities to ask geographical questions also helps develop their enquiry skills.
What do PlanBee Year 2 Geography resources include?
PlanBee's Year 2 Geography resources and lesson plans provide the materials needed to teach engaging Geography topics, including teaching slides, differentiated activities, worksheets and detailed lesson plans. Complete schemes of work allow teachers to teach a sequence of connected lessons without having to plan each one from scratch.
Are PlanBee Year 2 Geography resources aligned with the National Curriculum?
Yes. PlanBee's Year 2 Geography schemes are designed to support relevant areas of the KS1 Geography National Curriculum, including locational and place knowledge, human and physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork.
