Take your class for a fascinating walk through the life of coasts as they investigate what coasts are, how they are formed, how they are protected and why they are constantly changing. Study the processes of erosion and deposition and how they affect the coast, find out the names of some different coastal formations and find out what disasters can happen on precarious cliff edges. Your class will also have the chance to debate how changing a coastal area will affect the local environment and play the role of travel agents as they find coastal holidays for a variety of customers.

Our informative 'Investigating Coasts' lessons provide everything you need for your primary Geography teaching, including lesson plans, slides, activity ideas, fact sheets, differentiated worksheets and much more, all in a handy downloadable resource pack.

Coastal Erosion

This first lesson provides your class with the basics in understanding how coasts are formed, including looking at the processes of erosion and deposition. Your class will locate coastal areas they have been to on a map and investigate different coastal areas around the country.

This downloadable lesson contains a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 1

Physical Features

Find out about coastal stacks, arches and caves and see if your class can explain how they are formed through the process of erosion. Then look at how human activity can also cause erosion and explore the devastating effects this can have.

This downloadable lesson contains a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 2

Coastal Defences

How can we protect our shores from flooding and land damage? This lesson teaches your class all about different coastal management strategies, such as using groynes, gabions and revetments, and how they are used to protect the constantly changing coasts.

This downloadable lesson contains a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 3

Britain's Beaches

Challenge your class to locate the beaches they have visited in Britain and to describe what they are like. Use the photos on the slides to explore the different kinds of beaches and suggest differences between sand and shingle beaches. There is even the chance for children to complete their own designs for a new tourist beach!

View Lesson 4

Describing Coastal Areas

Watch your children transform into travel agents as they match coastal holiday-makers with the appropriate coasts, consolidating all they have learnt so far about different coastal areas and their features. Children can plan budget and luxury coastal holidays both in the UK and abroad.

This downloadable lesson contains a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 5

Changes in Land Use

Your class will look at a proposal to build a new hotel on an unspoiled area of coast from different viewpoints, including holiday-makers, developers, scientists and local residents. They will then debate the effect this would have on the local environment and decide if the hotel should be built.

This downloadable lesson contains a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 6