A country is an area of land that has its own government and can be large or small.

An island is a piece of land, smaller than a continent, that is surrounded by water.

A coastline is the boundary between the land and the sea or ocean.

The English Channel is a narrow part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the south coast of England from France.

The UK and its surrounding seas

Geography

The countries and capital cities of the UK

Geographical features in Scotland

Geographical features in England

Geographical features in Wales

Geographical features in Northern Ireland

This unit links to 'Life in a capital city: London/Cardiff', in which a capital city of the UK is explored as a significant place in our country.

The unit extends understanding about the local area and the characteristics and features of place explored in units 'Local area: Where do we go to school?', 'Local area: Where do we live?', 'Seasons: How does the weather change through the year?' and 'Local area: Routes and maps where we play' to a national scale.

This unit introduces the United Kingdom as a country made up of four nations. Pupils learn to name and locate the nations, capital cities and surrounding seas, and explore distinctive geographical features across the UK using maps and images.

The UK: what kind of place is it?

What does the abbreviation 'the UK' stand for?

What is the name of the channel that is located to the south of England?

What is the name of the sea that separates northern Europe from the United Kingdom? 

What is the name of the sea that lies in between Great Britain and Ireland?

A coastline is the border between England and Wales.

A coastline is the border between the UK and Europe.

A coastline is the boundary between a river and the sea.

A coastline is the boundary between land and the sea.

It is a piece of land joined to other pieces of land.

It is a piece of land that is surrounded by water.

It is a piece of land that is smaller than a continent. 

It is an area of land that has its own government.

Which of these statements correctly describe a country?

You can use a {{}} to find places in an area.

What would you use to help you read a map?

a large piece of land containing many countries

The UK and its surrounding seas

Lesson outcome