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Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can use atlases and maps to locate the UK in the world.

Key learning points

  1. Continents are divided into smaller areas known as countries.
  2. The UK is a country located in Europe with the Atlantic Ocean to its west.
  3. We may have friends and family who live in other countries in the world.
  4. We can locate the UK on a globe and our location in the UK on a map.

Keywords

  • UK - The United Kingdom (UK) includes the countries of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

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

  • Europe - Europe is a continent in the Northern hemisphere.

  • Globe - A globe is a map of Earth on a sphere.

Common misconception

Ireland is part of the UK

Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

Teacher tip

Set a homework task before the lesson for pupils to talk to their parents and family members about countries they were born in or where family members/ friends live if they live abroad.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these are names of continents?

An image in a quiz
Australia
Correct answer: Africa
Correct answer: Asia
Correct answer: Antarctica

Q2.
Which of these are part of the five oceans?

Correct answer: Arctic
Correct answer: Pacific
Correct answer: Atlantic
Everest

Q3.
Which of these places is in Europe?

Correct answer: United Kingdom (UK)
America
Austrailia

Q4.
How many countries make up the UK?

1
2
3
Correct answer: 4

Q5.
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and ______ make up the UK

Belfast
London
Correct answer: Wales
Edinburgh

Q6.
What is the capital city of England?

Belfast
Cardiff
Correct answer: London
Edinburgh

6 Questions

Q1.
How many continents and oceans are there?

three continents and five oceans
five continents and seven oceans
Correct answer: seven continents and five oceans
seven continents and three oceans

Q2.
Continents can be divided into smaller areas. What are these known as?

cities
counties
capital cities
Correct answer: countries

Q3.
Which continent is the UK located in?

Correct answer: Europe
North America
South America
Asia

Q4.
How might you be connected to other places around the world?

Correct answer: the place you were born
Correct answer: the place your parents were born
Correct answer: the place your friends and family live
the place your favourite food comes from
the place your clothes were made

Q5.
Which ocean lies to the west of the UK?

Pacific
Correct answer: Atlantic
Indian

Q6.
What are the names of the four countries that make up the UK?

England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales
England, Ireland, Scotland, Belfast
Correct answer: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales
Edinburgh, Ireland, Scotland, Wales

To help you plan your 1 geography lesson on: The UK's place in the world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...