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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can locate London and identify its features, including the River Thames on maps and aerial photographs.

      Key learning points

      1. Aerial imagery and maps at different scales help us describe where places are using geographical vocabulary.
      2. London is a city near the mouth of the River Thames in the south-east of England and the UK.
      3. London is the capital and largest city of the UK.

      Keywords

      • Scale - The scale on a map shows what size the area that is represented in the map really is.

      • Aerial photograph - An aerial photograph is a picture of an object or place that has been taken from above.

      • River mouth - The mouth of a river is where it enters the sea or a lake.

      • Capital city - A capital city is an important place where important decisions about how to run the country get made.

      Common misconception

      Pupils may think that rivers simply stop or disappear, rather than flow into the sea at the mouth.

      All rivers flow from their source to their mouth, where they flow into the sea. For example, the River Thames flows into the North Sea.

      Teacher tip

      Scale can be a tricky concept for young learners to understand. Use the idea of zooming in and out as a hook to help learners to grasp the idea. Use computer based satellite maps to show how the level of detail changes as you zoom in.

      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 do you usually find in a city?

      sandy beaches
      farmer's fields
      Correct answer: roads and bridges
      green forests

      Q2.
      Match the words to the definitions.

      Correct Answer:England,one of the countries in the United Kingdom

      one of the countries in the United Kingdom

      Correct Answer:UK,United Kingdom

      United Kingdom

      Correct Answer:London,a city in England

      a city in England

      Q3.
      What do we call water that flows across land until it meets the sea?

      ocean
      Correct answer: river
      tide
      stream

      Q4.
      What do we use maps for?

      Correct answer: To find our way around an unfamiliar place
      To see what there is to do in a place
      Correct answer: To find out where things are located
      To see what a place looks like

      Q5.
      It is often noisy in a city.

      Correct answer: True
      False

      Q6.
      Complete the sentence. London is a ...

      Correct Answer: city, City

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which river flows through London?

      Clyde
      Correct answer: Thames
      Mersey
      Tyne

      Q2.
      What is the capital city of England?

      Leeds
      Liverpool
      Correct answer: London
      Luton

      Q3.
      Match the words to the definitions.

      Correct Answer:mouth,where a river flows into the sea

      where a river flows into the sea

      Correct Answer:scale,used to represent real life distance on a map

      used to represent real life distance on a map

      Correct Answer:aerial image,a photo take from above

      a photo take from above

      Correct Answer:River Thames,the river that flows through London

      the river that flows through London

      Correct Answer:capital city,the most important city in the country

      the most important city in the country

      Q4.
      What happens after the River Thames flows through London?

      It stops flowing.
      Correct answer: It flows into the North Sea.
      It flows into the English Channel.
      It changes direction.

      Q5.
      Why is London such a busy place?

      Correct answer: Millions of people live there.
      It has good shops.
      Correct answer: Millions of people holiday there.
      It is a historical place.

      Q6.
      Which of these features would be visible on an aerial image?

      street names
      people
      Correct answer: transport routes
      shops

      To help you plan your 2 geography lesson on: Locating London, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...