New
New
Year 8

Urban structure and land use

I can compare different urban land use models and apply them to real-world cities.

New
New
Year 8

Urban structure and land use

I can compare different urban land use models and apply them to real-world cities.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Urban land use models help explain how cities are structured and how different areas serve different functions.
  2. The Burgess and Hoyt models are examples of urban land use models.
  3. Land use models often don’t match the land use of cities due to physical geography and local context.
  4. Comparing urban land use models to cities such as Sheffield can help us understand the layout and function of the city.

Keywords

  • Central business district - CBD - the centre of a town or city with the highest land value

  • Land use - how different parts of land are used (e.g. residential, commercial).

  • Commuter - a person who travels somewhere else to work

Common misconception

Cities grow randomly without any structure or planning.

In reality, urban land use is often influenced by models (like the Burgess or Hoyt models), and factors such as history, economics, transport links, and the environment shape how cities develop and function over time.


To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: Urban structure and land use, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Although this lesson uses Sheffield, pupils could investigate a city close to them and compare it with urban land use models. The Geography Visualiser is a perfect tool to do this.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following best describes urbanisation?

People moving from cities to rural areas
Correct answer: Increase in people living in cities
More people working in factories
The construction of rural roads

Q2.
Which city feature is part of its infrastructure?

A city park
A historic monument
Correct answer: Water and electricity systems
A shopping mall

Q3.
Which statement is true about informal settlements?

Correct answer: They may lack basic services like clean water
They are always legal and planned
They are found only in rich countries
They are tourist destinations

Q4.
Why might people move to a city?

To grow food in the countryside
To escape from traffic
Correct answer: To access jobs and education
To avoid services like healthcare

Q5.
What is one environmental issue faced by many cities?

Too few cars
High air quality
No rubbish collection
Correct answer: Pollution from traffic and industry

Q6.
Which of these helps improve city life for residents?

Fewer schools
Narrower roads
Fewer bins
Correct answer: Better public transport systems

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Match the terms to their definitions.

Correct Answer:central business district,Centre of a town with highest land value

Centre of a town with highest land value

Correct Answer:land use,How land is used (e.g. homes, shops)

How land is used (e.g. homes, shops)

Correct Answer:commuter,Someone who travels to work daily

Someone who travels to work daily

Q2.
Which of these is most likely found in the CBD?

Farmland
Correct answer: Offices and department stores
Motorways
Detached houses

Q3.
Which of the following is an example of land use?

Correct answer: An area used for housing
The colour of buildings
The size of a car park
A city's population

Q4.
Which best explains why cities are not completely random in layout?

Cities avoid using land
They are shaped only by tourism
Correct answer: They grow based on transport, economy, and planning
All cities are planned exactly the same