Limestone landscapes
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify the key features of limestone, and describe different limestone landscapes.
Key learning points
- Limestone is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate.
- Grykes are deep cracks on the surface on limestone formed by chemical weathering.
- Clints are exposed blocks of limestone separated by grykes.
- Limestone landscapes include limestone pavements, such as Malham Cove, and limestone caves, such as Gough's Cave.
Keywords
Limestone - a hard sedimentary rock
Grykes - deep cracks on the surface of limestone pavements
Clints - exposed blocks of limestone
Solution - a form of chemical weathering where rock is slowly dissolved by acidic water
Limestone pavement - flat, exposed area of limestone
Common misconception
Some students may think that grykes and clints are type of rock, rather than being a feature of limestone landscapes.
Students will be taught what clints and grykes are in relation to limestone.
Teacher tip
A helpful way to remember what clints and grykes are, is: clints are clumps, and grykes are gaps.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which type of rock can contain fossils?
Q2.Which type of rock is formed from cooled lava or magma?
Q3.What are rocks made of?
Q4.What is weathering?
Q5.How do weathering and erosion differ?
Q6.Which process helps recycle rocks over millions of years?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is limestone primarily made of?
Q2.What are grykes and clints in a limestone landscape?
Q3.What type of erosion commonly affects limestone?
Q4.Where are famous limestone landscapes found in the UK?
To help you plan your 8 geography lesson on: Limestone landscapes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 geography lesson on: Limestone landscapes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Rocks, weathering and soil: Why is geology important? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.