Let's explore the world

In this essential skills and knowledge geography project, children learn to use an atlas and read world maps to discover new information. They revisit the four cardinal compass points and use their knowledge to describe the locations of places in the United Kingdom. Children use a key to help them read and make sense of a map. They collect and interpret primary data to determine how many different vehicles pass their school and answer related geographical questions.

As they study the world, children revisit learning from the Y1 project 'Our Wonderful World', including the location of the equator, Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the North and South Pole. They revisit facts about places worldwide, including hot and cold places, and are introduced to the term 'temperate'. They learn that temperate regions are between hot and cold places and have a mild climate. Children learn the term 'sustainability' and identify how humans can have a positive and negative impact on the Earth.

Children learn more about the characteristics of the four countries in the United Kingdom as they collect and compare data about population sizes, cities, the landscape, physical features and human features. They use their knowledge of the United Kingdom to compare England to Somalia in Africa and identify their similarities and differences.

Children carry out fieldwork, collecting data about how people use a local human feature. They begin to interpret the information gathered to help them decide how to improve their chosen human feature.