Student Book

Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 6–7

Lesson 1.3 How can we locate places around the world?

About the lesson This lesson begins with a recap of key terms including lines of latitude and
longitude, which pupils should have studied at KS2. It also provides an
opportunity to test pupils’ abilities to locate places around the world using
co-ordinates, Pupils are also introduced to atlas maps Map-flap A world
physical map as well as map B world political map. Pupils are introduced
to new technology used to locate places, such as GPS and the excellent
website Degree Confluence Project. This website provides guidance on
using the site in the classroom:
www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr354.shtml
This website provides evidence of how people can be geographers as a
hobby. The use of degree confluence and locating places using co-
ordinates is progressed in future units of Progress in Geography. It is
therefore important that pupils understand the importance of this lesson to
their future learning.
This lesson contributes to a progression in the world knowledge, and
geographical skills elements of the course (see vision statement flap and
the introductory page).
Prior learning The NC geography for KS2 requires pupils to identify the position and
significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, northern hemisphere, southern
hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic
Circles, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian.

Learning  To understand the difference between latitude and longitude.

objectives  To be able to locate places on physical and political maps of the world.

Key geographical
terminology

Command words list, record

Linked activity  Student Book pages 6–7

sheets  Lesson presentation 1.3
 Activity worksheet 1.3a general: Latitude and longitude (1)
 Activity worksheet 1.3b support: Latitude and longitude (2)
 Activity worksheet 1.3c stretch: Degree confluences in Europe
 1.3 Homework: How can we locate places around the world?

Teaching the lesson

Episode Teaching guide and supporting Answers to student activity Time

resources questions

1 Create a need to know 5 mins

Write on a board or a sheet of chart
paper the terms ‘latitude’ and
‘longitude’. Ask pupils to share what

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Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 6–7

they know about these terms. Write

down information that pupils share.
Correct any misconceptions they
might share.

2 Learning objective: Activity 1 15 mins

 To understand the difference Lines of latitude and longitude are
between latitude and imaginary lines drawn around the
longitude. world. Lines of longitude run north
to south around the world to show
Introduce lines of latitude and
how far east and west a places is.
longitude, including the major lines
Vertical lines of latitude show how
of latitude and the Prime Meridian,
many degrees north or south of the
and how this system of co-ordinates
Equator places are.
evolved using Diagram A on page 6
of the Student Book. Activity 2
Introduction: a) Equator
Play the YouTube video introduction b) Northern hemisphere and
to latitude and longitude. southern hemisphere
www.youtube.com/watch?
Activity 3
v=swKBi6hHHMA
a) Prime Meridian
The Royal Museums Greenwich b) Eastern and western
includes an introductory video hemispheres
explaining the Prime Meridian Activity 4
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/
topics/what-prime-meridian-why-it- Equator: 0
greenwich Tropic of Cancer: 23½ N
Activities 1–5: Pupils demonstrate
their understanding. Tropic of Capricorn: 23½ S
Arctic Circle: 66½ N
Antarctic Circle: 66½ S
Activity 5
A meridian is a line of longitude
running north to south around the
Earth. The Prime Meridian was
chosen as a starting point for
measuring longitude 0 degrees.
Every place on Earth is measured
in terms of distance east or west
from this line. Greenwich, London
was selected as the Prime
Meridian.

3 Learning objective: Activity 6 15 mins

To be able to locate places on a) rivers, mountains, deserts
physical and political maps of the
b)
world.

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Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 6–7

Explain how to locate places using Location Latitude &

co-ordinates using Diagram A. longitude
Introduce pupils to world physical
Mount Everest 27.9N 86.9E
and political maps.
Activity 6: Pupils use maps to locate Alps 46.8N 9.6E
places using co-ordinates. They look Mount 3S 37.3E
carefully at Map-flap A and a) write a Kilimanjaro
list of the types of natural features a
physical atlas map shows. b) Pupils Black Sea 43.4N 34.3E
draw a two-column table and record Activity 7
the latitude and longitude for the
following natural features: Mount a) countries, borders, major cities
Everest; the Alps; Mount Kilimanjaro; b)
the Black Sea.
Location Latitude &
Activity 7: Pupils look carefully at longitude
Map B. a) Pupils write a list of the
type of features a political map Rio deJanerio 22.9S 43W
shows. b) Pupils draw another two- New York 40.7N 74W
column table and record the latitude
and longitude for the following cities: London 51.5N 0.1W
Rio de Janeiro; New York; London: Moscow 55.7N 37.6E
Moscow; Nairobi, Tokyo.
Nairobi 1.2S 36.8E
Tokyo 35.6N 139.6 E

4 Introduce how modern technology is Activity 8 20 mins

transforming how we can locate a) The exact spot where a degree
places using co-ordinates. of latitude and a degree of
Explain GPS, how it works and how longitude meet.
it is transforming how we locate b) To have a 360-degree
places using co-ordinates. photograph and a description of
every degree confluence.
Introduce and demonstate the
Degree Confluence Project using Activity 9
Article C and the website. 30N 130E = Kyushu, Japan
www.confluence.org 66N 18W = 9.1 km (5.7 miles) NE
of Höfðahverfi, Suður-
Activity 7: Pupils define GPS. Þingeyjarsýsla, Iceland
Activity 8: Use article C to explain
what the Degree Confluence Project
is and what it is trying to achieve.
Activity 9: a) Pupils use the Degree
Confluence website
(www.confluence.org) to identify two
locations. They locate them using
co-ordinates using the website
search facility. b) Pupils name the
place, country and co-ordinate for
each location and describe them
using the enquiry questions

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Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 6–7

introduced in Lesson 1.1.

To determine progress pupils can
share their descriptions with the rest
of the class.

Plenary To highlight that the confluence Activity 10 5 mins

hunters are demonstrating being
Be curious about people and
geographers in action.
places, expand world knowledge of
Activity 10: Pupils use the vision places and their location,
statement flap to determine how the investigate places, consider what
confluence hunters contributing to places are like, appreciate the
the Degree Confluence website are world, make sense of people and
exhibiting aspects of the vision, e.g. places.
be curious about people and places,
expand world knowledge, consider
what places are like. This activity
reinforces and models the progress
pupils can make on their journey to
become a geographer.

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