Year 3 Geography Lesson Plans
3 free Year 3 Geography lesson plans for KS2. Each includes learning objectives, key vocabulary, a timed lesson structure and common misconceptions, and downloads as an editable Word document.
Year 3 geography marks the beginning of Key Stage 2 and a significantly more ambitious programme of study. Pupils now engage with the processes that shape physical landscapes — in particular the water cycle and river systems — alongside a deepening understanding of how humans choose and modify their environments. The shift from KS1 to KS2 geography is also marked by a greater emphasis on using and interpreting data, reading Ordnance Survey maps with four and six-figure grid references, and conducting structured, evidence-based fieldwork.
Physical Geography
Pupils learn the key features of rivers — from source to mouth — and understand the water cycle as the continuous process by which water moves through the environment.
Pupils investigate the physical characteristics of mountains and upland landscapes, focusing on the UK's major mountain ranges.
Year 3 Geography through the year
Rivers and the Water Cycle
Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including rivers.
Rivers and the Water Cycle lesson plan →Settlements: Where People Live and Why
Understand human geography, including types of settlement and land use.
Settlements and Land Use lesson plan →Mountains and Uplands of the UK
Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including hills and mountains.
Mountains and Upland Landscapes lesson plan →Fieldwork Skills: Investigating Our Local Geography
Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record, and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods.