Year 5 Geography Scheme of Work
Year 5 geography takes pupils to the global scale. The two central units — climate zones and biomes, and rainforests — give pupils a framework for understanding the extraordinary diversity of life and landscape on Earth and the physical processes that produce it. These units are particularly well-suited to cross-curricular links with science (ecosystems, adaptation, food chains) and literacy (persuasive writing about deforestation).
The migration and population unit introduces pupils to one of the defining themes of human geography: why people move and what the consequences are. This connects to pupils' emerging social awareness and provides a geographical lens through which to understand issues they encounter in the news. The coasts unit, meanwhile, returns to the physical geography strand with a study of the powerful processes of erosion and deposition that shape the UK's 11,000 miles of coastline.
Expected prior knowledge
- ✓Understanding of the structure of the Earth and tectonic processes.
- ✓Ability to use six-figure grid references and eight-point compass directions on OS maps.
- ✓Knowledge of major world cities, countries, and physical features at a global scale.
- ✓Experience of structured fieldwork including surveys, data collection, and evaluation.
Units across the year
Six half-term units covering all strands of the KS2 Geography programme of study.
Climate Zones and Biomes
- –Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including climate zones, biomes, and vegetation belts.
- –Locate the world's major climate zones on a world map and explain their distribution.
- –Understand how climate determines the characteristics of a biome.
- –Map the world's major climate zones (tropical, arid, temperate, polar, Mediterranean, continental) on a world map.
- –Match biomes (rainforest, desert, tundra, savanna, temperate grassland) to their climate zones and explain the link.
- –Investigate how climate data (temperature and rainfall) can be used to identify a biome.
- –Create a detailed profile of one biome, including climate, vegetation, animals, and the human activities found there.
Rainforests
- –Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including rainforests.
- –Explain the structure of a tropical rainforest, including its layers and biodiversity.
- –Understand the causes and consequences of deforestation.
- –Create a layered diagram of the tropical rainforest showing the emergent layer, canopy, understory, and forest floor.
- –Research and present an animal adaptation from the rainforest, explaining how each feature aids survival.
- –Investigate the causes of deforestation (cattle ranching, palm oil, logging, mining) and evaluate their relative impact.
- –Hold a structured debate: should the Amazon rainforest be protected or developed? Each group represents a different stakeholder.
Migration and Population
- –Describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including population and migration.
- –Understand why people migrate and the push and pull factors involved.
- –Interpret population distribution maps and explain the patterns they show.
- –Map world population density and identify the most and least densely populated regions, discussing why this distribution exists.
- –Study push and pull factors of migration using case studies from different parts of the world.
- –Investigate the impacts of migration on both source and destination countries.
- –Debate: is migration good or bad for a country? Each group presents a different perspective.
Coasts and Erosion
- –Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including coasts.
- –Understand the processes of coastal erosion and deposition and the landforms they create.
- –Evaluate the human responses to coastal erosion and flooding.
- –Model coastal erosion using a tray of sand and a hand-held fan to simulate wave action.
- –Study photographs of coastal landforms (cliff, arch, stack, stump, bay, headland, beach, spit) and match each to the process that created it.
- –Investigate a named coastline at risk from erosion (e.g. the Holderness Coast) and evaluate the management strategies used.
- –Debate: should all coastlines be defended from erosion, or should some be allowed to change naturally?
Progression into Year 6
In Year 6, pupils study geography at the global economic scale — trade, globalisation, and the interconnected world economy — before turning inward for a detailed study of UK geography and considering the major environmental challenges facing the planet.
Individual lesson plans
Full lesson frameworks — learning objectives, vocabulary, lesson structure, and common misconceptions — for each unit in this scheme.
View all Year 5 Geography lesson plans →