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Key Stage 1 We Are Britain
Mountains and Major Hills

Take an aerial trip around Great Britain in a hot air balloon and discover the main mountains and major hill summits in each country. Investigate the class’s favourite snacks to pack for a hill walk or mountain climb. Design and create summit sculptures and make a brochure using art and writing skills. Leave the classroom for a ‘climb’, singing songs until you reach a ‘summit’ marked by sculptures. Sit on picnic rugs and enjoy eating your favourite snacks. Listen to a story, then join in singing games before retreating back down to the classroom.

block outcomes

Session 1 Up, up and away!

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Objectives

Geography

  • Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the UK its surrounding seas.
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features and key human features.
  • Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognize landmarks and basic human and physical features.
  • Devise a simple map.
  • Use and construct basic symbols in a key.

Lesson Planning

Float through the sky in a hot air balloon – what can you see? Compare images and identify buildings and locate these on a map using symbols.

Teaching Outcomes
To examine aerial photographs and maps, then devise a simple map with symbols.

Children will:

  • Listen to and enjoy ‘The Blue Balloon’ by Mick Inkpen.
  • Imagine a ride in a hot air balloon.
  • Identify basic human and physical features from aerial photos.
  • Devise own map and basic symbols using a key.
  • Compare with OS map and symbols, including contour lines.

Provided Resources

  • PowerPoint presentation entitled: Up, Up and Away in our beautiful balloon

You Will Need

  • Sets of aerial view photos to compare & contrast from PowerPoint
  • OS map 180 West Oxfordshire or similar resource
  • OS Explorer map 392 / OL6 /OL17 /
  • The Blue Balloon by Mick Inkpen
  • Assortment of party balloons, if possible a helium-filled balloon from a member of staff signifying a personal celebration.

Weblinks

Up Up Up in a balloon - YouTube clip
Hot air balloons over London and surrounding countryside - YouTube clip
Hot air ballons - YouTube clip
Ordnance survey map covering Standlake - from ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Map skills for map symbols - from ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Snap map symbols game - from bbc.co.uk
Map symbol flashcards - from rikkiresources.wordpress.com
Free teaching resources -from ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Understanding contour lines - from ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Map of Slieve Donard mountain N. Ireland - from bbc.co.uk

Session 2 Decisions, decisions!

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Objectives

Geography

  • Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries of the UK.
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features and key human features.
  • Devise a simple map.

Maths

  • Interpret and construct simple pictograms, tally charts, block diagrams and simple tables.
  • Ask and answer questions about totalling and comparing categorical data.

Lesson Planning

Learn about the highest peaks in each of the 4 nations of the UK. Sing about mountain climbing. Decide what to pack for lunch.

Teaching Outcomes
 To learn about the highest peaks in each of the 4 nations of UK.
To decide what to pack in the walker’s rucksack for lunch, by compiling pictograms and block graphs.

Children will:

  • Find out the highest peak of UK nations.
  • Through song , learn about hill walking and mountain climbing, sensible attire and equipment.
  • Use data handling to decide what healthy snack to pack in rucksack.

Provided Resources

  • Information sheets covering: Mountain climber’s and hill walker’s equipment
  • Song suggestions and adaptations
  • What fruit is most popular with our class?
  • Data handling

You Will Need

  • Snack to share at rest stop, e.g. bread sticks, raisins, biscuits
  • Map of UK
  • Post-it notes.

Session 3 Are we nearly there?

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Objectives

Geography

  • Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the UK and its surrounding seas.
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features and key human features.
  • Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognize landmarks and basic human and physical features.
  • Devise a simple map
  • Use and construct basic symbols in a key.

Art

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.

Lesson Planning

How do we know when we’ve reached the summit? From triangulation pillars to more elaborate cairns – what would you design? Take inspiration from Andy Goldsworthy and Antony Gormley.

Teaching Outcomes
 To recognise physical features, hill and mountain summits.
To design a hill or mountain-top marker.

Children will:

  • Find out about markers on hilltop and mountain summits.
  • Look at images of sculpture by artists, including Andy Goldsworthy and Antony Gormley.
  • Design their own sculpture using pebbles and stones.

Provided Resources

  • PowerPoint presentation on Hill top and mountain summit markers

You Will Need

  • Materials to construct a summit marker - Natural materials: pebbles, stones, shingle, slate, sticks, twigs, canes
  • Construction kits: Duplo, Lego (or similar)
  • Wooden bricks
  • Playdough, salt dough or clay
  • Junk modelling

Session 4 Advice for walkers

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Objectives

Geography

  • Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the UK its surrounding seas.
  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features and key human features.
  • Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognize landmarks and basic human and physical features.
  • Devise a simple map.
  • Use and construct basic symbols in a key.

Art

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.

Lesson Planning

Produce a brochure detailing advice for walkers: safety, equipment, what to wear and tips and hints. Add pictures to inspire weary walkers to make it to the summit.

Teaching Outcomes
 To consolidate learning from this block.
To produce a brochure detailing advice for walkers.

Children will:

  • Create a brochure to advertise a high point in UK, to inspire, advise and inform potential walkers.
  • Consolidate learning across whole block.
  • Conclude Block with a Class Walk around playing field/local park wearing rucksacks containing healthy snacks to eat, join in singing games and enjoy story time.

You Will Need

  • Examples of real brochures advertising local attractions & amenities
  • Food requirements (based on data gathered in session 2)
  • Story book to read on ‘walk’
  • Playground/PE equipment arranged to create obstacles for class walk including any portable summit structures from session 3 in place at ‘summit’

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