The Welsh Coastline

Teachers’ Notes and Lesson Plans for Key Stage 2

Overview of the Resource

Geography in the news is designed to give teachers a topical and entertaining online information and activity source. It will help to support the National Curriculum’s requirement for the flexible inclusion of current global and Welsh issues into pupils’ geography lessons in addition to more formalised schemes of work, and/or may be used to stimulate extended work within schemes of work. Key words are highlighted within the resources and have been defined by rollover annotation. Each edition will be archived to allow repeated access and use in the future. They are fully downloadable to allow storage and use in classrooms without internet connection. The theme for this issue is the interrelationship between physical and human features.

Coverage of National Curriculum and Skills Framework for 3 to 19 Year Olds in Wales

The lesson plan activities state the relevant skills and range from the National Curriculum.

Skills Framework and Assessment for Learning

The accompanying lesson plans aim to support the requirement for a skills-focused curriculum. Where appropriate in the lesson plan, suggestions will be shown where thinking skills, communication, ICT and number skills can be applied in the context of geography.

Investigative work lends itself very well to assessment for learning. For example, at the beginning of a study children can establish where they are in their learning and suggest what they want to find out. At the end of a study, children can assess their own achievement and indicate it by using simple techniques such as drawing smiley faces or by showing traffic light symbols in their work. The use of questioning throughout the activities encourages children to reflect on their understanding and help further their learning.

Article 1 – Wales Coastline in the news

Key Skills Objectives / Subject Objectives and Skills / Activities and Resources /
Thinking Skills
Plan
Gathering information
Develop
Generating and developing ideas
Reflect
Evaluate own learning and thinking.
Communications
Wider Communiations
Communicating information. / Geography
Skills
Identify and locate places and environments using atlases and maps
Use imagery and ICT to find locational information
Range
Carry out investigations of ‘geography in the news’.
Ask/answer questions – how are places/environments linked?
Geography vocabulary:
Coastline, region , economic success, estuary environment, physical geography, headlands, harbour, sustainable, volcanic, peninsular / Objective: To use maps and atlases
Activity – Map work
Use the article as an ‘on-line guide to the coastline of Wales’.
As you read the article together, note the place names and locate them on a map.
1. Make the mapwork the focus activity and develop the mapwork to suit the needs of the class:
-  Each child could draw their own sketch map of Wales locating the places
-  Use an outine map of Wales and locate places using a key for additional features
-  Create a multi-sensory/3D map using card, paper, papier mache and use small flags for place names and string or ribbon to mark out the paths
2. Consolidate the work by locating places via the Internet
3. Follow-up work could include writing tourist brochures for each location.
Plenary:
Explain the best feature of their mapwork and why.

Article 2 – Threats to the Coastline of Wales

Key Skills Objectives / Subject Objectives and Skills / Activities and Resources /
Thinking Skills
Plan
Activating prior skills, knowledge and understanding.
Develop
Forming opinions and making decisions.
Reflect
Review outcomes and success criteria.
Communications
Reading
Using information, using reading strategies.
Writing
Organising ideas and information
Writing accurately
Wider Communication Skills
Communicating information / Geography
Skills
Investigating:
–ask questions about a geographical issue
- develop ideas to find answers and draw conclusions
Communicating:
- express their own opinions
- communicate findings in a variety of ways
Range
Carry out investigations of ‘geography in the news’.
Living in my world – caring for places and environments
Vocabulary: coastline, oil, gas, wetlands, reserves, drilling rig, environmental, threat, hazard, industry, harbour, fuel, renewable sources / Objectives: To understand the causes and consequences of how places and environments change
Resource:
Read the on-line article for background information.
Activity – Draw a Multi-flow map to understand the causes and consequences of fuel exploitation around the Welsh coastline.
Pose the question ‘Which type of fuel is best for Wales?’ as the main issue for investigation.
Examine each type of fuel as mentioned in the on-line article and the impact as a result.
For example:
-  drill for oil and gas off the coast of Newport in South Wales
-  Wales could be in for an oil boom, there would be more money and jobs in Wales or there could be oil spills damaging the coastline and animals
-  wind turbines are a renewable source of energy
- wind turbines are not reliable!

Plenary: Encourage children to explain in their own words what they think is the best fuel for Wales.

Article 3 – What makes the Welsh Coastline so special?

Key Skills Objectives / Subject Objectives and Skills / Activities and Resources /
Thinking Skills
Plan
Gathering information
Develop
Considering evidence, information and ideas
Reflect
Describe what has been learnt or found out.
Communications
Oracy
Communicate clearly and confidently in a way that suits the subject, audience and purpose, using a range of vocabulary, including some key words, related to subject.
Presenting information and ideas / Geography
Skills
Identify and describe natural features.
Range
Carry out investigations of ‘geography in the news’.
To ask why are places the same or different from other environments and why are they changing?
Geography vocabulary:
Environment, sediment, peninsular, deposits, volcanic, headland / Aim: Draw up a tree diagram to categorise different types of physical features and processes
Resources:
Read the on-line article for background information - What makes the Welsh coastline so special?
Activity 1 – Tree diagram
Use the structure of the tree diagram to identify and group similar physical features and associated locations around Wales.
As children read the article, decide which category of the tree diagram the feature is relating to.
Own research and images of the coastline of Wales can be added to the tree diagram to bring the ideas to life and relate to the pupils’ experience.
An example of the Tree Diagram:

Activity 2 – Presentation
Once the children are familiar with the different coastal environments in terms of physical geography and locations along the coastline of Wales, they can work in groups to talk about and present a specific coastal feature to each other.
Plenary:
After delivering their presentation, children can say what they have found out about the geography of Wales that they didn’t know previously about the coastline.