Migration Lesson Plan

Curriculum links: KS1 & KS2 - Geography – Locational knowledge.
Human and physical geography / By the end of the session the children will have:
  1. Plotted the migration route of a bird.
  1. Named the countries, continents and oceans the bird will fly over.
  1. Identified the hazards that a migrating bird might encounter.

Learning Objective:
To use a map to locate the world’s countries, continents and oceans
To understand why some animals travel long distances around the world
Introduction: /
  • Show children the Migration power point presentation.
  • Look at the migration cards and discuss the different types of migrant and where they might travel to and from and why.
  • Look at the hazard cards and discuss why these might be hazardous for a migrating bird.
/ Resources:
Downloadable migration cards, hazard cards and power point.
World map, available as a download.
Access to atlas’ or the internet to further research the countries, continents etc...
Activities: / Split the class into groups and provide each group with a world map (two examples are included in the power point. One with countries and continents named and one completely blank) Give each group a migration card with a bird on it. Ask the groups to look at the information about the bird on their card and plot its migration route on their map. Ask the children to name the countries, continents and oceans the bird will pass on its travels. You might also ask them to draw on and name any other geographical features that it passes e.g. mountain ranges, deserts etc....
Next give each group a copy of the hazards cards, ask them to look at the route their bird takes and see which of the hazards might prove most dangerous to their bird.
Plenary: / Gather the groups together and a group at a time ask them to present their findings to the rest of the class. They should be able to explain where their bird migrates from and to and to show this route on their map. They should explain which countries etc... it crosses and any other geographical features. They should then explain which hazards it is likely to come up against. / Extension Activities:
Groups could plot the routes of a summer migrant, winter migrant and passage migrant to show the different areas of the world the birds travel to and from.
Look at the migration patterns of other animals, e.g. wildebeest, butterflies or salmon.