Primary Theme: Climate
What is the weather like in the UK?
Learning about the countries and cities of the UK and how the weather changes across the seasons.
- Subjects >
- Geography >
- Key stage 1 >
- Year 1 >
Please note
This unit has been visually refreshed and now features new videos to enhance the learning experience. The core content of the unit remains unchanged.
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Name and locate the four countries on a map of the UK.
- Identify the country they live in.
- Identify the four seasons and the current season and describe some seasonal changes.
- Identify the four compass directions.
- Identify that the arrow on a compass always shows north.
- Use the compass directions to describe the location of features.
- Observe and describe daily weather patterns.
- Suggest appropriate clothing and activities for each season.
Lessons 2, 3 and 4 involve fieldwork on the school grounds. It is important to risk-assess the proposed route taking into account any relevant school risk assessment policies and procedures. Refer to the Before the lesson section in Lessons 2, 3 and 4 to prepare for these lessons. Please be aware these lessons may take longer than 1 hour.
Suggested prior learning
What is it like here?
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Lessons
Lesson 1: Where is the UK?
Lesson 2: What are the four seasons?
Lesson 3: What are the compass directions?
Lesson 4: What is the weather like today?
Lesson 5: Is the weather the same everywhere in the UK?
Lesson 6: How do people prepare for the weather?
Optional lesson
Optional sustainability lesson: How can we look after a garden?
Key skills
Locational knowledge
- Showing on a
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Key knowledge
Locational knowledge
To know:
- The name
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Key vocabulary
atlas
autumn
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Equipment list
Equipment needed across all lessons in this unit.
This list does not include equipment which is usually readily available in the classroom (e.g pencils, A4 paper etc)
Download
Full equipment list for the subject
Quantities marked × will update. Items without quantities are unaffected
- Atlases ×15
- Clipboards ×15
- String
- Double sided tape ×1
-
Prepared sketch map of the school grounds
×15 - Compasses ×30
- A device that takes photographs ×8
-
Chalk (at least three different colours per pair)
×15 -
selection of instruments that measure the weather (such as: thermometers, rain gauges and weather vanes)
×8
Lesson 4 investigates daily weather patterns, the children will need to carry out weather investigations, ideally at different times of the day, e.g. morning, midday and afternoon. Select and prepare for one of the activities in the lesson plan, depending on the weather.
Lesson 4
-
If carrying out the rain investigation:
Sticks (one per pair — children to collect).
×15 -
If carrying out the wind investigation:
Paper plates (one per pupil).
Tissue paper cut into strips (at least four strips per pupil).
Hole punch (one for the teacher).
Sticky tape.
String or wool (one length per pupil).
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Related content
Resources
Unit resources
Geography
Knowledge organiser: Geography – What is the weather like in the UK?
Aimed at pupils, a single page which gives key facts and definitions from the unit "What is the weather like…
Geography
Vocabulary display – Geography Y1: What is the weather like in the UK?
A display version of the vocabulary from the unit 'What is the weather like in the UK?'.
Subject resources
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Cross-curricular opportunities
English: Spoken language
Science: Seasonal changes
Maths: Geometry – position and direction
Art and design
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