Geography

Reception’s first ever trip to Woodmatters

 in Class One / Geography / Science / Whole School by

We have had a wonderful to visit to Woodmatters today, where we explored the woodland, looking for signs of the Gruffalo! We didn’t find any clues he may have been there, however we did find lots of different coloured leaves, fungi, fallen trees and beechnut shells to name but a few. We also lit our own fires, cooked a campfire snack and whittled willow to create charcoal. After lunch, we collected different leaves of varying shade to create an ombre leaf art picture and used our charcoal to make pictures and leaf prints.

Wonderful Weather!

 in Class Two / Geography by

Class 2 had a busy afternoon making equipment to measure the weather. We began by making wind socks and then demonstrated some excellent team work making rain gauges. We then all made weather vanes. We are now looking forward to using this equipment at home and in school to record the weather conditions!

Autumn Woodland Fun!

 in Class Two / Geography / Science by

Class 2 had a fantastic afternoon in the woods. We looked for signs of autumn using all our senses. We then completed some observational drawings of autumn leaves.

 

The United Kingdom

 in Class Two / Geography / RE by

To begin our seasons and weather topic we looked at where we live in the world and used the atlases to name the countries of the UK. The children were challenged to add the capital cities. We also used maps and atlases in RE. We looked at a variety of food labels and identified which country they had come from.

 

Levens Park river visit

 in Class Three / Geography by

The children have loved learning about rivers so on Friday we went on a fieldtrip to Levens Park to apply our knowledge. The sun was shining as we walked down to the park and we enjoyed seeing a variety of wildlife on our walk. The children quickly identified meanders, erosion, deposition, tributaries, a confluence and the river channel. They also produced some great field sketches. Well done Class Three, it was fantastic to see how much you have learnt. Thank you to our volunteers who accompanied us.

Erosion and deposition

 in Class Three / Geography by

Class 3 have continued their topic on rivers and learnt some new vocabulary along the way. Today, we looked at meanders and learnt how they were formed, looking at erosion and deposition. We then had a good look at the maps, identifying the source of the River Kent and followed its route to the estuary.

 

 

3-D river basins

 in Class Three / Geography by

Class 3 have been learning about river basins as part of our topic on rivers and comparing the Amazon River to UK rivers. We learnt the terminology of rivers and made and labelled out own 3-D river basins.

Amazing Amazon Rainforests!

 in Class Three / Geography by

Class 3 have been very busy learning about the Amazon Rainforest. We have learnt all about the climate, animals and zones of the rainforest. The children were then challenged to make their own rainforest in a shoebox. I think you will agree they are fantastic.

A Very Busy Class 4 Week!

 in Class Four / Geography / SCARF / Science by

This week, our pupils have enjoyed a range of rich and varied activities, designed to deepen their understanding across the curriculum and inspire curiosity beyond the classroom.

A highlight of the week was our visit to a local secondary school science laboratory. Pupils had the opportunity to work in an authentic laboratory environment, using microscopes to carefully observe onion cells. This hands-on experience allowed them to apply their prior knowledge of living things and develop their scientific enquiry skills. Pupils also investigated how different chemicals affect the colour of a Bunsen burner flame, sparking excitement and thoughtful discussion about chemical reactions.

We were also delighted to welcome a visitor from SCARF, who led an engaging and informative session on the risks associated with both legal and illegal drugs. Through clear, age-appropriate discussion, pupils developed their understanding of making safe and informed choices, supporting the PSHE curriculum. The session was made even more memorable with a visit from Harold the Talking Giraffe, who helped to reinforce key messages (and give us stickers!)

Later in the week, pupils visited Park End Wetlands, where they took part in a fieldwork investigation to assess water quality. Developing their scientific sampling techniques, they measured both the number and variety of invertebrate species present. This is an activity completed by Levens pupils in the past, so it was a great opportunity to measure the health of the wetlands over time. Mrs Mason who supported on the trip was even there when the wetlands were first developed and planted by the community!

The week concluded with a special assembly, where pupils had the opportunity to share their learning with parents and carers. As part of this, they developed their oracy skills, preparing short presentations about an aspect of the week that had particularly interested them. Pupils worked hard to speak confidently without relying on a script, focusing on maintaining eye contact and using a clear, expressive voice.

I am incredibly proud of the pupils’ enthusiasm, curiosity and independence. It has been a fantastic way to end the term and get outside the classroom walls following the hard work our year 6 pupils put in throughout SATS week.

Check out a selection of photos from the week below!

Exploring Mountains Through Contour Lines

 in Class Four / Geography by

This term, our geography learning has taken us on an exciting journey into the world of maps and mountains. We have been studying contour lines and learning how they are used to show elevation and height on maps.

To begin with, we explored contour maps of familiar local places, including Patterdale Hall and Levens village. Looking at areas we know well helped us to understand how contour lines work in real life. We noticed that:

  • Closely spaced contour lines show steep slopes, such as hillsides or valleys
  • Widely spaced contour lines show flat or gently sloping land

By comparing the maps with what we know of these locations, we were able to see how hills, valleys and flatter areas are represented on Ordnance Survey maps.

To bring our learning to life, we then designed and built our own mountains using thick card. Each layer of card represented a different contour line, stacked carefully to show increasing height. This helped us visualise how a flat map can represent a three‑dimensional landscape.

Each mountain was unique. Some had:

  • Steep cliffs and sharp peaks
  • Wide, flat plateaus
  • Gentle slopes and rounded summits
  • Valleys and passes between high points
  • In one case, a dramatic overhanging cave opening!

Once our individual mountains were complete, we combined them into one large imaginary mountain range, creating an exciting landscape with a variety of elevation features. Some students also noticed that this is how features like rivers and lakes are formed in nature, so we added some of those too.