Year 6 Geography Block 2

Topic – Exploring the Lake District

In this block of learning, you will cover the following lessons:

🗺️ Week 1: Where is the Lake District?
🗺️ Week 2: Is it all lakes?
🗺️ Week 3: What is the climate like?
🗺️ Week 4: How do people use the land?
🗺️ Week 5: How can we find our way?
🗺️ Week 6: What can we do to protect this place?

Unit Outcomes (secure)

✅ Describe the location of the Lake District in the UK and identify some of its geographical features.
✅ Understand the geography of the Lake District, including its diverse human and physical features.
✅ Understand the climate of the Lake District and how it affects the landscape and human activities.
✅ Understand how people use the land within the Lake District.
✅  Use a map to locate features and navigate a route between them.
✅  Understand the Lake District’s challenges and explore how to protect it. 

Geography | Year 6 | Block 2: Exploring the Lake District

Exploring the Lake District introduces Year 6 pupils to one of the UK’s most famous regions, celebrated for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. This unit helps pupils develop an understanding of the area’s unique geographical features and its importance both locally and nationally. It also provides opportunities to enhance a range of skills, from map reading to analysing human and physical geography.

What Pupils Will Learn

The Lake District offers a rich tapestry of geographical themes, making it an ideal focus for exploration. In this block, pupils will investigate its stunning physical features, such as mountains, lakes, and valleys, as well as consider the role humans play in shaping and conserving this landscape.

This block is designed to give pupils a deeper appreciation of how natural forces have sculpted the environment over thousands of years and how people have adapted to and interacted with it. By exploring the Lake District, pupils will also reflect on wider themes, such as sustainability, tourism, and the relationship between people and place.

Key Themes

  • Physical Geography: Pupils will explore the natural landscape, focusing on its dramatic mountains, extensive lakes, and distinctive valleys. They will consider how geological processes, such as erosion and glaciation, have shaped the region over time.
  • Human Geography: The unit also looks at how people live and work in the Lake District. Pupils will explore topics such as farming, tourism, and the balance between economic activity and environmental conservation.
  • Cultural Significance: Pupils will reflect on the Lake District’s rich history, including its influence on writers and artists, and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Developing Skills

The Lake District unit encourages pupils to build on their existing geographical skills while introducing new ones. They will work with maps to locate key features, use atlases to identify the area’s position within the UK, and interpret data to understand patterns in land use, climate, and population. Pupils will also have the chance to think critically about the challenges facing the region, including managing tourism and protecting natural habitats.

#### Why the Lake District?

The Lake District is a microcosm of geographical study, offering a perfect balance of physical and human geography. Its awe-inspiring scenery provides opportunities to explore how natural processes shape landscapes, while its role as a hub for tourism and farming invites discussions about sustainable development. Learning about the Lake District helps pupils make connections between their classroom studies and the real world, fostering a sense of curiosity and appreciation for the environment.

Through this block, pupils will gain a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of physical and human geography. They will also develop critical thinking skills, as they consider questions such as:
– How do natural processes create the landscapes we see today?
– What are the benefits and challenges of living in areas of natural beauty?
– How can regions like the Lake District balance the needs of visitors and local residents with the importance of conservation?

This block not only equips pupils with knowledge but also encourages them to think about their role in caring for the world around them. Exploring the Lake District is more than just a study of one location—it’s an invitation to understand and appreciate the complexities of our planet.