UKS2 Topic Overview: Comparing People & Places
Travel around the world in this exciting topic, as you compare disparate peoples and places in the UK,
Europe, North America and South America. Look at your own area and discover the similarities and
differences between where you live and these other intriguing locations. Develop a range of skills and
increase your expertise in a number of curriculum areas, including key human and physical geography
goals.
Block
Key NC Objectives
Geography, Computing, English and
Maths
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Block A
Local Areawhy it is one
of the Best in 
Britain
[8 sessions, 4 x
rural schools +

4 x urban
schools]
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Locate the world’s countries, using maps to
focus on Europe (including the location of
Russia) and North and South America,
concentrating on their environmental regions,
key physical and human characteristics,
countries and major cities.
Understand geographical similarities and
differences through the study of human and
physical geography in a region of the United
Kingdom, a region in a European country and a
region within North or South America.
Describe and understand key aspects of
physical geography including climate zones,
biomes and vegetation belts, rivers,
mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
Describe and understand human geography
including types of settlement and land use,
economic activity including trade links, and the
distribution of natural resources including
energy, food, minerals and water.
Select, use and combine a variety of software
on a range of digital devices to design and
create a range of programs, systems and
content that accomplish given goals.
Retrieve, record and present information from
non-fiction.
Extend pupils’ confidence, enjoyment and
mastery of language through public speaking,
performance and debate.
Complete, read and interpret information in
tables. Connect their work on coordinates and
scales to their interpretation of graphs.
Main creative outcomes
Carry out a structured study of your local
area. Choose from either a rural or urban
study, depending on your locality. Develop
geographical skills by exploring the local
environment in a variety of ways and
compare and research key features of your
area. Identify the key attractions of your
area!
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.
UKS2 Topic Overview: Comparing People & Places
Geography and Art
Block B
The Grand
Canyon
North
America
[4 sessions]
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Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus
on North America, concentrating on its
environmental regions, key physical and human
characteristics, countries and major cities.
Understand geographical similarities and
differences through the study of human and
physical geography in the Grand Canyon region of
North America.
Describe and understand key aspects of physical
geography including climate zones, rivers,
mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
Describe and understand human geography
including types of settlement and land use,
economic activity including trade links, and the
distribution of natural resources including energy,
food, minerals and water.
Create sketchbooks to record their observations
and use them to review and revisit ideas.
Improve their mastery of art and design techniques,
including drawing, painting and sculpture with a
range of materials.
Learn about great artists in history.
Geography, D&T, Music and Art
Block C
Mexico
[4 sessions]
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Locate Mexico within North America, concentrating
on its environmental regions, key physical and
human characteristics and major cities.
Understand geographical similarities and
differences through the study of human and
physical geography in Mexico.
Describe and understand key aspects of physical
geography including biomes and vegetation belts
and mountains.
Describe and understand human geography
including types of settlement and land use, and the
distribution of natural resources including food and
water.
Create sketchbooks to record their observations
and use them to review and revisit ideas.
Improve their mastery of drawing and painting.
Appreciate and understand music drawn from
Mexican traditions.
Perform Mexican inspired dances using a range of
movement patterns.
Use research and develop design criteria to inform
the design of innovative, functional, appealing
products that are fit for purpose, aimed at
particular individuals or groups.
Select from and use a wider range of tools and
equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
Select from and use a range of textiles according to
their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
Be amazed by the impressive
geography of the Grand Canyon in
Arizona in the United States. Explore
how the Colorado River, along with
debris flows and weather, continues
to shape the landscape. Learn about
the people who live there and see the
region through the photography of
Ansel Adams. Capture some of the
wonder of this place through your
own art and set up a visitor’s centre
for another class to explore the Grand
Canyon region in comparison to your
local area.
Discover Mexico with its extreme and
varied landscapes & coasts. Discover a
rich heritage of music, art, food and
dance, and create your own class
fiesta showing off your knowledge of
this fascinating country.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.
UKS2 Topic Overview: Comparing People & Places


Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly
savoury Mexican dishes using a range of cooking
techniques.
Understand seasonality, and know where and when
a variety of ingredients are grown.
Geography, Maths and Computing

Block D
Amazon Basin
[3 sessions]
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Locate the Amazon Basin within South America,
concentrating on its environmental regions, key
physical and human characteristics, and major
cities.
Understand geographical similarities and
differences through the study of human and
physical geography in the Amazon Basin.
Describe and understand key aspects of physical
geography including climate zones, biomes and
vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and
earthquakes.
Describe and understand human geography
including types of settlement and land use,
economic activity including trade links, and the
distribution of natural resources including energy,
food, minerals and water.
Solve comparison, sum and difference problems.
Complete, construct, read and interpret
information in tables, pie charts and line graphs and
use these to solve problems.
Estimate the area of irregular shapes.
Use all four operations to solve problems involving
measure using decimal notation, including scaling.
Use, read, write and convert between standard
units, converting measurements of length from a
smaller unit of measure to a larger unit, and vice
versa, using decimal notation to up to three decimal
places.
Select, use and combine a variety of software on a
digital device to design and create content that
collects, analyses, evaluates and presents data and
information.
Geography, Computing and English
Block E
Peruvian
Andes
[4 Sessions]
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Locate the Peruvian Andes within South America,
using maps, concentrating on its environmental
regions, key physical and human characteristics and
major cities.
Understand geographical similarities and
differences through the study of Peruvian Andes.
Describe and understand key aspects of physical
geography including climate zones, biomes and
vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and
earthquakes.
Study the Amazon Basin in South
America. Become environmental
scientists as you explore this resourcerich environment, investigating the
impact of human activity on the
natural resources and communities of
the region. Use mathematical
measures and analysis to create a
report on land use, cultural
vulnerabilities, environmental impact
and economic trade, for presentation
at your own Earth summit.
Journey through the Peruvian Andes
and learn about the culture and
natural resources of the region.
Explore the impact of tourism, and
design and launch your own tourism
App that links images to online
information about the area.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.
UKS2 Topic Overview: Comparing People & Places

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

Describe and understand human geography
including types of settlement and land use,
economic activity including trade links, and the
distribution of natural resources including energy,
food, minerals and water.
Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how
results are selected and ranked, and be discerning
in evaluating digital content.
Select, use and combine a variety of software
(including internet services) on a range of digital
devices to design and create a range of programs,
systems and content that accomplish given goals,
including collecting, analysing, evaluating and
presenting data and information.
Identify the audience for and purpose of writing,
selecting the appropriate form and using other
similar writing as models for their own.
Use further organisational and presentational
devices to structure text and to guide the reader.
Geography and D&T
Block F
Alps
[4 sessions]
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

Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on
Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and
South America, concentrating on their environmental
regions, key physical and human characteristics,
countries and major cities.
Understand geographical similarities and differences
through the study of human and physical geography in
a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European
country. And a region within North or South America.
Describe and understand key aspects of physical
geography including climate zones, biomes and
vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and
earthquakes.
Describe and understand human geography including
types of settlement and land use, economic activity
including trade links, and the distribution of natural
resources including energy, food, minerals and water.
Select from and use a wider range of tools and
equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
Select from and use a wider range of materials and
components, including construction materials, textiles
and ingredients, according to their functional
properties and aesthetic qualities.
Evaluate their ideas and products against their own
design criteria and consider the views of others to
improve their work.
Understand and use mechanical systems in their
products (for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and
linkages).
Learn fascinating facts about the
awesome Alps. Make models and
use maps to help investigate the
key features of the Alps. Learn
about the countries that lay around
these mountains and study their
fascinating cultures. Invite visitors
into the classroom to share your
learning.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.