New
New
Year 1

Fieldwork: Observing geographical features on our route

I can observe and use geographical vocabulary to talk about features of our local area as we follow a route to a local play area.

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New
New
Year 1

Fieldwork: Observing geographical features on our route

I can observe and use geographical vocabulary to talk about features of our local area as we follow a route to a local play area.

Link copied to clipboard

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Routes, e.g. to a local play area, can be plotted and followed on different kinds of maps.
  2. Geographers use maps in fieldwork to find and locate specific features, e.g. in a local play area.
  3. Geographers use different ways of assessing features and places, such as when comparing views about a play area.
  4. Journey sticks can help us record and remember what a place is like.

Keywords

  • Fieldwork - Fieldwork is investigating the outdoors using geographical tools and thinking to gather information or data.

  • Journey stick - A journey stick is a way to remember a route by collecting items on the route and fixing them to a stick.

  • Play equipment - Play equipment are structures that children use for play such as swings, slides, climbing frames and sand boxes.

  • Opinion - An opinion is a thought, feeling or belief held by a person or group of people.

Common misconception

Fieldwork means being in a field.

Fieldwork can take place anywhere! It means going outside to observe and gather information.


To help you plan your year 1 geography lesson on: Fieldwork: Observing geographical features on our route, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Show pupils a route to a local play area that is familiar to them. Replace the images with your own to show features they would see there. Ask children to bring in a bag to collect objects along the route to contribute to their journey stick. Complete the journey stick once back in the classroom.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Exploration of objects

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is a feature that you could walk past in your local area?
Correct answer: a postbox
Correct answer: a lamp post
a motorway
Q2.
What is an opinion?
information about an area
Correct answer: a thought or a belief
a fact
a discussion
Q3.
A risk is something that might put us in...
Correct Answer: danger
Q4.
What must you consider when planning a route?
Correct answer: safety
Correct answer: distance
how many postboxes you pass
Correct answer: how long it takes to complete
Q5.
What colour represents play areas on a map?
red
Correct answer: green
blue
grey
Q6.
Maps have one of these to help us understand the colours and symbols they show, what is it called?
An image in a quiz
a map Chain
Correct answer: a map Key
a map Grid
a map set
Q6 © Ordnance Survey licence no. 100067257, 2023

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these are human geography features you might see on your route to school?
Correct answer: solar panels
Correct answer: shops
Correct answer: houses
woodland
Q2.
Fieldwork is investigating the using geographical tools and thinking to gather information or data.
Correct Answer: outdoors, outside
Q3.
What type of information can we collect when we do fieldwork?
Correct answer: our own observations
Correct answer: photographs
the names of our friends
Correct answer: opinions
Q4.
What is a journey stick?
It tells the time
It tells us the way
Correct answer: It tells a story about a journey
Q5.
What sort of things can be attaached to a journey stick?
Correct answer: leaves
Correct answer: colourful berries
Correct answer: flowers
your lunch
Q6.
When you complete fieldwork you must avoid dangers. Which of these rules must you follow?
Correct answer: use equipment carefully
Correct answer: stay with your teacher
Correct answer: don't walk into ponds
play hide and seek