New
New
Year 6
The coast of the UK
I can describe what a coast is and how people’s lives are affected by it.
New
New
Year 6
The coast of the UK
I can describe what a coast is and how people’s lives are affected by it.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- A coast is a strip of land made of rock, sand, mud or gravel, that meets the sea or ocean.
- The UK is surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the Irish Sea, and the English Channel.
- The UK is a maritime nation which means the lives of people living here are connected to the sea.
- Many large settlements around the world are on or near the coast.
Keywords
Maritime - Maritime refers to anything to do with human activity at sea.
Ocean - An ocean is a very big area of salt water between the continents.
Settlement - Settlements are places where groups of people live and work.
Common misconception
Maritime nations have to be islands.
The term relates to the extent to which the nation is dependent on maritime activity for its survival. For example, Singapore is not an island but is utterly dependent on maritime trade for its economy.
You may want to spend some time introducing the jobs linked to coasts discussed in task 2 (fisherman, customs officer and dive instructor) to ensure children have sufficient understanding to take part in the hot seating activity.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Devices to access the internet and/or non-fiction books about coasts to research questions for task 1.
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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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which nations make up the uk?
England, Scotland, and Wales
England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland
Q2.
Which nations are in the British isles?
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and France
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and USA
Q3.
Which nations are in Great Britain?
England, Wales, and Ireland
England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
Q4.
Which nation has a land border with Ireland?
England
Scotland
Wales
Q5.
Wales has a land border with
Q6.
Which nation has a land border with Scotland and Wales?
Northern Ireland
Ireland
France
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What is a coast?
A coast is the boundary between two countries.
A coast is the area where two rivers meet.
Q2.
What materials can a coast be made of?
only water
Q3.
Is sand yellow?
Always
Never
Q4.
There is a beach at the coast.
always
never
Q5.
is a very big area of salt water between the continents.
a desert
a forest
Q6.
A headland is a that sticks out into the sea and is surrounded by water on three sides.
beach
bay