Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 3

Rivers in Europe

I can locate rivers in Europe on a map and explain why they are important.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 3

Rivers in Europe

I can locate rivers in Europe on a map and explain why they are important.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Volga is in Russia and is the longest river in Europe.
  2. Major rivers in Europe include the Danube, the Dnieper, the Po, the Tagus, the Rhine and the Loire.
  3. Rivers such as the Danube are important as they are a border between countries.
  4. Rivers in Europe are important for transport, providing water and making hydro-electricity.

Common misconception

The River Thames is one of the longest rivers in Europe.

The River Thames is the longest river that solely flows in England but it is much shorter than other rivers in Europe.

Keywords

  • Source - The source is the start of a river.

  • Mouth - The mouth of a river is where it enters the sea or a lake.

  • Border - A border is the dividing line between two countries.

  • Hydro-electricity - Hydro-electricity is electricity created by water flowing downhill turning a turbine.

For task A you can print out a map of Europe and ask pupils to label the special rivers and add key information about each around the map.
Teacher tip

Equipment

atlases

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

Skip video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the longest river in Scotland?
River Thames
Correct answer: River Tay
River Bann
Q2.
Which of these rivers flows through England and Wales?
Correct answer: River Severn
River Tay
River Bann
Q3.
Which of these images shows a meander?
Correct answer: a river with bends
water flowing over a steep drop
the river meets the sea
Q4.
Can you put these features in the order they are found along the river? Start with the one closest to the source.
1 - waterfall
2 - meander
3 - estuary
Q5.
Where is the source of the River Severn?
Correct answer: The Cambrian mountains in Wales
The Lake District in England
Next to the Atlantic Ocean
Q6.
Which town does the River Severn flow through?
London
Cardiff
Correct answer: Shrewsbury

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Which city does the River Thames run through?
Paris
Correct answer: London
Vienna
Q2.
What is the longest river in Europe?
Correct answer: The Volga
River Seine
River Thames
Q3.
Can you put these rivers in order of length? Start with the longest.
1 - Volga
2 - Danube
3 - Thames
Q4.
How many countries does the River Danube flow through?
1
5
Correct answer: 10
Q5.
What is the name of Italy's longest river?
River Thames
Correct answer: River Po
River Seine
Q6.
What is the longest river in France?
River Po
River Danube
River Seine
Correct answer: River Loire