Threats to the UK's coastline
I can describe how the UK's coastline is at risk from threats such as rising sea levels.
Threats to the UK's coastline
I can describe how the UK's coastline is at risk from threats such as rising sea levels.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The UK's coastline is at risk due to sea level rise as a result of climate change.
- Rising sea levels are speeding up rates of erosion, leading to the east coast of England eroding quickly.
- When cliffs erode quickly they put homes and buildings on top of the cliffs at risk of falling into the sea.
- Some parts of the UK's coastline are eroding at a rate of more than 2 metres a year.
Keywords
Global warming - Global warming is the increase in Earth's average temperature over a long period of time.
Climate change - Climate change is a large-scale and long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures.
Sea level - Sea level is the average height reached by the sea or an ocean, mesaured between high tide and low tide.
Erosion - Erosion is the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away and transported from its original site.
Risk - Risk means the possibility that something bad or unpleasant might happen to either the built or the natural environment.
Common misconception
That climate change causes global warming, or that climate change and global warming are the same thing.
Global warming is the rise in average temperatures as a result of the greenhouse effect. Climate change is changes to weather patterns (including temperatures and rainfall patterns) as a result of global warming.
To help you plan your year 7 geography lesson on: Threats to the UK's coastline, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 7 geography lesson on: Threats to the UK's coastline, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Coasts: what shapes life at the coast? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
The long-term average of weather patterns in a specific region
The day-to-day atmospheric conditions, e.g. it's raining today
A long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns
The gradual increase in Earth’s average temperature