icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Changing economic sectors in urban and rural areas

I can compare the changes that have occurred in different economic sectors.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Changing economic sectors in urban and rural areas

I can compare the changes that have occurred in different economic sectors.

warning

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

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. There has been a decline in the primary and secondary sectors in rural and urban areas.
  2. There has been a rise in the tertiary and quaternary sectors in rural and urban areas.
  3. This decline and growth has affected the economy and employment structures of particular areas of the UK.

Keywords

  • Mechanisation - the development of machinery and technology in industries such that it reduces the need for human labour

  • Global shift - the movement of manufacturing industries from developed countries to emerging and developing countries

  • Science park - an area of land dedicated to businesses specialising in science and technology

  • Financial services - a tertiary sector industry that deals with banking, investments, pensions and insurance

Common misconception

All forms of primary and secondary industry have declined in all areas.

While the general trend has been one of decline, some aspects of primary and secondary industries have become more successful such as organic farming.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Changing economic sectors in urban and rural areas, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Students can use old maps to look at how farming and urban landscapes have changed over time and how these changes are indicators of economic sector decline or growth.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

copyright

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

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What is an urban area?
A small village
Correct answer: A town or city with high population density
A rural farmland
An uninhabited area
Q2.
What is a rural area?
A busy city
A town with over 1 million people
Correct answer: Countryside with low population density
An area with only factories
Q3.
What is the most densely populated region in the UK?
Scotland
Correct answer: South-East England
Northern Ireland
Wales
Q4.
Which sector includes jobs in farming, fishing, and mining?
Correct answer: Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Quaternary
Q5.
Which economic sector has grown the most in UK cities?
Primary
Secondary
Correct answer: Tertiary
Quaternary
Q6.
Why do some people move from cities to rural areas?
To find better-paid jobs
To be closer to shopping centres
Correct answer: To escape pollution and enjoy a quieter life
To experience more traffic

4 Questions

Q1.
Which region in the UK has experienced deindustrialisation, leading to a shift from manufacturing to service-based industries?
South-East England
Correct answer: North-East England
Wales
Scotland
Q2.
The biggest change in primary industries has been the increased use of machinery and technology. This is known as .
Correct Answer: mechanisation
Q3.
What is the quaternary sector focused on?
Manufacturing goods
Providing financial services
Extracting natural resources
Correct answer: Knowledge-based activities like research and IT
Q4.
Why have some primary and secondary industries remained successful despite overall decline?
Correct answer: Growing demand for sustainable and high-quality products
Lack of investment in new technology
Decrease in global trade opportunities
Reduced consumer interest in local industries