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Year 2 - Geography

Locating Cardiff

What is life like in Cardiff?

Unit Summary

This unit explores the capital cities of London and Cardiff through their landmarks, transport, rivers and green spaces. Pupils describe key physical and human features and plan a day out using maps, images and simple route planning.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to locate Cardiff and identify its features, including the M4 motorway, on maps and aerial photographs.

Key Notes

  • Aerial imagery and maps at different scales help us describe where places are using geographical vocabulary.
  • Cardiff is located in the south east of Wales, near the coast and close to the M4 motorway.
  • Cardiff is the largest city and capital city of Wales.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • scale: The scale on a map shows what size the area that is represented in the map really is.
  • aerial photograph: An aerial photograph is a picture of an object or place that has been taken from above.
  • River Taff: The River Taff travels 64 miles from its source in the Brecon Beacons, through Cardiff to its mouth in the Bristol Channel.
  • motorway: A motorway is major road that you can travel long distances on at a fast speed.
  • capital city: A capital city is the place in a country where the government 'sits' and has its centre of power.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may think that London is the only capital city in the UK.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.

Aerial imagery and maps at different scales help us describe where places are using geographical vocabulary. Cardiff is located in the south east of Wales, near the coast and close to the M4 motorway.

2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'scale'

The scale on a map shows what size the area that is represented in the map really is.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may think that London is the only capital city in the UK. Correction: The UK consists of four countries; England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Each of these has their own capital city, so London is not the only capital city in the UK. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 2 Geography guide library.