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Year 2 - Geography

The River Taff

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 describe the course of the River Taff and explain how the River Taff has changed over time.

Key Notes

  • The River Taff flows from the north to the south of the city and drains into Cardiff Bay, a freshwater lake.
  • Over 200 years ago, a famous engineer called Isambard Kingdom Brunel changed the course of the River Taff.
  • Cardiff Station was then built in an area that used to flood before the river was diverted.
  • The River Taff used to be heavily polluted but is now home to trout, salmon and other wildlife.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • course: The course of a river is the path it takes from its source at the start to its mouth at the end
  • freshwater: Freshwater is water that is not salty
  • divert: To divert something is to make it take a different route
  • pollution: Pollution is anything that makes the environment dirty or unhealthy

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may think that rivers simply stop or disappear, rather than flow into a larger water body.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

The River Taff flows from the north to the south of the city and drains into Cardiff Bay, a freshwater lake. Over 200 years ago, a famous engineer called Isambard Kingdom Brunel changed the course of the River Taff.

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

The course of a river is the path it takes from its source at the start to its mouth at the end.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may think that rivers simply stop or disappear, rather than flow into a larger water body. Correction: All rivers are part of the water cycle; water in a river flows overland along its course until it reaches a larger body of water, often at the coast. For example, water from the River Taff flows into Cardiff Bay.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 2 Geography guide library.