Year 3 - Geography
Settlement features
Settlements: where do people live and why?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores different types of settlements, from villages to cities. Pupils learn about settlement features, growth and location, and use their local area to understand how places change. They apply what they've learned by designing a new settlement.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to name and recognise the key features of villages, towns and cities.
Key Notes
- Settlements are places where people live and work, and often have a distinct community identity.
- Settlements vary in size from small hamlets, to villages, towns, cities and megacities.
- Larger settlements tend to have a wider range of buildings and land uses, and more facilities and services.
- Photos, including aerial photos, show the main features of villages, towns and cities.
Vocabulary To Learn
- settlements: Settlements are places where groups of people live and work.
- services: A service is a system that supplies a public need, for example waste collection.
- facilities: A facility is a building, piece of equipment or place that is used for an activity or purpose.
- population: The population is the total number of people living in a particular area.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Cities are only places where people work.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
Settlements are places where people live and work, and often have a distinct community identity. Settlements vary in size from small hamlets, to villages, towns, cities and megacities.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'settlements'
Settlements are places where groups of people live and work.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Cities are only places where people work. Correction: Remind students that cities are places that people live and work as cities include residential areas.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 3 Geography guide library.