Year 6 - Geography
Coastal habitats and ecosystems
Coasts: what happens where the land meets the sea?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores how coastal landscapes form and change. Pupils learn about erosion, habitats and human activity at the coast, and investigate how coastal environments are used, protected and managed in the face of ongoing change.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify some threats to coastal habitats around the world and explain why these places matter to wildlife.
Key Notes
- Coastal habitats and their unique ecosystems are under threat from human activity and climate change.
- Coastline settlements and industries impact on natural habitats affecting wildlife populations.
- River estuaries can be hot spots of pollution emptying into the oceans.
- Eco-tourism is a way of trying to redress environmental damage by focusing on outcomes beneficial for wildlife.
Vocabulary To Learn
- ecosystem: An ecosystem is a natural environment and the plants and animals live and interact within that environment
- habitat: Habitat is the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism
- pollution: Pollution is anything that makes the environment dirty or unhealthy
- organism: An organism is a living thing
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Nature reserves or world heritage sites only apply to places on land.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
Coastal habitats and their unique ecosystems are under threat from human activity and climate change. Coastline settlements and industries impact on natural habitats affecting wildlife populations.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'ecosystem'
An ecosystem is a natural environment and the plants and animals live and interact within that environment.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Nature reserves or world heritage sites only apply to places on land. Correction: Many coasts and underwater ecosystems are classed as Marine Protected Areas and are protected in the same way as nature reserves.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 6 Geography guide library.