Year 3 geography lesson – What are latitude and longitude?
This Year 3 geography lesson introduces pupils to the concepts of latitude and longitude, helping them understand how we use these lines to locate places on Earth. Aligned with the KS2 geography curriculum, this lesson builds essential map skills and provides a foundation for later work on climate zones and biomes.
What’s included in this lesson pack?
- Interactive lesson PowerPoint explaining latitude, longitude, the Equator and Prime Meridian
- World maps, globes and digital mapping activities
- Worksheet tasks to label and describe locations using coordinates
- Challenge activities with real latitude and longitude coordinates
Learning objectives
- Identify and label the Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles
- Use latitude and longitude coordinates to find countries and cities
- Develop confidence with map work, atlases and globes
Why choose this Year 3 geography lesson?
This lesson is part of our Year 3 climate zones scheme of work, giving teachers clear planning, differentiated tasks, and engaging resources. With a focus on geographical enquiry and vocabulary, it ensures pupils gain practical skills while developing curiosity about the world. Recognised as Highly Commended by the Geographical Association, our KS2 geography scheme supports progression across Years 3–6.
