Exploring Eastern Europe

Curriculum Context

Subject: Geography
Age Group: Year 10 (ages 14–15)
UK National Curriculum Area: "Locational Knowledge" and "Human and Physical Geography"
Focus Standard: Deepen understanding of locational contexts and investigate global regions with particular strengths or challenges (Key Stage 4).

By the end of this 45-minute session, students will:

Accurately locate major Eastern European countries on a map and identify their capitals.
Analyse the physical and human geographical features of a selected Eastern European region (e.g., Carpathian Basin, Baltic States).
Discuss the significance of Eastern Europe in terms of cultural diversity, climate, and socio-economic relationships within Europe.

Begin class with a quick think-pair-share activity. Display a slide with five questions:
1. Name three Eastern European countries.
2. What languages or cultures are common in Eastern Europe?
3. What is the weather like in Eastern Europe?
4. Can you think of any famous landmarks in Eastern Europe?
5. Why do you think Eastern Europe is important to Europe overall?
Allocate two minutes to discuss in pairs, then take three quick responses from the class to gauge prior knowledge.

Hand out blank maps of Europe and provide coloured markers. On the board, project an outline map.
Guide students through locating 10 Eastern European countries (e.g., Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, and Bulgaria). Ask them to label capitals too. Add stickers to highlight key landmarks (e.g., Carpathian Mountains, Danube River).
Highlight key points such as NATO/EU memberships and geographical neighbours.

Differentiation:

Provide a completed map as a scaffold for students who may need additional support. For stretch and challenge, ask confident students to name additional neighbouring countries.

This activity encourages immersive exploration of Eastern European culture and geography.

Present students with a "mystery box" containing five items that represent Eastern Europe (e.g., Hungarian paprika, a small wooden nesting doll, a labelled miniature bottle of Polish mineral water, a postcard from a Romanian castle, a small Baltic amber trinket).
Assign students into small groups of six and pass around each item. Groups will:
- Identify which country or region the item could represent.
- Discuss what the item might tell us about local culture, industries, or history.
Once all groups have completed their discussion, invite one representative from each group to share their findings.

Distribute a one-page case study handout that examines the physical and human geography of the Carpathian Basin (covering parts of Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania). Key themes include:
- Unique landforms (e.g., lowland plains surrounded by mountains).
- Agricultural practices (e.g., vineyards and wheat production).
- Cultural diversity (languages, folk traditions).
Together, explore the challenges this region faces, such as rural depopulation and environmental vulnerabilities. Use visuals from the PowerPoint on the board to accompany the discussion.

Group Variation: Pair higher-ability students to investigate one specific aspect in depth, such as historical trade routes through this region.

Refer back to the maps the students worked on and distribute sticky notes. Ask them to write one interesting fact about Eastern Europe they learned today. They add this to a large class outline map pinned to the board.
While students complete this, ask several to articulate one "takeaway" from today’s lesson. Examples might include:
- "I didn’t know the Danube River flows through so many countries!"
- "I found it interesting how diverse cultures are in such a small region."
End with a final slide that sets up the next lesson: exploring the impact of the Cold War on Eastern Europe.

Independent Research: Ask students to research one Eastern European country of their choice and create a one-page fact file, including physical geography, cultural highlights, and current events.
Debate Preparation: Assign teams to come prepared for a debate: "Is Eastern Europe more valuable to Europe culturally or economically?"

Informal assessment through questioning during paired and group discussions.
Review students’ maps as exit tickets to check location accuracy.
Classroom observations to assess engagement with the "Mystery Box" and case study activities.

Were students able to confidently locate the Eastern European countries?
How effectively did the "Mystery Box" activity stimulate curiosity and discussion?
Were the case study materials pitched at the right level for student understanding?