Oceans and Compass

Year Group

Year 2

Duration

1 hour

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National Curriculum Links

• Geography – Locational knowledge:
  “Name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans.”
• Geography – Geographical skills and fieldwork:
  “Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans.”
• Key Stage 1 Geography aims:
  Develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Locate the 5 oceans on a world map.
• WALT: Use compass directions (North, South, East, West) to describe the location of oceans in relation to continents.

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Success Criteria

• I can find and name the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans on a world map.
• I can point to where each ocean is using compass directions.
• I can say a sentence about where an ocean is using words like 'north of,' 'south of,' 'east of,' 'west of.'
• I can place stick-on labels correctly on the classroom working wall.

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Resources

• Interactive world map (digital or large printed version).
• PowerPoint presentation with images of oceans, compass rose, and maps.
• Colourful compass rose posters for classroom.
• Stick-on labels with ocean names (big fonts, colour-coded).
• Sentence frames printed on coloured card for ‘working below’ and ‘working towards’ groups.
• Dyslexia-friendly map handouts with clear fonts and high-contrast colours.
• Working wall space with sticky notes and sentence strips.
• Compass rose masks or pointers for kinesthetic engagement.

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Lesson Outline

1. Engage (10 minutes)

• Show an animated PowerPoint slide of the globe spinning slowly.
• Ask: “Who can name an ocean?” Gather ideas. Introduce the 5 oceans using colourful visual slides (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, Arctic).
• Show a compass rose and briefly review North, South, East, West with a fun mnemonic (e.g., “Never Eat Shredded Wheat”).
• Quick class compass activity: children stand up and point north, south, east and west.

2. Explore (15 minutes)

• Reveal a large world map with continents and ocean outlines only.
• Hand out dyslexia-friendly mini maps to children.
• Model identifying and labelling the Pacific Ocean. Say:
  “The Pacific Ocean is west of the Americas and east of Asia and Australia.”
• Use sentence frames on PowerPoint and working wall such as:
  • “The ____ Ocean is [compass direction] of ____. ”
  • “_____ is to the [compass direction] of the ____ Ocean.”
• Attach stick-on ocean labels on the working wall using a map outline.
• Invite volunteers (differentiated by ability; working towards use simpler frames) to come and place labels and say sentences aloud.

3. Explain (10 minutes)

• Introduce each ocean with a brief fact and direction relative to continents, e.g.:
  • “The Arctic Ocean is north of North America and Europe.”
  • “The Indian Ocean is south of Asia and east of Africa.”
• Using compass masks/pointers, children work in pairs to describe an ocean’s location using sentence frames.
• Emphasise key vocabulary: north, south, east, west, ocean, continent.

4. Elaborate (15 minutes)

• Small group activity: children select a specific ocean and create a mini-poster using their sentence frames and ocean label.
• Advanced learners: write their own descriptive sentences without frames and draw arrows on maps.
• Support learners: use a working towards sentence frame (e.g., “The Atlantic Ocean is near Europe.”) and work with TA or teacher for one-on-one help.
• Display mini-posters on learning wall under ocean name.

5. Evaluate (10 minutes)

• Use a quick oral quiz game with compass directions and oceans (e.g., “Which ocean is east of Africa?”) with hands-up answers.
• Children complete a sentence in their books or on whiteboards: “The _____ Ocean is ___ of _____.”
• Self-assess using a smiley face system against success criteria.

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Differentiation

• Working towards: Use simplified sentence frames, verbal support, and smaller maps with fewer details.
• Expected: Use full sentence frames and independently place stick-on labels.
• Working above: Extend with descriptive sentences including more compass points (e.g., northeast) and additional geographical facts.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Strategies

• Use clear, sans-serif fonts and large print on all materials.
• High contrast coloured backgrounds on handouts and PowerPoint slides.
• Multi-sensory teaching through map handling, physical compass pointing, and visual aids.
• Break instructions into small, manageable steps.
• Provide oral instructions alongside written text.

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Extension Activity (Optional)

• Challenge advanced learners to find an extra fact about one ocean (e.g., what animals live there or its size) and share it with the class next day.
• Create their own compass rose art incorporating the oceans around a world illustration.

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Working Wall Sentences Examples

• “The Pacific Ocean is west of North America.”
• “The Atlantic Ocean is east of North America and west of Europe.”
• “The Indian Ocean is south of Asia.”
• “The Southern Ocean is south of all the continents.”
• “The Arctic Ocean is north of Europe and North America.”

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This lesson plan promises active participation, visual and kinaesthetic learning, and clear success steps to help Year 2 pupils gain strong foundational geography skills aligned with the UK National Curriculum.