Geographical Features Teaching Resources
Teach about geographical features in your HASS classes with printable worksheets, interactive activities, instructional slide decks and more Australian curriculum-aligned and teacher-created resources.
This teaching resource collection includes editable options so you can easily make the edits you need to fit your lesson planning needs. You'll also find resources that have already been differentiated for your students.
Best of all? Each printable and digital resource has been reviewed by the teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure it's classroom-ready, so you can download and begin using it in the classroom right away.
New to teaching about the planet's different geographical features, or looking for some fresh ideas to explore mountains, lakes and more? The teachers of Teach Starter have put together this handy primer.
What Is a Geographic Feature? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Are you trying to explain geographical features to your students? Here's a simple definition for kids:
A geographical feature is a natural or human-made characteristic of the Earth's surface.
What Are Examples of Geographic Features?
OK, so that's what it is. But what, exactly are we talking about? Let's look at some examples of major geographic features to make the concept of features of geography more concrete for your students!
Examples of Natural Geographic Features for Kids
The physical and environmental characteristics of the Earth's surface that are created by natural processes — such as plate tectonics, erosion, weathering, and volcanic activity — are natural geographical features.
They're important because they shape our entire environment, determining everything from the distribution of plant and animal species to influencing climate patterns, and they provide natural resources for human societies. They also tend to become landmarks and tourist attractions.
Examples of major physical features of our Earth include:
- Mountains (e.g., the Rocky Mountains, the Andes, the Himalayas)
- Rivers (e.g., the Amazon River, the Nile, the Finke River)
- Lakes (e.g., Lake Albina, Lake Victoria, Avoca Lake)
- Oceans (e.g., the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean)
- Deserts (e.g., the Sahara, the Mojave Desert, the Gobi Desert)
- Islands (e.g., Heard Island, Madagascar, the Galapagos Islands)
- Plains (e.g., Bogong High Plains,Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains)
- Valleys (e.g., Hunter Valley, Clare Valley, Jamison Valley)
- Volcanoes (e.g., Mount Fuji, Mount Vesuvius, Mount Schank)
- Caves (e.g., Jenolan Caves, Careys Cave, Wellington Caves)
Examples of Human-Made Geographical Features for Kids
The other major type of feature of geography is the human-made kind. These physical and environmental characteristics of the Earth's surface are created or modified by human activities. These features are usually built to serve a specific purpose, such as transportation or communication.
These features also have cultural and historical significance, and they can be tourist attractions.
Examples of this type of feature include:
- Cities (e.g., Brisbane, Tokyo, Mumbai)
- Roads (e.g., the Great Ocean Road, the Trans-Amazonian Highway)
- Bridges (e.g., the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Tower Bridge)
- Canals (e.g., the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, the Alexandra Canal)
- Dams (e.g., the Bendora Dam, the Three Gorges Dam, the Aswan High Dam)
- Airports (e.g., Alice Springs Airport, Heathrow Airport, Changi Airport)
- Railroads (e.g., the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Orient Express, the Eurostar)
- Harbours (e.g., Sydney Harbour, the Port of Shanghai, the Port of Singapore)
- Parks (e.g., Purnululu National Park, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Tomaree National Park)
- Plus Plan
Continents and Oceans Worksheet
A worksheet to practise identifying the 7 continents and 5 oceans.
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Natural, Managed, and Constructed Environments PowerPoint
A 17-slide teaching presentation to use when exploring some of the features of environments.
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Introduction to Environments Poster Set
A set of 5 posters displaying different environments around the world.
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The Continent of South America PowerPoint
A 20 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when introducing students to the geographical features of South America.
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Deciduous Forest PowerPoint
An 11 slide editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when learning about deciduous forests.
- Free Plan
Natural and Built Environments Sort Activity
A natural and built environments sort activity.
- Free Plan
Desert Word Wall Vocabulary
Spark discussion and build academic vocabulary with a desert related vocabulary word wall.
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Continents and Oceans - Cover It! Game
Locate the continents and oceans of the world on a map with this engaging, hands-on Geography game.
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Continents and Oceans - Interactive Peg Cards
Turn world geography into a digital learning experience with this interactive activity.
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The Natural Environment of South America — Inquiry Task
An inquiry task focusing on the natural environment of the Amazon rainforest in South America.
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The Natural Environment of South America PowerPoint
A 17 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when introducing students to the climate, vegetation and animals of South America.
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Uluru Size Comparison Poster
A poster showing the size of Uluru.
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What is a Wetland? Poster
A poster with information about the plant life, climate and annual rainfall that characterise a wetland environment.
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What is a Rainforest? Poster
A poster with information about the plant life, climate and annual rainfall that characterise a rainforest environment.
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Wetland Word Wall Vocabulary
A set of wetland related vocabulary word wall cards.
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Desert PowerPoint
An 11 slide editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when learning about deserts.
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6 Australian National Parks Posters
A set of six posters with information about Australian National Parks, including how to care for them.
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Geographic Landforms Features Poster and Worksheet
Add this poster of different types of geographic features of Earth to your classroom walls to provide a visual reference for students.
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The New Seven Wonders of the World — Mini-Book
Teach about the new Seven Wonders of the World with this informative mini-book for year 5 and year 6 students.
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Continents and Oceans - Exit Tickets
Determine your students' mastery of Geography concepts with a set of twenty continents and oceans exit tickets.
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Continents and Oceans - SCOOT! Task Cards
Learn to locate and identify the continents and oceans on Earth with a game of SCOOT!
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Continents and Oceans - Roll and Colour Game
Learn to identify the continents and oceans of the world with an engaging partner game.
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Continents and Oceans Task Cards
Practise identifying and describing the 7 continents and 5 oceans with a set of task cards.
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Ocean-Themed Flashcards and Writing Prompts
Build vocabulary and writing skills with this ocean-themed writing activity.
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Continents and Oceans Board Game
Explore the continents and oceans of the world with this hands-on Geography board game.
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National Tree Day – The Green Bridge – A Science Investigation
A science investigation embedded in a real-world context, where students design a habitat to meet the needs of specific animals.
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10 Fascinating Facts About Burano – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Year 3 magazine (Issue 3).
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10 Fascinating Facts About Mount Fuji – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Year 6 magazine (Issue 3).
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10 Fascinating Facts About the Golden Gate Bridge – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Year 4 magazine (Issue 3).
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Geography Flip Book
A flip book to use when learning about geography.
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10 Fascinating Facts About Mauna Kea – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article about ten facts about Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
- Plus Plan
Australian Animals - Cut Out Decorations
A set of Australian animals themed cut out decorations.
- Geographical Features Worksheets
- Geographical Features Posters
- Geographical Features Teaching Presentations
- Geographical Features Labels, Signs & Decorations
- Geographical Features for Foundation Year
- Geographical Features for Year 1
- Geographical Features for Year 2
- Geographical Features for Year 3
- Geographical Features for Year 4
- Geographical Features for Year 5
- Geographical Features for Year 6
- Geographical Features for Year 7