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)
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The World's Oceans - Comprehension Worksheet
Explore the world’s five oceans with this detailed comprehension passage and related questions.
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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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7 Continents Fortune Teller
Review the continents of the world with this hands-on continents fortune teller.
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Ocean-Themed Flashcards and Writing Prompts
Build vocabulary and writing skills with this ocean-themed writing activity.
- Free Plan
Do You See What I See? - Worksheet
A worksheet that explores how features of a local environment may change.
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The Natural Environment of Africa - Inquiry Task
An inquiry task focusing on the natural environment of the grasslands of Africa.
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Australian Immigration Posters
A set of 7 posters that describe the impact immigration had on shaping Australia as a nation.
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Comprehension - The Great Wall of China
A comprehension activity about The Great Wall of China.
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Antarctic Wildlife Poster
A poster highlighting some of the main wildlife in Antarctica.
- Free Plan
The Continent of Europe - Mini-Book
Explore the wonders and delights of the continent of Europe with this informative printable mini-book.
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Oceans of the World - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Explore some key facts about the world’s five oceans with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Natural and Built Environments - Display Elements
Build a Natural vs. Manmade Environment bulletin board with a set of decorative elements.
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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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10 Fascinating Facts About Mauna Kea – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article about ten facts about Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
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Famous Landmarks - STEM Challenge Cards
A set of 8 famous landmarks STEM challenge cards encouraging students to build famous structures.
- Free Plan
Desert Word Wall Vocabulary
Spark discussion and build academic vocabulary with a desert related vocabulary word wall.
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Our Natural and Built Environments - Poster Pack
Poster with definitions and examples of natural and built environments.
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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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Continents and Oceans Board Game
Explore the continents and oceans of the world with this hands-on Geography board 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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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 Mount Fuji – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Year 6 magazine (Issue 3).
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Australian Animals - Cut Out Decorations
A set of Australian animals themed cut out decorations.
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Australian Bush Page Border
A page border with an Australian bush theme.
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Desert Background
A background for a desert scene.
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Natural Environments - PowerPoint
A Natural Environments themed PowerPoint to add some colour and design to your classroom PowerPoint presentations.
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Landform Word Wall Vocabulary
Show your students examples of different landforms with a set of printable Landform word and picture cards.
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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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Australian Habitats Word Wall Vocabulary
A set of Australian habitats related vocabulary word wall cards.
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Wetland Word Wall Vocabulary
A set of wetland related vocabulary word wall cards.
- 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