Geography · Year 2

Active learning ideas

Kenyan Landscapes: Savannah and Mountains

Active learning helps Year 2 students grasp Kenyan landscapes by engaging multiple senses and movement, which builds lasting understanding. When children touch materials, arrange images, and build models, they internalize features like savannah grasses or Mount Kenya’s slopes more effectively than through passive listening.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Geography - Place Knowledge
• KS1: Geography - Human and Physical Geography

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Small Groups

Image Sort: Landscapes Match

Provide photos of savannah, Mount Kenya, and UK scenes. In small groups, students sort images into categories and label key features like trees or peaks. Groups share one observation with the class.

What do you notice about what the savannah in Kenya looks like?

Facilitation Tip

During Image Sort: Landscapes Match, place images face down and have pairs take turns flipping two cards to find matches, encouraging discussion about what they see.

What to look for

Show students two images: one of the Kenyan savannah and one of a UK landscape like the Scottish Highlands. Ask them to point to the image of the savannah and name one animal they might see there. Then, ask them to name one difference between the two landscapes.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Pairs

Animal Habitat Hunt: Kenya vs UK

Display animal cards from both countries. Pairs match animals to savannah, mountain, or UK habitat pictures, then discuss adaptations like long necks for giraffes. Create a class comparison chart.

Can you name some animals that live on the Kenyan savannah?

Facilitation Tip

For Animal Habitat Hunt: Kenya vs UK, provide small world trays with loose parts so students can physically group animals into habitats as they decide.

What to look for

Provide students with a worksheet showing pictures of animals. Ask them to draw a circle around the animals that live on the Kenyan savannah and a square around animals that live in the UK. They should write one sentence explaining their choice for one animal.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 45 min · Pairs

Diorama Build: Savannah Scene

Students use trays, sand, grass cuttings, and toy animals to build a savannah model. Add Mount Kenya with clay. Pairs explain their model to another pair, noting UK differences.

How are the animals in Kenya the same as or different from animals in the United Kingdom?

Facilitation Tip

In Diorama Build: Savannah Scene, limit materials to natural textures like twigs for trees and sandpaper for grass to focus attention on landscape features.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are planning a trip to visit the Kenyan savannah. What three things would you pack to help you see the animals and explore the landscape?' Record their ideas and discuss why each item would be useful.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Individual

Map Mark: Key Features

On outline maps of Kenya and UK, individuals mark savannah areas, Mount Kenya, and familiar UK sites. Share maps in whole class to trace animal routes.

What do you notice about what the savannah in Kenya looks like?

Facilitation Tip

When completing Map Mark: Key Features, use highlighters so students can trace and label rivers, mountains, and savannah zones on laminated maps.

What to look for

Show students two images: one of the Kenyan savannah and one of a UK landscape like the Scottish Highlands. Ask them to point to the image of the savannah and name one animal they might see there. Then, ask them to name one difference between the two landscapes.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should begin with concrete examples before abstract comparisons, using real photographs of Kenyan landscapes to anchor understanding. Avoid starting with maps or graphs, which can overwhelm young learners. Research suggests young children learn spatial concepts best through hands-on exploration and storytelling, so link activities to simple narratives like 'a day in the savannah' to make the content relatable and memorable.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently identify key features of Kenyan landscapes and compare them with UK landscapes using clear language. They will use photographs, maps, and models to explain differences in vegetation, wildlife, and terrain with examples from both regions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Image Sort: Landscapes Match, watch for students who group images based on color or sand-like textures instead of landscape features.

  Use a sorting mat with two columns labeled 'Savannah' and 'Other Landscapes.' Have students place images only if they can point to grass, trees, or animals as evidence, correcting misplaced cards as a group.

• During Animal Habitat Hunt: Kenya vs UK, watch for students who place savannah animals in fenced areas like UK farm fields.

  Provide two separate trays labeled 'Kenyan Savannah' and 'UK Farm.' Have students physically move animal figurines to the correct tray, prompting them to explain why each animal belongs in its place.

• During Diorama Build: Savannah Scene, watch for students who create a desert with sand and no plants or animals.

  Ask students to include at least three green elements (grass or trees) and two animals in their diorama. Provide picture prompts of savannah scenes to guide placement and discussion.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle