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
Natural, Managed, and Human-Made Features Posters
Identify the natural, manmade, and managed features of environments with printable anchor charts.
- Plus Plan
Our Natural and Built Environments - Poster Pack
Poster with definitions and examples of natural and built environments.
- Plus Plan
Geography Flip Book
A flip book to use when learning about geography.
- Plus Plan
Natural Disaster Posters
Posters with pictures for eight different types of natural disasters.
- Free Plan
Map of the World's Vegetation Zones
Locate and explore the different biomes of the world with this engaging classroom poster.
- Plus Plan
Comprehension - The Great Wall of China
A comprehension activity about The Great Wall of China.
- Plus Plan
Five Australian Landmarks Posters
A set of 5 posters highlighting some of Australia's most famous Landmarks.
- Plus Plan
Tundra PowerPoint
An 11 slide editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when learning about tundras.
- Plus Plan
Desert PowerPoint
An 11 slide editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when learning about deserts.
- Plus Plan
Deciduous Forest PowerPoint
An 11 slide editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when learning about deciduous forests.
- Plus Plan
Antarctic Wildlife Poster
A poster highlighting some of the main wildlife in Antarctica.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Continents and Oceans - Roll and Colour Game
Learn to identify the continents and oceans of the world with an engaging partner game.
- Plus Plan
Ocean-Themed Flashcards and Writing Prompts
Build vocabulary and writing skills with this ocean-themed writing activity.
- Plus Plan
The Natural Environment of South America — Inquiry Task
An inquiry task focusing on the natural environment of the Amazon rainforest in South America.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Landform Word Wall Vocabulary
Show your students examples of different landforms with a set of printable Landform word and picture cards.
- Plus Plan
Wetland Word Wall Vocabulary
A set of wetland related vocabulary word wall cards.
- Free Plan
National Tree Day Activity Pack
Celebrating National Tree Day with a pack of exciting activities!
- Plus Plan
Themes of Geography Poster Pack
A pack of six posters to use when learning about geography.
- Plus Plan
10 Fascinating Facts About Mauna Kea – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article about ten facts about Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
- Plus Plan
Continents and Oceans Worksheet
A worksheet to practise identifying the 7 continents and 5 oceans.
- Plus Plan
Australian Animals - Cut Out Decorations
A set of Australian animals themed cut out decorations.
- Plus Plan
Rainforest Layers - Poster
A poster that explains the layers of a rainforest.
- Plus Plan
Mining Word Wall Vocabulary
Sixty-seven mining related vocabulary cards for a word wall.
- Plus Plan
What is a Wetland? Poster
A poster with information about the plant life, climate and annual rainfall that characterise a wetland environment.
- Plus Plan
Exploring Environments and Places - Geography Word Wall Vocabulary
77 environments and places vocabulary cards.
- Plus Plan
6 Australian National Parks Posters
A set of six posters with information about Australian National Parks, including how to care for them.
- Free Plan
Natural and Built Environments - Information Sheets
A set of information sheets for selected natural and built environments.
- Free Plan
Desert Word Wall Vocabulary
Spark discussion and build academic vocabulary with a desert related vocabulary word wall.
- Plus Plan
Oceans of the World - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Explore some key facts about the world’s five oceans with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Built Environments Page Borders
8 built environments themed page borders.
- 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