30-minute lesson
Year 1 Geography: Natural, managed and constructed features
Lesson objective
- Identify natural, managed and constructed features of places.
- Classify features into these three groups.
Success criteria:
- I can explain what a managed feature is.
- I can sort features into natural, managed and constructed.
- I can find examples of each near my home.
Materials
- Pictures of different features
- Three labelled sheets: natural, managed, constructed
- A walk in the local area
Introduction
3 minIntroduce today's words:
- natural feature: A feature made by nature, such as a river, hill or the ocean.
- managed feature: A natural feature that people look after or change, such as a farm, garden or park lawn.
- constructed feature: A feature built by people, such as a road, house or bridge.
- classify: To sort things into groups.
Ask your child what they already know about natural, managed and constructed features.
Explanation
6 minPlaces have different kinds of features.
Natural features are made by nature and have not been changed much by people: mountains, rivers, oceans, deserts and rainforests.
Managed features are natural things that people look after or change: farms, orchards, gardens, parks with mown grass and planted trees, and pine plantations.
Constructed features are built by people: houses, roads, schools, bridges, dams and shops.
First Nations Australians have managed Country for tens of thousands of years, for example by using carefully planned fire to look after plants and animals. This shows that people and nature have been connected for a very long time.
Worked examples
5 minSorting three features
Sort: a vegetable garden, a beach, a bridge.
Step 1: Beach: made by nature, so it is natural.
Step 2: Vegetable garden: plants growing naturally, but people planted and care for them, so it is managed.
Step 3: Bridge: built by people, so it is constructed.
Answer: Natural: beach. Managed: vegetable garden. Constructed: bridge.
A tricky one
Is a farm paddock of wheat natural, managed or constructed?
Step 1: Wheat is a plant, which is natural.
Step 2: But people chose to plant it, water it and harvest it.
Step 3: So people manage it.
Answer: Managed.
Guided practice (do together)
6 min1. Which is a natural feature?
(a) A school (b) An orchard (c) A waterfall (d) A road
2. Which is a managed feature?
(a) A farm (b) A volcano (c) A house (d) A swimming pool
3. Which is a constructed feature?
(a) A river (b) A garden (c) A desert (d) A bridge
4. What does 'classify' mean?
(a) To draw (b) To sort into groups (c) To count (d) To build
Independent practice
7 min5. How have First Nations Australians managed Country for a very long time?
(a) By using carefully planned fire (b) By building skyscrapers (c) By using tractors (d) By paving roads
6. Is a park lawn natural, managed or constructed?
7. Is an ocean natural, managed or constructed?
8. Is a shopping centre natural, managed or constructed?
Questions to check understanding
- Can you explain what a managed feature is?
- Can you sort features into natural, managed and constructed?
- Can you find examples of each near my home?
- What was the trickiest part today?
Answer guide
1. A waterfall — A waterfall is made by nature.
2. A farm — A farm uses nature but is cared for and changed by people.
3. A bridge — People build bridges.
4. To sort into groups — Classify means sort into groups.
5. By using carefully planned fire — Cultural burning is one way First Nations peoples have cared for Country.
6. managed — Grass grows naturally, but people mow and water it.
7. natural — Oceans are made by nature.
8. constructed — People build shopping centres.
Review
3 minRecap the success criteria together. Watch for these common misconceptions:
- Children often call a park 'natural'. Explain that people plant, mow and water parks, so they are managed.
- Some think any place with plants is natural, including farms.
Extension activities
- Photograph one natural, one managed and one constructed feature on a walk.
- Plant seeds in a pot and talk about how it becomes a managed feature.
- Draw a picture of an imaginary place that has all three types of features.
Suggested follow-up
- Revisit natural, managed and constructed features tomorrow with two or three quick questions from memory.
- Try the online practice check for this topic and look at any questions that need another go.
Tips for parents
- Do this lesson outdoors where possible; real examples are best.
- There are often grey areas. Praise good reasoning even if the answer differs from yours.
- To learn about cultural burning or caring for Country in your area, look for programs run by local First Nations ranger groups or land councils.