Topic Five (1.5): The British Isles on their travels!

Topics Icon.png Objectives for this topic

By the end of this topic you should be able to:

  • explain the terms: plates, Pangea, fossil, geological timescale, Precambrian eon, era, period;
  • understand that continents and oceans are carried on plates; as the plates move and join and break up, the positions and shapes of the continents and oceans change too.
  • describe the northward journey of the land that is now the British Isles, from 550 million years ago (550mya);
  • explain why dinosaur fossils found in the UK are all more than 65 million years old.

Introduction Icon.png Introduction

In this topic you will learn about how the land that forms the British Isles has travelled the globe over millions of years, thanks to plate tectonics.


Interact Icon.png Working through your coursebook

  • geog.3, read through pages 14–15.

COMPLETE - Lesson 1 - slides 8 and 12 (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.

COMPLETE - 1.5 Where in the World? (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.

COMPLETE - 1.5 Word Scramble (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.

  • Complete all the ‘Your Turn’ activities on page 15.
  • There is lots of information on page 15 about geological periods. Don’t try to remember every detail, but it is good to know the names and orders of the three most recent eras.
  • This short video shows how the continents of the entire world have changed over the past 550 million years:

WATCH - Animated Maps: Tectonic Plate Movement (YouTube) Links to an external site.


Review Icon.png Review

COMPLETE - End-of-Lesson Test 1.5 (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.


Bridge Icon.png  Support activity for this topic

COMPLETE - Foundation Worksheet for 1.5 (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.


Stretch Icon.png Extension activity for this topic

COMPLETE - Extension Worksheet for 1.5 (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.


Download Icon.png Check your answers

CHECK - Your Turn Answers

CHECK - 1.5 Foundation Worksheet Answers (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.

CHECK - 1.5 Extension Worksheet Answers (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.