A bundle of all my coasts lessons prepared for the AQA specification, but still useful for other specifications.
Lesson titles in order are:
Types of Waves
Weathering and Mass Movement
Processes of Erosion and Transportation
Headlands and Bays
Wave Cut-Notches & Platforms, Stacks, Stumps and Arches
Longshore Drift and Deposition
Beaches and Sand Dunes
Spits and Bars
Coastal Landforms at Swanage
Hard Engineering
Soft Engineering
Managed Retreat
Coastal Management at Lyme Regis
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer
A simple, colourful and easy to use revision workbooklet with activities to help students revise the coasts section to the AQA GCSE specification.
Includes Holderness Coast case study.
AQA GCSE Geography lesson for the new specification Unit 1C: In this lesson we look at the different types of weathering and mass movement.
We start with a true or false retrieval practice quiz on wave types from the previous lesson.
We then introduce the concept of weathering and proceed to look at mechanical, biological and chemical weathering. The pupils have a variety of annotation, drawing and question tasks to complete on the worksheet.
Moving on to mass movement, the pupils get a second worksheet with 4 different slopes on. The pupils then are given information on each type of mass movement. They sketch the type of mass movement onto their slope and add labels. We finish with a simple GCSE-style question which I get the pupils to answer on a post-it note.
In a nutshell lesson includes:
True or False starter on wave types
Weathering activity sheet with diagrams and questions.
Mass movement ‘change the slope’ activity sheet.
Video clips where appropriate
GCSE-style question plenary
Hope this saves you some valuable planning time.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer
Revision work booklet for students to use to prepare for the coasts topic in Paper 1 - Physical Geography.
Various activities, exam questions and case studies included.
All clearly linked to the specification.
Topic 12 (Lessons are coded)
Taught to Year 9 pupils
12A: Intro to Coasts
12B: Coastal Processes
12C: Coastal Erosion
12D: Old Harry’s Rocks
12E: Coastal Deposition
12F: Spit formation (Spurn Head)
12G: Why do coasts need protecting?
12H: Hard Engineering
12I: Soft Engineering
12J: Coasts OS Maps
12K: Coasts GIS [Digimaps]
12L: Assessment, Mark Scheme
12M: Close the Gap activity, Feed Forward Task
A Knowledge Organiser and 10 tasks to use as revision.
Complete Half-Term Unit on Coasts – Ideal for KS3 Geography
This fully resourced unit covers one half-term and introduces KS3 students to the dynamic topic of coasts. Lessons are clear, varied, and visually rich, exploring both physical processes and human responses to coastal environments.
Whether you’re a specialist or non-specialist, this unit is designed to be flexible and easy to use, saving you time without compromising on quality. This set includes PowerPoints, ready to print worksheets, embedded videos, engaging activities, and an end-of-unit assessment.
Topics covered:
Importance of Coastal Areas
Weathering
Erosion
Coastal Landforms
Coastal Management
Coral Reefs
If you find this unit useful, feel free to browse my shop for a wide range of Geography resources. I keep my prices affordable and offer bundles across a variety of topics and key stages. As a practising classroom teacher with over 20 years of experience, I only share resources I’ve used myself – all lessons have been tried, tested, and enjoyed by my students.
A lot of care goes into creating these resources, so I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a review. Thank you for your support!
Updated May 2025
AQA A Level Geography Coasts Case Study - The Holderness Coastline.
2 A3 case study sheets containing information on the Holderness’ location, different types of coastline and landforms, factors affecting rates of erosion, impacts of erosion and sea level, hard engineering strategies along the Holderness coast and future management plans.
DOCs and PDF Formats.
AQA GCSE Geography lesson for the new specification Unit 1C: In this lesson we look at the formation of headlands and bays through the process of differential erosion.
We start with a simple retrieval practice quiz.
We then introduce the concept of differential erosion and how geology can play big role in the formation of bays and headlands. the pupils are introduced to the features then use a trace outline diagram to alter the coastline to predict what it might look like in the future. The pupils then label the diagrams to show how headlands and bays are formed. We then look at concordant and discordant coastlines. We start by analysing a map of the Swanage coastline, the pupils questioned as to why the coast has different features and shapes. The pupils make a geological map of the area using an outline map, they them annotate where the two types of coastline are.
We finish with a GCSE-style question on the role of geology in the formation of landforms on the coast.
In a nutshell lesson includes:
Retrieval practice starter
Trace it 3-step diagram on the formation of bays and headlands.
A geological outline map of the Dorset coastline activity.
6 mark GCSE-style question with guidance should the pupils need it.
Hope this saves you some valuable planning time.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer
AQA GCSE Geography lesson for the new specification Unit 1C: In this lesson we look at beaches and how their profiles can be altered and sand dune succession and formation…
We start with a simple retrieval practice grid which is good for spaced practice.
We then discuss why some beaches have different profiles to other beaches and what difference the size of sediment makes. We then look at the different types of waves and how they affect beach profiles. The pupils will make annotated diagrams of winter and summer beaches. We move onto sand dune systems. The pupils have an outline profile of sand dune succession. We use info slides which can either be teacher led, or use as a round the room activity, group activity etc, the pupils add the appropriate info onto the diagram from the slides. We then look at what conditions are needed for the dune system to form. The pupils have a hexagon task. I usually get the pupils to think about each factor first, the next slide has the answers but they still need to match them up
We finish with a GCSE-style question on the formation of sand dunes with some guidance on how to answer.
In a nutshell lesson includes:
Retrieval practice starter
Beach profile diagram activity
Sand dune succession annotated round the room/group diagram task.
Formation of sand dunes hexagon task.
4 mark GCSE-style question with guidance should the pupils need it.
Hope this saves you some valuable planning time.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer
AQA GCSE Geography lesson for the new specification Unit 1C: In this lesson we look at the processes of erosion and transportation (Note we don’t do longshore drift until the next lesson, too much for one lesson!)
We start with a retrieval practice grid from the previous lesson (good for spaced practice).
We then introduce the concept of erosion, we watch a short video clip of he problems at Dawlish several years ago to get the pupils thinking about why erosion is important. We then look at erosion first, the pupils have a worksheet which shows the processes. They need to describe the process, locate the process on the map with an arrow and as a bonus they get to colour the diagram in (They still love doing this in year 11). We briefly look at the four processes of transportation and they do the same thing on the diagram.
Next we explore what factors might affect the rate of these processes occurring. I get the pupils to do a spray diagram or spider diagram. The pupils then use this to answer the question on the worksheet.
In a nutshell lesson includes:
Retrieval practice starter
Worksheet on the processes of erosion and transportation.
Activity on factors influencing these processes
Video clips where appropriate
GCSE-style question with guidance on answering
Hope this saves you some valuable planning time.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer
Edexcel A-level
Topic 2: Coasts
Lesson 1 - Free - L1 - 2.1 -What are the Coast Distinctive Landscapes?
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12638753
This SoW has been created to meet the teaching requirements of Topic 2: Coasts, which is a component of the Geography Edexcel A-level course.
This SoW is designed in detail and is both differentiated and engaging, and allows you to move pupils through content efficiently. As a result, lessons take around two hours to deliver and hit the required components of the syllabus (see syllabus code).
Made to a high standard and constructed using current research, both dual coding and retrieval practices are at the heart of this unit. A colour scheme also runs throughout to ease both your delivery and students comprehension.
A KS3 SoW has also been include free…
This resource is a part of a scheme that covers the entire A-level topic (Water Security), which can be viewed using the link below:
L1 - 2.1 -What are the Coast Distinctive Landscapes?
L2 - 2.2 + 2.3 - What role does Geology Play in Affecting Coastal Landscapes?
L3 - 2.4 - How does Coastal Erosion Create Distinctive Landscapes?
L4 - 2.5 - What landforms are created by coastal transportation and deposition?
L5 - 2.6 - How do subaerial processes influence coastal landforms?
L6 - 2.7 (2.10)- How are Changes to Sea Level Influencing Coast Over Various Time Scales?
L7 - 2.8 (2.10) - How Does Rapid Coastal Retreat Cause Threaten Coastal Communities?
L8 - 2.9 - Why is there a Growing Risk of Coastal Flooding?
L9 - 2.11 - How are Coastal Recession and Flooding Affecting Communities?
L10 - 2.12 - Why are Coasts Increasingly Managed by ICMZ?
I’m happy to answer any questions you may have prior to purchase and any feedback is of course welcome…
thegeographyshoporiginal@gmail.com
Best FREE Resources (The Geography Shop)
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I hope you find this SoW useful. If you have, I have created a series of resources.
You can check them out here.
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AQA GCSE Geography lesson for the new specification Unit 1C: In this lesson we look at spits and bars together with the processes that lead to their formation.
The starter is a true or false type quiz where the pupils have to find the landforms and processes associated with erosion.
We have a brief reminder of what longshore drift and deposition are. We have a quiz around a photo of Spurn Head and then watch a video clip. The pupils then create annotated diagrams of spits, bars and tombolos. This is usually teacher led in my lessons, but would work as an info hunt/share. We then draw an annotated field sketch from a photograph of Dawlish Warren Spit. The pupils then label the feature of the spit and fill in the blanks on the paragraph.
We finish with a 6 mark GCSE-style question: “Explain how the processes of deposition lead to the formation of distinctive landforms”. The pupils have some guidance in answering this.
In a nutshell lesson includes:
Retrieval practice true or false starter
Video clip
Annotated diagrams on formation of spits, bars and tombolos.
Features of a field sketch from photograph with an example.
6 mark GCSE-style question with guidance should the pupils need it.
Hope this saves you some valuable planning time.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer
AQA A-Level Geography: Coastal Systems and Landscapes
Complete Topic Booklet
This comprehensive, ready-to-print student workbook covers every single specification point for the AQA A-Level Physical Geography Coastal Systems and Landscapes topic.
Designed to move students away from passive reading and towards active application, this booklet blends structured notes, retrieval practice, and scaffolded exam preparation into one cohesive document.
Perfect for use as a teaching resource, an independent revision guide, or a structured homework booklet.
What is Inside?
Complete Spec Coverage: Zero gaps. Clear, highly structured notes on everything from sediment cells and wave morphology to eustatic/isostatic sea-level change and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
Built-in Case Study Frameworks: Dedicated, scaffolded spaces for your class’s specific examples (e.g., an erosional coastline, a depositional environment, and coastal management strategies).
Active Learning and Application: Includes sketch and annotate activities (perfect for the classic cave-arch-stack-stump or longshore drift diagrams), complete key term glossaries, and retrieval practice quizzes.
Exam Practice and 20-Mark Essay Plans: Trains students to write for the Level 4 mark band. Includes 4, 6, 8, and 20-mark practice questions with AQA-specific examiner guidance and structured essay planning frameworks.
Synoptic Links Checklists: Explicitly maps connections to Water and Carbon Cycles, Hazards, and Changing Places to prep students for those high-level synoptic questions.
Key Features:Visual Navigation: Uses intuitive icons to highlight exact Spec References, Exam Tips, Case Study requirements, and Synoptic Links.
Evaluative Focus: Built to target AO2 skills. Guides students through evaluating hard vs. soft engineering, shoreline management plans (SMPs), and the impacts of climate change.
Provided as a PDF and a word doc so you can edit as you please!
Documentary exploring coastal environments.
This is a question and answer sheet to accompany the documentary Planet Earth 3: Coasts on BBC.
Sir David Attenborough explores the dangerous frontiers created by the world’s coasts, where animals fight for survival amidst constant change.
This worksheet focuses on changing coastal environments and includes the following topics:
• Coastal ecosystems
• Seasonal change – Arctic
• Coastal predators – Namibia
• Coastal sanctuaries – Canada
• Protection - Mangrove Forests
• Exposed coasts – Mexico
• Climate Change
This worksheet covers the full 50 minutes of the documentary. There are a variety of question types used to keep kids engaged and comes with a handy teacher answer sheet with guide times to support lesson planning.
For worksheets to support other science and nature documentaries please see my shop.
Key words
Why Study Coasts?
Activity 1: What is a coast? Social, economic and environmental
Think - Pair - Share - Why do we use coasts?
Activity 2: Locate coastal settlements (worksheet included in PPT)
True or False activity
Activity 3: Why do people live near the coast? Links to social, economic and environmental
Plenary
This PowerPoint revision booklet contains clear, concise revision slides for the AQA GCSE Geography coast topic.
The booklet is designed for effective exam revision, with each slide focusing on one key concept from the specification.
SLIDES ARE FORMATTED FOR A4 FOR EASY PRINTING
Slides use:
Short, exam-focused bullet points
Clearly labelled diagrams
Highlighted key terms and processes
Simple cause-and-effect explanations
This layout supports independent study, retrieval practice, and last-minute revision, making it suitable for in-class revision, homework, or intervention groups.
Included topics:
Waves
4 Processes for coastal erosion
4 Processes for coastal Transportation
Headlands and bays
Wave cut platforms
Caves, arches, stacks and stumps
Longshore Drift
Spits and Bars
Sand dunes and Beaches
Managing coastal erosion
CASE STUDY: LYME REGIS COASTAL MANAGEMENT
Suitable for:
AQA GCSE Geography
Year 9–11 students
Revision lessons, homework, and exam preparation
AQA GEOGRAPHY COASTS REVISION QUIZ
End of year / end of term / end of unit quiz
Round 1: Coastal landforms
Round 2: Erosional or Depositional
Round 3: Constructive or Destructive wave
Round 4: Management
Round 5: Processes
Round 6: Keyword definitions
Round 7: Keywords - erosion/deposition
Round 8: Keywords - erosion/deposition
Quick View
![[NOTES] Coasts - AQA Geography](https://l.imgt.es/resource-preview-imgs/9ccd8a44-0903-415e-858e-13f0a893d1a8%2FScreenshot20260201205426.crop_672x504_28%2C0.preview.png?profile=res-img-med-legacy-v2)
