Year 3 Geography Knowledge Organiser Autumn 2 - Volcanoes, Earth Layers, Mountains and Earthquakes

Oct 1, 2026

Uploaded by Aurelia

Year 3 Geography Knowledge Organiser (Autumn 2) focuses on why people live near volcanoes and how key Earth processes create hazards and opportunities. It explains the four Earth layers (crust, mantle, outer core, inner core), where mountains form on plate boundaries, how volcanoes form and how they are classified as active, dormant or extinct. It also covers volcanic eruption effects and how earthquakes and tsunamis occur through seismic waves from moving tectonic plates.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Why do people live near volcanoes?

How is the Earth constructed?

Where are mountains found?

Why and where do we get volcanoes?

What are the effects of a volcanic eruption?

What are earthquakes and where do we get them?

Where have the rocks around school come from?

Key Vocabulary

Year 3 Geography Knowledge Organiser Autumn 2 Why do people live near volcanoes? | Knowledge | | | --- | --- | | | How is the Earth constructed?
􀁸 Earth is constructed of 4 layers: crust, mantle, outer core and inner core.
􀁸 The inner core is the hottest layer of the Earth.
􀁸 The mantle is the thickest layer of the Earth.
􀁸 You would find tectonic plates in the crust layer. We live on this layer. | | | Where are mountains found?
􀁸 Mountains are found near or on plate boundaries.
􀁸 Mountains are formed by tectonic plates.
􀁸 Some famous mountains in the world are the Rockies, Alps, Himalayas and Andes. | | | 􀁸 Why and where do we get volcanoes?
􀁸 A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s crust where magma escapes.
􀁸 There are two main types of volcanoes (Composite volcano and shield volcano) .
􀁸 Volcanoes are found on plate boundaries, with some hotspots further away.
􀁸 A volcano can be classified as active, dormant or extinct. | | | 􀁸 What are the effects of a volcanic eruption?
􀁸 Reasons NOT to live near a volcano are: ash clouds, pollute rivers, causes earthquakes and tsunamis.
􀁸 Reasons to live near a volcano are: creates rich and fertile soils, beautiful to look at, provides jobs for digging precious stones and creates hot volcanic springs.
􀁸 Mount Etna is in Sicily, Italy. | | | 􀁸 What are earthquakes and where do we get them?
􀁸 Earthquakes make ‘seismic waves’ of energy, which causes the ground to shake.
􀁸 If an earthquake happens underwater, the energy realised can cause a series of giant waves called a tsunami.
􀁸 Earthquakes, volcanoes and mountains are found near or on plate boundaries and are created by moving tectonic plates. | | | 􀁸 Where have the rocks around school come from?
􀁸 There are 3 types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
􀁸 Rocks can be categorised as natural or man-made.
􀁸 We can plot findings on a map. | | Key Vocabulary | | | --- | --- | | Active volcano | A volcano currently erupting or is likely to erupt soon. | | Dormant volcano | A volcano that may erupt again but has not erupted for a while. | | Crust | The outer layer of the Earth where all life is. | | Magma | Molten rock in the mantle layer. | | Inner core | The centre and hottest part of the Earth. | | Earthquake | A shaking of the ground caused by moving tectonic plates. |

FAQs

How is the Earth constructed?

The Earth is constructed of four layers: crust, mantle, outer core and inner core. The mantle is the thickest layer, and the inner core is the hottest layer.

Where are mountains found and how are they formed?

Mountains are found near or on plate boundaries and are formed by tectonic plates.

What causes earthquakes and tsunamis?

Earthquakes make seismic waves of energy that cause the ground to shake. If an earthquake happens underwater, it can cause a series of giant waves called a tsunami.

Oct 1, 2026

Uploaded by Aurelia