All Activities
Geography

Urban vs Rural — What's the Difference?

Overview

Students compare city and village life and identify key differences.

Learning Objective
Students understand the differences between urban and rural areas.

Resources needed

  • None

Lesson stages

0 / 7 done
  1. 1 Ask students what a city looks like and list ideas.
  2. 2 Ask what a village looks like and list ideas.
  3. 3 Compare the two lists.
  4. 4 Discuss advantages and disadvantages of each.
  5. 5 Ask: where would you prefer to live and why?
  6. 6 Introduce the term urbanisation.
  7. 7 Discuss why more people are moving to cities.

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Use students' own experience if they live in or near a city or village.
  • Draw a simple urban and rural scene side by side.
More information

Teach urban, rural, city, village, population density.

Focus on one simple difference at a time.

Can students give two differences between urban and rural areas and one reason people move to cities?

Entirely discussion-based. No materials required.

Students sometimes think rural means poor and urban means rich. Discuss how both have advantages and that urban poverty is also common.

Links to settlement geography and urbanisation.