Discovering the Philippines: Exploring the Pearl of the Orient

• Geography
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

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Discovering the Philippines: 

Exploring the Pearl of the Orient

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to describe the physical and human geography of the Philippines, including key features and aspects of its environment, culture, and society.

What do you already know about the Philippines?

Which countries and seas neighbour the Philippines?

Introduction to the Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands in Southeast Asia, known for its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage.

Physical Geography

The highest point is Mount Apo, a dormant volcano on the island of Mindanao.

How high is Mount Apo?

2,954m

3,954m

1,954m

2,954km

2,854m

2964m

2,954cm

9,691ft

Mount Apo is a flat-topped, 2,954 m (9,692 ft) (above sea level) high.

It is a stratovolcano (steep sides & cone shaped) with three peaks. It is the highest peak of the Philippines.

Stratovolcano

How many Stratovolcanoes are there know to be in the world?

Stratovolcanoes

They are often part of large volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the Pacific Ocean. There are more than 700 known volcanoes classified as stratovolcanoes, many more than any other volcanic formation.

Where in the Philippines is the Cagayan River?

North

East

South

West

Cagayan River

The longest river in the Philippines is the Cagayan River

how long is the Cagayan River?

Cagayan River

The Cagayan River, also known as the Río Grande de Cagayán, is the longest river and the largest river by discharge volume of water in the Philippines. It has a total length of approximately 505 kilometres (314 mi) 

Human Geography

The Philippines has a population of over 100 million.

What is the capital of the Philippines? What size is its population?

Manila

Manila being the largest urban area. As of 2019, it is the world's most densely populated city.

Population today is 15 million. 

Its economy is driven by agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

Its economy is driven by agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

Food

Adobo is one of the most popular Filipino dishes and is considered unofficially by many as the national dish.

Homework

Natural Disasters

The Philippines is prone to typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Environment and Environmental Challenges

The Philippines faces environmental challenges such as deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

Culture and Society

The Philippines has a diverse culture influenced by both Eastern and Western traditions, with Filipino as the official language and Christianity as the predominant religion.

Coast and Marine Life

The Philippines boasts stunning coastlines and rich marine biodiversity, making it a popular destination for diving and snorkeling.

What environmental challenges does the Philippines face?

1. Climate change, overpopulation, water scarcity
2. Soil erosion, desertification, ozone depletion
3. Deforestation, pollution, loss of biodiversity
4. Nuclear waste, oil spills, air pollution

What are the natural disasters the Philippines is prone to?

1. Heatwaves, tsunamis, wildfires
2. Typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
3. Floods, droughts, landslides
4. Tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards

What is considered as the national dish of the Philippines?

1. Pancit
2. Sinigang
3. Adobo
4. Lechon

Which city is known as the world's most densely populated city?

1. Cebu
2. Manila
3. Quezon City
4. Davao

What is the total length of the Cagayan River?

1. 505 kilometres
2. 314 miles
3. 200 miles
4. 600 kilometers

Wildlife

The Philippines is home to a variety of unique wildlife, including the Philippine eagle and the tarsier, a small primate found in Bohol.

Extraordinary Fact

The world's smallest fish, the Pandaka pygmaea, is found in the Philippines' freshwater streams and swamps.

Where can you find the tarsier, a small primate unique to the Philippines?

1. Bohol
2. Galapagos Islands
3. Madagascar
4. Borneo

Which bird is the national bird of the Philippines?

1. Bald eagle
2. Penguin
3. Parrot
4. Philippine eagle

Where can you find the world's smallest fish, Pandaka pygmaea?

1. Philippines' freshwater streams and swamps
2. Great Barrier Reef
3. Mediterranean Sea
4. Amazon River

Which religion is predominant in the Philippines?

1. Hinduism
2. Islam
3. Buddhism
4. Christianity

What is the official language of the Philippines?

1. English
2. Spanish
3. Mandarin
4. Filipino

Can you name any famous people from the Philippines?

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.