Lesson pack · 15 minutes · Ages 9 to 14

Asia's flags

By the end, students can: recognise the flags of 15 Asian countries and spot the symbols they share.

The plan

0 to 2 min
Starter
Ask: what shapes might you see on a flag? Collect ideas (stars, suns, moons) and keep them on the board.
2 to 10 min
Live game
Host the Asia tour as a live game (15 flags, normal). After each flag, tick off any shape from the starter list it uses.
10 to 13 min
Look-alikes
Put each pair below on the board and ask the class what's different before you reveal it.
13 to 15 min
Plenary
Which shape came up most often today? Why might a country choose a sun or a star for its flag?

Japan

Bangladesh

Both have a red circle. Japan's is on white. Bangladesh's is on green, and sits slightly towards the pole.

China

Vietnam

China has one big star and four small ones. Vietnam has a single star in the middle.

Indonesia

Monaco

Indonesia and Monaco are both red over white. The main difference is the shape: Monaco's flag is squarer.

Set the Asia tour as homework. Students who finish early can practise from their class page.

England, Key Stage 2 geography: locating the world's countries on maps, with a focus on Europe and the Americas
England, Key Stage 3 geography: extending locational knowledge of the world's countries, including Africa and Asia
US National Geography Standards: using maps and other geographic representations to understand places