Why Teach Geography?

It feels like there is never enough time to teach all of the Common Core standards. So, why should you spend time teaching geography in elementary school? 

There are so many reasons!

First, kids are super self-centered. It is okay; it is just who they are. However, we don't want them to grow up to be self-centered adults because self-centered adults have a hard time getting along in life. One way to show them that they are just a small part of a giant world is to show them that giant world.

Plus, once kids learn about all of the incredible places around the world, they will want to visit them. (Maybe not tomorrow, but someday.) Visiting other countries teaches people not only about the world we live in, but the people who live here. Getting to know different people makes us more empathetic and understanding of different cultures and customs. Traveling also teaches us about ourselves.

It is also important to know the geography of the world to understand history and current events. Where are the Olympics this year? Where did that war start? How far is it from this country to that country? Why does it take so long to travel from here to there? These are questions we want kids thinking about as they explore the world around them. Geography gives them a framework to explore and understand the world they inhabit.

Finally, can I just say that the Earth is really, really cool?! Learning about this tiny corner of the universe is fascinating. We want our kids to be fascinated in school. In fact, we want them to be fascinated outside of school as well. Teaching children geography gives them the keys to unlock to world around them.

Okay, that was a little corny, but totally true.

Teaching geography can be intimidating for teachers because most schools don't provide a "geography curriculum". But it doesn't have to be scary.

I developed lapbooks to introduce kids to each of the seven continents (Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America). The lapbooks contain an unlabeled political map of the countries on the continent, eight facts about the continent or the countries on the continent, and a cover. All you need is a big piece of construction paper to put everything together.

(I use a ruler to draw lines connecting the facts to the country they represent.)

You can see all of the lapbooks on Teachers pay Teachers by clicking below. If you scroll a little farther down, you will see the song I sing with my class to help us remember the name of each continent.

Here is the song! You can use You Tube to find the tune of Found a Peanut. I will also have my daughters sing the song soon and will link it up. I only sing for my students :).

You can get a printable .pdf of the song here.

Also, yes I know that in some countries (such as Japan) it is taught that there are only 6 continents, so this song would not be very helpful there.