National Geography Awareness Week, Grades K-5
Lessons, Resources, and Activities
Lesson Plans & Activities
Lesson Plans
Places in the Park
Students in PreK-1 explore a map of a park and use map symbols, a map key, and cardinal directions to analyze it.
Exploring Maps and Models of Earth
Students in grades K-2 explore maps and globes as miniature versions of places and the Earth.
Understanding: Geography
Students in grades K-8 use geography skills to create neighborhood maps and identify connections between geography, culture, and the economy in their local area.
Characteristics of Place
Students in grades 1-2 describe natural and cultural characteristics of places and identify them in their own community.
Introduction To Latitude And Longitude
Students in grades 3-5 examine lines of latitude and longitude, discuss why these lines are useful, and identify landmarks with similar latitude and longitude.
Geographic Groceries
Students in grades 3-6 identify regions and determine patterns of organization in a grocery store.
Food Crops in the Americas
Students in grades 3-6 create a thematic map of the Americas to show patterns and relationships of land use, land cover, and major crops.
Neighborhood BioBlitz Students in grades 6-12 examine the diversity of life and prepare for participation in a bioblitz in their local park.
Design a BioBlitz Learning Experience Students in grades 4-12 help scientists, naturalists, and other expert volunteers prepare to lead an inventory group as part of a bioblitz event.
The Seneca Falls Convention
Students in grades 4-8 examine the role of the first Women
Teaching with Historic Places: Civil Rights and Racial Healing Feature
All Over the Map: 10 Ways to Teach About Geography
Activities
Celebrate Geography Awareness Week K-12 ideas for celebrating GAW.
GeoGames
Students use graphics and sound effects on an animated 3D globe to Build Planet Earth and Map Countries and Cities. The page links to hundreds of more activities.
Mission: Explore
Pick your mission, complete the challenge, collect points and unlock rewards. Houses432 cross-curricular missions. Requires free registration.
The Fifty States
Click the map to learn about each state.
USGS Kids
Activities, games, coloring pages, projects, and stories that teach younger children about animals, climate change, bee population declines, wild birds, and more.
A Map of Every Building in America
Can you find your house?
Background Resources
7 Billion: Are You Typical? -- National Geographic Magazine
(2:55) This video presents characteristics of the world's most typical person and looks at how that will change.
Geography Awareness Week
Resources about geography as a discipline and tips and tools to plan for GeoWeek.
Map Adventures Teacher Packet
K-3. A large poster of an imaginary amusement park, 7 lesson plans, 2 activity sheets, 16 black-and-white illustrations, and a teacher's information sheet. The packet teaches children how to understand and use maps.
Helping Your Child Learn Geography
K-4. Designed to help adults stir children's interest in geography. Includes suggestions for simple activities.
What Do Maps Show Teacher Packet
4-8. A colorful poster showing several views of Salt Lake City and four lessons teaches basic geographic and cartographic skills.
Rader's GEOGRAPHY 4 KIDS.COM
Physical geography and an introduction to the earth sciences that includes topics on Earth's structure, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Includes activities and quizzes.
USGS GeoData Booklet
Describes and shows samples of digital data available from USGS.
The National Map Viewer
Zoom in and print a high-resolution map of a local area, a state, or the United States. This is an excellent tool for practicing the use of latitude/longitude, the national grid, elevation, distance, and more. No special software or download is required. Maps can be printed on 8.5" x 11" paper.
Urban Growth in American Cities Booklet
Illustrates and explains the spatial history of urban growth and corresponding changes in land use.
Quizzes
GeoNet Game: Quizzes
Chose a map of the United States or of the world, and then choose a region to be quizzed in six categories. Two levels of difficulty.
Test your Geography Knowledge
World geography quizzes.
- MapMaker 1 Page Maps National Geographic
- U.S. and World Geography | Owl & Mouse
- World Geography | Enchanted Learning
- Maps and Other Resources BYU Department of Geography
- Blank Maps of the World | Freemaps
- Blank World Map | studentsfriend.com
last updated: November 8, 2018
