CECsst.232


TITLE:  Geographic Locations

AUTHOR:  Frank Gleason, Sequoyah Middle School;
         Claremore, OK

GRADE LEVEL:  4-8

OVERVIEW:  This activity makes using maps and the atlas more
fun.

PURPOSE:  This is a fun activity for locating places on
Earth by using the atlas in the back of the social studies
books or specific maps of countries, states, etc.

OBJECTIVE:  To make the student aware of the geographical
locations of countries, capitals, rivers, seas, gulfs,
mountains, deserts, etc.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Atlas in the back of social studies books.
State maps
Copies of specific areas you want to familiarize students.
Pencil/pen and paper

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
The teacher will pick a specific topic (Example: Deserts).

You will allow so much time, using a watch to start and
stop, for students to find as many of each of the topics you
choose.  You will tell them what the topic is -- when to
begin and when to stop.  You may select a specific
continent, country, or state, or a combination of several.

Students will need a pen or pencil and a sheet of paper to
write the names of the deserts, capitals, gulfs, etc. --
numbering each as they find the names.  This is more fun if
you use a variety of topics and after you've finished all
the topics you whish , have them total all the places
they've found.

This is a fun activity that you can spend 15-45 minutes on.
When you have finished totaling scores ask students how many
they found.  I like to give candy bars or some reward for
the top number of answers found and I give all students a
piece of bubble gum for participation.

Students enjoy this activity.  It can be done individually
or in groups of two or more.