How to Teach Geography to Kids with Bubble Maps

If you teach social studies, basic geography skills, world studies or world history, remember that your students often don't have a concept of where continents are located. One of the best ways to help students make learning "stick" is to give them a framework. When students learn to draw the world in a matter of seconds, it is a thrilling event!

Instructions

1. *Plan to give students lots of opportunities for practice

   In order for students to really internalize bubble map making, they need to practice a lot. For several weeks, have the students make a bubble map as soon as they enter a room. Give a test on bubble maps. Have bubble map races--give a prize for each student of a pair who has the most accurate bubble map during a defined period of time. (This is really fun when you need an impromptu activity.)

2. *Gather materials for bubble maps

   In order to teach the art of bubble map making, your students will need a pencil and several sheets of paper (lined or unlined paper will work).

   You will need a large posted map of the world that students can clearly see--or have students turn to a map of the world in an atlas.

   You will also need an overhead projector, a chalkboard, a white board, or a SMARTboard.

3. *Check often for understanding

   Teach students how to make bubble maps by modeling each step on the board VERY slowly. Remember to stop and check for understanding as you're doing this step-by step; walk around and check to make sure that each child has the items in the correct spots before moving on. You can spot-check quickly, and after the first few attempts, most of the students will be making bubble maps correctly on their own.

   Also, remember that bubble maps are APPROXIMATIONS, so you're looking for a few major things when you check such as correct placement of continents above and under the Equator.

   When students are first learning to make bubble maps, I walk around the room with a pen and add or scratch things out. I tell them not to take the markings personally; I'm just showing them how to get it right. Soon they won't have any problems.

4. *Model bubble map making step-by-step

   1. Turn paper horizontally. Draw a dotted line down the center and label it "Equator" on the far left side.

   2. On the left third of the page, draw a wide, large circle about an inch above the Equator. This is North America.

   3. Below North America, overlap another circle to make South America. Notice that about 1/3 of South America is above the Equator and emphasize that point with students--it will help them place the continent correctly. Label both North and South America.

   4. Add a large wide bubble above the Equator at about the halfway point on the paper--this is Asia. Label it.

   5. Add a small overlapping circle (above the Equator) on the left of Asia. Label this Europe.

   6. Draw a long oval to represent Africa. It should overlap both Europe and Asia. To make sure placement is correct, notice that the Equator divides Africa about half-way through. Also, check the bottom of South America and make sure that it extends accordingly--students may have to shorten or lengthen South America to make the map correctly.

   7. At the very bottom of the paper, draw an arrow and write "Antarctica".

   8. Using your world map as a guide, draw a circle under the Equator on the right side of the page to represent Australia and label it.

   9. Now have students label the following: Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean (do this twice), and Indian Ocean.

   Wow! Can you believe it? Your students drew maps of the world!

5. *Have students add additional details to bubble maps

   While the bubble maps are never perfectly accurate, they do teach an important lesson about relative geography. By using cues from items on a page, students learn where the continents and the oceans of the world are located.

   As students progress, you can have them add additional details. (I used to have them draw horizontal lines to divide Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.)

   When students draw bubble maps, they are learning to put events in perspective. A good thing to do during a lesson is to tell students to stop and visualize bubble maps in order to help them think and figure out where a country is located.

   This method is VERY effective for helping students learn the placement of the continents, and it also is something that really impresses administrators and parents. Your students will enjoy doing this activity, and they will really be pleased the first time they make a good bubble map.