Maps, Globes & the Continents
Optional Printables
World Map 
Compass Rose 

BIG IDEA
Maps and globes help us understand where places are located on Earth. A globe shows Earth as a round planet, while a map is a flat representation of all or part of Earth. Historians and geographers use maps to study where people lived, traveled, and built civilizations.

START WITH THE WORLD
Before we begin studying ancient civilizations, we need to understand the world they lived in.

Introduce students to the difference between a globe and a map.

A globe:

• Shows Earth as a sphere, just like the planet we live on.
• Shows the shapes and locations of continents and oceans more accurately.
• Helps us understand where places are located in relation to each other.

A map:

• Is a flat drawing or image of Earth or part of Earth.
• Can show the whole world, a continent, a country, or even a small area.
• Allows us to add labels and details.
• Always inaccurate in someway

Discuss:

• Which one would be easier to carry while traveling?
• Which one gives a more realistic picture of Earth?
• Why might historians use maps?

FIND THE CONTINENTS
Introduce the seven continents.
Students locate and label:

• North America
• South America
• Europe
• Africa
• Asia
• Australia/Oceania
• Antarctica

Discuss:

• Which continent do we live on?
• Which continent is the largest?
• Which continent is covered mostly by ice?
• Which continents are closest together?

Explain that ancient civilizations developed on these same continents, but the countries and borders we know today did not exist yet.

NEW GEOGRAPHY SKILLS
Introduce the compass rose and the four main directions:

• North
• South
• East
• West

Practice using directions:

• Africa is south of Europe.
• Asia is east of Europe.
• South America is west of Africa.

Students do not need to memorize every location immediately. The goal is to begin developing the habit of looking at where places are in relation to one another.

LET'S THINK ABOUT IT

Discuss together:

• Why do people make maps?
• Why might a historian need a map when studying the past?
• How could knowing where a civilization lived help us understand their history?
• Would people living near mountains, deserts, or oceans have the same lives as people living near rivers?

NEW GEOGRAPHY WORDS

• Map – A flat representation of all or part of Earth.
• Globe – A round model of Earth.
• Continent – A large area of land on Earth.
• Compass Rose – A symbol on a map that shows directions.
• North, South, East, West – The four main directions used for finding locations.

ADD IT TO YOUR MAP
This week begins your Ancient World Atlas.

Learners should:

• Label the seven continents.
• Color each continent.
• Add a compass rose.
• Label their own continent, country, and relative area they live
• Keep this map to add new locations throughout the year.

Explain that this map will grow as we learn about rivers, mountains, deserts, seas, countries, and ancient civilizations.

MAP REVIEW
This is our first geography lesson, so there are no previous locations to review yet.

Practice finding continents:

• Find Africa.
• Find Asia.
• Find Europe.
• Find the continent where you live.
• Find the largest continent.
• Find the continent farthest south.

Each week, this section will include a quick review of places students have already learned before adding new locations.

TEACHER NOTE
The goal of this first lesson is not memorization. Students are beginning to build a mental map that will become more detailed throughout the year. Repeatedly returning to the same world map and adding new locations will help students understand that history happened in real places connected by geography.