a) The 7 Continents! – 3rd Grade Lesson Plan
b) Learning Objectives
1.) Students will be able to point to and locate the 7 continents, 4 oceans, and equator on a map.
2.) Students will be able to compare and contrast the differences between a map and a globe.
3.) Students will be able to define content related vocabulary words and will be able to write these vocabulary words in a sentence.
3.) Students will be able to create a paper mache globe using materials and instructions provided.
c) NCSS Theme and Sunshine State Standards
NCSS Theme #3: People, Places, and Environments
SS.3.G.1.3: Label the continents and oceans on a world map
SS.3.G.1.5: Compare maps and globes to develop an understanding of the concept of distortion.
VA.3.S.2.2: Follow procedures, focusing on the art-making process.
VA.3.S.3.1: Use materials, tools, and processes to achieve an intended result in two- and/or three-dimensional artworks.
d) Anticipatory Set:
Ask students the following to find out how much they know about the continents and the oceans:
Where are we?
What city is our school in?
What state is our city in?
What country is our state in?
What continent is our country on?
Are there more continents? How many are there?
Is the continent we live on connected to other continents?
What separates the continents?
e) Student Activities and Procedures
Day 1:
1.) On an overhead projector, display a picture of Pangea.
2.) Begin a class discussion. Ask students if they recognize the photo. Ask students if they think the earth still looks like what is being shown in the photo.
3.) Explain to students that the picture is a map of what the earth looked like million years ago, and as time went on, the continents eventually drifted apart.
4.) Display a map of what the world looks like today on the overhead.
5.) Ask students what they think the blue on the map represents and if they know what the bodies of land are called. Introduce the names of the 7 continents, 4 oceans, and equator. Discuss with students the location of each continent.
6.) Ask students if they think the world is flat or round. After listening to their responses, explain that the picture of the map is flat, but the world itself is not flat – it is round.
7.) Take out and show the globe to the students. Ask students as a class to compare the map on the overhead with the globe. Explain that when individuals create maps, landforms and objects sometimes appear different or distorted.
8.) Introduce the music and words to the “Continents and Oceans” song. Teach and sing the song a few times with the students until they are able to remember it well.
9.) Pass out world outline maps to the students. Ask students to color and label their maps. When they are finished, they will glue their maps in to their social studies notebooks.
Day 2:
1.) Show a completed paper mache globe to the students. Explain to them that they will be creating their own paper mache globes that will show the continents and oceans.
2.) Before beginning the class activity, ask students to put on their smocks or old tee shirts brought from home. Tell them to cover their desks entirely with newspapers.
3.) Pass out supplies to students. Each table should have a roll of masking tape, black felt tip markers, a bowl or large container of the paper mache paste (watered down white glue) and sheets of newspaper. Each student should have their own balloon and a long piece of string.
4.) Have students blow up and tie their own balloons. Have a balloon pump ready, if necessary. Monitor the classroom to help those students who are having a difficult time.
5.) Have students tape the string to their balloons, making sure that one length of the string hangs off of the balloon. Ask students to write their names on a piece of masking tape using the black felt tip markers. Tell them to wrap that piece of masking tape around the end of the string.
6.) Allow students to begin dipping strips of newspaper into the watered down glue mixture and to cover their balloons. The balloons should be covered with about three layers of newspaper strips.
7.) When finished, gather the balloons from the students and hang them up somewhere in the classroom to dry for a day.
8.) Clean up time!
Day 3:
1.) Review with students content area vocabulary associated to the lesson, including: continent, ocean, equator, cartographer, map, and globe.
2.) On the overhead projector, display the words of the “Continents and Oceans” song. Sing the song with the students a few times.
3.) Ask students to take out their social studies notebooks and to write down their content area vocabulary words along with their definitions. The must then use each vocabulary word in a sentence, and write these sentences in their notebooks.
4.) Pass out sandwich zip lock bags, black felt tip markers, and the continent cut-out shapes. Ask students to write their names (using the black markers) across their bags. Explain they are to color, label, and cut out their continents. When they are finished, they will place their cut outs in their plastic baggies and keep them at their desks.
Day 4:
1.) Before beginning the class activity, ask students to put on their smocks or old tee shirts brought from home. Tell them to cover their desks entirely with newspapers.
2.) Distribute the dried paper mache globes to the student it belongs to.
3.) Tell students they will be painting their globes blue to represent the ocean of the earth.
4.) Pass out supplies to the students. Each table should have a sufficient amount of blue washable paint and enough paintbrushes for each student.
3.) Students are to paint their globes blue.
7.) When finished, gather the balloons from the students and hang them up somewhere in the classroom to dry overnight.
8.) Clean up time!
Day 5:
1.) Begin by displaying a large map of the world to the students. Ask for volunteers to come up and point to different continents, oceans, and the equator.
2.) On the overhead projector, display the words of the “Continents and Oceans” song. Sing the song with the students.
3.) Tell students to pull out their continent cut outs and begin to pass out their dried globes to them.
4.) Students will glue their cut outs on to their globes in the appropriate positions. Ask students to use the black felt tip markers to label the oceans, and also to draw and label the equator. Keep a map of the world on display for students to refer to as they are gluing.
5.) Collect the globes from the students and hang them on display!
f) Resources and Materials
- Transparency that shows a picture of Pangea
- Transparency of a world map
- Transparency that displays the words to the “Continents and Oceans” song
- Globe
- Three Ring Spiral Bound Notebooks (will be used as social studies notebooks)
- Old Painter’s Smocks for Students or Old, Large, Adult Sized Tee Shirts
- Newspapers (LOTS)
- String
- Masking Tape
- White Glue (LOTS)
- Water (enough to create the paper mache mixture)
- Containers to place paper mache mixture in (enough for each group to share)
- Washable Blue Paint (LOTS)
- Containers to place blue paint in (enough for each group to share)
- Enough paintbrushes for each student
- Black Felt Tip Markers (about 10 for groups to share)
- Crayons
- Markers
- Colored Pencils
- Glue Sticks
- Scissors
- Recording of the melody to “Oh My Darling, Clementine”
“Continents and Oceans” Sing to the tune of “Oh My Darling, Clementine”
Seven continents of land
Make our earth, it is so grand
North America, South America,
Antarctica the icy land
Europe, and Asia, and Africa,
Down under is Australia
The seventh continent of land
On the earth there are four oceans
Water everywhere you see
The Pacific is the biggest
The Atlantic, the second sea
Then the Indian and the Arctic
Are the oceans three and four
Seven continents of land
Four oceans shore to shore
g) Assessment
- Collect students’ notebooks at the end of the week to check for class participation. They should have successfully completed a world map from Day 1, and also have defined vocabulary words and written sentences using the words from Day 3.
- Students’ globes will be assessed for accuracy of placement and labeling. They should have correctly placed and labeled 7 continents, 4 oceans, and the equator.
h) Exceptionalities
ESOL: Provide students with dictionaries to help complete vocabulary related assignments. If necessary, also use pictures to help illustrate the vocabulary. Take the time to explain, repeat, and model instructions for the paper mache globe.
ESE: Allow these students extra time to work on assignments. They may take their assignments home to work on them with an adult if necessary. Ask students to work with an assistant if necessary.
Gifted: Ask these students to use materials to create a puzzle map of the world. They must draw out the world map on their own and create their own puzzle pieces. Allow them to bring appropriate materials from home if they would like to.
i) Discussion:
Ask students to discuss the differences between maps and globes. Why did people at one point believe that the earth was flat? What would they say to someone who still believed the earth was flat? How would they describe the continents and oceans to someone who did not know anything about them?
j) References
An Educators Reference Desk Lesson Plan. Making Globes. Retrieved from:
http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Social_Studies/Geography/GGR0023.html
Discovery Education. Exploring the World’s Geography. Retrieved from:
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/exploring-the-worlds-geography.cfm
Gooch, F. The Seven Continents in Song. Retrieved from:
http://www.knowledge.state.va.us/cgi-bin/lesview.cgi?idl=549
Ricker, J. Young, A. Silverman, D. Jacobson, N. Continents and Oceans Lesson
Plan. Retrieved from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/18972457/Continents-and-Oceans-Lesson-Plan-Nancy-J-Jean-Andyand-Debbie1