New
New
Year 5

Using maps to locate countries in North and South America

I can locate selected countries in North and South America on a map, identify lines of latitude and longitude, and start to appreciate the size of these continents.

New
New
Year 5

Using maps to locate countries in North and South America

I can locate selected countries in North and South America on a map, identify lines of latitude and longitude, and start to appreciate the size of these continents.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A continent is usually defined as a group of countries on a continuous landmass with associated islands.
  2. North and South America are huge continents, joined by central America.
  3. North and South America are huge and have a diverse range of environments; they are popular travel destinations.
  4. Paper and digital atlases and maps can be used to investigate the location of North and South America.

Common misconception

North America is the same as USA.

Use maps to identify the different countries that make up the continent of North America.

Keywords

  • Continent - A continent is a large landmass on Earth and there are seven: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania.

  • Location - A location is the particular position of something on Earth.

  • Equator - The Equator is an imaginary line encircling Earth at 0° latitude and is an equal distance from the North Pole and the South Pole.

  • Northern hemisphere - The northern hemisphere is the half of Earth located north of the Equator.

  • Southern hemisphere - The southern hemisphere is the half of Earth located south of the Equator.

Digital mapping tools could be used to investigate the locations of different countries of North and South America.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Atlases

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which continent is the UK in?
Africa
Asia
Correct answer: Europe
North America
Q2.
The UK is in the hemisphere.
Correct Answer: northern, north, Northern
Q3.
What is the name of the imaginary line that divides the Earth into the northern and southern hemispheres?
Arctic Circle
Correct answer: Equator
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
Q4.
Which of these is not a continent?
Africa
Antarctica
Correct answer: Arctic
Asia
Q5.
Match the countries to their continents.
Correct Answer:Canada,North America

North America

Correct Answer:Italy,Europe

Europe

Correct Answer:Cambodia,Asia

Asia

Correct Answer:Peru,South America

South America

Q6.
How many continents are there?
four
five
six
Correct answer: seven

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these oceans would you cross to get to North America from the UK?
Correct answer: Atlantic
Indian
Pacific
Southern
Q2.
Which of these countries is not in South America?
Argentina
Correct answer: Belize
Bolivia
Peru
Q3.
Which of these countries is not in North America?
Canada
Correct answer: Colombia
Cuba
Jamaica
Q4.
Order these countries from north to south.
1 - Greenland
2 - Mexico
3 - Ecuador
4 - Chile
Q5.
What is the line of longitude at 0 degrees called?
Equator
Correct answer: Prime Meridian
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
Q6.
Order the five major lines of latitude from north to south.
1 - Arctic Circle
2 - Tropic of Cancer
3 - Equator
4 - Tropic of Capricorn
5 - Antarctic Circle