Intro to Geography - North America, by Montessorium
Use Intro to Geography - North America as a map memorization resource for students learning about North America. It may be a good idea to supplement this app with more hands-on learning to bring the maps to life. For example, post pictures, visit websites, and provide picture books that include information and images related to the countries' cultures and landscapes, or make small paper flags that kids can color and glue to popsicle sticks to create a North American countries flag display. Discuss the vast differences in the countries of North America in culture, climate, and cuisine -- from icy Greenland to steamy Guatemala and everywhere in between.
Continue readingEditor's Note: Intro to Geography - North America, by Montessorium is no longer available.
Intro to Geography - North America, by Montessorium is designed to help kids learn the names, shapes, locations, and flags of countries within the North American continental region, including Central American countries and island nations. Kids hear verbal instructions for each activity -- all of which involve memorization and recall of facts -- and follow a progress road map to unlock succeeding activities. Tap the first puzzle piece on the road map to begin. A map of one portion of North America appears along with colored icons representing three countries. The narrator says, "Can you place the countries?" Kids then move the icons for each into the puzzle-like map. When they're done, three more countries appear. Other activities include matching a country to its name and drawing lines to match a flag to a country, as well as more variations on each puzzle map matching, such as a full map challenge with all North American countries.
If you're looking for an app to help students memorize North American nation names and placement on the map, this is an excellent option. This is not the app to choose, however, if you're looking for detailed information about each country; it doesn't include statistics or facts about population, topography, capital city names, culture, or climate. The activities help kids conceptualize the whole-part relationship between the continent of North America and the countries within it. Kids can learn which countries border each other and which are the largest and smallest countries, discover island nations, and even experience a tiny bit of culture by viewing the flags. Still, the learning experience would be greatly improved with the addition of some photos and a bit of information about life in each nation, as well as more interactivity and some hands-on extension activities. Because visuals are limited to maps, country names, and flags, these loosely Montessori-inspired activities are best suited for use with kids in mid- to upper-elementary grades. As it stands, Intro to Geography - North America is a very narrowly focused (but effective for its purpose) geography app.
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