Part 1: Map and Continent Cards

Use a globe or classroom map to locate the seven continents. Color each continent a different color. Then cut apart the cards and match each card to its continent on the map.

Cut-Apart Continent Cards

Sentence frame: “_____ is located _____ of _____.”

Part 2: Read and Think

Earth’s Seven Continents

Earth has seven large land areas called continents. They are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia, and South America. Each continent has its own locations, landforms, climates, plants, animals, and people. Asia is the largest continent, while Australia is the smallest continent. Antarctica surrounds the South Pole and is covered mostly by ice. Africa is crossed by the Equator, an imaginary line around the middle of Earth. North America and South America are connected by a narrow strip of land. Europe is next to Asia, and the two continents are sometimes called Eurasia. Australia is both a continent and a country. Oceans surround all of the continents and separate many of them.

A globe is a round model of Earth. Because it is curved like Earth, a globe shows the continents’ overall shapes and positions more realistically. A flat world map is easier to carry, label, and use for quick comparisons. However, flattening Earth onto a map can stretch or change the size and shape of some places. Globes and maps are both useful tools for locating continents and studying our planet.

Main idea 1: ________________________________________________________________

Main idea 2: ________________________________________________________________

They are alike because ______________________________________________________

They are different because __________________________________________________

Sentence frame: “The text explains that ____________________________________. One important detail is ____________________________________.”

Part 3: Exit Check

Sentence frame: “_____ is located or has the feature __________________________.”

Sentence frame: “A globe is different from a flat map because __________________________.”