Grades 3–5
Hemispheres: Halves of the Earth
A world map with the equator and prime meridian drawn in: name the hemisphere each continent is in and answer questions about the two halves of the Earth.
Social studies worksheet · Maps and cardinal directions
Landforms and Bodies of Water
Match 8 geography words, from mountain and valley to island, peninsula, lake and river, to their meanings, then draw a landform you have seen.
- Grade level
- Grades 2–5
- Time
- About 15 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Map skills, Cardinal and intermediate directions, Grids and coordinates, Map keys and scale
What kids do
“Draw a line from each landform or body of water to what it is.”
Printed on the sheet:
- Land with water all the way around it
- Low land between hills or mountains
- Very dry land that gets little rain
- Very high land with a peak at the top
- A long stream of water that flows to the
- Flat land that goes on and on
- Water with land all the way around it
- Land with water on three sides
Words on this sheet
ValleyIslandPlainseaDesertLakeRiver
Teacher tip
Build a few landforms with playdough before matching.
How to use it
- Label north, south, east and west on the classroom walls before the sheet.
- Play a quick direction game: “Take two steps north.”
- Use finished sheets for a quick gallery walk or a partner share.
Watch for
Kids who think north means “up” on any page. Turn the map and talk about it.
Talk about it
- Why do maps need a key?
- What question would you ask an expert on this topic?
Take it further
Hide a treasure in the classroom and give directions to find it.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More maps and cardinal directions worksheets
Grades 1–3
Map or Globe?
12 sentences that compare maps and globes: Which one can fold into a pocket? Which one shows the true shapes of the continents? Answer key included.
Grades 4–5
Latitude and Longitude
Learn how lines of latitude and longitude work (the equator is 0°, the poles are 90°, the prime meridian runs through Greenwich), then answer 8 questions.
Grades 1–3
A Bird’s-Eye View Map
Kids learn what a bird’s-eye view is, then draw a map of their bedroom or classroom from above with a map key of 4 symbols.
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