Five minutes together
Look. Wonder. Talk.
Our discovery: Name or locate continents and compare their positions on a world map.
Find a familiar land shape with Olivia, then read its name. Let your child choose a second continent to locate.
Can you find Africa and South America? What is between them?
Start here
Offer two names and help find their labels.
Explore further
Discuss why Europe and Asia can have different names while still touching.
Three questions to share
1Can you find Africa and South America? What is between them?
Answer cue: Ocean water separates them. It is the Atlantic Ocean; naming it is an optional extension because the poster does not label oceans.
2Can you find Europe and Asia? Is there an ocean between them?
Answer cue: Europe and Asia touch. Their different names do not mean an ocean separates them. Help your child follow the boundary between them.
3Can you find the continent that stretches along the bottom of this map?
Answer cue: Antarctica. It surrounds the South Pole. Pointing is enough before remembering the name.
If your child is unsure: Offer two names and help find their labels.
Something to try together
Draw a land-and-water clue
You’ll need: Paper and a pencil or crayon, or use pointing and spoken descriptions.
- Draw two large land shapes with water between them.
- Point to the water, then find a similar separation on the poster.
- Explain that your drawing is a simple model; use the poster, not the drawing, to find the named continents.
What this can show
Can the child locate two named continents and indicate the water between Africa and South America? Stay together and use the picture or an indoor drawing. No trip, purchase, cutting, water access or real address is needed.
Return to it: Find Europe again. Is it separated from Asia by an ocean? Show how you know.
Get the guide and discovery recordFor teachers · About 20 minutes
A small lesson with room to explore.
Learning aim: Name or locate continents and compare their positions on a world map.
Prepare: Read the picture and answer cues. Have the optional explorer’s notebook available. Paper and a pencil or crayon, or use pointing and spoken descriptions.
- 3 min
Notice
Look together: Find a familiar land shape with Olivia, then read its name. Let your child choose a second continent to locate.
- 4 min
Compare
Discuss: read one question and invite children to point to the evidence.
- 8 min
Try together
Draw two large land shapes with water between them. Point to the water, then find a similar separation on the poster. Explain that your drawing is a simple model; use the poster, not the drawing, to find the named continents.
- 5 min
Explain
Try and explain: Draw two large land shapes with water between them. Point to the water, then find a similar separation on the poster. Explain that your drawing is a simple model; use the poster, not the drawing, to find the named continents.
Check the idea together
Can the child locate two named continents and indicate the water between Africa and South America?
What to listen for
Ocean water separates them. It is the Atlantic Ocean; naming it is an optional extension because the poster does not label oceans. Europe and Asia touch. Their different names do not mean an ocean separates them. Help your child follow the boundary between them. Antarctica. It surrounds the South Pole. Pointing is enough before remembering the name.
Read labels aloud and describe shape and position. Accept speech, signing, pointing or eye gaze; do not rely only on color.
