In Year 4 Geography, we are learning about the Americas, exploring North America and South America through maps, atlases and digital tools such as Google™ Earth. We are developing our understanding of continents, countries and cities, and discovering what different places are like across the two continents.
We begin our learning by investigating North American cities. Using the eight points of the compass, children locate cities in different directions from Denver, Colorado, and identify the states they are in. This helps children practise using large-scale maps and understand how location affects places.
Next, we explore South American cities, starting from Cuiabá, Brazil. Children locate cities and identify the countries they belong to, strengthening their understanding of the difference between a continent, country and city.
We also learn about the main environmental regions of the Americas, such as rainforests, deserts and mountains. Children name, locate and describe these regions, using map keys to mark and label important geographical features on maps of North and South America.
Finally, we take part in a Great American Road Trip, learning about the historic Route 66. Children research the route and the cities it travels through and practise following a route on a large-scale map, helping them understand how people travel between places.
