How to Teach US Geography
Teach US geography in a way that sticks with these hands-on activities.

The Importance of Learning US Geography
Before students can understand the world, they have to grasp what it is.
When they are little, they learn about their immediate environment: their home, the playground, the library, preschool, etc.
As they grow, they expand their knowledge to places surrounding them: other communities within their state and then states within their region.
Knowing US Geography is an essential milestone in becoming an informed citizen.
Not only does it help practically with travel and navigation, but it also has several other benefits.
Understanding US geography contributes to cultural and environmental awareness, contextualizes history, and forms a foundation for civics.
It’s vital to teach US geography to students, but you need to do so in a memorable way so they can retain the knowledge.
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How to Teach US Geography with Activities
These ideas and activities will help your students learn (and remember!) US geography.
Display a Wall Map
If you want students to learn US geography, you need to put it on display.
A laminated wall map like this one is inexpensive and will last years.
Mount it on a bulletin board if possible so you can use pushpins to mark particular locations.
Use Fun Facts to Introduce the States
We have Fun Facts for all 50 States, such as Texas, Vermont, California, and Georgia.
Fun facts are an entertaining and enjoyable way to introduce each state.
Type the state name into our search bar to bring up some interesting facts!
Are you curious about fun facts? Check out this article on Fun Facts About the 50 States.
Learn the Names of the States to a Song
Students can easily remember the states’ locations if they already know their names.
The old cartoon Animaniacs has a catchy three-minute song with the names of all the states.
They even have a song for memorizing the state capitals.
You can also try these fun activities to learn the states and capitals.
Touch and Feel the Shapes of the States
Use a puzzle of the US to teach the shapes of the states and how they fit together.
A US geography puzzle also makes a great activity for classroom centers.
This version is magnetic, so if you have a metal whiteboard, students can assemble it at the front of the class.
Play Geography Board Games
Games are a fantastic way to teach geography. (Just ask gameschoolers!)
Kids (and adults) will love learning geography as they play board games like Ticket to Ride, 10 Days in the USA, and Scout It Out: USA.
Draw the US
Drawing the US is the ultimate achievement in learning geography.
It is doable if you teach it step by step using this book: Draw the USA.
The author, Kristin Draeger, breaks down how to draw the US state by state, giving memorable instructions. Here is an example:
“The eastern edge of New Jersey is appropriately shaped like a ‘J.'”
Trace the US
Tracing is another excellent way to learn US geography. Invest in tracing paper and make or buy a small laminated map for each student.
Play with Google Earth
Students can explore the US with Google Earth.
They can zoom in on states to explore landmarks and geographic features.
Use Seterra for US Geography Games and Quizzes
Seterra (both the app and online version) has a host of interactive games and quizzes for US geography.
Geography BINGO
Make learning the states and capitals fun by creating your own BINGO cards for states and capitals.
You read the capital and have the students place the marker on the state.
Travel Brochure
You can use a writing activity to teach US geography by making a travel brochure for a state.
Draw the state and its major cities or landmarks.
Label the capital and any other fun facts about the states.
Plan a Road Trip, Write a Story
Another writing activity that boosts US geography knowledge is to write a story about an imagined road trip.
Have students draw a map of their route (and the states they cross) to accompany their story.
What landmarks do they see?
What adventures do they encounter?
Memorable Ways to Teach US Geography
Can you teach US geography solely with a wall map, a pointer, and acronyms to remember the starting letters of each state? Absolutely.
But that will only yield short-term gains. Students will not retain that information for longer than a few weeks.
Set the stage for future academic and life success by teaching US geography with these memorable, hands-on activities.