Low-Prep Continents and Oceans Activities

Do you enjoy teaching your class about continents and oceans? It has always been one of my favorite geography concepts to teach. BUT, I’ll have to admit, I felt like I NEVER had fun low-prep continents and oceans activities for my students to do when I started teaching 2nd and 3rd grade. I realized that the activities needed to be engaging and easy for me to be successful at teaching my students about them.

Introduce Each Continent First

You may want to start your discussion by talking about continents first. Describe the different continents on Earth and the unique characteristics of each. Ask students, “What continent do you live on, or have you ever visited any of the other ones?”

low-prep continents reading passage picture

I like to read a description of each continent, then have my students write down facts on a notes page. This is a great way to teach students how to take notes. Make sure to review that the facts they write down are all correct at the end. An easy way to do this is by having students pair up with one another then share what facts they wrote down. This can help some students who are still a bit unsure or catch up if they didn’t have enough time to write down everything they wanted to.

Locate the continents and oceans on a map

Locate continents and oceans on a globe. I like to show students how to use a globe and then give students time to practice finding the continents and oceans with a partner. Have the students race to see who can find the continents, oceans, countries, or even cities. Students will get a kick out of spinning the globe or racing to be the winner.

Show Videos: Continents and Oceans

Play videos for students to see real-life pictures or learn more facts about each continent and ocean. Have students see what popular tourist attractions are on each continent. See what students know about life and culture in different countries.

Study the Different Oceans

Use books, reading passages, or PowerPoint Slides like the one I have in my Digital Activities Continents and Oceans pack to teach students facts and the locations of each ocean. Once students know the locations of the continents, it is easier for them to find the oceans.

Virtual learning activities for continents and oceans

This is a fun digital resource that is loaded with activities that can be used with Google Slides. It takes all of the planning and stress out of teaching your class about continents and oceans. It also gives students the ability to work independently for a distance learning situation or a fun early-finisher activity.

Here is a short video of all of the activities inside.

Build the Continents with Play-dough

In my Continents and Oceans Activities and Worksheets unit, I have fun brightly colored continent posters that can easily be laminated for students to use as play-dough mats. You can easily recreate this by printing out a simple outline of a continent and then having your students trace the outline or build on top of it.

Write Imaginative Stories about Exciting Adventures

low-prep continents and oceans writing activities

Writing and drawing prompts are great low-prep continents and oceans activities you can easily do in the morning or before the school bell rings. Have students write about visiting a continent they want to research or a unique animal found in their favorite ocean. You could also have students write a postcard about their pretend vacation to a destination of their choice. I have included some fun writing prompts and writing pages in my Continents and Oceans Activities and Worksheets unit that are simple print and go activities.

Grab these Continents and Oceans Activities for your classroom!

Did you love the ideas from this post? The low-prep continents and oceans activities you read about are from my Continents and Oceans Activities and Worksheets unit and my Digital Activities Continents and Oceans pack.

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Hopefully, this post has inspired you with some low-prep continents and oceans ideas! Make sure you save this pin so that you can come back to these ideas later.