• interpret a map, identify both geographical and political features
• create and evaluate a country profile
• conduct online research and library research

Differentiation Strategies

These strategies are used to meet the varied needs of all learners:

• Visual learners: reinforces map skills and geography terms by using a world map or globe and visual aids to determine a country’s location on a continent
• Kinesthetic learners: engages students through the use of puzzle pieces; each student will place his or her “country” on the outline map of Europe

• Begin your class discussion by asking student to name European countries. Write their responses on the white board.
• Next, ask students to describe the geography of Europe. Explain that Europe is a continent and has a varied geography. For example, Britain is an island!
• Ask for student volunteers to identify European countries on the outline map. Congratulate students for correctly identifying the countries. Redirect wrong answers, providing the student with the correct country name. Ask the student if they can tell you one fact about that country. If not, ask classmates to help.

• Review the vocabulary words geography, continent, and country. Explain to students that they will be assigned one European country. They will conduct research on that country and present a report to the class. Their reports should include information about the country’s geography as well as other information, such as type of government, population, language, capital, size, climate, etc.
• Pass out country outlines to students, providing each student with the name of one European country to research.

• Provide students with the remaining class period to research their country. They may use online research or library materials to produce their reports.
• Instruct students to list their country facts on their country outline. These facts should include: geography, government, population, language, capital, size, climate, interesting destinations or tourist attractions, etc.
• Students should print out photographs of their assigned country to share with the class. These photographs must convey the country facts, including but not limited to geography. 

• Ask each student to present his or her country to the class, withholding the country’s name. Once the student has finished the presentation, ask class to guess the name of the country and its location. If students cannot guess the country, allow presenter to place it on the outline map and reveal the name.
• Once all students have presented their countries, you may review the “missing” countries as a class. Rely on student input to determine the name and location of these remaining countries. If necessary, allow student access to a map or atlas to help identify the country.

• Ask students which country they would like most to visit. Why?
• Have students compare and contrast Europe and the United States based on their research findings.
• Discuss: Why is it helpful to have map skills? What are the benefits of using the Internet and library research to learn about foreign countries?  

Discuss: Why is it helpful to have map skills? What are the benefits of using the Internet and library research to learn about foreign countries?