Free 2nd Grade Geography Lesson Plan: Mapping Project

ByTeaching Resources Desk Grade 2
Geography lesson with monkey mascot

This free 2nd grade geography lesson plan uses a class traveler (a stuffed animal or mascot) to run a short, repeatable world geography routine. The traveler “arrives” with a postcard from a new place. Students locate the destination on a wall map and globe, record a few facts, and discuss how geography affects daily life. Over time, students research one chosen place in more depth and create a travel brochure they present to classmates.

Grade Band: Lower Elementary (2–3)
Subject Area: Social Studies

Overview

Students build map-and-globe habits through a consistent classroom routine. Each traveler update introduces a new location and prompts students to identify the continent, map the route, and collect simple geography and culture details. The unit ends with a student-made brochure that uses researched facts and visuals to teach peers about one place.

Subject Connections

Social studies is central as students locate places on maps and globes, learn basic geographic terms, and connect place to daily life and culture. English Language Arts supports the work as students read postcards and kid-friendly sources, take short notes, and present information to an audience. Art has a smaller role as students create brochure visuals and simple labeled mini-maps.

Learning Goals

  • Locate continents and oceans on a world map and globe.
  • Use a map key/legend and compass rose to interpret a simple map.
  • Identify the equator on a globe and use it as a reference point (north/south).
  • Record factual information in short notes using an organizer.
  • Explain simple connections between geography and culture (food, homes, clothing, traditions).
  • Create a travel brochure that includes accurate facts and clear visuals.
  • Present information clearly and answer questions from peers.

Materials

  • Class traveler (stuffed animal or class mascot)
  • Large wall world map
  • Classroom globe
  • Sticky notes or pins and yarn/string to show the route
  • Student “Travel Notebook” (stapled booklet or folder)
  • Traveler postcards (teacher-created) with an image and a short message
  • Atlases, kid-friendly nonfiction books, magazines, printed articles
  • Teacher-curated websites or kid-safe search tool (optional)
  • Brochure template (tri-fold paper or a 1-page folded handout)
  • Markers, crayons, scissors, glue
  • Printed photos (optional) or drawing paper for student-made visuals

Teacher Prep Items (recommended):

  • Create 8–12 traveler postcards (one per destination), each with 2–3 simple facts and one picture.
  • Prepare a class “Route Map” area for pins/sticky notes and yarn.
  • Make a 4-box note organizer for the travel notebook (Continent / Land & Water / Weather / Culture).
  • Make a simple brochure checklist and a sample brochure to model expectations.

Preparation

  • Set up the wall map and globe station so students can access both quickly.
  • Decide your routine schedule (10–15 minutes daily or 3–4 times per week).
  • Choose destinations that represent multiple continents and a variety of environments (coast, desert, mountains, city).
  • Organize research resources by destination (a small bin per place works well).
  • Copy brochure templates and the travel notebook organizer for each student.

Teaching Procedure

Most sessions fit a standard class period of 45–50 minutes. The brief traveler routine occurs at the start of each lesson across a 2–3 week unit.

Session 1: Introducing the Traveler and Map Tools

  1. Introduce the class traveler and explain it will “visit” places around the world. Tell students their job is to become geography helpers who locate each destination.
  2. Show the wall map and the globe. Demonstrate how to find a location on both.
  3. Activity: Travel Notebook Setup Routine. Give students a Travel Notebook and a 4-box organizer page (Continent / Land & Water / Weather / Culture). Model how students record one fact and one labeled drawing in each box using a sample destination, then have students complete a guided practice entry.

Session 2: First Traveler Arrival

  1. Read the traveler postcard aloud and show the image.
  2. Ask students to identify the continent before searching for the country.
  3. Locate the place together on the wall map.
  4. Confirm the location on the globe and identify nearby oceans and whether it is north or south of the equator.
  5. Activity: Traveler Arrival Map-and-Globe Routine. A student marks the destination with a pin or sticky note and connects yarn from the previous location. All students complete the 4-box notebook entry using labels, short words, and a quick sketch.
  6. Ask one culture link question such as “How does the place affect how people live?” and record a few responses.

Session 3: Map Skills Mini-Lesson

  1. Begin with the traveler routine for a new destination.
  2. Teach one focused map skill: cardinal directions, continents and oceans, the equator, or map keys and symbols.
  3. Students practice the skill by locating additional labeled places on the map or globe.

Session 4: Starting Research

  1. Run the traveler routine with a new location.
  2. Students choose one destination to research.
  3. Model how to gather facts one at a time and record them clearly using short phrases.
  4. Students begin collecting geography and culture facts from books, atlases, or approved printouts.

Session 5: Research Stations

  1. Run the traveler routine.
  2. Students rotate through stations: map location check, geography facts, culture facts, and visuals.
  3. Teacher circulates and helps students write clear factual statements.

Session 6: Creating the Travel Brochure

  1. Show a sample brochure and review required parts: place name and continent, geography facts, culture facts, visuals, and a short “Why visit?” section.
  2. Activity: Brochure Build Routine. Students use the brochure template and checklist to select 3–5 geography facts and 3–5 culture facts, create a labeled mini-map and one illustration, and draft their brochure before a teacher accuracy check.
  3. Students complete the final brochure.

Session 7: Presentations and Sharing

  1. Students present their brochures to classmates.
  2. Classmates ask questions about location and daily life.
  3. Display brochures or compile them into a class travel book.

Assessment

  • Routine checks: observe students locating continents/oceans and using the globe appropriately during the traveler routine.
  • Travel Notebook: review entries for completeness and accurate placement (continent, key facts).
  • Research organizer: check for at least three sources and clear, factual notes.
  • Brochure: evaluate for accuracy, organization, readable writing, required facts/visuals, and clear audience focus.
  • Presentation: assess clarity of speaking, ability to answer questions, and correct use of geographic terms (continent/ocean/equator).

Differentiation

  • Support for struggling learners:
    • Offer a smaller set of destinations with simplified texts and picture supports.
    • Provide a partially filled organizer and allow students to add 3–4 key facts.
    • Use partner research (reader + recorder) and allow drawings with short labels.
    • Provide a brochure template with labeled sections and sentence starters.
  • Extension for advanced students:
    • Add a comparison section: “My place is similar to/different from ______ because ______.”
    • Include one additional map detail (nearby country, ocean, or landform) with labels.
    • Research one major river or mountain range connected to the region and explain why it matters.
    • Add a short Q&A section: three visitor questions with answers.

Grade Adaptation

Grade 2 students follow the traveler routine to locate each destination on a wall map and globe, record short facts in a Travel Notebook, then research one place and create a travel brochure to present. Grade 1 students use fewer destinations, focus on continent and ocean identification with more teacher modeling, and record notes mainly with drawings and labels before sharing a simple one-page “travel postcard” instead of a full brochure. Grade 3 students add more map language (cardinal directions and map key details), use slightly longer sources, and include an extra section in the brochure explaining how the place’s environment influences one daily life feature such as housing, food, or clothing.

Extension Ideas

  • Create a class route timeline that matches the yarn path on the map.
  • Run a “Continent Spotlight” week with quick daily challenges.
  • Host a brochure gallery walk with sticky-note feedback.
  • Invite another class or families to view brochure presentations.
  • Build an anchor chart titled “Geography Changes How People Live” and add examples from each destination.

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