1 of 11

Write now Article Tools

A course in geography can often feel like an exercise in enduring boredom. Rife with memorization of minutia, geography classes generally fail to capture the imagination of students. However, there are ways to make learning geography both interesting and easy. Here are some suggestions for geography students of all ages and learning styles.

1. Take a virtual world tour with

Google Earth. This intuitive, user-friendly program allows you to view satellite images from anywhere in the world. It also includes user-uploaded photos, giving you a glimpse of what it's really like to be in a given place. Learn about the terrain and climate in different parts of the world by seeing it for yourself. You can also measure distances between places and find out about local landmarks and attractions. Google Earth is a great tool for students known as "experiential learners," i.e. those who learn by doing rather than by being shown or told.

2. Play a game. Sheppard's software provides many online, interactive games that teach things such as the names and shapes of countries, continents, and oceans. These games do not require any downloads, and site is 100% kid-friendly. (Sheppard's also has lessons on other subjects such as math, science, and health.) With both graphics and sound, these games will help students who are visual/spacial or auditory learners succeed.

3. Get out the old box of crayons and color your way to an A. These blank, printable maps are a great way to learn place names. Print out the map, label as much as you can from memory, and look up the names you don't remember. Next, pick your favorite colors and color the map. The purpose of coloring is simply to make looking at the map more fun. While you push those crayons around, you'll be learning the names you need for the next exam.

You can also use these blank maps to organize other information you may need to know. For example, you could print out a map and label each country with its major exports, major religion, political system, etc. Again, once you have written down all the relevant information, coloring the map is a good way to help reinforce the lesson.

Note that map coloring is a good study skill for both visual/spacial and kinesthetic learners!

4. Drill with a classmate, friend, or family member. Before getting together with your study partner, make a list of items to memorize, or even a set of flashcards. Try to organize things in pairs, for example, you might have a list of countries paired with their forms of government, or a list of states paired with their capitol cities. Your partner can read off items from the list and you can try to remember the correct response. This study technique is good for students who are good interpersonal learners. Outgoing students often feel that learning is a lonely activity, and as a result, they don't think of themselves as being "book smart". Group study activities can get students on the right track from an early age, and help them realize that learning doesn't have to be a solitary endeavor.

5. Make lists. Students with a logical, rule-oriented learning style may benefit from this study method. Instead of simply organizing items in pairs, such as country/major exports, challenge yourself to create lists such as "all the countries that export steel" or "all the countries where Christianity is the major religion". For an even bigger challenge, trying ranking or ordering the items in your lists. For example, "list the top ten exporters of steel in decreasing order". List-making gives the facts a sense of order and structure, making them feel more interconnected.

Learn more about this author, Raven Lebeau.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to study for geography?
We want to hear your view. Write now!