Photograph of Canadian flag.

Make a Flag

Choose a country and recreate the country's flag using construction paper and markers or any other art supplies. On the back, write the name of the country, its capital city, its area, the size of its population, the language or languages its population speaks, and the currency. A country's flag is a representation of its identity. If you can find information on it, include what the colors or shapes on the flag represent or the history of the flag.

Photograph of Texas state flag.

State Flags

Identify the state flags of the United States and your state. Also identify national and state symbols, such as birds and flowers.

 

Photograph of Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.

Learn State Names and Capitals

Label a map of the United States with the names of each state and its capital city. To help you remember the names of all fifty states, learn the song "Fifty Nifty United States." Make sure the capital cities are marked in their correct locations. Use the MapMaker 1-Page Maps to print a map of the United States. Be sure to turn off the capital and state names.

Photograph of Taj Mahal in India with pollution obscuring view.

Research a Country's Population

Pick one of the ten most populous countries and print a map of it using the MapMaker 1-Page Maps. On the map, write the country's population, average income, and life expectancy. Create a theory about what life might be like in this country. Then read about the country. Does what you learn make you want to revise your theory?

Photograph of favela in Brazil.

Population Pyramid

Explore the population of a country. How many people live there? What is the largest age bracket? What is the population growth rate—taking into account births, deaths, and migration? Look at the country's population pyramid.

Suggested countries: China, Canada, Ukraine, Philippines, New Zealand

Photograph of the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France.

Government Structures

Choose a country and explore its type of government. What is the basic form of government? How is it structured? What legal system does it use? How old do you have to be to vote? What is the relationship between local and national governments?

Suggested countries: Australia, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Libya, Monaco, North Korea, Micronesia, Brunei

southamerica-mapmakerinteractive.jpg

Explore the Area of a Country

What is the total number of square miles or square kilometers? How much of that is land and how much is water? How does the country rank compared to area in the rest of the countries of the world? What U.S. state, if any, is the country comparable to?

Suggested countries: Australia, Chile, Burkina Faso, Thailand, Spain, Qatar

Photo: An interactive map of major religions around the world.

Ethnic and Religious Groups

Research the major ethnic and religious groups in a country. Compare ethnic or cultural celebrations in your country and other countries. Summarize the contributions of selected ethnic groups to your national identity.

Suggested countries: Mexico, India, Fiji, Egypt, Ireland

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    Christina Riska Simmons

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    Jessica Shea, National Geographic Society

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    Emily Connor

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