Playdough Geography

You can find the pdf of this project at:
http://www.hasbro.com/playdoh/en_US/discover/teachers/pdf/7F53D612-D56F-E112-497CE221E79B18F7.pdf?soc=fbk_doh_pds_0412_007

Purpose: Students are introduced to the term
continent. Students learn the names and locations of the seven
continents.

Objectives:
• Students learn the term continent.
• Students name and locate the seven continents.
• Students identify the continent they live on.
• Students use PLAY-DOH compound for a “hands-on”
activity to form the shapes of the continents in the location they belong.

Curriculum Areas:
•
Social Studies
•
Geography
•
Visual Arts
•
Mapping Skills
•
Math
•
Continents
·
Science
·
Language Arts
·
Fine Arts

Grade Levels
•
Pre K
•
K
•
1
•
2
•

Supplies Needed:
• PLAY-DOH compound (seven colors, enough for each
student to form continents)
• Large map of the continents (can be found at mapsofworld.com
website)
• Student copy of a map outline of the continents
Directions:
1.
Using the large map, show students the continents.
Point to each continent and have the students count them. Tell them that the
lands of the world are divided into 7 continents. Have them repeat each
continent’s name after you as you point to the continent.

2.
Point to
North America (or your continent) and tell the students that we live on the
continent of North America. Ask: “What continent do we live on?”

3.
Pass out the continent map outline. Explain that
the students will be getting a different color of PLAY-DOH compound for each
continent and they will mold the PLAY-DOH compound to the shape of the
continent. You may need to model this.

4.
Pass out the PLAY-DOH color for North America.
Have all students shape their PLAY-DOH compound on the North American outline.
Ask: “What continent do we live on?”

5.
Next, pass out PLAY-DOH compound for each of the
other continents; one at a time so that you can say the name and help the
students recognize each continent. Then have students mold the PLAY-DOH
compound onto each continent.

6.
Give each
student a bit of PLAY-DOH compound to make a small boat. Tell them that they
are going to cruise around the continents and say each name as the cruise by.

7.
Close the
lesson by having the students pretend with their boat to cruise the ocean to
each continent they molded and say the continent’s name. Review each day.

Extensions:
• Sing a song using a familiar tune that includes all of
the names of the continents. Point to the continents as you sing.

• Search the web for facts and pictures of each
continent.