About this episode

This episode revisits the basics of teaching geography skills in upper elementary, offering engaging methods to make geography relevant and fun for students.

Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s the perfect one to revisit during summer planning as you think about how to make geography more engaging and easier for students to understand. Welcome to Part 1 of the 5-part Social Studies Summer Series! In this episode, we’re going back to the basics of teaching geography skills in upper elementary. Geography can sometimes feel like it’s all about memorizing maps, places and vocabulary, but it can be so much more than that. I’ll share simple ways to help students understand geography by making it relevant to their lives, connecting it to different cultures, using technology and encouraging curiosity. You’ll also hear ideas for practicing map skills in a way that feels meaningful instead of repetitive. Whether you’re planning for next year or just wanting fresh ideas for your social studies block, this episode will help you make geography more fun, practical and connected to the world around your students. Episode Highlights In this episode, you’ll hear ideas for: Going back to the basics with geography skills Making geography relevant for students Learning about different cultures Using technology in geography lessons Encouraging…

People in this episode

Host: Kirsten Hammond

Topics covered

• geography skills
• upper elementary education
• cultural relevance
• technology in education
• student engagement

Keywords

• geography
• upper elementary
• teaching methods
• cultural connections
• map skills
• student curiosity
• technology in lessons

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Southern Teach LLC

More episodes of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast

• 10 Must-Have Teacher Supplies for the Upper Elementary Classroom · July 15, 2026 · 21 min
• 5 Mistakes New Social Studies Teachers Make (and How to Fix Them) · July 8, 2026 · 24 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 5: How to Teach Economics Skills · June 19, 2026 · 19 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 4: How to Teach Government/Civics Skills · June 18, 2026 · 17 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 3: How to Teach Culture and Society Skills · June 17, 2026 · 18 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 2: How to Teach History Skills · June 16, 2026 · 14 min

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