Geography in middle school covers topics related to landforms, water bodies, climates, cultures, countries, flags, etc. Although not meant to replace traditional textbook learning, online games can be an effective supplemental tool to teach and assess geographical knowledge.
These interactive learning tools can be used after discussing a topic to let students practice what they have learned. Besides helping kids understand geographical concepts, online games refine their map reading skills.
Short sessions of online games are ideal for middle schoolers. Fun and interactive games take the pressure off and allow students to tackle the subject in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. So, let us take you through our picks of interesting geography-related games to play online.
Engaging geography games for middle schoolers to play online
Here is a list of popular and engaging games students can play online to brush up on their understanding of geographical concepts.
1. USA: Rivers
The US has several rivers. Play this game to learn about the different rivers flowing within the country and know their exact locations. The game displays a map indicating rivers in the country. You are given the name of a river which you have to identify and click on. Don’t worry if you do not get it right. The correct location of the river starts blinking if you fail to get the right answer.
2. Wonders
Zoomtastic brings this online game to scale up your geography knowledge. A map appears on the screen, which zooms in gradually. You have to then identify the location from the choices you get on screen. You will also get a few hints like a hemisphere, picture, and country flag to give you an idea of the correct answer. Remember! It is a time-bound game. So, keep your eyes on the timer as well.
3. Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego
Here is a thrilling online game where you must find a super thief named Carmen Sandiego. As a player, you talk to the locals, visit different landmarks and travel around the world based on clues to find the thief and her loot. The game, though not a typical geography game, helps students learn about important landmarks around the world and use their geographical knowledge to finish their quest.
4. World: Oceans, Seas, and Lakes
Water bodies are a crucial part of the earth. This online map game is a nice way to identify the locations of different water bodies on our planet. Different water bodies are pointed out on the map. You must identify the correct water body corresponding to the question. If you click on the wrong location, you can try until you click on the correct location.
5. World: 21 Major Cities
This is another map quiz game by Seterra where you get to test how well you know the major cities of the world. Cities like London, Paris, Sydney, and New York are covered in the game. Learning about cities and their locations can be boring, but this game helps you remember them by displaying related images when you give a correct answer. All you need to do is scroll over the map until you identify all the major cities.
6. The US: Geophysical Regions
Geography also involves the study of various geophysical forms on earth. In this game, you get to learn and identify the geophysical regions in the US. Covering a large land mass, the country is adorned with fascinating physical features like the Appalachian Mountains, Central Lowlands, Atlantic Coastal Plains, etc. Take out a few minutes to play this game and learn about the USA’s geophysical regions.
7. RubyCave
RubyCave is a simple yet challenging game to test your knowledge of flags of different countries in the world. A flag is displayed on the screen, and you are given four choices. You must pick the correct answer to move to the next question. Each player gets three lives in the game. Give three wrong answers, and you will have to start all over again. If you score well, your name may be displayed on the leaderboard of the top 20 players in the game.
8. USA Map Challenge
This game challenges your map skills wherein you need to place a state’s outline onto the entire map of the USA in its correct position. A timer notes how long you are taking to complete the game. You also get visual clues telling you the correct position of the state in case you don’t know where a state is. The simple drag-and-drop feature lets you enjoy this game with ease.
9. Cardinal Directions
This game is suitable for fifth to seventh-grade students. You get to rehearse cardinal points, the four directions, how they are used on a map, and abbreviations. A few questions are displayed on the screen, and you have to pick or write the correct answer. Correct answers help you earn points and proceed forward. The game also tells you how accurate you were in giving the answers.
10. Countries in Europe
Here is a map game that aids in learning about different countries in Europe. The game displays the name of one European country at a time, and you are required to locate its position on the map. You get a total of four chances to answer. If still incorrect, the question is marked incorrect. The color variations on the map help you easily identify a country in this simple yet engaging game.
11. River Courses
This game is all about rivers and their features. The game covers topics like river features, identifying whether a feature is present in the upper, middle, or lower course of a river, erosion, and deposition. The question includes an image that you need to see and answer accordingly. This online game can be used after a lesson on rivers and its features are discussed in class or at home.
12. Matching: Countries
National Geographic Kids brings this stimulating online game wherein you must match countries, locations, etc. Six cards are displayed on the screen. You need to flip them open one by one and find their matching pair. When you are done matching the pairs, you get to learn a country fact in the end. There are other games as well which involve spotting the difference and finding what goes together.
13. Geoguessr
Geoguessr helps you improve your map reading skills. This fun and interactive game covers topics like landmarks, capitals, the world in general, and specific questions about the USA. You will have to sign up to access this online game. The game begins by showing you a street view image, and you must identify the place and pin your answer on the map. You even get some clues to identify which place it is. Once you give your answer, you get points depending on how far you marked your answer from the correct location.
Final words
Like students of other age groups, middle school students can also benefit by engaging with different learning tools. Online games can be used in collaboration with textbook learning at schools and at home to build a strong foundation in the subject. Topics like countries, capitals, flags, etc., can be a little tedious to memorize right from textbooks. By utilizing interactive online games, students can learn these topics effectively. Hopefully, the above list of games has given you sufficient choices to practice geography lessons in your curriculum in a fun and exciting way.