Lost Continents? Children's understanding of the location and orientation of the Earth's land masses

Abstract

Summary Fifty‐three 10‐11 year‐old children were asked to identify continent shapes and to arrange them to form a map of the world. They were also asked to arrange similar shapes on a plain spherical surface to make a globe. Australasia, Europe and Asia were the most recognised continents. Although shapes were arranged with considerable accuracy to form a world map, shapes on the globe were arranged so as to be bunched around the equator. Africa and Antarctica were least well known, least correctly located and their orientations most misaligned. Possible reasons for this are discussed and some teaching approaches suggested.