In a previous post, I shared a lesson introducing students to the complex nature of geography and how it combines both physical and human elements. Building on that, I want to share an activity I love — one that helps students visually explore the difference between physical geography and human geography in a hands-on, engaging way.
Activity: Drawing a Map - Identifying Physical and Human Features
Objective: Students will create a map by following step-by-step instructions. Without being told which features are physical or human, they’ll draw a mix of both. Once their maps are complete, students will reflect, categorize, and discuss how physical and human geography connect.
Step 1: Setting the Stage
Start by asking your students: "If you had to create a town or small region, what would you include?"
List their responses on the board—expect a mix of natural and human-made features like mountains, rivers, houses, schools, and roads.
Then explain: "Today, you’ll create your own map. I’ll guide you step by step, but you won’t know what your final map will look like until the end"
Step 2: Drawing the Map
Give students a blank A4 paper or tell them to open a new page in their notebooks.
Announce one instruction at a time. Give students a couple of minutes for each step, allowing for creativity and flexibility but also keeping everyone moving together.
✅ 1. Draw a large body of water (lake, ocean, or large river).
✅ 2. Add a smaller river that connects to your larger body of water.
✅ 3. Draw hills or mountains in one area.
✅ 4. Place a forest somewhere on your map.
✅ 5. Add some open space or fields.
✅ 6. Draw a small village or town with houses and buildings.
✅ 7. Add a main road that runs through the town.
✅ 8. Place a bridge over your river.
✅ 9. Draw a school in the village.
✅ 10. Add a factory near the water.
✅ 11. Draw some farms outside the town.
✅ 12. Place a shopping area or market in your town.
✅ 13. Add cars, boats, or trains moving around your map.
✅ 14. Add anything else you want on your map.
Step 3: Categorizing Features
Once the maps are complete, ask students: "Look at everything you’ve drawn. Can you group similar features together?"
Have them create two columns in their notebook or on a worksheet:
Column 1: Features that are part of nature.
Column 2: Features that people created or built.
After sorting, ask: "What do you notice about these two groups? How are they different?"
Guide students toward the understanding that:
✅ Natural features represent physical geography
✅ Man-made features represent human geography
Step 4: Discussion & Connection to Geography (10 minutes)
Introduce the two key terms:
📍Physical Geography – the study of natural features like mountains, rivers, climate, and ecosystems.
📍 Human Geography – the study of how humans shape and interact with the environment, including cities, transportation, industries, and cultures.
Ask guiding questions:
❓"Can physical geography affect human geography?"
❓"Can human geography affect physical geography?"
Use examples:
❗Cities often develop near rivers or coastlines.
❗Factories and pollution can harm rivers and forests.
Wrap up: "Physical and human geography are different, but they’re deeply connected. Studying both helps us better understand the world we live in."
Extension Activity: Categorizing Mini Case Studies
To check for understanding and spark deeper discussion, I end the lesson with a second activity. Students read mini case studies describing real-world situations. Some examples could be:
New York City is home to over 8 million people and is a global center for finance, media, and culture.
Rainforests in Brazil are being cleared to make way for cattle ranching and agriculture.
A massive earthquake hits Japan, triggering a tsunami that damages cities along the coast.
Rising sea levels threaten to submerge the island nation of Kiribati, forcing people to consider moving.
Dubai builds artificial islands shaped like palm trees to attract tourists and investors.
Rainforests in Brazil are being cleared to make way for cattle ranching and agriculture.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative builds new highways and railroads across Asia to improve trade routes.
For each, they decide: Is this physical geography or human geography? Some cases will overlap, leading to deeper conversations about how the two branches of geography interact.
This activity is quite simple but very effective. It not only helps students differentiate between physical and human geography but also gets them thinking about how these two branches of geography constantly shape each other. It’s a great way to build foundational understanding while keeping students engaged and creative.
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