country research project 2nd grade

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Guiding Curiosity, Igniting Imagination!

Country Research Project for Kids

We can’t look at the world in terms of little segments of people anymore. The world is becoming more and more global and we are all becoming global citizens. More and more people are working remotely and working with people from all different cultures and backgrounds. It is important that we teach our students to embrace and respect differences and to become aware of the world outside their own neighborhoods, communities, state, and country. One way to allow students the chance to learn about and interact with the world is through a country research project. We are so lucky because the internet can allow us to temporarily immerse ourselves in another country. Country research can be carried out in so many ways and I hope that this article gives you some ideas on your country research unit.

Understanding the Why of Country Research

First of all, other countries are learning about us and there is power in knowledge. Children are generally curious about other countries and cultures so it isn’t hard to get them excited about this project but sometimes we need to help them see the importance of the research they will conduct. Here are some points you might want to discuss before starting your unit.

learning about other cultures helps us to understand differences
learning about cultures helps us to understand that there are different ways of doing things and it is ok
learning about countries helps us to see how people form culture because of the location of their country
learning about countries helps us to learn more about our own country
learning about countries makes us more globally aware and knowledgeable
learning about countries helps us appreciate the world because in the end, we are all human beings – we all love, laugh, cry and bleed

Helping Students Choose a Country to Study

Some students will have no trouble choosing which country to research but some will struggle. You can help them by reminding them that they might want to research a country their ancestors come from, somewhere they always wanted to visit, a country whose food they love to eat, when all else fails they can spin a globe and put a finger on it! There is also this great website that generates random countries that the student can choose from.

Setting the Tone for Country Research

As with all projects, the students need to buy into the reason why they are researching a country, why it is important and what they need to do. They also need to be aware of how the project will be assessed. In my packet, there is a student introduction letter with a tear-off bottom for the student to write their country and turn it into you so that you can make a record of it. It also includes a rubric.

Conducting Country Research

The next part is helping them to conduct the research. In general, when elementary students are conducting research it helps to give them a lot of guidance. My packet guides students in researching relevant and important information regarding the country with enough fun fact-finding to keep it fun and engaging. You can download the GOOGLE SLIDES document for free to use in your classroom. It helps by giving students a space to save their research media allowing them quick access when they prepare their final project and paper.

Some areas of research are the countries location, geographical features, climate, capital, major cities, political leaders, currency, historical figures, cultures such as music, food, customs and traditions.

I think this is one of the most important units in elementary school because the roots will run deep and students will remember their learning for a long time. When the world is becoming increasingly globally aware we are helping our students to grow and learn beyond their own boundaries.

Love that this provides a framework for learning but still allows for students’ choice and ownership in their learning!

What an amazing set of open-ended activities! I love the way kids learn certain facts about their chosen country, but also choose some fun facts of their own to share. This project touches upon so many skills and content areas. A must-have! Thanks for sharing. :) Anne

I love this research packet! Each page is organized in a way that makes searching for information fun and relevant. There is a rubric included which was fantastic in setting expectations of the project from the very beginning. There are fact sheets to use or graphic organizers. There is a world map included to locate your country. This packet had everything I had hoped for and more. I can’t remember being so satisfied with the entirety of a download as I am with this one. So So wonderful!

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Thank you for sharing this with the world! (And for free, too!) I’ll be using this as a guide for my students :)

I was searching for a model project and I find this, extremely grateful for you to share it here, thanks a lot

Great source. Thank you soo much

Country Research Project

Our Country Research Project is ideal for older elementary students and middle school students. Before tackling this Country Research Project, we introduce, review, and solidify basic map skills with our FREE Printable World Maps & Activities . By the time my students reach 4th grade, they do one of these projects a year for the next two years. In this project, you can implement research, writing, reading, and more into your homeschool. Our FREE Country Research Sheets & Maps make teaching and learning about different countries around the world easy!

*If you teach in a school setting or would like to download all of our Country Research Project Printables at once, check out our shop . For those of you looking for more free social studies resources , check this post out!

*Be sure to have these on hand when starting to teach geography. Do you have a globe ? Check. Do you have a world map ? Check? Do you have an atlas ? Check. Then, you are all set!

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What is included in our Country Research Project?

Country research sheets.

Our Country Research Project always starts with one of these country research sheets. There are two options to choose from. Years ago, my oldest did his research using a brainstorming sheet. We made it work, but it was much harder to organize his notes since they were random. The Country Research Sheets give students focus and guide them to information that would make a solid research paper. From experience, these research sheets make it easy to organize information for a 5 paragraph essay.

DOWNLOAD COUNTRY RESEARCH SHEETS

Blank continent maps with outlines.

This set of Blank Continent Maps with Outlines coincide perfectly with the FREE Country Research Sheets. Whatever country your student is studying, print the corresponding continent map out. Your student can then locate, label, and color their country within its continent. The worksheet then instructs the student to label the countries bordering countries and oceans. This map is an excellent addition to the Country Research Project.

The second version includes the outlined map, but has no instructions written at the top. For those you wanting to use these to color all continents rather than one, then you can!

DOWNLOAD BLANK CONTINENT MAPS

Research paper.

Once my student completes the country research sheet, it is easy to sit with them and discuss what facts should go into each paragraph of their essay. We literally looked over the facts, and then wrote a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 next to them. This was an easy guide for my student to follow when he sat down independently to write his country project paper. If the fact had a 1 next to it, that meant he was to include that fact into his first paragraph. 2 meant second paragraph and so forth. When I teach my kids to write a 5 paragraph essay, I like to break it down into an introduction paragraph, 3 body paragraphs, and then a conclusion or closing. Each paragraph should include at least 3 sentences, but 5 sentences are encouraged. You might be interested in checking out our 5-paragraph graphic organizers . They make creating an essay outline easy!

DOWNLOAD COUNTRY RESEARCH PAPER

Project visual.

Creating a visual for the Country Research Project is one of the last pieces of this assignment. Some kids will love this aspect of the project and this is where their creativity will shine. Other students will not enjoy this part of the project. No matter, encourage them to write notes and facts about their country, add a title, draw pictures, color it neatly, display a flag, and so much more. We choose to create a poster display. Your student may create a PowerPoint presentation, a hanging mobile, or a cardboard display. There are several options to choose from.

Country Project Presentation

End the Country Research Project with a presentation. For those of us who homeschool, this can be easily down at the dinner table. Allow your student to present to the family before dinner or after dinner. Encourage them to share their visual and what things they learned about their country. Some of my kids have read their paper out loud. In a classroom setting, presenting their project is a must. Public speaking is a skill that should be encouraged when possible. Some kids will really shine when presenting, while others will struggle. Regardless of their strengths or weaknesses, it is always a good rule of thumb to give your child the opportunity to share.

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