Geography in US schools?

Ice

Although sadly it is probably accurate

Out of curiousity did anyone ever sit looking at an atlas in Geography lessons? We never did, we learnt about the Earth and weather and geographical features, not just memorising place names.

I did. Not only did we have to memorize all countries and their capitals and major rivers, but I remember one geography exam in which we had to draw the map of Africa and outline its countries, including capitals, major rivers and mountain ranges. That school was in Germany.

I don't ever remember sitting studying maps or drawing them, we only ever learned about geography and not just places. We did use atlas's some times, but not often, and not to memorise places (actually me and my friends just used to look up silly place names )

OK Maria you must be from a military family ...

I don't know what is teached in the usa schools but the usa citizens not knowing MUCH about geography is planetary well known ... it's not just about knwoing where is what it's also about HAVING AND SHOWING INTEREST toward others ..... this is not the kids problem but their school problem I think i can name and locate on a blind map all the usa states but it's just because I love to travel inside my head ....

Countries, capitals, major cities, rivers, mountains, lakes, seas, oceans, states, deserts, canyons, climate, jungles, provinces.... we learned a lot in geography. We had to draw and label the maps too and I was never much of an artist. Of course, I've probably forgotten most of it since that was when I was 12 or so. I didn't take geography in college.

Becky

LOL. Not at all - I just happen to be German, living in the US

you are an exception in that though. Most people (well educated) have no idea how big the US actually is and how long of a flight it is from one coast to the other. Most people cannot point to the state of Nevada if you give them a blank map or any other not so popular state (everybody knows where California or Florida is).

I really don't think people in Europe are more worldly than people in the US --- it's just that everybody knows 'their home' better than places on the other side of the globe. I remember a girl in school who at 16 years old believed that all Americans were black (she is German).

I think it's more the ignorance, as shown in the original image posted by Ice. It seems that many Americans think that America is the world, and many of those who obviously know better don't care about the rest of the world.

Very similar situation here...I remember the Geography lessons and the poor professor trying to make the big effort to grab our attention...I regret it now, but I am pretty good in locating cities/capitals, etc but mainly because I also love travelling...