It is the students' responsibility to read this page; it will not be discussed in class. Feel free to use the worksheet for studying the geography names (it is NOT intended to be turned in). Even if you don't plan to use it as a worksheet you must come here and read the geography name list to find out what geography names you are responsible for. You are responsible for all the names in the list -- even if some of the names will not be used on the Geography Drills.
Geography Spelling Notes
INTRODUCTION
In courses where you must learn specialized terms, such as geographical names in an interdisciplinary course like Environmental Biology, you must also learn to spell the names correctly.
I have over the years heard student concerns about repeating the Geography Drills over and over, and losing points on the geography questions, despite having identified the geographic location correctly, but failed to spell the names correctly. Well, think of it this way: You have managed to identify the locations correctly. That is a big step. The next step is a smaller one -- to manage to spell the names correctly.
When kids learn geography in 3rd and 4th grade they are required to learn to spell the names correctly. Why should you -- now an adult student 10 years later in a college class -- suddenly not have to spell he names correctly? That is nonsense. If you wish to Earn a good grade on the geography part of this course you not only must learn the locations, you must also learn to spell the names correctly.
The instructors teaching philosophy as related to spelling (including handwriting and college work in general), can be read and, hopefully, understood in the documents linked to by the buttons below. Since this is a returning problem, these documents have been written over a period of several semesters. It is recommended reading for all students.
The goal of the Geography Test is to assure that students study and learn selected world locations and place names, to gain a better knowledge about the real world, in order to understand discussions and maps in the environmental biology textbook. To "study and learn" includes spelling the names correctly on the Geography Tests.
These test (drills, quizzes -- call them whatever you want) is, in part, also a LANGUAGE test.
When tested on concept and subject understanding, spelling is not necessarily part of the grading criteria. But in a LANGUAGE test, correct spelling IS part of the grading criteria, for ALL students -- including students with spelling disabilities. "Learning" geography names means learning how to spell the names correctly.
Below is a list of geography names you need to know. Make sure that you know these geographical names and where they are located on the maps provided. Use the maps in the back of your textbook to help you learn, or maps on the Internet, or your world atlas you have a home already. (Right? You know, there used to be a time when a world atlas was considered something you always should have in an educated home. What happened to that idea?)
The list is in the form of a worksheet. Not a worksheet you should turn in -- I will not accept it. But it is a worksheet you may use to help you drill the spelling of the required geographical names.
You have the opportunity to fill in the worksheets on your own time, at home, taking as much time as needed, and use references (if needed) to learn to spell the geography names correctly. This learning method is called repetition (writing the name over, and over, and over, until -- hopefully -- the correct spelling registered in the brain). When you do this you are doing something called studying.
List if names you are responsible for
Print out at least three empty sheets and fill in the names. Fill in the blanks by hand. Write each name three times. When you fill in the first sheet make sure you spell correctly! Look at the pre-printed name if you must. Do not spell incorrectly -- if you do you send an incorrect spelling signal to your brain, and you will always misspell that name. Be careful, e.g., make sure you spell Antarctica correctly! IT IS SPELLED WITH A C. And Afghanistan is always spelled with an h. And the Mediterranean Sea is a tongue twister...
CONTINENTS
Africa ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Antarctica ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Asia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Australia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Europe ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
North America ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
South America ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
COUNTRIES
Afghanistan ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Belgium ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Belize ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Brazil ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Canada ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
China ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Colombia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Costa Rica ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Cuba ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Denmark ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Egypt ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Ethiopia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
El Salvador ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Finland ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
France ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Germany ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Greece ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Guatemala ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Honduras ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Hungary ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Iceland ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
India ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Indonesia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Iran ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Iraq ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Ireland ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Israel ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Italy ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Jamaica ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Japan ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Kenya ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Madagascar ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Mexico ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Netherlands ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
North Korea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Norway ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Pakistan ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Panama ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Poland ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Portugal ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Russia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Saudi Arabia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Somalia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
South Africa ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
South Korea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Spain ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Sri Lanka ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Sweden ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Syria ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Turkey ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
United Kingdom ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
United States ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Venezuela ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
OCEANS (SEAS)
Atlantic Ocean ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Baltic Sea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Black Sea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Caribbean Sea ______________________________ _____________________________ ______________________________
Caspian Sea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Gulf of California ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Gulf of Mexico ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Indian Ocean ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Mediterranean Sea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Pacific Ocean ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Persian Gulf ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Red Sea ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
STATES (in the UNITED STATES of AMERICA)
Alabama ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Arizona ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Arkansas ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
California ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Florida ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Georgia ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Louisiana ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Mississippi ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Nevada ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
New Mexico ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Oklahoma ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
South Carolina ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Texas ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Again, use the worksheet for studying the geography names. For your information, most students using the worksheet spell the names correctly on the test! Magic? No, it is called STUDYING! 
