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Explore the two continents located in the Western Hemisphere.
Imagine you are a bird flying from the snowy North Pole all the way down to the warm, rainy Amazon rainforest. Did you know you would be traveling across two giant pieces of land that look like they are holding hands?
North America is the continent located at the top of the Western Hemisphere. It is very large and holds countries like Canada, the United States, and Mexico. If you look at its shape, it is very wide at the top and gets narrower as you move south. It is surrounded by icy water at the very top and big oceans on the sides. Because it is so big, it has many different types of weather, from freezing snow in the north to hot deserts in the south.
To find North America on a map, follow these steps: 1. Look at the very top half of a world map. 2. Find the large piece of land that looks like a giant triangle pointing down. 3. Check if it is between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.
Quick Check
Which continent is located on the top half of the Western Hemisphere map?
Answer
North America
Just below North America sits its neighbor, South America. Most of this continent is in the Southern Hemisphere. South America has a very recognizable shape—it looks like a triangle or even a scoop of ice cream! It is famous for the Amazon Rainforest and the long Andes Mountains. While North America is wider at the top, South America is widest in its middle and comes to a sharp point at the very bottom.
Let's compare the two shapes: 1. North America looks like a large, messy rectangle that gets skinny at the bottom. 2. South America looks like a smooth triangle or a heart shape. 3. Both continents are connected by a thin strip of land called Central America.
Quick Check
What shape does South America most look like?
Answer
A triangle (or an ice cream cone/heart).
Both North and South America are tucked between two massive oceans. To the West (the left side of the map), you will find the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest ocean on Earth! To the East (the right side of the map), you will find the Atlantic Ocean. These oceans separate the Americas from other continents like Europe and Asia. We call this part of the world the Western Hemisphere.
Imagine the continents are the filling in a sandwich: 1. The 'bread' on the left is the Pacific Ocean. 2. The 'filling' in the middle is North and South America. 3. The 'bread' on the right is the Atlantic Ocean.
Which continent is located directly south of North America?
Which ocean is on the East (right) side of the Americas?
North America is wider at the top than it is at the bottom.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to draw two shapes from memory: a big wide shape for North America and a triangle shape for South America. Can you label the oceans on the left and right?
Practice Activity
Find a world map or a globe. Place your finger on the United States (North America) and slide it all the way down to Brazil (South America). Which ocean did you pass on your right side?