3rd Grade Geography Practice: Questions, Answers and Tips

Looking for 3rd grade geography practice? Below are worked examples, the mistakes students make most, and practice questions with an answer key.

Every example below comes from BAMS Academy's Geography practice, the same questions students answer on the site.

Geography in 3rd grade, skill by skill

Continents, oceans, and physical geography features. BAMS Academy breaks the unit into the skills below (part of all 3rd grade social studies topics). Each comes with one of its practice questions.

Identify the seven continents and five oceans

A geography book describes the continent that is also a single country. Which one is it describing? (Choices: Asia; Australia; Antarctica; Africa.)

Answer: Australia. A description of the continent that is also a single country points to Australia.

Which continent is the continent that contains the Sahara Desert and the Nile River? (Choices: Africa; Antarctica; Australia; Asia.)

Answer: Africa. Africa is the continent that contains the Sahara Desert and the Nile River. There are seven continents in all.

Identify major landforms and bodies of water

Which landform is a dry area that receives very little rainfall? (Choices: Plain; Valley; Mountain; Desert.)

Answer: Desert. A desert is a dry area that receives very little rainfall.

A map key describes a large area of flat land with few trees. Which landform is marked? (Choices: Plain; Plateau; Valley; Mountain.)

Answer: Plain. A feature that is a large area of flat land with few trees is a plain.

Which landform is a very tall landform with steep sides and a peak? (Choices: Plateau; Valley; Mountain; Plain.)

Answer: Mountain. A mountain is a very tall landform with steep sides and a peak.

Worked examples

Example 1

Question: Which continent is the coldest continent, covered in ice with no permanent towns?

1. Australia
2. Africa
3. Antarctica
4. Asia

How to solve it: Antarctica is the coldest continent, covered in ice with no permanent towns. There are seven continents in all.

Answer: Antarctica

Why the other choices don't work:

• "Australia" is a tempting wrong answer — a real continent, but not the one described.
• "Africa" is a tempting wrong answer — a real continent, but not the one described.
• "Asia" is a tempting wrong answer — a real continent, but not the one described.

Example 2

Question: Name the continent that is the continent that contains France, Germany, and Italy.

1. Antarctica
2. Europe
3. Asia
4. Australia

How to solve it: Europe is the continent that contains France, Germany, and Italy. There are seven continents in all.

Answer: Europe

Why the other choices don't work:

• "Antarctica" is a tempting wrong answer — a real continent, but not the one described.
• "Asia" is a tempting wrong answer — a real continent, but not the one described.
• "Australia" is a tempting wrong answer — a real continent, but not the one described.

Common mistakes to watch for

• Question: A geography book describes the largest and deepest ocean on Earth. Which one is it describing? (Choices: Antarctica; Australia; Asia; Pacific Ocean.)

  Answer: Pacific Ocean.

  A student who picks "Antarctica" usually confused it with Antarctica.

• Question: Which continent or ocean is the continent that contains Canada, the United States and Mexico? (Choices: North America; Antarctica; Asia; Australia.)

  Answer: North America.

  A student who picks "Australia" usually confused it with Australia.

• Question: Name the continent or ocean that matches this clue: the continent where the Amazon rainforest is found. (Choices: Antarctica; Asia; Australia; South America.)

  Answer: South America.

  A student who picks "Asia" usually confused it with Asia.

• Question: Which continent or ocean is the largest continent by both land area and population? (Choices: Australia; Antarctica; Africa; Asia.)

  Answer: Asia.

  A student who picks "Africa" usually confused it with Africa.

• Question: Which landform is a dry area that receives very little rainfall? (Choices: Plain; Valley; Mountain; Desert.)

  Answer: Desert.

  A student who picks "Mountain" usually confused it with a mountain.

• Question: A map key describes a large area of flat land with few trees. Which landform is marked? (Choices: Plain; Plateau; Valley; Mountain.)

  Answer: Plain.

  A student who picks "Plateau" usually confused it with a plateau.

Try these practice questions

1. Which continent is the only continent that is also a single country?

   1. Antarctica
   2. Asia
   3. Africa
   4. Australia

2. A geography book describes the largest and deepest ocean on Earth. Which one is it describing?

   1. Antarctica
   2. Australia
   3. Asia
   4. Pacific Ocean

3. Which continent or ocean is the continent that contains Canada, the United States and Mexico?

   1. North America
   2. Antarctica
   3. Asia
   4. Australia

4. Name the continent or ocean that matches this clue: the continent where the Amazon rainforest is found.

   1. Antarctica
   2. Asia
   3. Australia
   4. South America

5. Which continent or ocean is the largest continent by both land area and population?

   1. Australia
   2. Antarctica
   3. Africa
   4. Asia

6. Name the continent or ocean that matches this clue: the continent where the Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert, is found.

   1. Australia
   2. Asia
   3. Africa
   4. Antarctica

Answer key

1. Australia — Australia is the only continent that is also a single country. There are seven continents in all.
2. Pacific Ocean — A description of the largest and deepest ocean on Earth points to Pacific Ocean.
3. North America — North America is the continent that contains Canada, the United States and Mexico.
4. South America — The clue "the continent where the Amazon rainforest is found" describes South America.
5. Asia — Asia is the largest continent by both land area and population.
6. Africa — The clue "the continent where the Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert, is found" describes Africa.

Keep practicing

The fastest way to build confidence is a few questions at a time, with feedback on each answer. Start with Geography practice for grade 3, where every question comes with a step-by-step explanation.

More from BAMS Academy:

• All 3rd grade social studies topics
• Civics Basics practice
• US History Basics practice
• BAMS Academy social studies practice by grade
• Every 3rd grade subject