Most children will like the study of geography if it is given to them
in stories and pictures as much as possible. Note how the more modern
geographies are literally picture-books compared with those of several
years ago.
Teach the child to make the pictures in the book his permanent
knowledge through visual reviews. When he is studying about an isthmus,
and there is no picture of one in the geography, find one elsewhere.
Have the child notice clearly that "An isthmus is a narrow strip of
land connecting two larger bodies." Take the outline maps and have the
child go over them and point out all the examples of the isthmus. Now
have him take a pencil and paper and draw one. Have him repeat the
definition as the teacher wishes it to be learned, but be sure that he
can SEE and explain it in his own words.
Fix one definite illustration of each geographical division in the
child's mind. Use the Isthmus of Panama for the isthmus, explaining to
him that this location was selected for the Panama Canal because it was
a narrow strip of land, etc. Make it interesting by stories.
In your walks with the children through the country take every
opportunity to explain the different geographical formations. Find
an illustration for an isthmus even if it is only a small puddle, or
if you have to make one in the back yard with a shovel and a pail of
water. The sand-box method, because it is visual, has always been a
successful one for teaching geography.