The aim of this research was to ascertain the competencies of grammar school students who learn geographic features of Europe by applying selected didactical principles. The research included 2nd grade students of "Laza Kostić" Grammar School in Novi Sad (North Serbia). Selected classess were divided into two groups of students. The experimental group teaching was performed through traditionally lecturebased teaching in the classroom with the main usage of principles of intuition and science. The control group learned through group form of teaching with the main usage of principles of interesting and attractiveness and conscious activities of students. A questionnaire containing 15 statements was used while teaching the experimental lessons. This questionnaire (based on the Likert-type 5 point scale) has been drawn up and it included a survey where students evaluated motivation and participation in the process of teaching geography or activities and learning/acquiring certain geographic content using selected didactic principles, forms, methods and tools. There was a test, which consisted of 9 questions of different levels of cognitive domains of learning -knowledge, skills and abilities. In order to determine whether there is a correlation between self-evaluation of the level of motivation, participation and learning, the self-evaluation of the level of motivation, participation and the knowledge test between the experimental and control group, Pearson correlation coefficient was determined. The results show that the level of students' reproductive knowledge remains the same in research-based traditional and modern teaching, but the problem-solving skills and abilities related to selected geographical features improved within experimental group of students.