I am frequently asked “What are the best apps for kids to learn geography and practice map-skills?” I put together a list of 8 of my favorites: the first 3 are interactive atlas/map apps that are fun to explore (especially when parents/teachers and their kids explore together!) and the final 5 are engaging geography games that even adults will enjoy! Continue reading
“We have kids from Nicaragua, Guam, and Africa in my class…”
“We made masks from China, Peru, and Africa…”
“He is been to England, Africa, and Italy”
I have a pet peeve. It makes my skin crawl when I hear people referring to Africa as a country, instead of an immensely diverse continent. Did you know Africa has well over 2000 languages and innumerable ethnic groups, in its 54 countries!? My goal is to help parents and teachers dispel stereotypes by teaching a variety of stories from different countries in the continent.
One great book that counters stereotypes, “Africa is Not a Country,” gets to the heart of modern Africa: rural and urban families, living contemporary and traditional lives, and children in their homes, with their families, going to school, and playing with their friends. In this activity- which touches on 25 countries in Africa- kids will be locating and coloring countries on the map as they hear them mentioned in the story. Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Geography, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Literature, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, People, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zimbabwe
Tagged fiction children's books, maps
It seems that in our busy life of fast food and convenience, many people have become so disconnected from their food, they don’t know where their food actually comes from (or what it is made of!). This is the first article in a series to help kids understand more about our food system.
Today we’re mapping our fruits and vegetables: with a little research in the supermarket, the kids are discovering where our food was grown and how long it traveled to get here!
Posted in Around the World, Field Trips and Travel, Food, Geography
Tagged Earth Day, environment, maps, responsible eating, supermarket
Recently I was interviewed by Mom’s Homeroom about how to incorporate geography and culture into your home, and my kids got to “play” in the video. The kids *loved* talking with the cameramen, playing with the lights and microphones, and thinking that we were famous.
When I was little, I loved maps (I still do). As a mom of 4 little kids, I try to instill the same curiosity in geography in my kids. I recently saw a great idea on Grasping for Objectivity, that had the kids polling friends and family to see which states they had visited. I think this is a great activity for kids- whether they are just beginning to learn geography, or are experts. It was a concrete way for my kids to learned more about the states positions in relation to one another, to compare sizes of states, to talk about distances, and even to visualize where we had driven across the country. What a fun activity!!!! Continue reading
Posted in Around the World, Arts and Crafts, Geography, The Americas, United States
Tagged education, geo-literacy, maps
My kids are in the stage of asking “why?” and “how?” and frequently stump me with their curious interrogations. Recently my daughter asked: “How are globes made?” “Well, they take some cardboard and cut it so that they can glue it together into a sphere….” She was dubious and wanted more specifics. Luckily I found this wonderful clip on youtube that shows globes being made in the factory.
After her questions were answered, we began our craft: Continue reading
If your kids are anything like mine are, your long driving trips begin with the ubiquitous “Are we there yet!?” before your car even gets to the highway. As a preemptive tactic (one of many!) for our 10 day spring break trip out west, I used google maps to make up individual maps for my kids to reference and mark our progress.
Here are easy instructions how you can put your kids in the navigator’s seat on your next road trip, and have them be in charge of telling the car if you’ve arrived yet. Continue reading
Posted in Around the World, Field Trips and Travel, Geography, Travel with Kids
Tagged maps
We are getting ready for our school’s International Week at our house, and I have volunteered to set-up tables for Ethiopia and Mexico, and also will contribute to the China table. This weekend we began to make some materials for our “touch tables.” You might have seen 3D Salt Dough Maps before- they are made by mounting self-hardening dough onto cardboard, forming the mountains and other physical landforms, and then allowing it to dry so you can paint it. Kids (and adults!) learn just as much in the process- or more- than from the final product, and you end up with a beautiful, handmade display item that is just perfect for an International Week at school. Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Around the World, China, Geography, Mexico
Tagged clay, international week, maps
Using “country units,” many schools and homeschooling families work through the alphabet and study one country for each of letter: A for Argentina, B for Brazil, C for China, D for Denmark, E for Egypt, etc. When kids (and adults!) learn about new countries, it is an exciting journey into a faraway land… it is the thrill of discovering new species, new flavors, and new celebrations… it is learning new ways to communicate to new friends around the world- and in the end discovering universal values and experiences. Here are some excellent resources to start your country units. Whether you do decide to follow the “ABC” model, or simply want to dip your toes into the country pool, challenge yourself to choose lesser known countries to give your students a wider variety of exposure to people and places. Continue reading
Posted in Around the World, Geography, Literature
Tagged education, international week, lapbooks, maps, multicultural, social studies
Whether you’ve got budding geographers, you’re a family that loves to travel, you’d like to make your classroom more global, or you just want to spark an interest in the world, these 5 map gifts will pique your curiosity as well as your children’s.
1. FAO Schwarz Big World Map. Kids and adults love to place the Velcro labels of continents, countries, animals and bodies of water onto this large, felt wall map. I love this idea: the huge, eye-level, colorful map draws kids in, and keeps them coming back for more.
Continue reading
Posted in Around the World, Games and Toys, Geography
Tagged education, maps, presents, school resources
Despite the ubiquitous GPS devices, map-reading skills are important and necessary. Obviously being able to read a map can help you on your way, but also the ability to imagine looking down from above improves spatial intelligence. Howard Gardener, a renowned developmental psychologist, professor, and author proposed the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. According to Dr. Gardner, our schools and society focus most of their attention on logical-mathematical intelligence and linguistic intelligence (math and reading). However, he argues that teachers and parents should also encourage the other intelligences: bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, and spatial. This map-making, map-reading activity does just that- with a sweet treat as a reward! Continue reading
This is an easy kids geography project that helps teach how we- and our community- fit into the wider world. Gather your art supplies and let’s get started.
Posted in Around the World, Arts and Crafts, Geography
Tagged education, maps, social studies
Running his fingers down the long Andes Mountains
Teaching kids about geography can be challenging because of the abstract concepts. Using a raised relief map we can reach visual learners, aural learners (learning by hearing information), and kinesthetic learners. Visual learners will enjoy the color scheme that indicates elevation and land features, from green, low-lying areas to the highest mountains in red and then climbing higher to white and purple. Those who are aural learners will benefit from your narration of the map, explaining the features as they run their fingers along the cordilleras. Some of these auditory learners can retain even more information if they close their eyes while listening to you explain what they are feeling with their fingers. Kids who are kinesthetic or tactile learners will of course acquire the information better by being able to run their fingers along the mountain ranges and down into the valleys of the bumpy vinyl map. No matter which type of learner, by provoking multiple senses we better understand the information, and remember it later. I bought this colorful, raised, physical map as a way to learn about geography, by engaging my kids’ tactile sense and visual sense. Continue reading
