Recently I was interviewed by Mom’s Homeroom about how to incorporate culture and teach geography at home, and my kids got to “play” in the video. A team came into our house and asked us lots of questions, recorded mini-interviews with the kids, and we showed them some of our favorite activities to learn geography at home. The kids *loved* talking with the cameramen, playing with the lights and microphones, and thinking that we were famous.
In the video, they featured the very popular “My Place in the World” project, as a great way to begin an easy lesson of geography at home.
They also filmed another mini-video about incorporating culture into adoptive families, that will be published in October. My kids had so much fun doing it, and they did an excellent job editing out the pure chaos happening during the shoot:). Here are some pictures of our fun day:
It was such an incredible experience! One funny thing that happened- my kids couldn’t stop playing with the camera guy on the far left (extremely tall). My little Ricky asked him “How did you get SO TALL!?” To which he responded: “I drink a lot of milk.” To this day Ricky remembers this and asks for milk every day:).
Great video and I love your “My Place in the World” project. I also loved seeing all the geography resources you use. I rewinded and saw that the cool map in the beginning is from FAO. You may already have a post about this that I just can’t find but I’m wondering if you could recommend your favorite resources to help kids learn geography. I’ve been looking at the LeapFrog Tag World Map and I just took a closer look at the FAO world map after seeing your video. There are tons of map puzzles and inflatable globes. If you could only get a few items, I’m wondering what you have found to be the most useful and what resources you think grow best with kids and can keep them engaged at a variety of ages?
I do have some great resources that we use! You just inspired me to write a post about it:). Check back later this week…. For the FAO map- check this link: https://kidworldcitizen.org/2011/12/11/give-your-children-the-world-5-unique-maps/
Of course I don’t think that all 5 are essential, but at least one good map is great. If possible, a laminated world map because then you can interact with it and write on it with washable markers. I will post this week:).
Loved this, Becky — great job!! And I’m envious of that school room!! I think our entire little city row house could fit inside there 🙂 I’m going to note these resources – I really want to get a map for our girls; a laminated one might be the best idea since we have limited space, though I like the idea of a globe or one to put on the wall since it may take less room. Also, loved the “my place in the world” project, too.
Thank you! We were *shocked* when we moved to Texas from Chicago. Houses are huge here and very cheap compared to the rest of the country:). I think if you don’t have much space, a laminated world map would be perfect (and you can roll it up to put under a bed if you need to). There is so much to do with a laminated map! Have a postcard exchange and mark the locations, read books and map the settings, trace routes to vacations, or to imaginary trips, follow historical journeys, trace the equator, map the weather, map the animals’ habitats: if you use erasable or washable marker, you can use the map forever. Also there are a lot of great placemats with maps: of the world, of the US, or of Africa (or any of the continents). Also you could get a pillow globe https://kidworldcitizen.org/2011/12/11/give-your-children-the-world-5-unique-maps/ or they even make beach ball, blow up-type globes. So much fun!! 🙂
Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas. I have a particular interest in Ethiopia, and we will be welcoming a new member to our family thru adoption very shortly. I will be going into my son’s 2nd grade classroom and doing a lesson on Ethiopia. I find your ideas and resources quite helpful.
Rachel! It is so nice to meet you!:) I have a *great* Ethiopian lesson plan for your son’s class that I have used. I am going to gather pictures and see if I can post ASAP. It is based on the 5 senses, and is nice because it gets the kids thinking about different aspects of Ethiopian culture:). Congratulations on your son!!!!!
Fantastic! I appreciate any suggestions you make. So far, my plan is to focus on geography, where’s Africa? where’s Ethiopia? How far away is it? I plan to bring in Ethiopian food. I think the kids will be fascinated that food is scooped up with injera. I just want to engage them as much as possible and appeal to what their interests may be.
Hello
I was perusing your blog and trying to get ideas. Curious about your five senses lesson plan for my son’s 2nd grade class. Really want to engage the kids and make sure I am teaching to their level and interest. I definitely want to bring in large maps. Can you recommend a good place to get maps as well?
Thanks
Rachel
I have a huge Africa map from a teacher supply store that is laminated, and I bought an ET map while we were in Addis. Let me look on-line and see where you could get a big ET one!:)
Hello
Still trying to organize my ‘lesson plan’ for going into my 7 year old’s class to talk about Ethiopia. Not sure if you posted the 5 senses Ethiopian lesson plan. I’m somewhat computer inept 🙂 so you may have. I’m reall interested in your suggestions for the class. Want it to be age appropriate and engaging. Thanks for whatever help you can offer.
I love teaching them that it is in the “horn” of Africa, because immediately they remember and are able to locate it. Have you seen this: https://kidworldcitizen.org/2012/07/29/lets-learn-about-ethiopia/ If you need any of the pictures bigger I can email them to you to print out. I like to show kids that there are many different scenes in Ethiopia- ie it is not all mud huts. There are large cities, huge churches, and also country scenes. There are coffee shops with fancy desserts lining wide avenues, and there are areas where subsistence farmers work in their fields. Not that every age will appreciate all of the details, but even showing my son’s 4 year old preschool class that there are big cities and rural countrysides helps not to perpetuate the stereotypes about “Africa” being a certain way. 🙂
Something fun you can do without a lot of work is to use empty spice bottles and fill them with different “scents” of ET: incense, coffee, popcorn, turmeric, chiles, garlic.
Rachel did you see the lesson? I forgot to send you the link! https://kidworldcitizen.org/2013/01/25/learn-about-other-countries-through-the-5-senses/