American Geography Resources and Ideas

 

Last year, our history covered the 'discovery' of the Americas.  It was then that we began a year long study of American geography using Trail Guide to U.S. Geography.  The children learned about the various regions of the U.S.A. and the states within these regions.  Maps were included every week. 

 

This year, we are making sure we review American geography.  I have been using several different resources and ideas to review what they learned last year. 

 

American Geography Ideas:

 

Using maps from Uncle Josh's Outline Map Book, our children have used maps to count license plates of various states we see as we travel on long trips.

 

They have also placed free stickers from an advertisement onto the corresponding states of a map.

 

 

Making a game with flash cards, the children raced to answer questions about the states.  Those state cards which they won, they located and colored on a map.

 

 

 Later, I quizzed each child individually with the entire packet of flash cards.

 

Our oldest daughter is currently using Geography: A Literature Approach, by Rea C. Berg (Beautiful Feet Books) with four Holling C. Holling books and Geography-Based Writing Lessons, by Maria Gerber (IEW).

 

Although American geography is new information to our youngest son, he does enjoy our Melissa and Doug United States of America floor puzzle.  It is an easy way to introduce him to the different states and their locations.

 

 

 

American Geography Resources:

Trail Guide to U.S. Geography, by Cindy Wiggers

Children's Illustrated Atlas: United States (Rand McNally Schoolhouse)

Don't Know Much About the 50 States, by Kenneth C. Davis

States & Capitals, pocket flash cards (Trend)

Uncle Josh's Outline Map Book, by George Wiggers and Hannah Wiggers

Unites States of America State Birds and Flowers, poster (Feenixx Publishing, Inc.)

 

Exploring Biomes - Deserts

Making a Gila Monster at the beginning of class intrigued the children.  They followed the directions from pages 12-13 in Animal Habitats!.  The project involves printing with bubble wrap for a textured lizard appearance.  These needed to dry before we could complete the lizard picture.  After the children painted their lizards, we asked them to set their lizards aside to dry.

Once the paintings were drying, I began asking the children what kind of habitat they thought it lived in.  Of course, after a little prompting, they knew it was a desert.  I then presented introductory material about desert habitats from lesson 19 in Properties of Ecosystems. The brief lecture included:

• characteristics of hot and cold deserts
• examples of hot and cold deserts
• fascinating desert facts

Then, the children completed a worksheet entitled "Desert Plants" from Habitats: Science Works for Kids Series, Evan-Moor, p. 17.  It included a variety of desert flora which was interesting to the children.

Specific animals were the main topic of discussion after the worksheet.  This led to another worksheet from Habitats: Science Works for Kids Series, Evan-Moor, p. 19 "Find the Desert Animals."  It was more of a decoding paper and the children were excited to see a Gila Monster on the worksheet.

As the children completed this page, we directed them back to their Gila Monster pictures.  Each child cut out their painted lizard pattern.  They prepared a background on a brown piece of construction paper by gluing on sand.  Finally, they added their lizard.

To finish the class, I read the book, The Magic School Bus Gets All Dried Up: A Book about Deserts.  Most of the children love the wild field trips Ms. Frizzle plans.  We have a few who are not amused by the bus, but they still like the class members' antics.  Personally, I like how much actual science is intertwined into the antics.  My teacher assistants for the class like Ms. Frizzle's outfits and keep asking when I'll start dressing like her.  {Not especially helpful, eh?}


Resources:
A True Book: Deserts, by Peter Benoit
A Desert Habitat, by Kelley MacAulay and Bobbie Kalman
The Magic School Bus Gets All Dried Up: A Book about Deserts

Other Resource a.k.a. The Fun Extras My Child Got to Do Because I Am the Teacher:
The Desert Alphabet Book, by Jerry Pallotta
Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry? All About Deserts, by Tish Rabe
Planet Earth, Education Edition: Deserts, Discovery Education DVD

Geography, Elections, and Teacher Gifts

...a weekly wrap up

In our homeschool this week…
1. Our youngest is learning about Brazil in South America as part of his Travel the World studies.
2. The kindergarten through third grade science co-op class I teach, is almost finished exploring biomes.  Their most recent classes included deserts and mountains. {Pictured above is my son's Gila Monster from the lesson on deserts.}
3a-3b. As we take a slight break from our history studies, the older children are learning about Presidential elections and reviewing American geography.

I’m reading…
books about the season to my youngest, a book about after the American Civil War to all the children, and the Hunger Games trilogy in my spare moments.

Places we’re going…
We traveled to a corn maze last weekend with our church's junior high youth group.  My husband and I began volunteering in the ministry during September and have been enjoying every minute of it.  Right now, we are just learning the ropes and hopefully making some contribution.

Things we are working on…
include gifts of appreciation.  In the past, we have made homemade gifts to thank Sunday school teachers, co-op teachers, coaches, etc. who have volunteered their time and talents to the benefit of our family.  This year, I decided to try to complete these 'teacher gifts' before Thanksgiving.  We will work on various tokens of gratitude over the next several weeks.  {Pictured below are the chocolate covered pretzel rods we made for science co-op teachers.}  By finishing them earlier, I am spreading out the cheer and creating a bit more room in our December calendar.  

Find more weekly wrap-ups at:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presidential Election Studies

 

Just who will win this election?  It is a question on everyone's mind. 

 

With the current talk centering around the upcoming Presidential election, we wanted to review some of what the children already knew about the American government as well as how elections work.  Therefore, this week, we set aside history lessons to focus on something very current.

 

We are reading through Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts, by Syl Sobel.  After each day's reading, the children organize the information into an outline.

 

On election day, we will take our children with us while we vote.  In our state, the children are allowed in the booth with their parents.  They simply have to stay on the side without the voting button.  Then, that night (and probably the next morning) as the election results begin to tabulate, the children will color the states (red or blue) to reflect who wins each state's votes.

 

After the election, we'll incorporate a Presidential study into our history studies, moving through all the Presidents. 

 

We'll use these resources:

U.S. Presidents, pocket flash cards (Trend)

Don't Know Much About the Presidents, by Kenneth C. Davis

Brain Quest: Presidents

 

 

 

Harvest Books - Read Alouds

Three of our recent read alouds, which are all harvest related picture books, are great ones to read this autumn.  Perhaps your local library will have one of these titles too?

The Scarecrow's Dance, by Jane Yolen is a fun read.  The lyrical text flows throughout the story carrying the words in a slight tune.  The storyline of a scarecrow who escapes his post one night is quite enjoyable.  However, the lesson he learns about the importance of fulfilling our purpose is poignant.

Harvest Song, by Ron Hirschi is a sweet story of a young girl visiting her grandmother's farm throughout the year from spring to autumn harvest.  The two prepare a field, plant potatoes, and harvest a bountiful crop.  Through it all, the love and tenderness of their relationship is highlighted.  Although a fictionalized account, it is based on the stories the author heard from his own grandmother.

Raccoons and Ripe Corn, by Jim Arnosky is great for littler children who may not be able to sit through a longer book.  The text is quite brief and the pictures are intriguing.  The combination of a simple story of one raccoon family eating from a ripened corn field and peaceful pictures create a serene effect.

Exploring Biomes - Tundra and Polar Habitats

Studying a snowy, cold habitat in the midst of warm autumn days was a stretch, but tundra and polar habitats were next to explore.  We began with a brief introduction and description of cold weather and tundra.  Using information from lesson 18 of Properties of Ecosystems, by Debbie and Richard Lawrence, the following information was highlighted:

• origin of word tundra
• location of tundra
• climate, including temperature examples and snowfall amounts
• sunlight hours throughout the seasons
• ephemerals

The introduction of ephemerals became a starting point for "Polar Plants" p. 74 of Habitats: Science Works for Kids Series, Evan-Moor.  The worksheet displayed a few different types of tundra flora (plants).

Next, we discussed the concept of permafrost.  Turning our attention toward the fauna (animals) of the habitat, the children named a few animals they associated with the tundra and polar habitats.  I used The Best Book of Polar Animals and The Arctic to show pictures of the various animals and share some neat facts about their fur.  I was sure to mention those pesky mosquitoes who apparently reside in the tundra and fly in swarms during the summer months.

Later, we spoke about migration, hibernation, and camouflage. The mere mention of camouflage aroused interesting comments about chameleons, various frogs, and the sort, but finally we focused on the animals like Arctic Fox, Arctic Hare, and Ptarmigan. Then the children had fun painting the hare in a summer and winter scene to demonstrate camouflage. The activity was quite simple, but left a strong impression about camouflage and its usefulness. We followed the directions from pp. 78-79 in Animal Habitats! by Judy Press.

Then, each child completed an Arctic food wheel from the "Polar Regions" section of Animal Habitats: Grades 2-3, by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne, pages 50-55.  We didn't have as much time as I would have liked to actually discuss this wheel, but I was able to present a brief overview about it while reading aloud The Arctic Habitat, by Molly Aloian and Bobbie Kalman.  Not only did this book touch upon food chains in the Arctic, it summarized nicely all that we had discussed during class time, and added a few more interesting facts.


Resources:
Tundra, by Peter Benoit
The Antarctic Habitat, by Mollie Aloian and Bobbie Kalman
The Arctic Habitat, by Molly Aloian and Bobbie Kalman
The Best Book of Polar Animals, by Christiane Gunzi
The Arctic, by Wayne Lynch.

Other Resource a.k.a. The Fun Extras My Child Got to Do Because I Am the Teacher:
Nothing Ever Happens at the South Pole, by Stan & Jan Berenstain - This is a fun read aloud set at the south pole.  Use caution though, as there are inaccuracies like polar bears at the south pole.  However, we just read it for the laughs

I Can Draw Polar Animals, by Helene Leroux Hugon - If your child is able to draw simple shapes, then this book will help them draw common polar animals.  Our son had fun trying his hand at a whale, polar bear, and wolf.

Planet Earth, Education Edition: Ice Worlds, Discovery Education DVD

Poetry, Nature Walks, and Sweet Teeth

...a weekly wrap up

In our homeschool this week....the children have been busy memorizing poetry {1}.  Once memorized, either the child or I type the poem and print it.  Then the child illustrates it before we add it to their annual portfolio.  It is a way to offer tangible proof of memory work as well as a sweet momento for years to come.  Currently, the children have memorized or are working on memorizing:
"The Arrow and the Song" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; "The Violet" by Jane Taylor; "Who Has Seen the Wind?" by Christina Rossetti; and "The Little Turtle" by Vachel Lindsay.

I am grateful for...kind coaches who volunteer their time and talents in our flag football league.  This week, the boys and I made chocolate covered peanut butter candy for their coaches to thank them {2}.

Places we've gone...include a fun nature hike on Tuesday afternoon {3}, library, football practice, science co-op, AWANA, youth group, and piano lessons.  This weekend, we are headed to a corn maze.

We're cooking eating...sweet, very sweet, bakery made cupcakes {4}.  We had a great discount coupon, a little extra money, and well a sweet tooth!

A helpful homeschooling tip or advice to share...would be to include art and music appreciation even when they are young.  Little ones have an incredible capacity to enjoy art and music and this can easily be cultivated with a little time and effort.  The I Spy... books by Lucy Micklethwait are fun books to use {5}.


Find more weekly wrap-ups at:

A Nature Walk - Early Autumn Colors in the Woods

 

This past Tuesday afternoon, with warm temperatures and clear skies,

how could we not help but venture out to enjoy it all.

 

 

We chose a two mile hiking trail at a nearby state park.

The trail is actually best suited for mountain biking,

but is accessible to hikers as well.

 

 

We last walked this trail when the trees wore spring buds.

To see it full of broad leaves and radiant colors was a joy.

 

 

Along one part, the trail winds through a small meadow with a stagnant pond.

 

 

We even saw some berries alongside of the trail.

 

 

Truly, it was a lovely day to be out in God's creation,

enjoying the sights and sounds of the woods.

 

 

Walking among such beautiful sights with my children,

my heart swelled with gratitude and joy.

I am ever so grateful for this time with them.

 

 

 

Answering the High School Question

Have you gotten it yet? 
The high school question that is. 

You know the one that follows the where do your kids go to school question that can lead down a few different roads, but when your oldest towers above your head, one look in his direction and the next question is: What about high school? 

Will you still homeschool for high school? 

We have always answered as honestly as possible.  In the past, we did not know.  There really are a plethora of schooling options and we wanted to be sure which way God was leading us.  We didn't want to close ourselves off to any possibility.  

Do we send him to a brick and mortar school?  If so, public, military, or private?  If public, regular, vo-tech, or charter?  If private, which kind a religious or college prep?  Which school matches our method of education?  Which school fits our child's style of learning the best?

Do we keep on homeschooling right through high school all the way to graduation?  If so, do we school completely on our own?  Continue to use an umbrella school?  Continue to use co-op classes? Start taking a few classes through local schools or universities? What about the homeschool schools which offer classes once or twice a week, but preserve some type of homeschooling atmosphere? 

We have always viewed our homeschool as levels, not really by grades.  By a certain level, a child should be prepared for {fill in the blank}.  So, by the time our children finish eighth grade, we want them to be at a certain level of learning, knowledge, and understanding.  While this aspiration and expectation prepares the child for any option, it doesn't give us a distinct direction. 

We are left with a clear view of all the possibilities, but no clear path.

Decision time is weighing down upon us heavily.  He is in eighth grade. 

However, we have spent a good deal of the last year deciding.  For us, we will continue to homeschool. 

Now, if we can just figure out how exactly. 
It is the current question which we struggle and wrestle with.

Exploring Biomes - Fresh Water Habitats

From salt water and seashores, we moved onto fresh water habitats.  The class began by constructing a picture of cattails as inspired by Animal Habitats! "Pipe-Cleaner Cattails" project on pages 54-55.  A brief discussion of cattails followed.  As our local area has several marshes, most of the children were familiar with cattails.  In fact, one of my assistants brought in a few live cattails for our class to observe.

Once the pictures and observations were completed, I guided a brief class discussion on lakes and ponds.  I was sure to high light the main facts from lesson 16 in Properties of Ecosystems.  These included:

• similarities of lakes and oceans including sunlit zones
• definition of a pond versus a lake
• specific flora and fauna of lakes and ponds

Using Lakes and Ponds, by Fran Howard, I showed the children several examples of the plants and animals which live in these fresh water habitats.

Next, the children completed a worksheet from Habitats: Science Works for Kids Series, Evan-Moor, p. 47-48, entitled "Where Do We Live?"  The activity worksheet directed the children to color and cut out six animals who live in a fresh water habitat.  They were then asked to glue each animal to the appropriate part of the fresh water habitat: bank, surface, open water, or muddy bottom.

Following this activity, I then presented a brief lecture on rivers and streams using the information from Properties of Ecosystems lesson 17.  Some of the topics covered were:

• similarities of rivers and streams to lakes and ponds
• river and stream currents
• interesting river facts

The children then created fold out booklets of "Life in a River" by following the outlined directions in Animal Habitats, Grades 2-3.

As we discussed different animals they saw in their booklets, I directed the conversation toward the snapping turtle.  Adding a few interesting facts about turtles and tortoises, I steered them toward a different project.  The children assembled their own snapping turtles with the help of pages 56-57 in Animal Habitats!.

To end the class, I read aloud On the River ABC, by Caroline Stutson.  The book follows an ant traveling on a leaf boat through the waters of a river.  The ant sees many different animals on his journey to a new meadow.  The children liked the pictures and the different facts.  I liked the variety of animals presented in the book.


Resources:
Lakes and Ponds, by Fran Howard
On the River ABC, by Caroline Stutson


Anther Resource a.k.a. A Fun Extra My Child Got to Do Because I Am the Teacher:
Planet Earth, Education Edition: Fresh Water, Discovery Education DVD

Weather, Shoe Boxes, and South America

...a weekly wrap up

 

The week began with cloudy, cool dreary weather.  It was perfect for curling up with a good book, but we ventured out to attend an assembly on weather.  Joining numerous homeschooling families one afternoon, the children {and we moms too!} learned about weather, forecasts, and much more.  The children participated in a Weather Challenge.  My children are volunteers!  They are usually the first ones to raise their hands when asked.  Consequently, they all participated individually in some manner during the "Weather Challenge".  {Yes, even our kindergartner!}  The teams were boys versus girls, and they ended the challenge in a tie.

 

Our church is participating in Operation Christmas Child again this year.  For our family, it is a tradition to pack some boxes.  We love following our boxes to their destinations, which OCC offers online, check the details here.  Over the years, our boxes have gone many different places, including Iran and Dominican Republic.  The children always search the globe for the final destinations. 

We finished shopping this week, packed boxes, and had a few things left over.  Since our church does a few Shoebox Packing Parties, we donated the items that didn't fit.

Most of our lessons are progressing nicely.  The children have accomplished so much during these first few months of school.  I am always amazed by the year's end at how much information was introduced, learned, and mastered.  Our youngest is learning about the world.  Currently, he is studying South America.  This week, he made a rain stick and an emerald tree boa.  {Both project ideas are from Geography Through Art, by Sharon Jeffus & Jamie Aramini.  Our youngest daughter wanted to make her own rain stick, too.  The picture above shows both children's creative designs.}  Our older children are finishing up the American Civil War in their history studies.

And, now that the weather has turned back to beautiful autumn days with clear skies and crisp air, we are enjoying the great outdoors again.  We'll save a few good books for those freezing, dark days of winter, but for now, you are more likely to find us outside exploring and playing.

Art Appreciation for Young Students

We were at the library {shocking I know!} and during a search for a book on knitting, I found three new-to-us art appreciation books for younger students.  All three are by the same author, Bob Raczka, and personally, I recommend all three!


Three great art appreciation books:

Art Is... by Bob Raczka begins each thought with the title and tells readers what art is.  Each attribute is accompanied by a well known piece of art.  The author does not limit his selections to famous paintings and sculptures.  He includes fabric tapestries, buildings and even lamps.  For instance, when he says it is "enlightening," the picture displays a beautiful table lamp by Tiffany.

No One Saw: Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist, by Bob Raczka capitalizes on the idea that we each individually see and experience the world uniquely.  Thus, our art work, and the art work of famous artists reflects what we see and experience.  The text is arranged to have a rhythmic flow with quite a few rhymes of artists' last names as well.  This book predominately pictures paintings.

Unlikely Pairs: Fun with Famous Works of Art, by Bob Raczka is one unique book!  My youngest son and I enjoyed the quirky and quite unlikely pairing of famous paintings.  Most combinations presented a humorous take on the connection between the two art works.  Whether it be a continuation of the pictures or a similar subject, the end result was a different, but creative way to connect art work from different time periods and styles. 

Civil War Readings

After spending a good chunk of time reading and learning about the American Civil War, we are almost ready to move on in our history studies.  Before we do, I wanted to share some of the wonderful books and resources we used to learn about the American Civil War. 


Resources:
The Civil War: Primary Sources, edited by David M. Haugen
People at the Center of The Civil War, by Chris Hughes
You Wouldn't Want to be a Nurse During the American Civil War, by Kathryn Senior
The Gettysburg Address, by Abraham Lincoln
Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman, by Dorothy Sterling
The Emancipation Proclamation: Hope of Freedom for the Slaves, by Michael J. Martin


Historical Fiction Novels:
The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane
Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt
The Perilous Road, by William O. Steele
Turn Homeward, Hannalee, by Patricia Beatty
Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder
Addy: An American Girl, by Connie Porter


Resources for Young Learners:
If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America, by Anne Kamma
Freedom Song: The Story of Henry "Box" Brown, by Sally M. Walker
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, by Carole B. Weatherford
When Harriet Met Sojourner, by Catherine Clinton
Civil War Drummer Boy, by Verla Kay


Abraham Lincoln Biographies
If You Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln, by Ann McGovern
Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman
Looking at Lincoln, by Maira Kalman



Related Post:
Civil War Day

An Afternoon of Autumn Art and Activities

One afternoon, after the books were put away, we spent time completing a few fall fun activities. 

A few days before, we had picked up pumpkins, and this day we pulled out the paints, glitter, and assorted craft supplies to create...

 

 

and attempt a Georgia O'Keeffe inspired flower.

Then, while our pumpkins dried, we pulled on sneakers and piled into the van to travel to a nearby park for a creek walk.

We were there to walk rocks and collect fallen leaves for another autumn art project.  However, while we were there, we couldn't help notice a few interesting textures.

Most of the leaves were just starting to change color, but we found a few we could gather.

Taking home these leaves, we laid them on the patio, placed a clean white sheet of paper over them, and pounded away with a hammer.  The pigments from the leaves were supposed to transfer to the paper.  Unlike the magazine article I had cut out and kept, it wasn't completely successful for us.  In fact, this was our best transfer.

Honestly, I was disappointed, but the children enjoyed the process and liked that it at least worked slightly.

A dinner of pumpkin pancakes, maple syrup, baked apples, bacon, and apple cider, and a camp fire rounded out our autumn fun for the day.



Today, I am sharing a few more ideas for incorporating pumpkin painting into your homeschool studies.