Monday, May 1, 2017

Meaningful Minutes: Geography

You might not think of geography as something worth pursuing - you can always just look it up. However, it isn't just trivia - it speaks into history, science and much more.



Here are some fun ways to add it to your life:

Geo Puzzles - Get these for the summer and enjoy.  There is also one that helps you learn US history as well.

Holling C. Holling books - Often we think of geography as just knowing where things are on a map but there is much more to it and these books bring that to light.  Follow down the Mississippi, across the Great Lakes, on the Trails of the West.

10 Days in the _______ -  This is a series of board games that are fun and easy to play and teach geography at the same time.

Ticket to Ride - This is a bit more complicated than 10 days but is also fun.  My boys are constantly making up their own versions.   There are some that are other parts of the world and others depict maps during different eras.

Scrambled States -  This is game to help you learn the United States.  I think it is based on the book Scrambled States of America.

Halliburton books - I just recently learned of this incredible author.  He was an adventurer in the 1910s and 1920s - flying bi planes through Africa.  Some of his books are fictional and some of them are his own adventure stories.  I haven't read them all so there is a chance that parts aren't PG and they are for upper elementary and older students.  

Flag Frenzy or Flags of the World - I haven't played these - but if your kids are flag fans this might be a fun way to tie it to geography.

Montessori also has a World Map and Flag that could be a great combination.

You could also spend time considering the explorers and follow their exploits around the world.  Here is one book to get you started.   If you enjoy eating - you can try a fun take like Eat Your Way Around the World. A few weeks ago I mentioned Give Your Child the World which has stories from around the world.  

If you are a AAA member you can get free maps from your local office.  Consider getting out a map if you are going on a trip and having your kids follow along - instead of just listening to Siri tell you to turn right and left.  Try the old fashioned way!

I won't mention Risk - I don't want to bring that game into your home (ha ha).  I am positive there are other great resources out there.  I hope that this summer you will find ways to make geography fun.  I haven't really even touched on all of the physical geography and exciting exploits like Mount Everest.


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