Hillcrest Academy Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I would greatly appreciate any recommendations for resources to study South Africa at a 2nd grade level (my 1st grader will tag along). We're going for 3 months and are dropping our regular curriculum to do an immersion study :D TIA! Caryn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Have you seen Hannah's plans at her yahoo group? Under the history files she's got plans for SA history using living books for grades 1-4. I think that she also has timeline cards to go along with it. Hope that helps and have a great trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cindie2dds Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I would greatly appreciate any recommendations for resources to study South Africa at a 2nd grade level (my 1st grader will tag along). We're going for 3 months and are dropping our regular curriculum to do an immersion study :D TIA! Caryn Oh, how fun. We went to South Africa in 2002/2003 and absolutely loved it. I wish I could go back. Other than the people, which were amazingly hospitable to strangers and very friendly; I would study the flora and fauna. Their vegetation is completely different than anywhere else in the world. I saw a red grasshopper, baboons in the backyard (up the hill), amazing birds, etc. I can't even do it justice describing it. The vineyards are absolutely beautiful. We went on several tours, and I mean under the plants, picking grapes, I felt just like a kid. My husband and I went before we had children, but I can only imagine how amazing it would be to go there with my kids and homeschool there. I agree about going to the yahoo groups, she can probably give you some great advice about where to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillcrest Academy Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Thank you so much for the reminder - I'd forgotten about Hannah's HS helps! Cindy, I'm South African, and left there when I was 23 so we go back every 5 years or so. This is my first time with elementary age kids, and I want to MILK the experience! LOL! My kids can't wait to see the monkeys who go into my mom's house at least 4 times a year, looking for fruit etc. It's only when she forgets to keep the windows closed when she goes out. The other day she was sitting in the living room when a "little brown face popped around the door" :) Too funny! We can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cindie2dds Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Oh, so you know how beautiful it is. :) Okay. I still vote for flora and fauna! I'm pea green with envy too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 (edited) It seems to be out of stock at Loot.co.za, but you may be able to find it elsewhere and I highly recommend a book called "All About South Africa" by Brian Barker-Johnson. There's a limited preview at Google Books. It is probably for older students than grade 2, but has a good overview of various aspects of South Africa (history, wildlife, culture, etc.). We use it as the spine for our history studies. For study of animals try My first book of Southern African Mammals and this one for birds. If you don't mind the price, then you can buy a complete literature based curriculum from Footprints on Our Land. The Little Footprints series is sold for ages 4-8 and uses mostly picture books. Unit studies are built around each book - along the lines of FIAR. The Footprints on our Land series is for primary school and uses many of the same books I've listed in the files of the Yahoo group that Paige referred to (thanks for the reference!). Most are out of print and the Footprints people have had them re-printed with plain covers. Your mom might be able to find out how many of the books are available at her local library. You can also look at Bookchat for recommendations on South African children's books. Hope you have a great trip "home"! Please ask if you need more info. Edited September 23, 2009 by Hannah More info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 There are a few things available at http://www.currclick.com as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 We are studying Africa right now, and I was browsing for music/dance videos on YouTube, and found this: Kearnsey College Choir. Awesome! Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I will try very hard not to be green with envy over here! I spent 3 months in South Africa as a teen, but grew up in Kenya. Please post of your travels while there! Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillcrest Academy Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Ladies, thank you so much for all the wonderful suggestions :) And Hannah - I am SUCH a fan! :D I would love to get Footprints on our Land, but don't think I can justify the cost for just 3 months, especially considering how much it's costing us to get there! :ack2: Wendi, Kearsney College is very near where my mom and brother live, so we plan on stopping by there one day. Their grounds are BEAUTIFUL! Dawn, I have a blog at http://hillcrestacademy.blogspot.com/ but I have been a horrible blogger. You have inspired me to use it to journal our experience! Perhaps I'll start with the fact that we're leaving one week tomorrow and we still don't have two of the South African passports that we need :ack2: One of my closest friends is a missionary in Mombassa :) I would appreciate if you all would keep us in prayer as we wait with baited breath for the passports, and as I make decisions regarding our schooling while we're there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hope you have a nice trip. There seem to be a lot of nice resources and even picture books set in S. Africa. If anyone can recommend a book on African flora (perfectly fine for it to be more focused by region, rather than the whole continent), I'd also be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 If anyone can recommend a book on African flora (perfectly fine for it to be more focused by region, rather than the whole continent), I'd also be interested. If you're looking for adult books there are a few available on Southern African trees and wild flowers at at Amazon. For children there are colouring books, but I can only find them on our local book site called Loot.co.za This Wikipedia article lists and links some trees of South Africa. This page has photographs of indigenous plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Could I hijack your thread for a minute pretty please?!? We are moving to Tanzania and we are taking our first trip in Jan. Does anyone know of books, etc. for that area? I was amazed at all of the resources you all suggested for SA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 There are some nice picture books by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen (the Elizabeti books) and Tololwa M. Mollel (I especially love My Rows and Piles of Coins), set in Tanzania. I found a book about baobabs (there seem to be a few of about them, they're a sort of tree), This Is the Tree by Miriam Moss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 We are moving to Tanzania and we are taking our first trip in Jan. Does anyone know of books, etc. for that area? I'm not sure what kind of books you're looking for, but I found this list on Amazon. It may be a good starting point. If you're going to go on a safari, I highly recommend "The Safari Companion" by Richard D. Estes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Those look great!! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.