Has anybody done Geography in 1st grade?

[SheriGene]

I want to do introductory Geography next year for my dd who will be in 1st grade and wondered what has worked for you.

[kalanamak]

I want to do introductory Geography next year for my dd who will be in 1st grade and wondered what has worked for you.

 

I got a good relief globe (included the texture of the sea floors), a large atlas for kids, some map "pads" that I could draw on and then tear off to reveal a new, clean map (I got these at a teacher's store). These I used to make journeys, like Mama's with GM and GP trip to Australia on the P and O Line in 1968.

 

I also used the geography titles of the Rookie Read Aloud series and

 

books like:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Above-Young-Readers-Arthus-Bertrand/dp/0810934868/ref=pd_sim_b_15

and then pointed to the map.

[Tam101]

I did Star Spangled States with my son last year in 1st grade. He has a natural interest in geography, so I installed Google Earth for him. He enjoys exploring the earth with it and looking up landmarks. He also loves doing the maps in SOTW.

[MyLittleWonders]

I'm using Scholastic Success with Maps with my 1st grader (and the third grade book with ds#1). It's probably a bit too simple for him, but it's easy and gentle. We do it all orally once a week after we do our history reading. It only covers map skills, but that's about how far we are getting into geography at this point in time. I'm also thinking of getting The Geography Book after seeing it recommended in LCC.

Edited February 2, 2010 by MyLittleWonders

[Wildiris]

Maps, Globes and Graphs

[Satori]

I just got done reading LCC and am wondering about adding Geography... We learned the basics really quickly with Rand McNally Schoolhouse Beginner books when she was 4. Looking for the next resource.

 

For now we have a globe and maps displayed prominently in our learning room, and whenever we hear about a new place, we locate it. Google Earth is also fun! Geopuzzle maps on the continents have even helped me learn.

 

Thanks for the ideas, I added Maps, Globes, Graphs A and B as well as The Geography Book to my Amazon cart (which never empties)!

Edited February 2, 2010 by Satori

[Tree House Academy]

We did Map Skills Geography. It is fun and very introductory. We finished the first book (1st grade) before Christmas and we have now started work on 2nd grade Map Skills. It is cheap too!

 

http://www.christianbook.com/map-skills-grade-2-sharon-thompson/9780887249600/pd/49605?event=CF

[gevs4him]

I'm using Scholastic Success with Maps with my 1st grader (and the third grade book with ds#1). mended in

 

 

:iagree: Our son loves this book it is fun! He has done 1, 2 and I already bought 3. He also likes Brain Play Crosscountry USA Photo Safari CD. These are somethings he enjoys doing on his own :) At this time he is learning where the states are located by finding them on the map and then using a follow the directions poster sheet on each state that tells all the states information - these are made by Crayola and are the start of our USA notebook. Also, to learn the oceans and continents we made our own world map - I copied the continents he colored them and cut them out. He painted the poster board blue and made a compass rose. Then we glued everything in their proper places and labeled oceans and continents as we read books and leraned about each one.

 

Lisa

DD 19 college Jr.

DS 7 our hockey player

[lulubelle]

We have been doing Evan-Moor maps. They have a K-3 introductory trio set and they have a book per grade. I've liked the map comprehension questions a great deal.

[Lizzie in Ma]

We just did copywork from Geography from A to Z, printing out pictures of each geological feature from the internet and using Donna Young's blank top paper with writing lines at the bottom.

Then we add in Troxel's Geography Songs and learn the world over the next few years with them.

[Dinsfamily]

We have been doing Evan-Moor maps. They have a K-3 introductory trio set and they have a book per grade. I've liked the map comprehension questions a great deal.

 

We did this last year in K. It's called Beginning Geography and it's a great, inexpensive geography program for young kids. It covers map skills, land forms and bodies of water (generic), and oceans and continents (specific). Loved it!

 

I'm now looking at possibly doing Rand McNally's Beginning Schoolhouse Geography or a pared down version of Galloping the Globe for 1st.

[Tracy]

I am really surprised how much geography my dd4 knows simply by having a large map on the wall. (You can see a picture of ours if you go to this page and scroll to the bottom.) We don't use a curriculum, but dd just chooses a country and we get books from the library. I try to get a mixture of non-fiction, fiction, and biography. We have found some wonderful children's literature this way. Sometimes it is challenging to find material (like when she wanted to study Yemen!), but I can always find something. Sometimes we study that country for just a day and other times for a few weeks, depending on what I can find. We have started to play guessing games to see if we can guess a country from certain clues. It has been a lot of fun.

[Satori]

Tracy, I have it high on my priority list to get a huge wall map mural like that! Do you think I'll have to sand down my textured walls? Here's the one I want:

http://www.mcmaps.com/natgeogworwa1.html

 

It looks like it's the same one!

[EKS]

We did it in kindergarten. First we did my homegrown version, which basically consisted of every age appropriate living book on the subject, and then we did K12's History K, which has a semester of geography included. Both experiences were wonderful.

[Lovedtodeath]

I did Star Spangled States with my son last year in 1st grade. He has a natural interest in geography, so I installed Google Earth for him. He enjoys exploring the earth with it and looking up landmarks. He also loves doing the maps in SOTW.

I am not sure what type of geography you are looking for...

 

We are using the Star Spangled State Book right now. There are many things from American History (like the civil rights movement) that DD doesn't understand, as we have not covered any American History yet, and she didn't even know about slavery, or any of the wars and such.

 

In first grade we studied world geography. I used Disney's Our World, Draw Write Now 7 and 8, Around the World Art and Activities and library books from ALA Growing Up Around the World. She really enjoyed it and it worked. You can see pictures of what we did in my profile, and I can send you some of my plans if you want.

[Tracy]

Tracy, I have it high on my priority list to get a huge wall map mural like that! Do you think I'll have to sand down my textured walls? Here's the one I want:

http://www.mcmaps.com/natgeogworwa1.html

 

It looks like it's the same one!

 

LOL! That is exactly the one that we purchased. It seemed like a really great deal (and it eventually turned out to be), but it came in three pieces with instructions to paste it to the wall like wallpaper. :ohmy: I was quite skeptical, as I had never done anything like that. But my very resourceful dh took over, and it turned out wonderfully. :D We have been very impressed We have considered adding a mock frame to it so that it looks like a huge picture.

 

I would imagine that it will last longer if the walls are smooth. If they are textured, you might want to talk to someone who knows something about wallpaper. But I hope that you can make it work, because it has become such a blessing to our home school.

 

Tracy

[mcconnellboys]

I used a list of picture books from the library that covered every state in the U.S., along with our territories. We would read about the state from a children's atlas, look at the map, etc., find it on a map of the U.S., then read books about that state.

[Halcyon]

bump! loving these ideas, and I'd love to hear more.

[MyLittleWonders]

Tracy, I have it high on my priority list to get a huge wall map mural like that! Do you think I'll have to sand down my textured walls? Here's the one I want:

http://www.mcmaps.com/natgeogworwa1.html

 

It looks like it's the same one!

 

LOL! That is exactly the one that we purchased. It seemed like a really great deal (and it eventually turned out to be), but it came in three pieces with instructions to paste it to the wall like wallpaper. :ohmy: I was quite skeptical, as I had never done anything like that. But my very resourceful dh took over, and it turned out wonderfully. :D We have been very impressed We have considered adding a mock frame to it so that it looks like a huge picture.

 

I would imagine that it will last longer if the walls are smooth. If they are textured, you might want to talk to someone who knows something about wallpaper. But I hope that you can make it work, because it has become such a blessing to our home school.

 

Tracy

Oooo ... I want that on my wall! :) Does it look good enough to have in a non-school location? We don't have a lot of solid wall space (we have a lot of windows, which I love, but it does take up a lot of wall space for things like giant wall posters/wall paper :tongue_smilie:), so I'm thinking it might have to go in the entry way/foyer area, which is near to our dining room where we homeschool.

[birchbark]

For K-1 we played a lot with an oversized US floor puzzle I got at TJMaxx.

[Tracy]

Oooo ... I want that on my wall! :) Does it look good enough to have in a non-school location? We don't have a lot of solid wall space (we have a lot of windows, which I love, but it does take up a lot of wall space for things like giant wall posters/wall paper :tongue_smilie:), so I'm thinking it might have to go in the entry way/foyer area, which is near to our dining room where we homeschool.

 

We have it in our dining room, and everyone that comes thinks it is great. Its location is part of what makes it such a wonderful addition to our home school, because we can see every time we eat. And with littles, that means 4-6 times per day that they can't help but look at it. I kind of wish we could put it lower, since most of the map is too high to reach, even for me. So dd4 knows more about Africa and South America then any other region, just because they are in the southern hemisphere, where she can see and reach. But for anyone looking to buy this, remember that the dimensions are 6 feet high by 9 feet wide! I think the only reason we were able to find space for it is that we just moved into a new house and hadn't put anything on the walls, yet.

[Terabith]

Geography has been a pretty big priority for me. Here are some of the things we've done:

 

1) Big wall maps.

2) Montessori puzzle maps. We take them apart, put them back, and learn the names of the countries. Anna knows pretty much all of the US states, the continents, all the countries of South America, most of Europe, and most of Asia.

3) Played games like Great States Junior.

4) Pared down Galloping the Globe. Mostly I pick a country and we get library picture books on the topic, both nonfiction and fiction set there. Do a little bit of physical geography of the country. I take a look at the Core Knowledge lesson plans on countries like Mexico. Also, when we are reading other picture books, that take place in other countries, we talk a little about them. (canals in Venice, which is in Italy, how Holland is on the ocean and has dikes to keep the ocean out, and is famous for windmills and tulips, casual stuff like that)

5) We did a lot of stuff on reading maps, and read books like Me on the Map.

6) We read books and used nesting dolls to illustrate that we live in many different places. We went from our house, to our street, to our city, to our state, our country, our continent, the Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe. I said the littlest nesting doll was her, and put it inside the house doll, etc.

7) We've watched tv shows about different places, especially things like Toot and Puddle that are designed for little kids.

8) We learn about major symbols and landmarks around the country and the world. I've read aloud from things like Childcraft's About Us and DK's Children Around the World that talk about culture.

 

I think next year I'm going to do Daily Geography and maybe Geography Songs.

[sleepymommy]

We just started using Down to Earth Geography

http://www.amazon.com/Down-Earth-Geography-Grade-1/dp/1420692712

 

We really like it so far. It come with a CD so everything can be printed easily if need be.

 

I also have some Geopuzzles

http://www.timberdoodle.com/Geopuzzles_p/120.htm

 

I really wanted the montessori ones but they were just too costly.

 

I picked up some simple continent books from our library sale similar to these

http://www.amazon.com/Africa-Books-Continents-David-Petersen/dp/0516263692/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265223992&sr=8-1

 

I've always wanted one of those gigantic map murals, but we move frequently so it never seems like a logical idea.

[Tam101]

Oooo ... I want that on my wall! :) Does it look good enough to have in a non-school location? We don't have a lot of solid wall space (we have a lot of windows, which I love, but it does take up a lot of wall space for things like giant wall posters/wall paper :tongue_smilie:), so I'm thinking it might have to go in the entry way/foyer area, which is near to our dining room where we homeschool.

 

That is a great map! We have a fairly large one (not that big) that came with a National Geographic subscription we had. I have it hanging in our son's room and we refer to it often. If you don't want to paste it to a wall you could put it on plywood or some other smooth wood.

[hmschooling]

 

Galloping the Globe looks like it would be a blast!

[MyLittleWonders]

 

We have it in our dining room, and everyone that comes thinks it is great. Its location is part of what makes it such a wonderful addition to our home school, because we can see every time we eat. And with littles, that means 4-6 times per day that they can't help but look at it. I kind of wish we could put it lower, since most of the map is too high to reach, even for me. So dd4 knows more about Africa and South America then any other region, just because they are in the southern hemisphere, where she can see and reach. But for anyone looking to buy this, remember that the dimensions are 6 feet high by 9 feet wide! I think the only reason we were able to find space for it is that we just moved into a new house and hadn't put anything on the walls, yet.

Thanks for the information! I need to measure the wall and then talk with dh, though I think he'll be all for it. :D

[TN Mama]

We are using this workbook for map skills. And then we're reading Wish You Were Here and the various Rookie Reader state books. I keep a Kid's Atlas in the car and we have blank US Maps to label while playing the license plate game on car trips.

 

Using the above for both my 1st and 3rd grader, although we're using the Complete Book of Maps & Geography for the 3rd grader.