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help with geography using current events


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We are doing Runkle's geography right now, but dd is wanting to learn about other cultures. Dh thinks a good way to do that (we can't spend any money on another book/curriculum) would be to look at current events, choose a topic, and find the area on a map and read about the area/event.

 

I'm not very good at being consistent with these types of things (having to piece something together myself), so I was wondered what sort of assignment/reports I should have her do along with it? Do a narration or report weekly? Read a book and make a dish from that culture? What does everyone else have their kids do?

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What's your goal? If you already have enough writing in your dd's curriculum, I wouldn't add more just for the sake of adding it. If you have trouble being consistent, then I'd keep it as simple as possible.

 

A couple of keep-it-simple plans for current events:

 

1) Watch CNN Student News every day and discuss. Easy, free, online.

 

2) Have your dd select one news article per week to read. Have her find the spot on the map and orally narrate the article to you. You could have her do a local story one week, national story second week, international story week three, and then repeat.

 

3) (a little more work) Have her select three news articles every week (one local, one national, one international) and do the same as in number 2.

 

4) Have her select one news story to follow for a length of time, say several weeks or months. This one is a little harder to do with "keep it simple" and "not very good at being consistent" but it might be the one that she gets the most out of.

 

Good luck!

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My 8th grader watches CNN Student News every morning and then one day a week he prepares a 1 - 2 min. oral presentation on one current event of his choosing. He doesn't have to choose a topic from CNN Student News though. Occasionally, I have given him an article from God's World News or Answers Magazine to read and report on as well. We aren't really tying it in with Geography though.

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We get the Wall Street Journal. We don't use it as a curriculum per se (I don't require any reports), but the oldest two boys read it regularly (mostly section A and section D) over breakfast or lunch and geography/world events are discussed as a part of life. My 7 year old loves looking at the weather and alternately informing us of the hottest or coldest places around the globe. :)

 

There was a great article a few weeks ago:

 

Geography Strikes Back

To understand today's global conflicts, forget economics and technology and take a hard look at a map, writes Robert D. Kaplan

 

We did read this one aloud as it ties in with our study of Earth Science this year.

 

On a related note, our entire family found the Geospatial Revolution videos fascinating.

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Sorry it's taken me so long to respond...

 

What's your goal? If you already have enough writing in your dd's curriculum, I wouldn't add more just for the sake of adding it. If you have trouble being consistent, then I'd keep it as simple as possible.

 

A couple of keep-it-simple plans for current events:

 

1) Watch CNN Student News every day and discuss. Easy, free, online.

 

2) Have your dd select one news article per week to read. Have her find the spot on the map and orally narrate the article to you. You could have her do a local story one week, national story second week, international story week three, and then repeat.

 

3) (a little more work) Have her select three news articles every week (one local, one national, one international) and do the same as in number 2.

 

4) Have her select one news story to follow for a length of time, say several weeks or months. This one is a little harder to do with "keep it simple" and "not very good at being consistent" but it might be the one that she gets the most out of.

 

Good luck!

 

I like number 2, thanks!

 

Is this something your DH could do you for you?

Or making a general report / factsheet for you, you can use in the lesson?

 

We had similar issues with music: I thought it wasn't going well, and DH had an 'easy' solution. That solution didn't seem easy to me, so I asked DH to do these lessons. He knows a lot of music, so to him it is easy, to me it was another 'project' I had to prepare.

 

So maybe can he do / make something that helps you...

HTH

 

This is exactly what I tried to explain to him...I have enough on my plate and don't know anything about current events or geography type stuff. He kept telling me all the things that we could do. I'm going to ask him tomorrow if he'd like to pick this one subject to prepare/teach/discuss.

 

My 8th grader watches CNN Student News every morning and then one day a week he prepares a 1 - 2 min. oral presentation on one current event of his choosing. He doesn't have to choose a topic from CNN Student News though. Occasionally, I have given him an article from God's World News or Answers Magazine to read and report on as well. We aren't really tying it in with Geography though.

 

Thank you!

 

We get the Wall Street Journal. We don't use it as a curriculum per se (I don't require any reports), but the oldest two boys read it regularly (mostly section A and section D) over breakfast or lunch and geography/world events are discussed as a part of life. My 7 year old loves looking at the weather and alternately informing us of the hottest or coldest places around the globe. :)

 

There was a great article a few weeks ago:

 

Geography Strikes Back

To understand today's global conflicts, forget economics and technology and take a hard look at a map, writes Robert D. Kaplan

 

We did read this one aloud as it ties in with our study of Earth Science this year.

 

On a related note, our entire family found the Geospatial Revolution videos fascinating.

 

I'll check these out. Thanks!

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We get the Wall Street Journal. We don't use it as a curriculum per se (I don't require any reports), but the oldest two boys read it regularly (mostly section A and section D) over breakfast or lunch and geography/world events are discussed as a part of life. My 7 year old loves looking at the weather and alternately informing us of the hottest or coldest places around the globe. :)

 

There was a great article a few weeks ago:

 

Geography Strikes Back

To understand today's global conflicts, forget economics and technology and take a hard look at a map, writes Robert D. Kaplan

 

We did read this one aloud as it ties in with our study of Earth Science this year.

 

On a related note, our entire family found the Geospatial Revolution videos fascinating.

 

Thank you, Heather! We are going to enjoy those videos and article! Anymore hidden gems you want to share?? ;)

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