Geography for the K crowd ??

[Scuff]

What's a great geography curriculum that's geared to this age group? I know it's not a necessary subject at this age, but I'm teaching a co-op class next year. I'd like something that starts local and expands into the rest of the world. Covering continents, then countries, etc. With activities and projects given to me. Is there anything out there like this? I could piece it together, but I really don't want to. Thanks. 

[mom2bee]

I have never found any geography course that I really like. There are a few promising resources but they are expensive and not comprehensive as I would like. I can share with you the outline of the beginners Geography course that I'm putting together for use. I think I will have enough material for 36 meetings but you can compact or stretch as you see need.

 

Meetings 01-04

• Me on the Map + Introduction to Geography
• Map of childs State + a couple of paragraphs about the states history. Project: Make a profile of your state.
• Map of childs region + a couple of paragraphs about the regions history. Activitiy: Find and color your region on a blackline US map.
• Actvity: make a dish that is popular in the region, perhaps something with ingredients from the various states with in the region.

 

Meetings 05-08:

• Me on the Map + Introduction to the Continents. Hiearchy of terms: world > earth > continent > country > state/territory > city/town > neighborhood Activity: tracing outlines of the continents. HW: draw (or trace) the continents on a world map template
• Learn the continents names and placements and introducing the idea of political and physical geography talk about why some people dispute if there are 5, 6 or 7 continents. Declare your standard interpretation and review/drill continents based on your standard
• Compass rose and directions. Review the continents and talk about the most popular countries on each continent. Highlight the fact that there are more than just Most Well Known countries in each continent. (ie, do not allow children to leave thinking that China = Asia or the USA = America) Australia is the exception.
• Oceans of the world and where they are. Activity: Have children trace/draw the continents on a world template AND mark each ocean on the template
• Continents largest to smallest and smallest to largest.

Now that the intro-to-the-world material is over at each meeting you are to quickly review hierarchy of terms, continents, political / physical geography and ID these things on the class map. Twice a week students are to trace and label a blank map with continents and oceans at home.

 

Meetings 09 - 12 | 13 - 16 | 17 - 20 | 21 - 24 | 25 - 28

• At this point, you have a unit study on each continent. Focusing on one continent for several days, you can put what you want in the unit study. My unit studies are far from complete but I'm planning:
  • To teach how many countries are on each continent (not expected that kids will learn them all, just that they know there are many)
  • Teach the continental demonym and some of the languages spoken on that continent.
  • You learn about the environments found within this continent (deserts, mountains, etc) and the animals and people who live there.
  • you read a story or folktale from different countries within the continent each meeting, find this place on the map.
• It is intended that there is group map work done at each and every meeting. An ideal group work session would be where the students ID the continents, oceans and major countries on the Focus Continents from a map with and without labels.

Meetings 29-32

This is the week spent in review and adding history and detail to the information students have learned.

We talk about Panagea for example and study maps of how the earth has changed.   Students are to trace and label a map 3x a week to be sure that they learn the basic placement of the continents.

 

For this age as a group, you can't rely on too much writing ability so I'm purposefully trying to keep things input based and keep the output based on recitation, games, and tracing. But you can add a written component to each unit if you want. Anyway, my plans have yet to take shape, but these are intended to be used with a K-2 group.

[carriede]

We loved doing Beginning Geography by Evan Moor. Very gentle, engaging workbook.

 

Also the book Me on the Map. There are a lot of ideas for activities to go with it on Pinterest or that you can Google.

[Slache]

We are contemplating but haven't yet used:

Evan More's Beginning Geography

Knowledge Quests' A Child's Geography

Blobbing

[Sarah0000]

Also check out Guest Hollow free online curriculum. Even if you don't follow the schedule there are links to fun books and videos.

 

The book This is My House by Arthur Dorros would be a fun way to introduce the concept of different cultures around the world.

 

The Usborne book Stories From Around the World would be a fun supplement.

[sarahjokim]

I'm doing geography this year with my 5-year old son and we're having a great time. Here's what we're using:

 

1. Eeboo map which we refer to often: http://amzn.to/1FMsvTz

2. Geography Songs: http://amzn.to/1CPMO0d

3. Expedition Earth from Confessions of a Homeschooler (for flag coloring, map coloring, and sometimes other activities): http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/world-geography

4. Children Just Like Me: http://amzn.to/1H9oa0N

5. A Child's Introduction to the World: http://amzn.to/1J51vS1

6. Geography from A to Z: http://amzn.to/1D4M1cm

7. Lots of picture books - we're doing one country per week. You can follow our book selections and progress on my website: http://www.wellreadkid.com/category/what-we-read/

 

I hope some of those ideas help!  

[AimeeM]

We're using Legends and Leagues with my K/1st grader this upcoming year.

[Scuff]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I was hoping there was something out there already laid out and perfect for K. But, I guess I'll have to pull things together. You guys gave me a lot to look at and pull from :) 

 

[AHASRADA]

Have you looked at Build Your Library? Their K program is based on world geography http://buildyourlibrary.com/purchase-kindergarten-curriculum/

[MrsWeasley]

I was about to mention Build Your Library K, as we are seriously considering it for my middle child. However, my oldest just did tracing continent blobs and geopuzzles at that age, and it was ok.

[Ad astra]

We've been doing Evan-Moor Daily Geography Grade 1 and it's fun, engaging and gentle. We plan to do Beginning Geography (This book is for K to 2nd grade) this summer, and move on to Daily Geography 2nd grade. Check out the sample pages of these books at evan-moor.com.

 

We're also using Elemental History-Adventures in America, and enjoying the State Studies part of this curriculum. The sample pages are at elementalscience.com.