Why “hands-on”? Because what we perform – we remember. I realize busy moms don’t have a lot of time for hands-on, so I want to help you find those projects that are worth taking the time to do. Bonus - since I am not especially “crafty” myself so my projects tend to be quick and easy. Do your kids a favor – make the effort to incorporate the occasional project into your studies. Join me here each week for simple, worthwhile ideas of how to incorporate “hands-on” into your geography & history studies.

Today’s Project: Physical Map Making

Why make a physical map? By molding the place being studied with your hands, you gain a rich understanding of the "lay of the land" and it sinks into your long term memory as well.  Love that hands-on stuff!

The first recipe makes an all-time favorite modeling clay that is nice and soft
and can be combined with food coloring. It keeps in the refrigerator or
freezer in a covered container.

Modeling Clay

Ingredients:
    1 cup flour
    1 tablespoon salad oil
    1 cup water
    ½ cup salt
    2 teaspoon cream of tartar
    food coloring (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat
to prevent sticking. The mixture will be soupy for several minutes and then
suddenly it will stick together and can be stirred into a ball. When it
thickens, remove from heat and continue stirring. Knead on a floured surface
as it cools.

Map Directions:
You can either glue a map to a piece of cardboard (I prefer foam core board)
as an outline or use the map as a guide to shape your country freehand.
Divide the dough into parts and color according to the colors you will need
(green land, brown mountains and desert, blue water). Or use plain dough and
paint with poster paints when dry.

Quick and Easy Salt Dough

Ingredients:
  2 parts flour
  1 part salt
  1 part water
  (If it's still too crumbly, add a bit more water.)

Directions:

Pile the salt dough onto an outline map of the place we are studying.
Then we use a good atlas with physical features shown to mold the
mountains, rivers, etc. I am not into arts-n-crafts so I don't like
painting it afterwards but I will add food coloring to the dough before
applying it. For example - doing Ancient Egypt? Divide the dough into
three balls. Color one blue for the Mediterranean and Nile, one orange
for the desert, and a very small one green for the fertile valley.
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Spend more time with Maggie Hogan on her blog:

www.homeschoolblogger.com/maggiehogan

Check out her great homeschool resources (including the award winning geography curriculums she *co-authored) at her business site:

www.BrightIdeasPress.com

info@BrightIdeasPress.com

Read more about The Ultimate Geography & Timeline Guide here -  http://brightideaspress.com/UGTG.htm

And Hands-On Geography here:

http://brightideaspress.com/HOG.htm