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Hands-On Geography ~ Build a House
Posted 10:15 AM, Sep. 22, 2006
Housing – every house tells a story! Each culture has its own type of housing. By studying the housing we can learn so much about a peoples’ lifestyle, their climate, beliefs, standard of living, even their politics. As you are working your way through history, take the time to discover more about the houses of the times. Use what you know about geography as you consider their lifestyle. Hands-on: Build a model of the home of your studies. This can be quite simplistic (sugar cubes, pretzel rods, building blocks, or more in-depth. Either way, it’s great fun and a good way to generate enthusiasm for learning more about a culture or a nation. Here are a few suggestions to get you started, along with a list of other housing types to explore. · Igloo – sleeping platforms and tables are made of snow. Heat & light are provided by burning embers and frozen blubber for the whale oil lamps. Skins of seals and caribou provide warmth. Igloos were temporary shelters during the winter seal hunts. Perfect for nomads traveling over arctic house. Make one out of sugar cubes. · Roman Houses – often had small shrines dedicated to household gods. Stone, marble and concrete were used to build the homes. Rooms are built around the perimeter and they open to a central courtyard or patio. Surrounded by columned arcades, the open rooms and courtyards were filled with paintings and ornaments. Living quarters tended to be less ornamental and smaller. Villas were made more to impress than for comfort. Modest houses belonging to the lower classes (peasant farmers and craftsmen) would have been constructed of sun-dried or kiln-fired mud bricks. Stone and dirt floors and beams packed of earth and branches. We made our out of Legos. · Zulu Huts – furnishings limited to grass sleeping mats with carved wooden head rests – warm with a fire place but smoky. Woven saplings covered with grass thatch arranged in a circle around a pen for cattle. This would be fun to make outside with twigs and such. · Long House – late 16th century appeared in NYC. Iroquis. Another outside activity. · Viking House – Sturdy farmhouses – stone, wood or turf. (To withstand heavy coastal weather.) Like longhouses, these were simply halls. Everything was accomplished in one big room, sleeping, eating and cooking. Lincoln Logs, anybody? · Norman Manor House · Cliff Dwellings · London Town house · Palaces · 19th Century Frontier Log Cabin · Traditional Japanese houses · Houseboats · Wigwams · Lake Dwellings · European Stone Houses · Celtic Halls · Greek City House · European peasant hut – Middle Ages 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: 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 Related Tags: hands, geography, build, house, story, culture, lifestyle, climate, beliefs, politics, model, studies, sugar cubes, pretzel sticks, blocks, igloo, Roman, Zulu, huts, long house, viking, manor house, cliff dwelling, London, frontier, log cabin, Japanese, houseboats, wigwams, lake, European, Celtic, Greek, middle ages Hands-On Geography ~ Fall Leaves
Posted 1:31 AM, Sep. 15, 2006
One of my readers shared this great geography idea with me that I wanted to pass on to you now that fall is in the air. She wrote: “My son was working on a nature badge for scouts, and we asked via several homeschool email loops for people to volunteer to exchange either their state leaf, or their favorite leaf that is typical of their area, with our son. He in turn sent them a buckeye leaf and a buckeye. We would then find the location on the map and pinpoint it exactly. We actually got the state leaf from every single state, as well as many other neat ones. What fun! Lots of the people sent pictures of where they lived, or of the tree they had gotten the leaf from. So we added those to the portfolio, too. Since my son is junior high, I had him pinpoint longitude and latitude of the various locations, as well as finding the towns on a map, and mapping out a way to drive there from our home via both the quickest route and the scenic route. Also I had him calculate mileage and the cost of gasoline required to make the trip. It really helped give him a sense of how far apart things are in this big ol' country of ours . . . and also helped earn that badge for scouts.”
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: 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 Related Tags: geography, hands-on, nature, Scouts, homeschool, leaf, leaves, fall, map, state, longitude, latitude Geography Activities ~ Geography Map Clues
Posted 1:00 AM, Aug. 25, 2006
Geography Map Clues
Object: using a small piece of map, student tries to identify the state from which the piece was cut.
Materials:
One old
Scissors
Directions:
Cut a piece of map from the map. (This piece should be smaller for older students, larger for young students.) The piece cut should provide some clues on it as to what state it is from. For example, a piece of
Students use the wall map or state atlas to try and identify each piece they were given.
Optional: push-pin each piece to the correct spot on the wall map
Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market.
Related Tags: geography, maps, puzzle Geography Activities ~ Do the Bee!!!
Posted 1:30 AM, Aug. 11, 2006
National Geographic Bee www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee. Have your kids participated in the National Geography Bee? If not, why not get involved this year? This is an awesome way to incorporate geography into your curriculum. As stated on their website, they are a nationwide geography competition for U.S. schools with any grades four through eight, designed to encourage the teaching and study of geography. We participated in this bee for a number of years. I can attest to the motivating factor of studying for it, the excitement generated by participation in it, and the amount of interesting material learned in the process. All you need are 6 students between grades 4 and 8 to organize a bee. Here are the registration rules right off of their website: “Bee registration is open to schools and homeschool associations with students in grades four through eight who are not over the age of 15 by the time of the national level. A student must be enrolled in a school or homeschool association that is registered with the Bee. Also, students of the eligible grade levels must be following a school schedule and academic course load comparable to the majority of the student's grade-mates and age-mates. A student may not be enrolled in more than two academic courses at the high school and/or college level during each school year of the competition. We reserve the right to disqualify a student if we believe the rules have not been followed. Registration for a group is just 60.00. The Deadline is Oct. 15th so get your homeschool group registered today! This will be a great way to kick off a new year filled with an exciting geographic study. 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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Geography Activites ~ Book Mapping
Posted 1:05 AM, Aug. 4, 2006
BookMapping
By Tyler Hogan with Maggie Hogan
Do your kids love to read? Bookmapping may be just the thing to turn a great book into a hands-on geography project. Take a blank outline map and some colored pens (and stickers for the younger ones). Every time your child or family reads a book, map out where it takes place or journeys the characters undergo. If you read several books in the same region, you can use separate maps, or plot them together to see where they intersect. For historical books, use a historical atlas to show old borders of countries or ancient cities. Get creative with how you mark battle sites, castles, boat rides, home towns, and other events in the plot.
Geography Activities ~ Using Outline Maps Part II
Posted 1:00 AM, Jul. 28, 2006
Part Two: Using Outline Maps Of course, outline maps are great for labeling all sorts of political and physical features: bodies of water, rivers, mountain ranges, cities, states, capitals, countries, continents, longitude, latitude, etc. But they can be used in many other creative ways. Here are great ideas to get you started:
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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Geography Activities ~ Using Outline Maps
Posted 1:05 AM, Jul. 21, 2006
Of course, outline maps are great for labeling all sorts of political and physical features: bodies of water, rivers, mountain ranges, cities, states, capitals, countries, continents, longitude, latitude, etc. But they can be used in many other creative ways. Here are great ideas to get you started:
Check back next week for more great outline ideas! 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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Geography Activities ~ Geography Reference Tools
Posted 1:00 AM, Jul. 14, 2006
Assigning students to label maps or to do some other mapping project is a great hands-on way to instill map skills. But don’t jump in too soon! Before making assignments, it’s vital to: Instruct students in the use of geography reference tools! Choose appropriate reference material. Consider the following: Atlases:
Wall Maps:
Teach students which reference to use when:
Don’t let this overwhelm you! The important thing to remember is to teach the use of reference tools, over time, so that students are comfortable using and know which ones to use when. 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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Geography and Housing
Posted 1:22 AM, Jun. 30, 2006
We can learn much about a people group by studying the type housing they used. What determines the style of housing? (Location, available resources, weather, culture, etc.) What can you deduce from their housing? How did housing affect their social customs, trade, travel, safety, etc.? Compare and contrast housing from different geographic locations and/or different time periods. What type of housing would you prefer and why? Build a model of several of the houses listed below.
Here are examples of housing with a few notes to get you started on your research.
Igloos – sleeping platforms and tables are made of snow. Heat & light are provided by burning embers and frozen blubber for the whale oil lamps. Skins of seals and caribou provide warmth. Igloos were temporary shelters during the winter seal hunts. Perfect for nomads traveling over arctic house. Perfect ecological structure – made from water (snow and ice.) Other information found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igloo
Roman Houses – often had small shrines dedicated to household gods. Stone, marble and concrete were used to build the homes. Rooms are built around the perimeter and they open to a central courtyard or patio. Surrounded by columned arcades, the open rooms and courtyards were filled with paintings and ornaments. Living quarters tended to be less ornamental and smaller. Villas were made more to impress than for comfort. Modest houses belonging to the lower classes (peasant farmers and craftsmen) would have been constructed of sun-dried or kiln-fired mud bricks. Stone and dirt floors and beams packed of earth and branches.
Zulu Huts – furnishings limited to grass sleeping mats with carved wooden head rests – warm with a fire place but smoky. Woven saplings covered with grass thatch arranged in a circle around a pen for cattle.
Viking House – Sturdy farmhouses – stone, wood or turf - to withstand heavy coastal weather. Like longhouses, these were simply halls. Everything was accomplished in one big room: sleeping, eating and cooking.
Other interesting housing option to research:
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: 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
Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Flat Stanley ~ Hands-on Geography
Posted 1:07 AM, Jun. 16, 2006
Flat Stanley
In the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, Stanley is squashed flat by a falling bulletin board. One of the many advantages for Flat Stanley is that he can now see the world by way of the U.S. Postal Service. His escapades inspired the “Flat Stanley Project.” There is an official website, www.flatstanley.com, and there are numerous Yahoo groups dedicated to helping children send their own flat travelers around the country and even the world. In exchange for sending your traveler somewhere else, typically you volunteer to host another family’s traveler yourself. We belonged to a Yahoo group consisting primarily of homeschooling families. Our flat travelers went to New Zealand and Canada, as well as to a number of states. We also hosted travelers here in Delaware and even took a dozen with us once to Williamsburg! (Hint: Hosting 12 at a time is way too many!) Currently there are about 47 countries taking part in the FSP. This is an exciting and painless way to learn about the world. This is waaaaay too much fun! Happy Trails! 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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Missionary Geography
Posted 1:04 AM, Jun. 9, 2006
Missionary Geography Learning about missionaries, where they live, who they are witnessing to, and how God is using them is a worthwhile activity for all ages. If you or your church support specific missionaries, start with them. Your family might enjoy reading stories of missionaries as well. www.ywam.org publishes many missionary biographies, including the very readable “Christian Heroes: Then and Now” series. Another useful tool is the excellent children’s resource: You Can Change the World. This A-Z guide to countries and people groups that need to hear the gospel include stories, charts, maps, facts, color illustrations, and prayer ideas. [Go to the Bookstore Link]. Hands-On Ideas for Missionary Studies
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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market. Peanut Butter & Jelly Project ~ Hands-on Geography!
Posted 1:01 AM, Jun. 2, 2006
Peanut Butter & Jelly Project This is a quick and easy lunch time project! Object: eat your sandwich into the shape of the state you chose.
Bonus points: eat the sandwich progressively into more and more shapes (i.e. start with Colorado, then bite it into PA, then perhaps TN or DE). A great game for mom and dad to play as well! 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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market.
Geography Games
Posted 11:08 PM, May. 18, 2006
There are lots of geo games around, many of them we’ve played and enjoyed. But the best possible games are the ones you & your kids make yourselves. Game making is a valuable activity for many reasons:
TIP: Pick up old games at yard sales that have interesting pieces, a great board or useful timer. Save these games to “cannibalize” for new games. 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: 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 Biography Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in Dover, DE where they began homeschooling their two (now grown) sons in 1991. She is a regular contributor for homeschooling internet sites as well as print magazines like The Old Schoolhouse. She’s a nationally known speaker and co-author of The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Gifted Children at Home, Hands-on Geography and other resource books. Involved in local, state, and national homeschooling issues, they both serve on boards of home education organizations in Delaware. They’re also owners of Bright Ideas Press, a home school company dedicated to bringing the best practical, fun, and affordable materials to the homeschool market.
Letterboxing - Geography Activities
Posted 6:17 PM, May. 12, 2006
This is a blast! Letterboxing is an appealing mix of treasure hunting, art, navigation, and exploring. Originating in England, it become popular in the US after an article describing it appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, April, 1998. The premise is simple: take a small, waterproof container, inside it put a journal and a stamp that in some way represents the area, and then hide it in a place that is legally accessible to the public. Write clues about how to find it and post these clues on www.letterboxing.org. Or go letterboxing yourself. The website has clues available for most states and a number of countries. Bring along a family journal and stamp it when you find each box. Before setting out on a trip, check to see if there are any boxes hidden along your route and make time to hunt for them. This makes a great diversion for long car rides and for many families this has developed into a hobby everyone enjoys.
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: 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
Join Maggie's discussion group for hands-on geo ideas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Whole_HOG/
Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in
Geography Jigsaw Maps
Posted 11:53 PM, May. 4, 2006
The earliest known jigsaw puzzle was made in England in the 1760s by mapmaker John Spilsbury. He designed his “dissected” maps as a tool to teach children geography! Homemade jigsaw maps are an easy way to learn info in bite-sized chunks. You could do one for any country or continent. Cut out the pieces either larger or smaller, depending on the age and ability of the student.
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: 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
Join Maggie's discussion group for hands-on geo ideas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Whole_HOG/
Maggie and Bob Hogan live in a formerly Amish farmhouse in
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