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Teaching geography in our homeschool can seem daunting, and I'll tell you why. At the exact moment when we think our child knows certain *basic* facts, we find out at the most inopportune time—that he does not.
“What do you mean, you do not know the names of all of the continents?”
“Or oceans?”
“Or which continent WE live on!”
Do you wonder at this moment where you failed in your homeschool? In basic everyday education? While these moments can seem like failures, they are not. Rather, they are stepping stones for directing our kids towards higher educational standards. Instead of becoming frustrated with yourself (or your child), use it as an opportunity to allow your child to grow.
You don't always know what they don't know.
The puzzle globe was one of the first Timberdoodle kit items that my son gravitated toward. He was up for the challenge, and a challenge it was. Puzzles are one thing—3D puzzles are another. It took him a little while to figure out how to fit the pieces together properly so that they formed the shape of the globe, but once he got the hang of it, he was hooked.
Although he was hoping to complete this puzzle in one sitting, he did not. He did get it done in one day, though, but it took several hours over the day. He was determined to have it completed before his dad came home from work, so I am glad that he had several hours to kill that day! That said, this would easily be a project to spread out over several days, depending on the child, and if you have a dedicated space for unfinished projects that will not be trampled by other siblings.
Once the globe was completed, we added it to our morning routine. After Bible time, I pull out the globe and review the continents and oceans. There are also animals on each continent that could be used for educational purposes in your homeschool—just be creative!
Also in his kit this year is the Skill Sharpeners Geography 4 workbook. He has worked through geography books from this company before in lower grades, and this follows a similar but more detailed format. My favorite aspect is that he can easily combine his knowledge from the globe and this book. Also, another product from the kit, Disasters in History 8-Book Compilation, highlights a piece of history that is mentioned in this geography book. I appreciate how the facts tie together. The story in the geography book comes later in the year and will provide an excellent opportunity for review of the story that he already read at the beginning of the year. The review for that series will be coming soon!
I also appreciate the variety in the geography book. In addition to learning about maps, your child will be encouraged to perform experiments, projects, and activities. The stories are the perfect reading level and length for this age, even for struggling learners. The mix of black and white and color graphics helps to make the book more engaging rather than a chore. Of course, using the Timberdoodle Scheduler helps so my son does not feel overwhelmed with the amount of work required for each day. I highly recommend both of these resources for your homeschool!
Disclaimer: Many thanks to Timberdoodle for providing the above product(s) in exchange for an honest review.
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