http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/06/world/meast/shoe-throwing-significance/index.html
The meaning of gestures are different from country to country. If you’ve ever watched TV and asked yourself “Why are they making such a big deal about that person throwing a shoe at him”. Or “Why did he take off his shoe to hit a poster of Saddam Hussein”. The above link explains much of that.
During the summer our family often travels to the Outer Banks, NC. We especially enjoy taking the ferry to Ocracoke Island, and the boys like talking about the pirate Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard. I have spent many a summer there spending time in the water and have seen a few sand sharks, but I was surprised to hear that a 16 ft Great White named Mary Lee decided to check out the area, and briefly swam into the brackish waters of the Pamlico Sound where I like to kayak.
An internet search led me to the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker, where the kids could see the last tracked location of Mary Lee. By changing the options in the mapping legend, we were able to track her “pings” where her tracking device was located via satellite. Clicking on one of the points of her track opened a description of the shark with pictures and details about size, when the shark was tagged, etc.
If your kids are interested in sharks, this is a great way to tie in geography. For instance, based on the tracks you could ask your kids whether they think swimming off the coast of South Africa is a good idea. Discussions of the sharks travel patterns relative to the migration patterns of seals could be an option, and the kids could identify locations where sharks like to visit. For an older child you could challenge them to estimate how fast sharks cruise the ocean by looking at the distance of the pings relative to the time stamp (map scale, applied math, and even statistics if you have them calculate for multiple sharks and calculate the average, mean, standard dev, etc.).
That being said, after talking about the geography of shark travels the boys and I enjoyed some Great White videos on youtube.
OCEARHs Global Shark Tracker map of Great White Shark Mary Lee.
So I’ve been thinking about there are some places that we hear of when reading books and just living out our lives that if asked we probably couldn’t tell you where it is. You know what? I can do something about that. For the next few days I’ll be posting a picture of place that you’ve probably heard of and then I’ll tell you where it is. Ha ha!!!! You’ll be that much smarter.
So lets start with: Stonehenge
Stonehenge is in the southern part of England. I always pictured is in Ireland for some reason. Silly me.
Here is a map from our friends at Google Maps so that you can see where it is.
Fun way to learn geography! For grades 2-8
I wish my students could all learn geography by getting on a plane or car and traveling. But that just isn’t realistic for most of us. Learning in class and by researching different countries is what most of have to do. But you know how else we can learn geography? Reading novels. When reading you can be swept off into new lands and places and you can experience the places and people along with your main characters. Armchair traveling at its best.
Below are links to the books my classes are reading! Even if you are not in my class…I HIGHLY RECOMEND THESE BOOKS! Travel around the world with Phileas in ‘Around the World in 80 days’ by Jules Verne. Or how about discovering the Lewis and Clark expedition from the point of view of Lewis’s Dog in ‘The Captain’s Dog’ by Roland Smith. Jump into one of these books, go on an adventure without leaving your chair and learn a little while you are at it!
http://www.amazon.com/Captains-Dog-Journey-Lewis-Clark/dp/0152026967
Here is a link to where you can get the book we are reading in my US Geography class. Hopefully you all have it already and are well in it already!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=around+the+world+in+80+days&sprefix=Around+the+%2Caps%2C381 and Here is a link to many possible editions to buy of the book we are reading in both the Middle and High School Geography classes.
http://www.amazon.com/Around-World-80-Days-ebook/dp/B0083Z6ESG/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356569298&sr=1-2&keywords=around+the+world+in+80+days the FREE edition of Around the World in 80 days. For your e-reader (kindle and the ipad with a kindle app)
For those that have a nook: .99 cent e-reader book. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/around-the-world-in-80-days-jules-verne/1100236713?ean=9781612980461
There is something about music that really helps us memorize things. I learned this song when I was in Elementary school and remember it to this day. Learn it and know it forever!!!!
http://www.home-school-curriculum.com/category/atlases These Atlases are the ones recommended by the company that I bought the curriculum from.
What to look for:
High School students please make sure that the map isn’t older then 2002. The newer the better!
Middle School Students please be sure that the Atlas you purchase has physical maps (maps showing rivers and mountains.
Hope this helps any of you who haven’t been able to fine an Atlas yet.
Mrs. C
