Geography Design Project

Check out my post at We Are Teachers: Design a country! Click here for the free printable! + page edit

Amusement Park Map Design

Check out my post at We Are Teachers: Amusement Park Map Design! Click here for the free printable!

Alien Tour: Show Me Your Landforms

3 landform projects given to kids by Vladimir the Extraterrestrial! Vladimir sends the kids 3 postcards from Saturn via a space capsule (tupperware). He wants to know a little more about Earth's natural landscape. - No, he does not want to take over our planet! - In one postcard, the alien shows the kids his planet (an alien world with a familiar landform). 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17cLQgrcKLVTEuJrJAukLpfD5lPMquRIA/view?usp=sharing

Rock Band Storypath

Storypath units promote children as active participants in their own learning. Students learn about topics through cross-curricular connections woven into an imaginative real-world scenario. They role-play and make critical decisions independently and collaboratively. Invite your students on a rock band adventure! This unit integrates Common Core standards with project-based learning. Students discover that what they learn in school is valuable, even for a rock star!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fV41KsbdGUCe3K0GlvNYHIpLTfQyo9Er/view?usp=sharing

Landform Postcards Game

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10GyVhHH0ynTsBT-ObwWJ3IF8aYT7jhEB/view?usp=sharing

MATCHING GAME
Kids identify 30 landforms through a fun game of matching the front and back of postcards! The front of each postcard has an image of the landmark, the location of the landmark and a greeting (in the language of the location). The back of each postcard has a friendly letter from "Jack" with the definition of each landmark. There are also blank postcards (fronts and backs) for kids to design their own postcards.

Nature Works Virtual Field Trip

Live on youtube Friday, December 4th at 12:00 pm (Eastern Time, 40 minutes), your class can explore China's Great Forests! Students (grades 3-8) investigate what the giant panda and earth's climate have in common as they learn about the carbon cycle and compare/contrast reforestation and deforestation. 

RSVP here to participate for FREE!: http://ow.ly/UfnrV 

If you cannot "attend" the event live, you can sign up for the virtual field and will be notified as soon as the video is available. Then you can show your students when ever convenient for your lesson plans and school schedules! 

This field trip fits in with a unit on adaptations, ecosystems, natural resources and geography. Students view live footage of 2 provinces in China—Sichuan and Yunnan, traveling up "towering mountains, majestic forests and other iconic landscapes."

While examining the geography of these provinces, students learn about the other animal species that share the same ecosystem as the giant panda: golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the elusive and odd-looking takin. They find out that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

They also get to see how scientists work with local communities to protect nature and create new wilderness. 

They discover the benefits of reforestation and how it can decrease carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, minimizing climate change and improving air quality. You can challenge your class to evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity in an ecosystem!

Students also explore the pros and cons of deforestation after they investigate reforestation. Example below:

Conservationists: Forests are home to many species of plants and animals.

Logger: My job is to cut down trees and without this job I cannot provide for my family. 

Pharmacist: Many medicines come from our forests and many are yet to be discovered.

Farmer: I clear away land by burning a few acres of trees to grow crops for my family to eat.

Environmentalist: Forests help moderate climate change by taking in carbon dioxide during the day.  Too much carbon dioxide leads to an increase in greenhouse gases, which causes changes in our climate.

Restaurant owner: I need paper and meat products to meet my customers’ demands.

• Information about how this event relates to curriculum per grade: http://ow.ly/UfpXN

• Reforestation video that is a great pre-event lesson to share with students (featured above): http://ow.ly/Ufofb 

• Reforestation lesson plan that relates to the video + the Dec. 4th live event: http://ow.ly/Ufq97

Me on the Map!

Help children understand where they are located in relation to the world by making geography stacking cups! Book to go along with activity: Me on the Map! by Joan Sweeney. Click here for food chain stacking cups.

Balloon Geography

How far will your balloon go? Check out the Helium Balloon Experiment here!

Instructions: Tag each balloon with your school address and the student's name, along with a note for the receiver to write back. Then, send them off! Kids mark off on a map where their balloon ended up. Whose balloon travelled the farthest?!

50 States and Capitals

   

Featured Above: Musical Stew (Macho Nacho and Mouth Trumpet): 50 States and Capitals

Also, check out the 50 State Capital Rap by Educational Rap!

Games:
1. State Card Printables - Laurie Keller (featured) or nick Jr.
2. Matching Stick Game -TLC or Pick Up Sticks Version - Fabulous in Fourth
3. State Bingo - Relentlessly Fun Deceptively Educational or The Science Mom 

Dream Vacation PBL Project

Project-based learning / cooperative groups of 4
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ncaWHZVTZPksE3TFNv865VtZucQkse0-/view?usp=sharing

Tell kids that they get to travel to any destination around the world! The only catch is that they will be going with 3 other classmates (only 1 destination) for 4 days and 3 nights.

Once they decide on a location, they all get an air ticket, which they fill out for their flight. The teacher cuts it and collects their boarding passes. They keep their ticket and attach it to their photo journal (a travel book they make throughout the process).

Next they research the weather forecast for the 4 days they are going so they know what to pack. Then they come up with a list of items that they should bring with them. Once again students must collaborate and decide what to pack. Each group has 1 photo journal (not each individual student). Students take turns drawing / recording in it. 

Then they research a place to stay, record the cost / research places to eat, record the cost / research things to explore, record the cost (+ the cost of traveling there: taxi, bus, rental car, etc.). The research process is the imaginary vacation!

At the end of this project compare what groups spent. Who was money savvy and found cheap lodging, food and entertainment? Who was a big spender and wanted the best of everything?!

2D and 3D Geometric Towns

Integrate math, social studies, and art with 2 awesome projects! 

1. 2D GEOMETRIC TOWN (LINE SEGMENTS) - Check out ABC Teach Geometric Town Map project (more advanced)! View examples at Engrade and Mrs. Sandri Math.

2. 3D GEOMETRIC TOWN - Get creative and "develop basic mapping and geography skills including the use of symbols, compass directions, scale, and grid coordinates," by creating a 3D Town - Peggy Healy Stearns - (photo of town featured above). Visit Parent's Choice for free building pattern printables (store fronts / town accessories), as well as map printables (cardinal rose, coordinate grid, etc)! Also, check out Fun Stuff To Do for lots of 3D solid patterns for your town buildings, and see their version of a Geometric Town!

To turn this into a PBL project, combine the 2 activities! Make small 2D maps of your 3D geometric town. Share your town on a parent night! Pass out maps to the tourists (aka parents) and have them visit your Geometric Town!

Note: You can also add fractions to your town, click here for details!

Monarch Migration Project!

photo credit: science daily

Integrate technology with Project Based Learning, by tracking wildlife migration with Journey North! (track the migration of monarchs, whales, and various birds). 


Monarch Migration Project: students track the migration of butterflies around the world, while communicating with different schools (with the help from Journey North!). Click here to watch the Monarch Migration Project in action from BIE Project Based Learning! 


Art - Kids create special paper butterflies and send them to the next location the monarch migrates to. The student's paper monarchs travel to the same places that real monarch butterflies do. Their paper creations travel around the world!
Science - Students make observations outside of the school. They check the temperature, examine plant life, and find out what kind of environment butterflies prefer.
Language Arts - Kids write to other countries, explaining what their environment is like for the butterflies. They read what students from other schools had to say about their backyard observations!
Social Studies - Mark off the places the butterflies have migrated on a map. Plus, learn about the different cultures around the world by corresponding with other schools. Check out how kids from around the world decorated their butterflies. Is the butterfly art similar or different to your class' artwork?

The Traveler

Have kids make an inference about items in a suitcase. Why does this person need certain materials? What does he / she plan on using them for? Is the person a girl or a boy? How can you tell? How many people are going on the trip? What are they going to do there? Below is an example of how to conduct the activity:

First check out the bag:

Is there more than one bag? If so, how many people are going on the trip?

Bag design - Do you think it belongs to a boy or a girl?

Old or new - If it's old, do you think the person does a lot of traveling?

Now, open it up and take a peek inside!

Fishing rod - Someone is going to a place with a body of water: lake, river, ocean. One person is going fishing or they are all going to share the rod.

Tent - somewhere in the country, not the city. He plans on sleeping outside.

Marshmallows - He plans on making a campfire and roasting them.

Graham crackers - I think he will make smores

Chocolate bars - He is definitely making smores and has a sweet tooth.

Frying pan - He will be cooking

Bug spray - He is going somewhere buggy, like the woods with high grass, trees.

Mirror -He wants to look attractive while he's out in the wilderness. He wants to impress someone?

ipod - He likes music.

Get creative! Your pretend traveler can go anywhere in the world! 

samsonite oyster via apartment therapy

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Baseball Geography
Mark the location of the teams your home team plays on a map!

Baseball Science

Kid Experiments - Finding A Bat's Sweet Spot, Handling Forces, Add Curve To Your Pitch, A Baseball's Bounce, as well as the classic Potential / Kinetic Energy Transfer demonstration - visit Exploratorium! 

Also, check out The Physics of Baseball article over at CNet. Paul Doherty from Exploratorium demonstrated the experiments mentioned above! (Photo Credit: James Martin/CNET Networks)

Baseball Geometry
Angles - Finding the perfect swing! The angle you swing the bat determines the ball's distance and height! Also, try throwing the ball at different angles. What angle is the ideal pitch? Click here for details.

Learn Your Shapes: sphere (ball), diamond (field), square (bases), pentagon (home plate), circle (pitcher's mound) 

Find the perimeter / area of a base and the circumference of the pitcher's mound!

Baseball Measuring

Head to your local little league baseball fields and practice measuring. Find the diameter of the pitcher's mound. Measure the distance from base to base, the dimensions of bases (L x W). Field dimensions image via ultimate baseball field

Baseball Algebra / Number Functions 

Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division with missing addends by making a mini baseball board game. Visit Education.com!


Baseball Statistics

Visit Ducksters, NetPlaces, and MLB Kids!


Baseball Time
Practice telling time, record the duration of baseball practice or a game! Click here for details!

Map It!

Kids practice reading a map, while having fun! They flick a spinner and locate states, capitals, rivers, and lakes on a map. They write down each one they find on a recording sheet. Besides staying in the U.S., you could expand the game by having kids locate continents, countries, and oceans.

Click here for the free printable: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ezxddwKPoyiKpSJT-Ay9A1nGnFsEsP0T/view?usp=sharing

Hats Off to World Landmarks!

AIGA, the professional association for design, has a free printable of bright lights hats of famous landmarks. These awesome hats would be fun for kids' reports of world landmarks! They're also cool and fashionable to wear for any occasion! 

Nature Exchange

The Magnifying Glass set up different regions to exchange items in nature. Although the activity is over, it doesn't mean you still can't do it!

For a geography lesson, have your class team up with another school from a far away state. Collect different items you find in the environment where you live. With the items you collect, include a list of the name of each item. Then, mail the box to who you're corresponding with. In return, they will mail one back to you. Kids will get to see nature from different geographical locations.

Examples of items to send: bird feathers, pine cones, seed pods, pressed flowers, sea shells (if you live by the beach). Anything you find in nature! Check out the awesome box made by Mama Scouts below! Visit her blog to see how their nature box exchange turned out!

nature box example via mama scouts

Camera Mail

photo credit: toad haven

Document the voyage of postal mail! Over at Toad Haven, they sent out a package, "asking every postal worker who touched it to take a picture of the mail's journey across country." The package was sent from California to Virginia and back home again. This is a great activity for kids to learn about community helpers, as well as geography. Here is a tips page to help get you started!

3D Earth Puzzle

Visit Planet Pals to download this 3D earth globe puzzle!

"My Place in the World"

Kid-made flip book that helps them understand geography, where they live, and how their community fits into our wide, wide world from Kid World Citizen. To take the activity further, add my street (with address) after my city. Then, a picture of themselves after my house (ME).