Young Geographers at Work
In Social Studies we’ve begun learning about the continents and oceans of the world. We have been studying the map of the world by looking at globes and atlases. Students will become familiar with basic geography skills as well as the elements that inform and compose culture. Students will compare and contrast different types of maps, including political maps, which focus on boundaries between entities, like countries, states or counties and physical Maps which focus on the geography of the area. During this study, students will be able to identify geographic features and land forms. This unit will serve as a foundation for the year’s explorations into world cultures, particularly China.
By the end of this unit, the children are expected to be able to identify the seven continents and five oceans on an outline of the world map, along with the Equator, the North and South Poles, and the Mediterranean Sea. We had a pretest on this information, and I am sure that students are already feeling more confident about placement of the continents and oceans! In a few weeks, we will have a post-test. Here are some ways that your child can continue to practice this material at home:
You might be able to download it on your phone, or click on “Play GeoGames”
If you explore the App store on your tablet or phone, you’ll find that there are also a number of engaging geography-related apps designed for children. Some that Ms. Audrey recommends are Atlas by Amphio Limited, AirPano, and Living Earth.
OUR FIELD TRIP
Last Friday, we had our first field trip to the American Museum of Natural History. We visited the Hall of North American Mammals to examine the environments shown in each diorama, and considered how we would meet our needs for food and shelter if we lived there. Geography and climate have a tremendous influence on culture! Visiting the Museum is part of laying the groundwork for that understanding.
This trip would not have been possible without our many parent volunteers! Thank you for helping us ride the subway safely!
At the museum, parents also helped by chaperoning small groups of children. Children sketched and wrote about the different diorama habitats in the Hall of North American Mammals:
And lunch of course!
Looking forward to many more trips! Our next trip will be to the Prospect Park Zoo on November 15th.
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