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geography

How to Find A Well Laid Out Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum

July 8, 2023 | 15 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m showing you how to find a well laid out homeschool high school geography curriculum. Also, look at more ideas on my how to homeschool high school page.Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

The anatomy of a well laid out homeschool high school geography curriculum is not an easy find because so many programs want to stay focused only on a text-bookish style which I have a problem with.

If you have been homeschooling for any length of time then you know that after you get out of the preschool grades that homeschool geography curriculum options are slim to none. 

How to Find A Well Laid Out Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum

Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it sure feels like it when you homeschool the middle school/junior high and high school years.

So we have not wasted any time starting on our new North Star Geography curriculum by Tyler Hogan at Bright Ideas Press. 

I have to show you some of the highlights of our new homeschool geography program.

The Anatomy of a Well Laid Out Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum.

High School Geography Curriculum Planning a Cinch

Because we have just started using it, you know I have to organize as much as I can first. 

So if you missed Homeschool Geography Go To Resources that you can use alongside this curriculum, be sure to check them out.

Next, I just set up some quick go to temporary binders (you know I love them and especially in hot pink).  Until I get the sweet curriculum in my little hands in final form, it’s hard to decide on an organizational system. 

So just giving you a heads up now that no, the curriculum is not hot pink, though it would be a great color for it.

homeschool geography sample schedule

You know I tend to be pretty candid brutal on curriculum providers about giving tips for scheduling and planning when it comes to teacher’s manuals.  It is one of the things I always mention when I review curriculum. 

How to Find A Well Laid Out Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum

Maybe it comes from helping so many struggling homeschoolers.  Please, I don’t want to guess how to make this curriculum work with multiple children. 

Give me some options for scheduling and North Star Geography delivers.

Options include a one year intense schedule, a two year schedule and a one semester course when you need the bare bones.

Hands-on or Hands-off High School Geography

After the younger years, some curriculum really lags in the junior high and high school years for hands-on ideas too. 

Mr. Awesome is the reason that I had to push myself outside of my comfortable teaching zone because he learns best by hands-on.

Homeschool High School Geography 1

So right away I printed our first lesson so that he could get started.  But also where possible, I will be including Tiny in this curriculum too. 

High School Geography Curriculum Resources

  • Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School
  • Homeschool Geography Go To Resources
  • Mega List of Workbook Style Homeschool Curriculum For K to 12 Kids
  • DIY Atlas – North Star Highschool Geography is Here!

It definitely can be used with multiple children though you may need to do some tweaking for your younger children or leave some parts out altogether.

Look at how North Star Geography is set up.

  • 16 Lessons total. Each lesson is about 10 –15 pages and then you decide which activities to include.
  • At least 3 hands-on activities to choose from for each lesson.  This doesn’t mean you have to do all 3 of them or any of them.   Lots of options here.
  • Note Taking Pages for those that like their geography a little less hands-on.  I love the fact they are not called worksheets, because taking notes is a vital skill needed in high school so it’s modeled here.
  • World Research Questions.  Again, research is the back bone of a well laid out high school program that uses higher critical thinking skills.  You can make the program as rigorous as you need.
  • Quizzes, Quiz Answers and Final Exam. Depending on how your teen learns best, you have plenty of choices or ways to review.  And especially if you are like me and are using this for high school credit, you will need to choose some of them.
  • Grading Rubric, glossary, graphic organizers, reference maps and outline maps.
  • Build an atlas.  I think this has to be the heart of the program and we are so excited about this feature.
  • Memorization Lists.  We have always enjoyed memorizing lists and the boys felt no different about the memorization lists in this curriculum.

More High School Geography Resources

Homeschool High School Geography Resources and Books

Geography for high school should still be fun and hands-on. It can take years to find the right resources. However, I’ve gathered up some of my favorite books and resources.

North Star Geography

North Star Geography covers basic geography skills (maps, navigation) as well as physical geography (topography, biosphere, structure of the earth) and human geography (environmental stewardship, agriculture, culture, heritage & more)—all from a Christian perspective. Each lesson in the Reader is approximately 10-15 pages and geared toward junior high-high school students, though it may be adapted for younger students; the text features full-color maps, illustrations, and interesting sidebars. Accompanying each lesson on the Companion Guide, hands-on project options, as well as an “atlas building” section where students label outline maps, are provided. Note-taking pages feature ten questions taken from the text that can be used for review or comprehension questions, as well as for a study guide for the exam

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Geography

Brenda Runkle’s World Physical Geography makes an often-boring topic come to life!

With our world seeming to shrink with each passing week, knowing about virtually all peoples and nations is more important than ever.

World Physical Geography

It focuses on physical geography, providing the basis for learning the fundamentals of geography. 

Geography Challenge

Challenges students to remember important facts and encourages them to enjoy themselves in the process.Deals with facts and principles related to the study of life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

Around the World in 180 Days, 2nd Edition (two-volume set)

Around the World in 180 Days is a geography and history program covering the history, geography, and culture of each continent. And yet this is not a textbook. It is a series of questions that the student must research in order to answer. Plenty of resources are suggested to help students conduct their research, and the teacher's edition provides all the answers. This revised and updated curriculum is written with a multilevel approach with study questions for students of all grade levels, making this a curriculum your whole family can do together! This two-volume set includes an illustrated teacher's edition and a student workbook.

Eat Your Way Around the World

Get out the sombrero for your Mexican fiesta! Chinese egg rolls! Corn pancakes from Venezuela! Fried plantains form Nigeria! All this and more is yours when you take your family on a whirlwind tour of over thirty countries in this unique international cookbook. Jam-packed with delicious dinners, divine drinks, and delectable desserts, this book is sure to please. 

Lifepac History & Geography & Geography 11th Grade

Student worktexts include daily instruction and review as well as ample opportunity for assessment of student performance using self tests and unit tests. To encourage individualized instruction, we have included a teacher's guide designed to help you guide your student's learning experience according to his specific interests and needs. This essential teaching resource includes teaching notes for each unit, a complete answer key, and information about additional resources and learning activities.

Trail Guide To World Geography *OP

If you would like a geography course that includes mapping activities, atlas usage, research, notebooking and culture with very little teacher preparation, look no further. The Trail Guide to World Geography is a week one, day one kind of teacher s manual with daily geography drills (answers included) and numerous weekly assignment choices. <P> Multi-level geography course for 36 week school year for elementary through high school. <P> Assign as much or as little as YOU decide.

Of course memorizing lists in our home is a competitive thing so they got to memorizing the first list from Lesson 1. 

Homeschool Geography Memorization Lists

Does anybody fight in your house over who is going to be the first one to call out the list?

Other Homeschool Geography Activities

  • First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography
  • 35 Hands-on Geography Activities to do in 15 Minutes or Less
homeschool higschool geography north star geography 2

And they started on the beginning touches of their atlases by designing their unique covers.

What do you think? Does it sound like a good fit so far for your crew?

 

15 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Hands-On Activities Tagged With: geography, high school, highschoolgeography, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

June 6, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

How to make paper mache mountains is a fun way to learn geography, learn about the Chimborazo mountains and South America. Also, I have this page Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas. Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

June 3rd is celebrated as Chimborazo Day by many in Ecuador.

Chimborazo is an ice-capped inactive mountain.

Any of the geography of South America holds a special place in my heart since we lived there for a few years.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

With an elevation less than that of Mount Everest, the Chimborazo of the Andes wins the award for being the highest point on earth because it’s the furthest point from earth’s center.

This is a great opportunity to learn about it and a few other famous mountain ranges around the world by learning how to make paper mache mountains. 

We are going to learn how to make paper mache mountains with a new medium, rather than flour and water that can mold easily.

Too, we are going to make our own mod podge mixture.

Facts about Chimborazo

  • The Chimborazo is a dormant volcano that erupted 1,400 years ago.
  • The word Chimborazo either means “women of snow” or “mountain of ice.”
  • Although it’s not a hard mountain to climb, the high altitude can make you sick.
  • It is 20,565 ft high and on the equatorial line. So, it makes it the closest point to the sun on planet Earth.
  • Alexander von Humboldt in 1802, traveled to modern day Ecuador to climb Mount Chimborazo.
  • In many dialects of Quichua or Quechua, “chimba” means “on the other side” as in “on the other side of the river” or “on the opposite bank.
  • It is a stratovolcano.
How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

More Facts about Mountains

  • Other famous mountains include The Matterhorn, Mount Fuji, Denali, Mont Blanc, Everest, and Mount Kilimanjaro.
  • The largest range of mountains is in the Atlantic Ocean known as The Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
  • Mountains cover roughly one-fifth of the earth’s land surface.
  • 75 percent of the world’s countries have mountains in them.

What Is A Mountain?

The dictionary defines a mountain as “a large natural elevation of the earth’s surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level.

Mountains are made from rocks and soil.

In addition, mountains must be higher than 1968.5 feet otherwise they are classified as a hill.

How Is A Mountain Formed?

All mountains are formed by the movement of tectonic plates in one of three ways:

  • Volcanic explosion
  • Tectonic faults 
  • Tectonic collision

When the boundaries between two tectonic plates move further apart, the result is described as a divergent boundary.

When two plates collide, the outcome is called a convergent boundary.

What Kinds Of Mountains Are There?

There are 5 different types of mountains.

  1. Fold Mountains
  2. Fault-block Mountains
  3. Dome Mountains
  4. Volcanic Mountains
  5. Plateau Mountains

Next look at some of these other resources about mountains.

Resources for Learning About Mountains and How to Make Paper Mache Mountains

  • Rocky Mountains Oregon Trail Fun Large Diorama Craft for Kids
  • 6 Unit Study Resources: Mountain Men – Explorers of the West
  • How Does the Power of Ice Shape Mountains
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America & Mountain Climate Zones Minibooks

Additionally, look at resources for learning about South America.

South America Activities

  • 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
  • Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
  • Free Machu Picchu Mini Book & Completed South America Lapbook
  • South America Unit Study– Colorful Free Printable Map
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • South America Unit Study resources

Then, add some vocabulary words.

Vocabulary Words About Mountains

Here is a small list of vocabulary words you may run into while studying mountains.

  • Mountain-Large natural elevation of the earth’s surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level.
  • Mountain Range-A mountain range is a series or chain of mountains that are close together.
  • Peak-The pointed top of a mountain.
  • Ridgeline-The topmost edge along a mountain ridge.
  • Valley-A low area of land between hills or mountains.
  • Elevation-Height above a given level, especially sea level.
How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

Finally, look how to make these fun paper mache mountains.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains

I bought foil, a roll of brown shipping paper, and masking tape a Dollar Tree with plenty of everything left over for future projects.

If you have a newspaper or other supplies already on hand you can use that and save a little more money.

This is a super messy project.

You will want to lay something down indoors like a plastic tablecloth or head outside for this one.

Also, keep a wet rag nearby for wiping little hands coated in the glue mixture.

You will need:

  • Craft paper or Newspaper 
  • School glue
  • Water
  • Masking tape
  • Aluminum foil
  • paint/paint brushes
How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

First, prepare your base by cutting a square of cardboard or using a foam science board to be a little larger than you would like the base of your mountain to be.

Ball up paper to form the bulk and the basic shape of your mountain on your baseboard”. Use masking tape to hold it all together and secure it down to the board. Continue stacking and adding until you have a good general size and shape.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

Cut or tear your paper into long 1” strips, but you can also just use random ragged shapes, it will all work out.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

In a medium bowl mix together 2 parts glue to 1 part water, combining well.

Paper Mache Mountain Craft

Toss in a couple of handfuls of paper and make sure they are all covered with the mixture.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

 Run each strip of paper through the glue mixture until well-saturated. Scrape off some of the excess using the side of the bowl.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

Begin layering your strips over the form you made, overlapping a bit. You can go in any direction, don’t smooth out every piece, you can crinkle some and bunch them up a bit to create ridgelines and dimensions. Be sure to add some to the base to create the texture of the land around the mountain.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

I like to cover everything with a layer or two of aluminum foil to smooth out some of the rough areas and hold everything together because it’s pliable. You can also use it to help form your shape. Remember that you don’t want everything perfect, you want it to appear rough and natural as it would in nature.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

With this kind of well-built-up base and this type of glue mixture, I find that 3 or 4 layers are often sufficient to create even and well-covered surfaces. It also seems to dry much quicker, especially if you put it out in the sun.

Allow it to dry completely.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

Paint your mountain as well as the flatland.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

Once dry you can add snowcaps, shadows, and any other details you want to the painted portion, dry again.

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

To add a little more interest and texture you can use glue.

You can use this technique to recreate Chimborazo or any other mountains you like!

How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolgeography, mountains, paper mache, south america

Free Physical Landform Vocabulary for an O Ring Fun Geography Activity

May 13, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I have free printable physical landform vocabulary words for a fun geography activity. Also, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Too, look at my Geography, Country Studies, and Timeline page.

Do you know your butte from your isthmus? Okay, couldn’t resist.

But you’ll love this hands-on geography activity for your kids.

I have a set of 10 pages of words to learn about physical geography.

Free Physical Landform Vocabulary for an O Ring Fun Geography Activity

Besides, teaching geography doesn’t have to be boring or be just about maps.

True, here is an easy way to remember what is a geographer.

Geo = earth, graph = to write or draw, and er = one who.

So, while a geographer is one who writes about or draws maps, geography entails so much more.

Why Use Hands-on Geography

Learning by doing is the best way to learn because what you do sticks.

Reading is a good way to learn but hands-on activities help your child to remember what he is learning.

In addition, there are many ways to learn about geography hands-on.

For example, salt dough maps are not only fun, but children can touch and feel landforms while they’re creating them.

Also, geography entails learning about not just the physical parts like mountain ranges and water systems but it’s about the flora and fauna that make their home in places.

Too, you want to learn about the people and the culture.

Children can appreciate the culture of a country when they study the dress, the food, and even the music and musical instruments of each country.

Free Physical Landform Vocabulary for an O Ring Fun Geography Activity

Too, look at some of these geography resources.

Homeschool High School Geography Resources and Books

Geography for high school should still be fun and hands-on. It can take years to find the right resources. However, I’ve gathered up some of my favorite books and resources.

North Star Geography

North Star Geography covers basic geography skills (maps, navigation) as well as physical geography (topography, biosphere, structure of the earth) and human geography (environmental stewardship, agriculture, culture, heritage & more)—all from a Christian perspective. Each lesson in the Reader is approximately 10-15 pages and geared toward junior high-high school students, though it may be adapted for younger students; the text features full-color maps, illustrations, and interesting sidebars. Accompanying each lesson on the Companion Guide, hands-on project options, as well as an “atlas building” section where students label outline maps, are provided. Note-taking pages feature ten questions taken from the text that can be used for review or comprehension questions, as well as for a study guide for the exam

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Geography

Brenda Runkle’s World Physical Geography makes an often-boring topic come to life!

With our world seeming to shrink with each passing week, knowing about virtually all peoples and nations is more important than ever.

World Physical Geography

It focuses on physical geography, providing the basis for learning the fundamentals of geography. 

Geography Challenge

Challenges students to remember important facts and encourages them to enjoy themselves in the process.Deals with facts and principles related to the study of life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

Around the World in 180 Days, 2nd Edition (two-volume set)

Around the World in 180 Days is a geography and history program covering the history, geography, and culture of each continent. And yet this is not a textbook. It is a series of questions that the student must research in order to answer. Plenty of resources are suggested to help students conduct their research, and the teacher's edition provides all the answers. This revised and updated curriculum is written with a multilevel approach with study questions for students of all grade levels, making this a curriculum your whole family can do together! This two-volume set includes an illustrated teacher's edition and a student workbook.

Eat Your Way Around the World

Get out the sombrero for your Mexican fiesta! Chinese egg rolls! Corn pancakes from Venezuela! Fried plantains form Nigeria! All this and more is yours when you take your family on a whirlwind tour of over thirty countries in this unique international cookbook. Jam-packed with delicious dinners, divine drinks, and delectable desserts, this book is sure to please. 

Lifepac History & Geography & Geography 11th Grade

Student worktexts include daily instruction and review as well as ample opportunity for assessment of student performance using self tests and unit tests. To encourage individualized instruction, we have included a teacher's guide designed to help you guide your student's learning experience according to his specific interests and needs. This essential teaching resource includes teaching notes for each unit, a complete answer key, and information about additional resources and learning activities.

Trail Guide To World Geography *OP

If you would like a geography course that includes mapping activities, atlas usage, research, notebooking and culture with very little teacher preparation, look no further. The Trail Guide to World Geography is a week one, day one kind of teacher s manual with daily geography drills (answers included) and numerous weekly assignment choices. <P> Multi-level geography course for 36 week school year for elementary through high school. <P> Assign as much or as little as YOU decide.

How to Use the O Ring Geography Vocabulary

Next, after you download the free vocabulary words you can use them in many ways.

First, you will want to put them on an O ring.

After you print, fold them in half.

On the front you will see the word and, on the back, will be the definition.

Then laminate them.

After you laminate them, punch hole, and put them on an O ring.

They are easily stored, or you can take them on the go for learning.

In addition, they make a fun hands-on tool which fosters independence.

A child can pick them up and learn with any subject.

Free Physical Landform Vocabulary for an O Ring Fun Geography Activity

Similarly, look at more hands-on geography activities for multiple ages.

Geography Activity Hands On

  • 3 Reasons Hands-on Geography is Important in Middle and High School Homeschool
  • First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography
  • 11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)
  • Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School
  • Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study
  • Hands-on Geography Wool Earth Craft to Celebrate Earth Day
  • The Benefits Of Using Games That Teach Geography | Review Of Scrambled States
  • 18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids
  • STEM and Geography: How to Build an Ancient Viking Ship
  • Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • 100 BEST Books for Kids from all 50 States (Easy Geography)
  • 5 Ways to Raise a Natural Geography Lover Easily
  • Hands-On Geography Activity: Make a Pangaea Puzzle
  • Hands-On Geography: Australia Awesome and Deadly Animal Art
  • Hands-on Geography: Longitude/Latitude Mapmaking Activity
  • 35 Hands-on Geography Activities to do in 15 Minutes or Less
  • 5 Steps to Choosing Geography Living Books Your Children Will Love
  • John Muir Spring Unit Study (and Hands-on Geography Ideas)
Free Physical Landform Vocabulary for an O Ring Fun Geography Activity

How to Get the Free 10 Page Physical Landforms Geography Vocabulary

Now, how to grab the free geography vocabulary printable. This is a subscriber freebie.

 1) Sign up on my list.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic} Tagged With: geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography

9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

May 10, 2023 | 9 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 9 South America country reports for kids. Too, look at my page Geography, Country Studies & Timelines and lapbook ideas.

I want to share the country reports that I have finished for our geography notebooks.

9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

We did not include these because we worked on our salt dough map, but I wanted to go ahead and do them so we had them.

Next year, I am thinking about putting together a Geography Notebook.

9 South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

I have 9 of the countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chili, Ecuador, Paraguay, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.

9 South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

Here is how the form looks below and you can download the ones from this new set below too.

9 South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

Remember I already did Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela with Set 2.

If you didn’t grab those, the link is below if you want to check out the other two sets.

9 South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

I have all my geography country reports on my page Geography, Country Studies & Timelines.

Also, add more unit study resources.

More Unit Study Resources

  • Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
  • Free Machu Picchu Mini Book & Completed Lapbook
  • 6 Country Notebooking Pages
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America & Mountain Climate Zones Minibooks
  • South America Unit Study– Colorful Free Printable Map
  • Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • South America Unit Study resources
9 South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages

In addition, you may love some of these books which we liked.

13 Resources for a Study of South America

Add some of these fun books and resources to your study of South America.

South America (Rookie Read-About Geography: Continents)

An incredible variety of climates and biomes span the territory of South America. As a result, the continent contains some of the greatest biodiversity on Earth.

Rookie Read-About: Continents series gives the youngest reader (Ages 3-6) an introduction to the components that make each continent distinctive and exceptional. Readers will get to know each continents' geography, history, and wildlife. In this book readers learn about the continent of South America, including the geography, native animals, people and more.

Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas!: With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids (Explore Your World)

A full-color, compelling book for ages 7 to 10 offers a deep dive into the three sophisticated ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica―the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas― through hands-on STEAM projects, essential questions, and loads of fascinating facts!

Why were there more than 3,000 steps built at Machu Picchu? Why did the Aztecs roam Mexico for nearly 200 years before finding a place to settle? How did the Maya study the movements of the stars and the planets? Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas! With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids takes kids ages 7 to 10 on a guided tour to experience the history, culture, economics, and daily life of the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas.

Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

A man, his burros, and his books bring joy to children in remote Colombian villages in this inspiring book based on a true story by celebrated picture book creator Jeanette Winter.Luis loves to read, but soon his house in Colombia is so full of books there’s barely room for the family. What to do? Then he comes up with the perfect solution—a traveling library! He buys two donkeys—Alfa and Beto—and travels with them throughout the land, bringing books and reading to the children in faraway villages.

Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

An Incan boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his ancestors. 

My Mama's Little Ranch on the Pampas

In the sequel to On the Pampas, the author recalls her first year on the small Argentinian ranch purchased and managed by her mother, in an account that includes a visual dictionary of the Spanish words and geographical terms used in the text.

Tales from Silver Lands

Atmospheric woodcuts illustrate this Newbery Award–winning collection of 19 South American folktales. Charles J. Finger heard the tales firsthand from native storytellers, whose fables of talking animals, witches, giants, and ordinary people in supernatural settings provide remarkable insights into regional values and culture. The first of the stories, "A Tale of Three Tails," tells of an age when the rat had a tail like a horse, the rabbit had a tail like a cat, and the deer's tail was plumed like the tail of a dog. "The Magic Dog" recounts an act of kindness to a stray animal that helps overcome a witch's curse. In "The Calabash Man," the creatures of the jungle assist a suitor in winning his bride, and in "El Enano," a greedy troll's insatiable appetite leads to his downfall. Packed with adventure and full of surprises, these and other stories emphasize the importance of hard work, courage, and loyalty.

Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

In 1911, Hiram Bingham III climbed into the Andes Mountains of Peru and “discovered” Machu Picchu. While history has recast Bingham as a villain who stole both priceless artifacts and credit for finding the great archeological site, Mark Adams set out to retrace the explorer’s perilous path in search of the truth—except he’d written about adventure far more than he’d actually lived it. In fact, he’d never even slept in a tent.

Journey to the River Sea

With the memorable characters and plot twists she brings to her best-selling fantasies, acclaimed author Eva Ibbotson has written a hair-raising novel, set in turn-of-the-last-century Brazil.Accompanied by Miss Minton, a fierce-looking, no-nonsense governess, Maia, a young orphan, sets off for the wilderness of the Amazon, expecting curtains of orchids, brightly colored macaws, and a loving family. But what she finds is an evil-tempered aunt and uncle and their spoiled daughters. It is only when she is swept up in a mystery involving a young Indian boy, a homesick child actor, and a missing inheritance that Maia lands in the middle of the Amazon adventure she's dreamed of. Readers of every generation will treasure Ibbotson's lush historical adventure that harkens back to the beloved classics of Frances Hodgson Burnett and Louisa May Alco

This Place Is Wet

Can you imagine living in a place where there is so much water some houses need to be built on stilts to protect them when the river rises? Or where it is so wet that some plants can grow on the sides of trees with their roots gathering water from the air? In This Place Is Wet, you'll find out all sorts of things about what it's like to live in the rain forest of Brazil. Try to imagine living there!

Bolivar: American Liberator

It is astonishing that Simón Bolívar, the great Liberator of South America, is not better known in the United States. He freed six countries from Spanish rule, traveled more than 75,000 miles on horseback to do so, and became the greatest figure in Latin American history. His life is epic, heroic, straight out of Hollywood: he fought battle after battle in punishing terrain, forged uncertain coalitions of competing forces and races, lost his beautiful wife soon after they married and never remarried (although he did have a succession of mistresses, including one who held up the revolution and another who saved his life), and he died relatively young, uncertain whether his
achievements would endure.

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book: Coloring Pages of Ancient Mexico Civilizations for Adults and Teens

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book – Fun And Education For Adults and TeensMake the perfect gift for anyone who loves coloring! Enjoy this Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book for Adults and Teens. Click the cover to reveal what’s inside!About this book:

  • 40 original pages drawings of Symbols, Warriors, Masks and Mandalas.

The Inca Empire (A True Book: Ancient Civilizations) (A True Book (Relaunch))

Explore the Inca empire, including how the Incas survived in the mountains, how the empire was built, and why it disappeared.

A True Book: Ancient Civilizations series allows readers to experience what makes each ancient civilization distinctive and exceptional as well look at its influence on the some of the practices of the modern world. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study.

How to Get the Free 9 Country Reports

Now, how to grab the free country reports. This is a subscriber freebie.

 1) Sign up on my list.
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3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

9 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Geography Based, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: amazon rain forest, geography, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolgeography, notebooking, south america

Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

April 18, 2023 | 5 Comments
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If you’re looking for some simple and fun homeschool geography ideas for high school, I have a few resources.Too, I have more tips How to Homeschool High School. Also, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

My summer or these past few months anyway reminds me of a quote: ” Life’s up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals. . ..”

Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

Well, I have had all kinds of windows over here and more than I would like during any one time.

Too, Mr. Awesome is a different type of learner than Mr. Senior 2013. He is okay with geography but doesn’t want anything over the top exhaustive.

And nothing gets me more excited than to get into a geography groove.

I have been mulling over several options this year.

One book that we been using has been a life saver for us over the last few weeks.

Fun Homeschool Geography

You know I’m not a huge text book fan, but when I find a good one and it is geared toward an older child, I like to share.

Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

It is by McDougal Littell and it is called World Cultures and Geography.

I like it because it has a hodgepodge of things in it. Some of the features are analyzing primary sources, fun facts and a history makers section.

Of course like most text books, it has only bits and pieces of those things and it is not real expansive, but that is all we want. So it serves as a nice reference book for us. I am hoping to share some pictures of the inside too.

Mr. Awesome has been using it for a history makers unit we have be doing. I will share that next week.

Runkle Geography Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

Then of course you know how much I love Runkle Geography and it will be a mainstay for our journey in geography through all the years

Simple Homeschool Geography

Updated: We ended up using Runkle Geography and absolutely loved it. 

In addition, we used North Star Geography as another fun and simple geography resource.

I would like to add one more hands-on or interactive resource so I have been eyeballing Geography Challenge.

Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

Mr. Awesome, unlike Mr. Senior 2013 has a low tolerance for bookish work.

Sure, the kid is obedient but I am not trying to run an obedience school. I want a kid that loves it and I save bookish work for his essays.

Homeschool High School Geography Resources and Books

Geography for high school should still be fun and hands-on. It can take years to find the right resources. However, I’ve gathered up some of my favorite books and resources.

North Star Geography

North Star Geography covers basic geography skills (maps, navigation) as well as physical geography (topography, biosphere, structure of the earth) and human geography (environmental stewardship, agriculture, culture, heritage & more)—all from a Christian perspective. Each lesson in the Reader is approximately 10-15 pages and geared toward junior high-high school students, though it may be adapted for younger students; the text features full-color maps, illustrations, and interesting sidebars. Accompanying each lesson on the Companion Guide, hands-on project options, as well as an “atlas building” section where students label outline maps, are provided. Note-taking pages feature ten questions taken from the text that can be used for review or comprehension questions, as well as for a study guide for the exam

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Geography

Brenda Runkle’s World Physical Geography makes an often-boring topic come to life!

With our world seeming to shrink with each passing week, knowing about virtually all peoples and nations is more important than ever.

World Physical Geography

It focuses on physical geography, providing the basis for learning the fundamentals of geography. 

Geography Challenge

Challenges students to remember important facts and encourages them to enjoy themselves in the process.Deals with facts and principles related to the study of life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

Around the World in 180 Days, 2nd Edition (two-volume set)

Around the World in 180 Days is a geography and history program covering the history, geography, and culture of each continent. And yet this is not a textbook. It is a series of questions that the student must research in order to answer. Plenty of resources are suggested to help students conduct their research, and the teacher's edition provides all the answers. This revised and updated curriculum is written with a multilevel approach with study questions for students of all grade levels, making this a curriculum your whole family can do together! This two-volume set includes an illustrated teacher's edition and a student workbook.

Eat Your Way Around the World

Get out the sombrero for your Mexican fiesta! Chinese egg rolls! Corn pancakes from Venezuela! Fried plantains form Nigeria! All this and more is yours when you take your family on a whirlwind tour of over thirty countries in this unique international cookbook. Jam-packed with delicious dinners, divine drinks, and delectable desserts, this book is sure to please. 

Lifepac History & Geography & Geography 11th Grade

Student worktexts include daily instruction and review as well as ample opportunity for assessment of student performance using self tests and unit tests. To encourage individualized instruction, we have included a teacher's guide designed to help you guide your student's learning experience according to his specific interests and needs. This essential teaching resource includes teaching notes for each unit, a complete answer key, and information about additional resources and learning activities.

Trail Guide To World Geography *OP

If you would like a geography course that includes mapping activities, atlas usage, research, notebooking and culture with very little teacher preparation, look no further. The Trail Guide to World Geography is a week one, day one kind of teacher s manual with daily geography drills (answers included) and numerous weekly assignment choices. <P> Multi-level geography course for 36 week school year for elementary through high school. <P> Assign as much or as little as YOU decide.

And, because I have always been determined to feed him through his mode of hands on and creative,  learning geography through a game may make a good fit this year. 

Of course, this means I would be the one having to play it with him. But I do see that this could benefit Tiny too as he could have access to the questions which are the answers.

Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

More Geography Resources

  • Homeschool Geography Go To Resources
  • Homemade Compass. Simple Geography Projects Equals Huge Wow Factors
  • Homeschool High School World Geography Program
  • First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography
  • 35 Hands-on Geography Activities to do in 15 Minutes or Less
  • DIY Atlas – North Star Highschool Geography
  • 5 Steps to Choosing Geography Living Books Your Children Will Love
  • How to Find A Well Laid Out Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum
  • Homeschool Geography Go To Resources
  • Mega List of Workbook Style Homeschool Curriculum For K to 12 Kids
  • DIY Atlas – North Star Highschool Geography is Here!
  • Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

Here is the review on Amazon about it:

The format of Geography Challenge! is similar to that of a popular game show. A student is given the answer and is asked to provide the question. Games are organized by geographic region of the world. Five levels of difficulty answer key included. Grade Level: 9th – 12th Author:

I like Around the World in 180 days too but it uses more of a notebook and research format, but I don’t think I am looking for that this year.

180 days Simple and Fun Homeschool Geography Ideas for High School

Did you pull the trigger on something already or are you like me taking your time on finding a geography resource this year?

5 CommentsFiled Under: Geography Tagged With: geography, high school, highschoolgeography, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography

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