Homeschool Geography

Homeschool geography is so all encompassing that it is easy to incorporate it into other subjects. Geography can also be taught as separate subject. Both approaches can be useful.

Geography is more than the study of maps. Physical geography deals with the earth in space, climate zones, time zones and maps. Human geography deals with ethnicity, language, religion, culture, and government.

Why Is Geography Important?

Geography is important to learn. Everyone needs to learn how to read maps so that we can find our way.

It is also important to learn about people that live in different lands. One reason is because we live in such a global society today. Another reason is so that we can pray for missionaries and people in different lands.

Items you will need to Homeschool Geography

A globe is good for seeing the whole world. It is also good for seeing the relationships between the continents and the oceans.

It is useful to have a current world map. The best world map is one that has the Western Hemisphere on the left. If North America is on the west then Asia is shown as one continent.

Having a map of the United States is also useful.

I also like to have a state map so that we can trace places that we go to.

I like to use outline maps to help me teach geography. I have my children label different items on the map. We have made both political maps and physical maps.

We do have an atlas but do not use it much. My children and I prefer to use an encyclopedia. We do use a Biblical atlas when we are studying ancient history.

Almanacs have a lot of facts about different countries of the world. You child can find information about the people, government, geography, flag, languages, and economy of a place.

Besides an almanac I like the book Operation World. Operation World has a lot of the same information as an almanac. It also outlines the spiritual needs so that we can pray for the world.

Teaching Geography

Sometime during your homeschooling it is good to teach geography as a separate subject. You child will need to know the basic terminology. You can give your child an overview of the world's people, climate, and physical phenomena.

Another way to homeschool geography is to incorporate it into each subject.

When you read books for language arts you can have your child locate where the story took place. If the place is fictional have your children draw a map of the place. Another idea is to locate where the author is from.

Maps and history just seem to go together. Trace the migration of people. Talk about the language, religion, and culture of the place that you are studying in history. Another idea is to compare historical maps to contemporary maps to see what changes have accrued.

For math measure the distance on maps. Also compare charts and graphs.

When you are studying rock formations, earthquakes and volcanoes you can have your child locate them on a map. When you are teaching life science you can have your child make habitat maps.

Fun was to homeschool Geography

A fun activity is to make a 3D map with salt clay. We have made on of Washington State. Shape the clay into the shape of the state adding valleys and mountains. After the clay dries paint the land green and the water blue.

Some people like to go geo-caching or letterboxing. Both use navigation to find and item. To do geo-caching you need a GPS.

With the world becoming more and more a global place our children need a good understanding of world that we live in. That is why homeschool geography is important.