Catastrophic Events and Geography

Understanding the Earth

Our Place in the Universe

The Amazing Planet

What makes up the Earth?

Periodic Table of Elements

Earth Model Activities:

• The Earth USGS.gov Worksheet
• Edible Earth

Volcanoes

The video I was trying to find and share is National Geographic's Amazing Planet: Volcanos and Earthquakes.  Try to find it on YouTube.

• National Geographic Volcanoes 101
• Pompeii
• Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Current Conditions
• Mount Saint Helens

• Yellowstone Caldera
• How the Earth was Made Yellowstone (History.com Lesson Plan with links to online Field Trips links goes along with a History.com Video available on YouTube)
• When Yellowstone Explodes (Under Yellowstone -- National Geographic
• Yellowstone National Park (Park Service Videos -- There are Webcams to check out on the site too)

Types of Rocks

• Rock Stories USGS Lesson Plan
• Rock Hound Kids

Earthquakes

• Rock n' on Shakey Ground
• National Geographic Earthquake

Caring for those experiencing a catastrophic Events

We will be collecting some money for the class to purchase something from Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog.

Caring for others when they experience difficulties is "because we'd like them to care for us and we love Jesus."  There are many ways different church and parachurch organizations help individuals displaced by different catastrophic events.  Learning about our world and all the peoples that live on this amazing planet creates a caring curiosity, and hopefully opportunities to share the love we have in and through Christ.  

Australia

Oceania

Australia

• Continent
• Island
• Colonization
• Colony
• Settlement

Please watch the videos with your children to discuss issues that may be controversial (Settlement Day vs. Invasion Day)
• Indigenous

Australian Foods

• Vegemite
• TimTam -- you can find these at the Wal-Mart on Merchants Green

Australian Animals

• Perth Zoo
• Australian Museum
• Native Animal Fact Sheets from NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
• Australian Animals List from Trishan's Oz

 Assignments

• Look up favorite nursery rhymes and children's songs in Australia.  Learn about one to share with the class
• Learn about accents -- listen to different accents and dialects.  Do you have an accent?  How do accents relate to culture?  

The British Isles Continued

London

Mrs. Vera Miller visited our class and gave us a taste of England plus a bit of British culture.  She shared about sites around London including:

• Trafalgar Square

Do you remember what Mrs. Miller said about the birds?  What have they done to the statues?  Can you still feed the birds?

• Buckingham Palace
• Victoria and Albert Museum -- The Three Graces
• Union Jack
• 10 Downing Street
• Parliament

• Times for Tea in England

• Differences in Manners

How does the Queen take her tea?  Milk first or after tea is poured?


Check out this video about what kids think you should see while in London.

Scotland

This week we had another special guest, Cade Norris, who shared about the history of Scotland and some interesting facts about his family research.  He came dressed in a kilt and brought a Viking Shield, a broadsword, and a Roman Gladius.  We talked about:

• trade
• Vikings
• Romans
• Clans (our definition -- family of families)
• Seafarers
• Explorers (note the video at the beginning of this link is PG-13)
• Leif Erikson
• Erik the Red
• Olaf the Black
• Sagas (Viking Sagas from BBC Audio)
• Norse Mythology (Story Nory Norse Myths Archives -- Audios)
• Hadrian's Wall

Isle of Man -- this was mentioned to me after class.  Check it out.



Next week we'll continue our exploration of the world, sticking with the UK and Commonwealth Realm by studying Australia.  Make sure to find a fact about Australia to share with the class.

This is a grand adventure and it has been such fun to learn with you!

The British Isles

Maybe you can practice the up and down listening for the B's.  Mrs. Fran got pretty mixed up!

Where is my Bonnie? -- difference between an ocean and sea  Indiana Public Media

Oceans for Kids -- Ducksters

World Continents and Oceans Online Learning Games

Geography

• The Difference between UK, Britain, and the British Isles
• Physical and Human Geography of the British Isles
• Britain is GREAT

Vocabulary

• Archipelago  -- Remember, where do pelicans go????  They hang around islands.
• Island
• Boundary
• Border

Class Review

We talked about some interesting things about the British Isles.  

• accents
• terminology
• music
• musicians (The British Invasion)
• flags and symbols of the regions
• food
• explorers
• authors/literature

Assignment

• Learn the Oceans and Seas of the Earth
• Continue to learn the continents -- can you spell them?  Can you identify them on your map
• Color in the country pages or review the country pages in the books I handed out today.  
• Be ready for our guest speaker (be ready to listen and please be on time) -- she is loads of fun! 

 

First Day of Class

Cultural Geography

We began class by introducing ourselves and sharing if we are Native Tennesseans or were from another state.  Students were asked if they knew about their family history (parents and grandparents from  TN, etc).  We'll be exploring family history throughout the class.  

Vocabulary

• Culture
• Geography (Study Guide for Five Themes of Geography)
• Migration [this is a resource for grades 3-5 which covers types of human migration (Additional Resource -- Migration: The Human Journey National Geographic)]
• Immigration
• Native
• Indigenous
• Compass Rose (Map It Out 2nd Grade Book -- good basic information even though 2nd Grade -- not too simplistic)
• Continents and Oceans --  (Disney Nature Oceans Curriculum -- too good not to share)

• Cartographer (The British Cartographic Society Junior Mapmakers)
• Family History (The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide -for parents) Family Tree National Park Service Worksheets 

• British Isles

Class Discussion

Migration

• Bible -- 

Refugees in the Bible by IAFR

• History -- 

1. America on the Move; 
2. Trail of Tears 
3. Cherokee

• Today -- 

Syrian Refugee Crisis

• Mercy Corps
• Samaritan's Purse

Refugees Around the World

• UNHRC
• IMB SBC

Assignments

1. Find and bring in an interesting fact or story about the British Isles.  Could be anything from a word (chips, crisps, petrol)(British English vs. American English); an author; a bit of history; or something else you think is interesting and would like to share with the class.
2. Learn the Continents and about the Compass Rose.  
3. Start thinking about bringing in a family artifact or family recipe to share with the class.