Category Archives: Geography Explorations
Ethiopia and Prester John
We were studying Ethiopia last week and decided to take a little side trip to Prester John. Prester John was a mythical Christian monarch known to Europeans in the Middle Ages. The legend said that somewhere in the mysterious east … Continue reading
Geography On A Trading Card
You can use these printable trading cars as a tool to teaching kids where countries are in the world and a few facts about them. It will give athletic or sports-crazy kids a peg on which to hang their knowledge … Continue reading
Balkan Peninsula Map
The Balkans are a geographic area of southeast Europe lying between Italy and Turkey. The area is named for the Balkan mountain range in Bulgaria and Serbia. The entire region is very hilly and mountainous and is a peninsula, surrounded … Continue reading
Germany
Color a map of Germany. Trace the rivers, label the cities, write in the seas, and don’t forget the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps. The Saar River of Germany Also remember to find Germany on a world map or … Continue reading
Nesting Cans
Teaching the concept of your city is in your state…is in your country…is in your continent…is in the world can be such a tough topic for youngsters. My kids still get mixed up on cities, states, and countries sometimes. Mandy … Continue reading
Worldview
If you were an ancient Greek you thought the world looked like this: This is a view of the world first drawn by Ptolemy in about 150 AD. Europeans were using this map of the world with few variations until … Continue reading
The North Pole May Not Be As Far Away As You Thought
For a fun twist on geography, instead of learning all about one place in the world, pick a theme and see how many places in the world have names around your theme. Since it’s Christmas time, right now you could search for places named, North … Continue reading
Made In . . . Trade Around the World
Once you get all those Christmas gifts try this geography lesson. Print out a map, use a globe, or use a wall map of the world. See where each thing you and your family members received for Christmas was made. … Continue reading
Rain on the Plain
Grasslands can have extreme weather from icy, windy, cold, winters to blazing hot, dusty, summers. They can have torrential downpours of rain and they can have droughts that last for months or even decades, threatening all life. Make a weather … Continue reading
Using Food To Teach Geography
When we learn about a country as a family, we almost always cook food from that country. The food a people eats tells you a lot about them and is central to culture. Think about it, how important is food … Continue reading
Landforms Memory Game
Landforms are features of the Earth itself: rock, soil, sand, water, and the shapes they make. Waterfalls, canyons, fjords, peninsulas, sand dunes, and streams plus many more are all landforms. The science of the shape of Earth’s features can get … Continue reading
South Carolina State Study
Print out this map of South Carolina and using a student atlas label the major cities and natural features of the state. While you’re kids are working tell them something of the history of South Carolina. South Carolina was inhabited … Continue reading
Florida State Study
Florida was the last settled of the eastern states. Its settlement and pioneer period was actually contemporary with the states of the west. The peninsula was controlled by the Spanish, though the French and the British both tried to control … Continue reading
Desert Landscape Pop-up Card
Make a card that pops up into a desert landscape when you open it. Begin with a piece of card stock or construction paper. Fold the paper in half and cut two sets of slits into the paper on the … Continue reading
Japan’s Mountains
There was a time when I believed in order to educate children I had to touch on everything. . . all the facets of every subject. What if I missed something? What if there were holes in their education? The … Continue reading
Georgia State Study
Georgia has been home to many people, the Mississippian culture mound builders being the most advanced and prolific pre-Columbian people we know of. They were succeeded by the Cherokee, Creek, and Yamasee peoples who were descended in part at least form the Mississippian culture. The first European settlements in the area were short … Continue reading
Idaho Potato Gems: The Recipe
At Layers of Learning we’re in the midst of a 50 states contest for the best cookie in America, proudly representing IDAHO. After much trial and error and multiple taste tests, performed by my most willing sons, we have perfected the Idaho Potato Gems, which do indeed … Continue reading
Ocean in a Bottle
Studying the ocean with kids is awesome because there is so much to explore. There’s also a lot we don’t know about the ocean; use those things to spark great discussions and creative thinking. This is a simple experiment that … Continue reading
Alabama State Study
Also known as the Heart of Dixie, the name Alabama, comes from the name of the Alabama tribe, which people are written of from the earliest Spanish explorations of Hernando de Soto on down to the French colonizers of the territory. The French founded the … Continue reading
David Thompson: Cartographer
David Thompson was a Canadian explorer, surveyor, and map maker of the early 1800′s. He is known as the greatest land geographer who ever lived. The natives of the North American continent knew him as Koo-Koo-Sint, “Star-Gazer”. Born in England in 1770, he was poor and … Continue reading
Africa in Cookie Dough
Here’s a fun activity to make a continent study fun. Mix up some sugar dough and let it cool for the customary 3 hours in the fridge. Have it ready for your activity time. Get out a map of Africa … Continue reading
Food World Tour
Years ago we my family hosted 2 foreign exchange students from Japan and one of the first things they asked about was if they could try American candy. They brought Japanese candy for us to try too. Food is very, … Continue reading
Senufo Cloth Paintings
The Senufo people of West Africa’s Ivory Coast are renowned for their cloth paintings. They believe their artwork has special meaning and helps protect them in their daily lives. Design motifs usually include birds, snakes, fish, frogs, crocodiles, and … Continue reading
Edible Maps
We make a lot of maps during our history and geography studies. A lot. Maps are very revealing. They tell stories about what was happening in history at the time. Just recently I was telling my kids about my junior … Continue reading
Tennessee State Study
Tennessee was inhabited early by the Muscogee and Yuchi people. For unknown reasons many of these people moved or died out soon after their first contact with Europeans. They were replaced by the Cherokee who expanded into Tennessee from the … Continue reading
Indiana State Study
Indiana was the center of the Adena culture and the later Hopewell people, two highly organized and advanced groups of people who lived before the modern tribes that the Europeans found inhabiting the North American continent. When the Europeans did arrive it was … Continue reading
Idaho Tree Distribution
Ponderosa Pine Certain trees grow in certain places for very good reasons. Try making a species distribution map for Idaho. We’ll choose six common species. There are of course many more, but the map gets complicated enough with just six. … Continue reading
Michigan State Study
The Algonquin were the inhabitants of the state of Michigan before Europeans arrived. the French were the first to explore and make contact with the tribes in this area. The Indians traded furs for beads and metal tools to the satisfaction of everyone. The French Catholic missionaries followed … Continue reading
Louisiana State Study
Louisiana was of course part of the Louisiana Purchase, named after King Louis XIV of France, in whose name the territory had been claimed. Because of it’s unique position at the outlet of the Mississippi River, Louisiana attracted a more diverse population than … Continue reading
Latitude and Longitude
Created to aid in navigation, particularly at sea, latitude and longitude are basic bits of knowledge that kids should pick up at some point in their schooling. They can also be boring little bits. Here are a few fun ideas to … Continue reading
South Korea For Kids
Teaching about countries in the world can be very simple and easy, requiring little preparation. For south Korea start by finding a map to color and the flag to color. Then use a student atlas to fill in the rivers, mountains, … Continue reading
Desert Adventure Map
Here’s an activity to do when you’re learning about deserts. First start by talking about what a desert is, where they are located and some of the things you might find in a desert. This would be great time to read a book about … Continue reading
Arkansas State Study
As you learn about this state try some of the food, read a story that takes place here, read about some wacky facts, color a map, learn more about the Indian Tribes in the area, and add a little fun … Continue reading
John Harrison and the Greatest Contest Ever
John Harrison The greatest problem of the eighteenth century was the problem of longitude. European countries were busy making their fortunes through trade and the forefront of this great commercial enterprise was Britain. Britain had the greatest navy in the world and the most far flung and profitable colonies … Continue reading
Coastal Formations
Blue Grotto, Capri, Italy Coasts are defined by the action of the sea upon them more than anything else. Coastal formations like sea stacks, arches, beaches, sea caves, stumps, and blowholes, are formed through the repeated pounding of the sea on a rocky coast. … Continue reading
Igloo Exploration
When I was a kid we had one particular winter I remember that had record snowfalls. We spent oodles of time sledding on a giant hill in our neighborhood, building snowmen, and making snow angels. We even made a huge … Continue reading
Christmas Island
Christmas Island is a territory of Australia and lies over 1000 miles northwest of Perth, Australia. It has a small population of around 1400 people. Most of the island is still in a state of pristine nature, including the Christmas Island Nature Preserve, which takes up most of the island. … Continue reading
Christmas Traditions Around the World
Get a map of the world and help your kids find a nation which celebrates Christmas. Next do a little research about the Christmas traditions in that country. Finally do a project or make a recipe for one of those … Continue reading
Missouri State Study
Missouri was a part of the Louisiana purchase and it’s position along the Mississippi river made it important early on. Settlers began to pour in from the east and very early on they had to pick sides for or against … Continue reading
Where I Live In The Solar System
Young kids can have a hard time understanding multiple layers of location. Make a nesting book to show where you live. The book will have six pages and a cover. Each page will be progressively larger than the last so that the … Continue reading
Iowa State Study
Spain claimed all of the western part of North America in the early 1600′s but only explored it in part and never settled most of it. In 1800 Spain sold much of the north American territory to France with the understanding that France would … Continue reading
Travel Brochure
Travel brochures are a great way for kids to record information about neat places around the world. With the internet it’s really easy to find travel information, but it’s still more fun to go find a travel agency. They have … Continue reading
Micronesian Economic Development
Most people in Micronesia are family farmers or fishermen. There are very few large businesses, few natural resources, and only a small amount of tourism. The government and people of Micronesia rely heavily on charity funds from the United States to operate. … Continue reading
Haunted America
Take a break from your state studies and find these places on a map or in an Atlas of the US: Waverly Hills Sanatorium Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Jefferson County, Kentucky US Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio Devil’s Promenade, Hornet, Missouri Winchester … Continue reading
Minnesota State Study
The known history of Minnesota begins with the Hopewell people (there were earlier people, but we know nothing of them). Next we move into the middle ages and the Mississippian culture influence over the area. The Dakota tribes who next inhabited Minnesota may be … Continue reading
Kentucky State Study
Kentucky, unlike most of the rest of the North American continent was uninhabited by any tribes when white settlers began to explore and settle there. The region was used as a hunting ground by several tribes including the Iroquois, the Shawnee, and the Cherokee. It … Continue reading
New Mexico State Study
The Spaniard, Coronado, traveled through New Mexico in about 1540 searching for the fabled city of gold, Cibola. He didn’t find gold, but he did find many pueblo villages. Many of them were ancient abandoned cities and many were still inhabited by the Pueblo … Continue reading
Wayang Puppets
Wayang puppets come from Bali and Java in southeast Asia. They’ve been around as a form of art and entertainment for thousands of years and they’re still vying with TV for entertainment value. The puppets are shadow puppets, silhouettes on a … Continue reading
Oklahoma State Study
Oklahoma began as the tribal land of the Osage and Quapaw people. Well, that’s not really who lived there first of course, but those are the people who were there when the Spanish first explored the land in 1541 with … Continue reading
Nebraska State Study
The French were the first Europeans to explore and claim Nebraska, naming it Louisiana after the contemporary King Louis. The Americans bought the territory from France during the days of Napoleon and soon divided it up into smaller territories. Nebraska became part of the … Continue reading
Russia Fact Book
Print out this PDF fact book of Russia for your kids. It has pages on Natural Resources, Religion, Cities, Language, and Holidays. The cover has a picture of the Russian flag to color. Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend … Continue reading
Texas State Study
They say everything’s bigger in Texas, but it’s actually only the SECOND largest state (trailing Alaska of course). Although, the capitol dome in Austin IS bigger than the U.S. Capitol building’s dome by 7 feet! The name “Texas” means friends, … Continue reading
Hawaii State Study
To read about Hawaii’s history go here. Hawaiian fun facts: There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet and five of those are vowels, making Hawaiian a very melodic and beautiful spoken language. (a, e, i, o, u, k, … Continue reading
Idaho State Study
Idaho became a state in 1890. Before that it had been explored by Lewis and Clark during their famous trip and exploited and explored by trappers. The first permanent American settlements were formed by the Mormon pioneers in southeast Idaho. Later the state became the center … Continue reading
African Savanna Safari
Going on a Safari When studying biomes or Africa take a trip past the savanna of Africa. I did this activity with my kids ranging in age from 11 to 4 (my 13 year old drove the four wheeler while … Continue reading
Alaskan Beaches
One of the kids’ favorite activities we did in Alaska was visit the beaches. Definitely too chilly for swimming, but we did plenty of collecting and looking at things on our long walk down the beach. We stopped and dug … Continue reading
Alaskan Glaciers
One of our days in Alaska we headed up to see Exit Glacier, just one of about 40 glaciers descending from the Harding Ice Field on the Kenai Peninsula. We took a short hike up to the glacier and were … Continue reading
Alaskan Fireweed
Surprisingly, Fireweed was one of my favorite things in Alaska. This plant is often considered more of a pest than a lovely flower, but it is lovely indeed. It also has some really neat properties. It gets its name from … Continue reading
Fishing The Kenai
One of the things we most looked forward to on our travels to Alaska was going fishing. The salmon were running and the fishing was unlike any we had done before. They call it combat fishing. That’s right, COMBAT fishing. … Continue reading
Alaska Expedition
There’s just no better way to learn about a place than to go there and experience it firsthand. Our family just got to go to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska to visit some friends who live there. Would you … Continue reading
Arizona State Study
Arizona was made a state February 14, 1912. Before that it had belonged to the Hopi, Navajo, Apache, and 19 other tribes. Then it was claimed by the Spanish in the mid 1500′s, being actually inhabited first by missionaries and … Continue reading
Montana State Study
When I study a state with my kids, I usually just spend an hour or two on it and then the older ones read a book about the state. We sit down and go over all the facts with my … Continue reading
Tea and Crumpets
One of my favorite ways to teach about other cultures is to eat some of their foods. Americans probably know more about the English than other foreign cultures, but still . . . Here are two traditional English foods that … Continue reading
Alaska State Study
Alaska’s natives are Eskimos and are believed to have crossed the Bering Sea from Asia thousands of years ago. The first Europeans to visit Alaska were the Russians who crossed the Bering Sea in search of new land and furs, … Continue reading
Geocaching
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of geocaching, the massive worldwide outdoor treasure hunting with GPS. It’s a perfect family outing. First you need a GPS, luckily they’ve been coming down in price. After you’ve figured out how to see … Continue reading
Nevada State Study
Each Friday we’ve been posting geography ideas on Layers of Learning, and we’re finally making it “official!” Welcome to “Where in the World?” Geography Day. For now we’re taking a closer look at each of the states, and in the … Continue reading
Massachussetts State Study
If there is a place that as Americans we associate with liberty and courage it is Massachusetts. The Massachusetts state motto is Ense petit placidum sub liberate quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty). Massachusetts … Continue reading
Kansas State Study
At Layers of Learning we’re running a Friday feature on the states. Every Friday you will see a new state featured with history, map work ideas, activities and fun facts on the US States. The Kansas state motto is “Ad … Continue reading
Glaciers
Glaciers form when snow falls, doesn’t melt, and becomes compressed. It takes a couple of years before any particular snow fall can be considered a glacier. When the snow first begins to compact there are lots of air bubbles so … Continue reading
Dakotas State Study
The Dakotas were first inhabited by the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikera, Sioux, and Chippewa tribes. The Mandan in particular were civilized with permanent settlements, farming, trading and language developments. The area was first explored by the French in 1743 and claimed … Continue reading
Colorado State Study
Colorado first inhabited by the Apache, Pueblo, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Ute, and Shoshone tribes was explored early by the Spanish and claimed for Spain in 1706. There were no Spanish settlements in the area though. In 1821 Mexico won its … Continue reading
Wyoming State Study
Wyoming was one of the last states to be settled, though major wagon train trails went through there, the desirable land was in the gold fields of California or the fertile lands of the Pacific Northwest. Of course various tribes … Continue reading
Utah State Study
When teaching about a state start with a bit of the history behind the state. You don’t need to go into detail, just a brief re-cap will be enough. Utah was inhabited first by several Indian tribes among them, the … Continue reading
Country Study: Japan
We were lucky to have our grandparents visiting us all last week. It corresponded perfectly with our country study of Japan. Grandpa and Grandma have both been there (Grandma’s been there LOTS of time and also worked with a student … Continue reading
Map of Ancient Egypt
Historical maps are great tool for understanding the past. You can see when you look at a map of Egypt why people lived only along the river. You can see the boundaries of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms and … Continue reading
Caves
We built a “cave” out of blankets and tables in our family room for this fun activity all about caves. As soon as the kids walked in the room they wanted to go explore the cave. But before I would let … Continue reading
Oregon & Population Maps
Oregon, inhabited first by American Indian tribes, was settled temporarily by the Spanish in the 1600-1700′s. But the territory soon fell into other hands. Captian Cook in looking for the Northwest Passage landed at Oregon in 1778. Lewis and Clark camped on … Continue reading
California State Study
We recently studied about California. First we found California on a map of the United States, reviewing the North American continent for the younger kids. Then we went over some of the state facts. Flower: California Poppy Tree: Redwood Song: I … Continue reading
Continent Research Form
I frequently take the kiddos to the library for some good old fashioned research. I know, I know…the internet has it all, but there’s just something to the idea of finding things out in a book. Before we go I … Continue reading
Tanzania
The ancient land of Zanzibar and Tanganika, located in modern Tanzania, was a center of the Arab slave trade. Arabs would raid cities along the coasts and further inland. Capturing and killing as many villagers as possible in their raids. … Continue reading
Continental Drift
In the 1960′s scientists perfected a theory about the continents on earth. They decided the great plates that make up the continents were not fixed, but rather were drifting. Drifting so much that at one time there had been only … Continue reading
Haiti
Located on the western side of the Island of Hispaniola, in the Caribbean Sea, Haiti is part of the Greater Antilles. The Greater Antilles is a mountain range whose tops stick up above the sea to form islands. The formation … Continue reading
Venezuela
To learn more about Venezuela, start with a book about the country from your local library. See if they have a travel movie as well. My older kids read the books on their own, but for the younger ones, I … Continue reading
The North Pole
Time to study the Arctic and the North Pole! Get a map of the arctic region and label or study some significant places, like the arctic circle and true north and magnetic north. Now research more and answer some questions … Continue reading
Hawaii’s History
Many centuries or perhaps millenia ago people arrived in Hawaii. Historians and archaeologists believe they came by way of the islands in the South Pacific, originally from Asia, but the truth is that no one knows for sure. Individual kingdoms … Continue reading
France Activities
Here are some activities to do when studying France: Have some French food: It can be very simple, like croissants, cheese, and grapes. You can also go all out and look up some French recipes online for the full meal … Continue reading
An Extremely Condensed Russian History
The word “Rus” means red and comes from the red-headed Norse men who sailed from Scandinavia and conquered and settled what is now western Russia. The Rus were ruled by the Mongols for a time, but then threw off the … Continue reading
African Folk Tales
Folk tales are a great way to learn more about a culture from either a historical or modern perspective. Here’s a project using an African folk tale from Nigeria, called Anansi and Turtle. It’s a moral tale somewhat like Aesop’s … Continue reading
A Free Trip Around the World!
To take your kids on a free “trip” around the world call up a travel agent in your area and ask them if they might have time to spend some time with your kids helping them find out information about … Continue reading
Pennsylvania
My kids and I have just started studying the 50 states, for the second time around. There are some key things we add to our state studies to make them interesting. We use books and movies from the library for … Continue reading
Land Bridge Model
As part of a unit study on the Ice Age, my kids and I made this land bridge model to represent the possible land bridge that may have connected Asia and North America.We began by making homemade salt dough. We … Continue reading
