How To Use Let’s Go Geography with Multiple Grades

Geography for Grades K-2

First, this geography curriculum can be used for grades K-2 as is without any adjustments.

The companion K-2 Geography Activity Book is an optional, homeschool resource to have all handouts in one place.  PLUS it includes map worksheets that are not in the curriculum.

But let’s get specific so you get the full picture.

Suggested Schedule:  Grades K-2

Here’s what a weekly lesson for Grades K-2 might look like:

You will need approximately 1 hour a week with early elementary geography students.  And this is what that hour holds:

• First, find the country on a map and color it.  You may find & color other things on the same map, too, depending on the lesson.  If you have the Geography Activity Book, complete the lesson’s map worksheet.

• Then look at the flag, and color yours to match.  These can be glued on the corresponding Flag page or in a supplemental Geography Passport. The Passport is an optional resource that is really appealing for the younger ages.

• Then take 10-15 minutes to explore, watching the video clips & maybe using the optional library books or recommended atlas. You will be talking about everything you see.  The curriculum does not discuss politics, wars, or any topic that would be upsetting to a child. You will want to focus on how people live, animals in the country, the country’s biggest

  

   attractions (both in nature and man-made), and that sort of thing.

• Save the best for last!! Lastly, comes a geography craft project based on something unique about that country.  Too stressed for time? Just offer the themed coloring page. Some kids want to do both.  Always write the name of the country on your projects to reinforce the big idea of the day.

That’s really all it is. And little by little, week by week, kids become more and more confident about their knowledge of the world. It really is that easy!

Geography for Grades 3-5+

But what about the same geography curriculum for older students?

The curriculum has been used very successfully for grades 3-5 in homeschool settings with just a few minor tweaks.

Before I get to specifics, here is a link to a homeschooler using Let’s Go Geography for one child in 5th grade. Her comments are helpful!  And here’s more from a mom using Let’s Go with her 6th grader!

First of all, coloring the flags is fine, but older kids may want to use colored pencils, not crayons, and glue them on the “Flags of [Continent]” page included in the curriculum (& the Geography Journal mentioned below), rather than the supplemental Passport.

Secondly, older students will find the country on the continent map included in the curriculum, just like the smaller kids, but they have the option of exploring even further with the map worksheet in the Continent Map Workbook.

Geography Journal (Discovery Packs)

For the final hands-on project of each lesson, most older students won’t want to color or do many of the cut-and-color geography projects that the young ones love so much. Those need to be traded for activities that match their age level.

Rather than a craft, kids in Grades 3-5 complete a Journaling project at the end of  each lesson.  That’s where the Let’s Go Geography Geography Journals come in. 

The companion Discovery Pack has the Geography Journal PLUS Teacher Key in 1 convenient download. 

Journaling

The Geography Journal (in the Discovery Pack) has a 2-page spread of pages to coordinate with each Let’s Go lesson.  There are decorated blocks for specific information on each country, with Writing Helps and a Teacher Key in the back.

What about younger writers who want to participate?

Students in Grades 1-2 who enjoy writing can complete just the 1st page.  This usually asks for the basic facts and location (map) information that can be adapted to their grade level.

Geography Glossaries

The Geography Journals (in the Discovery Packs) also include resources to make a Geography Glossary. 

Creating a Glossary starts with introducing a new geography term weekly that relates to the theme country. For instance, “glacier” for Alaska, “fjord” for Norway, “archipelago” for Denmark, or “geyser” for Iceland.

Glossary terms corresponding with each lesson are provided in the Teacher Keys of Discovery Pack 1 (for Year 1) and Discovery Pack 2 (for Year 2)and Discovery Pack 3 (for Year 3).

To make a Geography Glossary, students write a definition of the word, draw or glue a picture to illustrate the word, and list specific places on the globe where the term is located.

Discovery Packs give coordinating terms for each lesson, resource links to find term definitions, and a printable page to use for all of it.