Let’s Go Geography Continents, Countries, & Cultures allows a Junior High student to explore the world through research.
So how do you use this resource in a classroom?
The Let’s Go Geography Curriculum
First, let’s start at the beginning. The Let’s Go Geography curriculum provides a starting point. The information in the lessons should be shared with the class, and the photos & video clips put on a device for the students to see.
This could mean loading the video links on a laptop, and connecting the laptop to a projector or large TV. The photos could be shown from the lesson PDF, or it may be easier to do a quick Image Search on any internet browser to directly pull up similar pictures in a larger size.
The foundational curriculum is sold at LetsGoGeography.com/Shop.
Remember that the Junior High Weeks do not correspond exactly with the Curriculum Lessons. In Junior High Year 1, Weeks 30 & 31 do not match the curriculum lesson numbers. This is because Junior High has several Game-Review Days during the year that the curriculum does not. Scroll below for the schedule!
Classroom Editions vs. Bound Books
Before we go any further, please note that the classroom structure requires students to hand in homework for the teacher to correct. STUDENTS CANNOT HAND IN HOMEWORK IF THEY HAVE BOUND BOOKS!!
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that classroom students purchase the CLASSROOM EDITION of Continents, Countries, & Cultures. The Classroom Edition is printed, 3-hole-punched, and ready to slide into a student’s own 3-ring binder. But it is NOT bound. This allows a student to turn in homework or anything else the teacher may want to review.
The teacher also has the option to purchase classroom rights for the downloadable PDF of Continents, Countries, & Cultures, which allows him/her to print copies for each student that was paid for. Please contactus@letsgogeography.com to arrange this.
A Jr. High Geography Classroom Schedule
A typical 55-minute geography class period would include:
| 1 | 5 min. | Give back corrected homework; Review Key Points |
| 2 | 5 min. | Geography Term ; Art Competition; Assign New Term |
| 3 | 5 min. | Continent Maps; Listen/Watch National Anthem |
| 4 | 5 min. | Complete Journal p. 1 together, including Flag |
| 5 | 8 min. | Discuss p. 2 Topic. Use photos & video clips. |
| 6 | 8 min. | Discuss p. 2 Topic. Use photos & video clips. |
| 7 | 7 min. | Discuss p. 2 Topic. Use photos & video clips. |
| 8 | 7 min. | Discuss p. 2 Topic. Use photos & video clips. |
| 9 | 5 min. | Collect p. 2 & Map. Handout next country (p. 2 & map) |
For instance,
1) Start by returning the corrected Homework from the previous week. Since the Country Map is not done in class, be sure to review anything your students seemed to struggle with or not understand.
2) Next comes the Geography Glossary. Students share their definitions of the assigned term. Then have a short class “Art Competition” on the illustrations for the term.
The “Art Competition” can work something like this:
Have a stack of numbered cards on hand, and as students line up their “entries” on a table or convenient surface, put a numbered card on each. Everyone must vote for the number on their favorite illustration! Be clear that they are voting for the ART, and not the person (their friends, etc.).
This does not take long, and it keeps the kids motivated to create an attractive Geography Glossary. Keep score with a simple tally, and reward first- & second-place winners with candy.
If one person wins consistently, make room for TWO first-place winners! Every now and then throw in a “participation award” so that everyone wins something to keep motivation high.
Be sure to assign the following week’s Geography Term before you move on with your lesson.
3) Finding the theme country on a CONTINENT map gives the student a big-picture view. Constant reinforcement with continent maps helps the student become familiar with what countries are located where in the world. Follow the instructions in the lessons, finding & shading not only the country, but other points of interest as well.
Students must have colored pencils for maps.
This is also a good time to show & listen to the theme country’s National Anthem via video clip.
4) Hand out page 1 for the theme country. The class fills this in together. Allow time for students to give answers before you give the answer, since they may know answers after their (homework) research.
Page 1 also includes the country flag. Hand this out and allow time for students to shade the flag correctly & glue it in place on page 1.
5 – 8) The remainder of the time is for class discussion and input on key topics about the country. As your students pull out the Atlas page 2 that they completed for homework, be sure to glance over the room to be sure there are no blank papers!
For homework, the students were to research each topic on page 2, and fill in at least 2 facts PER TOPIC. Most students do more. Even if students want to fill in all the empty spaces, they are instructed to leave some room so they can add 1-2 more facts during class as things are shared by the teacher & their classmates.
During class, the teacher introduces each topic and then opens it up for individual students to share what they found. Class discussion and individual participation are encouraged.
The teacher writes key points on the board as they are shared. The teacher also illustrates as applicable with the photos & video clips already loaded on a computer or other device. The photos & video clips are in the Let’s Go Geography curriculum, available at LetsGoGeography.com/Shop.
When it is time to move on to the next topic, the teacher pauses to allow students to choose from the list to add to their Atlas before erasing the board. If something is very important, it is appropriate to say, “If you don’t have this fact on your sheet, you MUST add this.”
9) Now it is time to collect the students’ work for grading & hand out the new homework. Collect the Atlas page 2 that you just did in class, plus the corresponding Country Map.
Then hand out the Atlas page 2 & Country Map for the next country.
NOTE: If you have a Game-Review scheduled for the following week prior to an upcoming holiday, go ahead and assign homework as usual. They will keep that completed homework for the class AFTER their holiday break. This eliminates any homework over the holiday break.
The Teacher Key is a Valuable Tool
The Continents, Countries, & Cultures Teacher Key gives much more than answers. First, it has a classroom schedule & instructions so you’ll have this information at your fingertips.
Then it has year schedules, Glossary words to assign each week, flags for every lesson, and Review Games & quizzes, as well as general review day ideas that you can adapt at your preference.
In short, the Teacher Key is not optional! You will want every page of this 84-page resource!
Junior High Geography Schedule
The Junior High Schedule is slightly different than the Let’s Go Geography curriculum. Younger grades focus on 30 different countries/regions per year, while Junior High does 27.
Why the difference?
Junior High has 3 Review Days for games or quizzes. Since these students are putting so much more work into their assignments, they need the breathing room that the Review days give them to refresh & recharge.
Of course, you still have the option to cover all the curriculum countries if you desire. If you would like to include ALL the countries, combine the Review days with one of the countries not included in the Junior High book. This means you would read the foundational facts, find locations on continent maps, and look at the photos & video clips in the curriculum for that country. You just wouldn’t be doing any written work or adding anything to your own Atlas for that country. Although the written assignment would be the Review Quizzes, the student would still get a look at the country. Again, this is purely optional, based on your own preferences.
CLICK HERE for How to Use Let’s Go Geography Junior High in Your Homeschool
Have any questions? Feel free to contactus@letsgogeography.com!
