Map Contest @ Geography Homeschool Co-op

In Geography Co-op this year, I wanted the children to make beautiful maps of each continent so that they would look nice enough to hang on the wall. 

"Well, I better die to that dream," I told myself. 

I delegated the mapping portion of geography co-op to my friend Pattie. 

Pattie took my instructions to heart and in order to make the beautiful maps happen, she started a contest, paying the winner in each age group a dollar. 

Hey, a little free-market competition couldn't hurt. 

The maps these children produced were gorgeous. Now, I don't know if they still would have been without the competition, but I was blown away! 

​Why does mapping matter anyway? 

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Benefits of Mapping

Mapping the world continent by continent truly teaches children what is where. As they draw rivers, mountain ranges, and deserts, and label them, those places are cemented in their brain. They same with cities, political boundaries, and bodies of water. It is truly a worthwhile educational experience. 

While gazing at maps is helpful, actually creating the maps yourself is taking education a step further. 

Why am I so big on mapping? Well, I was 27, living in Virginia Beach, and some Navy guys were heading on a Med cruise. To be honest, I only had a vague idea of where the Mediterranean Sea was and NO idea what countries bordered it. Embarrassing to say the least. 

However, I did not let that defeat me. Instead, I learned geography right along with my children and it became one of my favorite subjects. 

After all, God made such a beautiful world. It's such a joy to know where landforms, cities, and nations are. We have gone the extra mile in Geography to learn about the people and culture, including food. 

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Travel God's World

Can learning take place in the kitchen? 

Of course. 

When we study geography, we like to pretend that we are traveling there. We want to see beautiful photographs and videos. We want to listen to the language and we want to taste the food. 

We kicked off our Homeschool Geography Co-op at the beginning of the year with a Plane Ride because our goal is to Travel Around The World through reading, crafts, mapping, and hands-on learning fun this year. And, of course, food. 

If you want to try recipes from other nations, I have just the resource for you. Travel God's World Cookbook is jam-packed with delicious recipes from every continent in the world. Divided by countries, you will see a country map, learn the proper name of that nation, along with a list of places to visit and dishes to try. It's the perfect way to to travel the world without leaving your family room and kitchen. 

You can purchase Travel God's World Cookbook in print at Amazon. The E-book is available at PayHip and Currclick. For more information on Travel God's World Cookbook, visit here. 

Consider traveling the world to learn geography, even if it's in your kitchen. 

Happy Homeschooling, 
Meredith Curtis

P.S. Our Geography Curriculum will be available soon. :) 

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Coming Soon