Geography Teaching Today

Extract from Primary Geography Handbook Chapter 15 'The Wider World' by Maureen Weldon.

Getting started

Discuss with the children what they already know about the USA. This could be done by making drawings, writing a list on the board, using a KWHL grid or by creating a 'mind map'.
(See www.mind-mapping.co.uk)

• Where is __________? Atlases, wall maps, IWB, Google Earth, Huggable globe etc.
• Personal experiences - Who has been? Why? Where? Relatives / friends?
• What shall we find out more about? KWHL grid (What do I know? What do I want to know? How will I find out? What have I learnt?)?
• Stories e.g. Brother Eagle, Sister Sky.
• Songs / music from popular, traditional and local genres.
• Display - parcel or suitcase from __________, images, postcards - EVIDENCE
• What vocabulary can we use to name, describe, ask etc?

Look at this extract from Chapter 15 by Maureen Wheldon which explains in more detail how to start a locality study.

Children's issues and misconceptions

Many children are confused about the difference between America (the continent) and the United States (the country). They will also only have a hazy idea about far away it is and its great size. Take opportunities to talk about these issues as they arise, along with any negative stereotypes. As well as an understanding about some of the general geography of the USA use every opportunity to 'zoom in' and relate everyday experiences at a local scale to those of the pupil.

Note that the original inhabitants of the United States are called 'Native Americans' and still form a proportion of the population.

Using and making maps

See if the children can find the USA on a world map. You could use an inflatable globe, huggable globe, wall map or atlas. Compare the size of Britain and the USA. Discuss transport - how would we travel there? How might people travel from the east to west coast of the USA? What other countries join its borders? How is the USA divided into different states?

Get children to cut out the UK and the USA from a world map and compare size by placing the UK on top of the USA. Use an outline map of the country on A3 paper and ask children to draw images inside that help explain their ideas. This is a very useful way to familiarise young children with a country's political outline, elicit beginning thoughts and uncover stereotypical views and misconceptions.

Fieldwork opportunities

What is American nearby? Think about brands, food, TV programmes/films, people and names. Find out if any of the children have been to the United States. Where did they go and why? Has anyone got friends or relatives there? You might also explore the possibility of establishing an email link with a school in the USA.

Primary framework opportunities

Literacy: Introduce the children to some American literature such as Hiawatha or Mark Twain's stories. You might also investigate traditional North American Indian folk tales, such as How the Seasons Came by Joanna Troughton (Blackie 1992 ISBN 0-216-93200-9).

Numeracy: Explore American counting rhymes as part of mathematical development.

Activity ideas

• Look at a selection of diverse pictures of the USA (use tourist brochures and Google images). What are the similarities and differences compared with your local area? What do they tell you about the USA? (See example lesson plan)
• Make and taste a typical American food such as cookies, brownies or bagels.
• Find about traditional American songs, rhymes, music, festivals and celebrations.
• Read the children a story which is set in or originates from the United States. Brother Eagle, Sister Sky (Susan Jeffers, Puffin, ISBN 9780140545142) is one of a number of picture books with an environmental focus. It is based on the address given by Chief Seattle when he surrendered his lands in 1850. NB This is a beautifully illustrated book containing some thought provoking sentiments but is considered by some to be an inaccurate representation of indigenous people - read more.
• Make a study of a famous national park such as Yellowstone. Consider volcanoes, creatures and plants. Would you like to go there? Why?
• Create a picture map of the United States by adding images to an outline map (printed or drawn).

Children's Voices

Ask the children what they feel about the United States. Would they like to go there? Why? Think about children's lives around the globe. Wake Up, World by Beatrice Hollyer (Frances Lincoln, 1999, ISBN 0-7112-1484-0) is an engaging book that provides a useful structure for discussion.

ICT

Virtual tours of tourist attractions and well known areas of the United States are readily available on the internet and really allow the children a clear picture of the country. (e.g Interactive Tour of Ellis Island).

Use programs such as Quikmaps on which you can register for free then zoom in to places around the world and add comments, symbols and routes. Young children will enjoy coming up with and adding simple symbols such as 'emoticons' (smiley / sad faces etc.) to places they have learnt about.

Assessment for learning

Look back to the KWHL grids or mind maps that the children created at the beginning of the investigation. Get them to add any new knowledge or ideas that they now have in a different colour.

Displays

Make a large outline map of the USA on the classroom wall. Add pictures, notes, questions, drawings and images as the work progresses along with some American flags.

www.openstreetmap.org

Additional resources

Growing Up Global! Helen Garforth et al, (Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC), 2006, ISBN 1874709041) is packed with ideas for cross-curricular activities.

Outline maps of the United States can be obtained from Eduplace and About.com.

Also read Primary Geography Handbook Chapter 5 Young children making sense of their place in the world by Fran Martin and Paula Owens.

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