February 2005 Bright Ideas Press E-Zine #7 History News You Can Use! Announcing a new history project from Bright Ideas Press, (publishers of “The Mystery of History” series), “All-American History” by Celeste W. Rakes will be out in early summer. You all are the first to hear about this exciting new book. Celeste is my dear friend and my sons’ favorite history teacher in our nine-year co-op. Having taught American history a number of times, each time writing her own lessons, Celeste has shared her love of history with many students. Designed to be engaging and written in a comfortable style, “All-American History” reads like a good book -- bringing America's story to life, piece by piece. Containing hundreds of images and dozens of maps, “All-American History” is a complete year’s curriculum for students in grades 5-8 when combined with the Student Activity Book and Teacher’s Guide. It is also adaptable for younger and older students. The first volume covers Exploration through 1850 and includes quizzes, reviews, hands-on activities, maps, and book lists. There are 32 weekly lessons, and each lesson contains three sections examining: * the atmosphere in which the event occurred * the event itself * the impact this event had on the future of America It is, after all, an All-American story! ********************* The Geography Corner Here's a great idea I just read about on www.About.com. To help students remember the significant lines of latitude, do this: 1. Point out these lines on a large world map or globe. 2. Have students draw or cut out a circle to represent a globe. 3. Now have the students draw the most significant lines of latitude on this circle. 4. Next, assign each significant line to a student’s body part like this: * North Pole = top of head * Arctic Circle = ears * Tropic of Cancer = shoulders * Equator = waist * Tropic of Capricorn = knees * Antarctic Circle = shins * South Pole = toes 5. Now play games like “Simon Says” using the latitude name instead of the body part. This is perfect for all ages and all learning styles. For other great geography ideas and news, check out: http://geography.about.com/ On this site you will also find a terrific little geography quiz (usually about 6 questions) that is a great way to refresh your memory or learn new information. Make it a family habit to check out the new quiz each week. ----- ----- You can incorporate geography into your life in a million little ways. Here’s just ten to get you started: 1. Mention a current event each day and have a child find the area on a world map (that is, of course, easily accessible!) 2. Choose a country that figures in your family ancestry and decide to learn one new thing about that country each week. 3. Collect postage stamps and affix them to the edges of your large, laminated world map. Draw lines from the stamp to the country of origin. 4. Learn how to count to ten in as many different languages as you can find. Show this off everywhere you go! 5. Each week buy one type of food from another country. Try it. Talk about it. Why do they eat that food or fix a familiar food in a different manner than you are accustomed to? 6. Learn the states and capitals song or make up your own geography songs. 7. Pick a missionary or children’s relief organization and learn more about where they live and how they live. 8. Pick up the atlas and, with eyes closed, choose a location to spend five minutes studying. Do this every day! 9. Go on a car ride and work on NSEW and giving good driving directions. 10. Go someplace NEW in your neighborhood, town or city each week. Even using this interesting and eclectic approach to geography, there are probably skills and/or information that will be missed entirely. Use “The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide’s” Scope & Sequence and its other wealth of materials to help you to competently teach geography in your home. ----- ----- Want to share favorite geography ideas, ask questions, and learn cool tips? Join us in our Yahoo group: Whole HOG Geography (A play on ‘H.O.G.’ for “Hands-On Geography”) It’s easy to sign-up and I’ve so enjoyed reading my daily digest of short emails from home- schooling parents wanting to do a better job with geography. Read the archives for super ideas on: * GeoCaching * Letterboxing * Where’s George? * Flat Travelers ...and listen-in this year as we hear how Suzanne and her kids are spending an entire year on one delight- directed, gigantic, discover-the-world geography unit, that she is making up as they go along! Interested? You can sign-up now by sending a blank email to: Whole_HOG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visiting the group webpage at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Whole_HOG/ Also, check out the book that inspired the Yahoo group, “Hands-On Geography” by Maggie S. Hogan. ********************* Our other Yahoo groups include: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MysteryofHistory1/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MysteryofHistory2/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristianKidsExploreBiology/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hsgifted/ ********************* Also, check our schedule to see if we will be at a conference near you this month. We are heading soon to ORCHID in DE, SEARCH in PA, MASS HOPE and then on to CHAP in PA and ending with HEAV in VA. See you there! http://www.brightideaspress.com/ourschedule.htm ********************* We appreciate you, our customers. Feel free to contact us: Bright Ideas Press 877.492.8081 contact@BrightIdeasPress.com http://www.BrightIdeasPress.com Happy Trails, Maggie Hogan