The Best Homeschooling Methods to Teach Geography

Ginny and Mary Ellen have eye-opening news that may worry you. On today's Podcast, they discuss the "Nation's Report Card" on Eighth Graders. In Geography - only 25 percent of U.S. students scored at or above the Proficiency level. Scores in U.S. History and Civics are subpar as well. But the good news is that homeschool families are best positioned to turn those numbers around. Don’t miss today’s lively discussion, full of advice and practical tips, to learn how.   The Best Homeschooling Methods to Teach Geography The recent 2022 Nation’s Report Card informs us that our nation’s children are not scoring well. Geography - only 25 percent of students scored at or above the NAEP Proficiency level*.  U.S. History - only 13 percent of students scored at or above the NAEP Proficiency. Civics - only 22 percent of students scored at or above the NAEP Proficiency level.     The Nation's Report Card is annual analysis from National Assessment of Education Progress.    * 2018 data, statistics were unavailable for 2022.   The World is Getting Smaller.  We hear daily about war and social problems in foreign countries.  A smaller world requires greater knowledge about our relative position. A geographical perspective is critical to making prudent decisions. Do we realize how our national and world map position may affect us?  Many of our children will work for international corporations.   Closer to Home. Just seventeen states require any geography in high school. Only six states feature stand-alone geography courses, the rest combine geography with history, civics, and current events into a single course – usually called social studies.  Is it a wonder that U.S. students know so little about the world they live in? What can we do about this in our homeschools? Use maps in your daily life.  Let kids follow your progress on your GPS screen.  Use direction words in your everyday speech. "It is much colder where Aunt Jane lives because her home is farther north."  Get online maps of zoos or museums you plan to visit and plan your trip. Use paper maps to show your route on a family vacation. Tip: You can get them free at rest stops on interstate highways. More Tips: Display maps in your house. Hang them in your classroom if you have one.  Or on the walls of the kid's rooms.  Have world, national, or maps of your state and town. Refer to them when appropriate. Expand Their Horizons through Reading Have your students read about different places.  Most libraries have books with beautiful illustrations about other regions or National Geographic Kids-type magazines.  Children's fictional literature can also arouse interest in different countries and cultures.  Teacher Tip: When choosing a map skills book, make sure they also teach geography. Many map skills books teach skills but need facts about the world. Often, they use product maps, then ask questions about a fictional product map. Very few teach the real deal, i.e., oceans, continents, countries, and regions, in an organized fashion. But that's what you want. Important Caveat: Always glance at anything you get from the library published after 1970 or so. Sadly, we have to do this now. Find online games that teach geography. I've used lizard point, but there are others. Excellent Advice Encourage your kids to make of their world.  Let them make maps of their bedrooms or your backyard.  Map your vegetable garden.  Give primary-grade students a blank outline map of the world. Add the names of the continents with a blank box next to each one. Have students choose colors for each continent and make their map key.  The Voice of Experience - Kids learn best hands-on.