Around the World; Introduction

I tend to lean towards being a Classically minded homeschooler, which means I'm gearing up for a four-year history rotation beginning in first grade. Before getting into that though, I wanted to give the kids some framework to build upon by introducing them to the world...the people and cultures and variety that is on our Earth. I didn't really want anything too heavy in technical geography, because we'll get to that later. I just wanted a nice gentle exposure to the world outside our little town.

I had originally planned to do this during our Kindergarten year, but then I discovered Elemental History and was so intrigued I have to have it. You know what I'm talking about..ooh! Shiny new curriculum! Well, Elemental History is geared for the Kindergarten year (it gives a brief survey of American history, since you don't really get to it again until the end of the four-year history rotation). So. I decided to do my Around the World study during our Pre-K year. Which really reinforced the idea that it had to be basic and gentle and fun.

I took a ton of different resources and hours upon hours of my own research and came up with my own "Curriculum". I laugh, because really...it is so not a "curriculum". I have a very loose outline and an enormous book list and I'm pretty much winging it. But I want to document what we've been doing so I can easily reference it when we come back to Pre-K in a few years. And hey...if you happen to find something useful here too, then we both win!

We started in August with an Introduction Month. My goal for this month was to get the kids familiar with looking at maps and globes, and start learning the continents. To that end, I made sure we had wall maps (I used freebies that came in the mail) and a globe (I bought a super cheap inflatable one. This is Pre-K. I'm not spending the big bucks yet.). I also used the Kingfisher Picture Atlas and a flip chart of the continents I found at a thrift store. Seriously, don't spend a lot here. I'd rather buy a cheap globe and let the kids play with it, instead of buying an expensive one I'm afraid to let them touch.

As you look through our book list, you'll probably notice that many of the books we use are old/out of print/hard to find. That's because 1) I've been buying educational books at thrift shops for years, 2) if I see something we can use later I buy it..hence the Target dollar spot deals, and 3) I have a library card and I'm not afraid to use it. I can't say this enough; this is preschool. Save your money.

Week One
Read Maps and Globes
Read Sandwiches Around the World (an article inside one of those public school reading books you can find in any thrift store)

Week Two
Read Continents and Oceans ( a "Top Readers" book whose ISBN is not found anywhere online. Boo.)
Read World flap book (from the dollar section at Target)
Play Continent Hop

Playing Continent Hop

Week Three
Read What is Your Language
Read Wonders of the World flap book (also from the dollar section of Target)

Week Four
Row How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. (Instead of doing all the activities in the Five in a Row manual for this book I only focused on the ones relating to geography/culture or ones that just looked like a lot of fun. And of course, we made an apple pie.)

Great sequencing cards found here

Supplemental Books
Everybody Cooks Rice
Homes Around the World ABCs
P is for Passport

This was a super light month, except for the last week. I planned it that way, so we didn't jump in over our heads, and it seemed to work well. Their curiosity was piqued, which was my goal!

We spent September in South America. See you there!