Geography Nut

And we're off. I was having a hard time figuring out which of my son's interests I should focus on this year. I usually find something my kids are interested in and turn it into one big giant unit study kind of thing. For instance, last year for my daughter was the "Year of Scotland". Everything seemed to come back around somehow to all things Scottish. That, by the way, is continuing to a lesser degree this year.

My son has not expressed a terrible lot of interest in anything this year. He still likes machines and weapons, knights, pirates and reading whatever he can get his hands on, but he really only gets animated when talking about two things: blowing things up and maps. And most of the excitement is about blowing things up (diagrams, the whole bit). So.....Geography it is!

For the last couple months he has been exploring atlases on his own and finding them facinating. I fed him a couple books, The Book of Where or How to Be Naturally Geographic, and Around the World in a Hundred Years by Jean Fritz. He also found a few small books I had lying around about different explorers. I wasn't going to do anything formal, play a few geography games at National Geographic and continue to let him explore, but then I found A Child's Geography.

A Child's Geography is written by a homeschooling mom from a Christian point of view. What is Christian about Geography you may ask (as I did?). The author elaborates on why to study Geography with these four points:

• Because the Earth is the product of His very first act of creation
  
• Because the Earth is our window into the glory and knowledge of God
• Because the Earth is about His other cherished creation: people
• Because the Earth’s people needs a geographically-aware, culturally- sensitive generation to rise up and impart His love

The first three I expected; it was that last one that got me. In another part she says this about the Reaching Out part of the lesson,

" encouraging geographers to do something to show His love to His world. We are called to be Christ's hands and heart to a hurting world"

And she lives what she writes, all the profits from the book goes to World Vision, a Christian organization that tackles poverty and injustice on behalf of children and families all over the world. How cool is that?

Anyone currently using it or other Geography resources that you like?

Filed under:

• geography
• maps
• history