Learn about Martin King King Jr.(Birthday is January 16th)

   

Martin Luther King's birthday is January 15th.

Download the free resource at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-8947638

Did you Know?

1. The only non-president to be honored with a national holiday is Martin Luther King.

2. Only George Washington and Martin Luther King are honored on their birthdays with national holidays. Martin Luther King’s birthday and holiday is honored on January 15th.

3. Because of Martin Luther King’s protests for civil rights, King was arrested about 29(or 30) times. He was actually arrested and jailed for speeding 30 in a 25 mph area!

4. The first African American honored as Time Magazine’s Man of the Year(now called Person of the Year) was Martin Luther King.

5.Martin Luther King started college at the age of 15!

6. Estimates are that there are 700-1000 Martin Luther King Jr. streets in the United States and even a street honoring King located in Puerto Rico.

7. In his efforts to fight for civil rights, it is estimated that Martin Luther King traveled over six million miles and gave more than 2500 speeches!

8. Did you know that a young Martin actually jumped out of the second floor window of his home? He actually did this two times and fortunately didn’t get hurt(DON’T try this!!!). The first time he jumped from the window because he felt he needed to be punished because he didn’t watch his younger brother properly. His brother slid down the stair bannister and slid into his grandmother who fell. The second time he jumped out of the window was when his grandmother died. Martin felt she died because he had sneaked out of his house without asking permission.

9. Martin Luther King is the first African American to have a memorial in his honor in the National Mall area in Washington,DC.

10. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “There is nothing more tragic in all this world than to know right and not do it. I can not stand in the midst of all these glaring evils and not take a stand.”

11. Martin Luther King Jr. was the youngest person to ever be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize(in 1964).

12. Asked one day as how he hoped to be remembers, Martin Luther King Jr. replied, “Say I was a drum major for peace.

1. What do you think this quote of Martin Luther King Jr. means?  “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

______________________________________

2. What do you think this quote of Martin Luther King Jr. means? “The time is always right to do what is right.” _______________________________________

3. What do you think this quote of Martin Luther King Jr. means? “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” ___________________________________

___________________________________  

4. Illustrate one of the facts you found most interesting.

Check out this Reader's Theater Script on Martin Luther King Jr. : https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-A-Readers-Theater-Script-6229923?st=2517eb0f96d0eec2d96794a568982b34

Check out this Webquest on Martin Luther King Jr. :https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-A-Webquest-484492?st=2517eb0f96d0eec2d96794a568982b34

Holiday Traditions from Around the World

 

Did You Know?

Did you know that there are two islands in the world named “Christmas”? One is in the Pacific Ocean and the other is found in the Indian Ocean.

Someone figured that if you added up all the gifts from “The Twelve Days of Christmas, you’d get 364 presents.

A stocking filled with coal for naughty children originated in the country of Italy.

Did you know that three towns in the United States are named Santa Claus?

The first holiday song sung in space was Jingle Bells.

Two of the oldest ENGLISH spoken Christmas songs are “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World

Jingle Bells was actually written for the Thanksgiving holiday!

Did you know there aren’t any plums in plum pudding? Actually the word “plum” at one time meant raisins.

It is believed that seeing a spider’s web on Christmas morning is good luck in the country of Ukraine.

Advent calendars and gingerbread houses are traditions of the people of Germany.

Holiday Traditions at the White House! 

Download this Interactive Notebook Activity: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Holiday-Traditions-at-the-White-House-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-2219599

• In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the custom of a National Christmas Tree. It had 2500 electric lights!

• First lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the custom of having a theme for the official White House Christmas tree.

• Environmentalist President Theodore Roosevelt didn’t approve of cutting a tree down for the Christmas holidays. Because of this, he banned having a Christmas tree in the White House. However, Archie, his son, cut a small tree down and hid it in the closet in the swing room. He also decorated it.

• The first president to have electric lights on the family Christmas tree was President Grover Cleveland. The year was 1894.

• President Benjamin Harrison had one of the first White House Christmas trees. It was lit with candles. The year was 1889.

• Did you know that George Washington paid 18 schillings, a lot of money

at the time, for someone to bring a camel to Mt. Vernon for the

Christmas holidays? Ok, Mt. Vernon isn’t the White House but I liked this

fact. Interestingly, the tradition of having a camel come to Mt. Vernon

during the holidays continues to this day!

• In 1834, President Andrew Jackson’s children had fun at the holidays

including having snowball fights in the White House...with snowballs made

from cotton.

•Traditionally, the official White House Christmas tree, is the one placed in the White House’s Blue Room. The tradition of an official tree at the White house began with First Lady Lou Henry Hoover(1929).
In 1997, there were thirty-six trees decorated for the holidays, and in 2012, there were 54 decorated trees!

• The holiday tradition of a gingerbread house, in the White House, began with First Lady Patricia Nixon, in 1969. Did you know that the White House gingerbread house is made from about 150 pounds of gingerbread dough? More than 250 pounds of white chocolate are used for decorating.

• Hanukkah is often celebrated around this time of year. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter became the first president to honor the Jewish

  holiday of Hanukkah, by lighting a National Menorah. The tradition continues each year. In 1993, President Bill Clinton lighted the first menorah in the White House. President George H.W. Bush hosted the first White House Hanukkah Party in 2001.

• President Benjamin Harrison dressed up as Santa Claus for his grandchildren!

  QUESTIONS:

  • If you had to create a theme for the official White House Christmas tree, what would you select and why. Draw and picture of your tree.

  • Which do you think is more environmentally friendly, a REAL or ARTIFICIAL tree? Give 2 reasons for your opinion.

  
  

  Teacher Page: Extension Activities:

  1. The holiday season is a time of giving. Encourage students to “pay it forward”, doing an act of kindness for someone else.

  2. Read a short version of a Christmas Carol: https://kidsshortmoralstories.com/short- summary-of-charles-dickenss-a-christmas-carol-christmas-ghost-stories/

  3. Illustrate one of the facts learned.

  4. Teachers may wish to read this article to share with students on which type of tree is MORE environmentally friendly: https://earth911.com/home-garden/real-vs-artificial- christmas-trees/

  5. Share some Christmas customs from around the world:https://www.rd.com/article/ christmas-around-the-world-traditions/ Illustrate a custom.
  6. Words such as abuzz, flummox, the creeps,round the clock and whiz-bang are credited with Dickens. Other words that Dickens helped to popularize include, kibosh, butter-fingers,boredom,messiness,squashed,bah humbug,and tousled. Have students create creative sentences using several of these words.

  • Check out my webquest on Charles Dickens! A Christmas Carol is probably the most popular holiday story.Have your students learn about Charles Dickens, one of the most famous writers of all times! 8 informative web questions. Additional activities/ links,too.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A- Webquest-200480 Also have a Reader’s Theater Script on Charles Dickens. https:// www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Readers-Theater- Script-3286350

  Check out my webquest: Holiday Traditions from Around the World: During the holidays is a great time to share with kids the many traditions which have been shared with different cultures. Learn the history behind some popular holiday traditions with this webquest. There are 14 information packed web questions!

  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holiday-Traditions-from-Around-the-WorldWebquest-2864257

  Illustrations from: WPclipart.com

Charles Dickens, the author of A Christmas Carol

  

With this being the time of year for the story, A Christmas Carol,  it's a great opportunity to learn about its author,Charles Dickens. One of the most famous writers of all times,Dickens also wrote Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and more. 

Today, a person who is very tight with money, is often called a scrooge, after, the main character in A Christmas Carol. Did you know that several other words and phrases were coined by Charles Dickens?

Words such as abuzz, flummox, butterfingers,boredom,messiness,squashed,bah humbug,and tousled were popularized by Dickens. The author is also credited with using phrases such as “the creeps”, “round the clock” and “whiz-bang”.

FREE DOWNLOADABLE VERSION: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Freebie-7358479

Interesting Facts about Charles Dickens:

1. In addition to a canary(named Dick), dogs(including Mrs. Bouncer), Charles Dickens had two pet ravens. Both were named Grip. The first was stuffed and now resides in the Philadelphia  Free Library. 

2. A paw of a Dickens’ cat, Bob, became a letter opener after it died. You can see the letter opener on display at the New York Public Library. 

3.Someone said that if you counted all the words which Dickens used in his writing, it was an amazing 4.6 million different words! 

4. Charles Dickens may have had epilepsy. He also may have had obsessive-compulsive behavior making him comb his hair hundreds of times a day or to touch something several times for good luck.

5. Phrases including “Merry Christmas!” and “Bah! Humbug” became popular after reading Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

6. Did you know that Charles Dickens created 989 characters for his different books?

7. Hans Christian Andersen was a good friend of Dickens. Interestingly, after 5 weeks of being a guest of Dickens’ home, Andersen was encouraged to leave when Dickens wrote on the mirror in Andersen’s room, “Hans Andersen slept in this room for five weeks, which seemed to the family like AGES”.

8. A “new”treat called the lollypop was featured in several of Dickens’ books.

Activities: 

 1. Illustrate a quote of Charles Dickens and write a brief paragraph  explaining what you think the quote is saying:

A. “The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” 

B. “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” 

C. “Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” 

D. “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.” 

E. “There is always something for which to be thankful.” 

2.Reading an installment book was popular during the time of Charles Dickens? You had to wait for the next part of the book to be released to the public. In the USA, people had to wait sometimes weeks for the ship to bring the next installment of one of Dickens’ books from England! Would you have enjoyed reading an installment book? Why, why not?

3. Dickens got lots of his ideas for his characters from people he met in his life. Who might be 3 people you'd use in a story that you have met? Why would you use these people in your story?

Resources of Interest:

1. Read samples of some of Charles Dickens’ books at this link: http://realreads.co.uk/category/authors/charles-dickens/ Of the book summaries, which do you think you’d like to read the most, and why? 

2. Short Video on the life of Charles Dickens:https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&p=childhood+of+Charles+dickens+for+kids#id=1&vid=902af18becc093cd49fd0b056aebc4a3&action=click

Resources of Interest:

1. My webquest on Charles Dickens includes 9 fun/informative questions to learn about Dickens. Additional activities/links,too. 

 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Webquest-200480

2. In addition to a webquest, I have a Ms. Bie Ografee Reader’s Theater Script on Charles Dickens. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Readers-Theater-Script-3286350

 

TURKEY FUN FACTS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR!

    

AMAZING TURKEY FACTS!
Possible Interactive Notebook Activity.
Click here for user friendly version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/TURKEYS-AMAZING-TURKEY-FACTS-FREEBIEInteractive-Notebook-Activity-2170325



November is Thanksgiving time and most of us will be celebrating with a turkey dinner. Did you know that the Native American Indians were raising turkey as far back as 1000 A.D. ? Did you know that the Aztecs, of Mexico, were raising turkeys even earlier, about 200 B.C. ? Did you know that the state of Minnesota raises more turkeys each year than any other state? An estimated 46 million turkeys are raised in Minnesota each year! Share these fun factoids on the turkey with family and friends!

1. Did you know that Ben Franklin wanted the turkey as our country’s national symbol? Some say he just said it was “more respectable” than the bald eagle!

2. For short distances,wild turkeys can fly up to 55 mph and run up to 25 for short distances. Domesticated turkeys are usually too heavy to fly...at all!

3. If you get up close to a turkey, they don’t have any external ears BUT still have a great sense of hearing!

4. The only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere is the turkey.

5. If you are wonder what a group of turkeys is called, it’s a flock. A baby turkey is called a poult(or goblet). Groups of turkeys are also called rafters.

6. Only male turkeys can gobble! Females make clicking sounds.

7. Tiny stones in a turkey’s stomach help the turkey grind and digest
food. This part of the stomach is called the gizzard.

8. Someone counted that a turkey has about 5,500 feathers! Eighteen make up the tail fan of a male turkey. Another source says they only have about 3500. That’s still a lot of feathers!

9. The flap of skin under a turkey’s chin is called the wattle.

10. Called the snood, the flap of skin over the turkey’s beak can turn different shades of red depending on the turkey’s mood.

11. The month of June is called National Turkey Lovers’ Month.

12. Find droppings of a turkey? Did you know you can tell whether it was left by a male or female? Female turkeys leave behind droppings looking like the letter J and a male turkey’s dropping are spiral shaped.

13. Did you know that after walking on the surface of the moon, in 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ate roasted turkey?

14. Guinness Book of Records says a whopper of a turkey tipped the scale at 86 pounds.

15. Four towns in the USA are named Turkey.(They are found in NC, Arizona, Texas and Louisiana). Pennsylvania has two townships with the name Turkey in their name. (Upper Turkeyfoot and Lower Turkeyfoot)

16. Wishing on the wishbone of a turkey is a tradition at Thanksgiving. The person getting the largest part supposedly gets their wish granted.

17. The idea of a president pardoning(sparing) the life of a turkey is credited with President George H.W. Bush. The first official pardon was given in 1989.

18. Only male turkeys parade their fan of feathers(like a peacock).

19. Some people make turducken at Thanksgiving. This is a turkey which is stuffed with a duck that is stuffed with a chicken!

TEACHER PAGE:
Extension Activities:
1. Illustrate/color a turkey fact.
2. Pretend you are a turkey. Write a persuasive paragraph stating why
people should eat chicken, fish or beef instead of you!
3. Use the vocabulary words in a sentence.
4. Name 5 countries(other than the U.S.A) found in the Western
Hemisphere! Write TWO facts that you may know about each of
the countries listed.
5. Have small groups of students make 4 factual statements about
turkeys and 4 opinion statements about turkeys. Exchange and have another group determine which are facts and which are opinion statements.
6. Write a poem using each letter of the word, TURKEY.
Some Sources:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-turkeys-665520/?no-ist

http://www.coolfactsforkids.com/turkey-facts-for-kids/

Other resources to check out for November:

1. A Visit With Love Brewster: A Pilgrim at Plymouth Colony(A Reader’s Theater Script): A Ms.Bie Ograffee Reader's Theater Script, an interview with Love Brewster, a Pilgrim of Plymouth Colony.Love was an actual member of the 102 Pilgrims that came to America. He was about nine years old. The play includes info on Mayflower, first winter and Thanksgiving feast. Fun facts,Comprehension questions, extension activities, links.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pilgrims-A-Readers-Theater-Playfirst-Thanksgiving-2137703

2. Mayflower and Pilgrims: A Webquest: Learn about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims with this informative web quest!There are ten informative text web quests,extension activities,fun facts. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mayflower-and-Pilgrim-Webquest-403880

3. Turkeys and Thanksgiving: A Webquest: Want a fun and informative activity to teach your students about the history of Thanksgiving?This webquest has ten informative text questions on the history of Thanksgiving(including the Macy's Day Parade). TURKEY facts,too! http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Thanksgiving-and-Turkey-Webquest-403849

Ever Wonder What May have Happened to the Mayflower?

 

Perhaps you will find this resource of interest to use with your students during the Thanksgiving holiday.

What Became of the Mayflower?

by

Gail Skroback Hennessey

Note: Click here for the user friendly version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mayflower-What-became-of-the-Mayflower-A-Reading-Passage-2880794

    Ever wonder what became of the Mayflower? The ship sailed with 102 Pilgrims over the Atlantic to North America, in 1620. If you are expecting to find it docked to some pier, or in a museum, you’d be wrong.  That’s because the Mayflower most likely ended up as scrap wood and may have ended up in an old Quaker Barn in Great Britain!
    It was common practice many years ago, in England, to use unseaworthy ships’ timber to build new things.  Dutch Elm disease had killed many of the trees in 17th century Great Britain and lumber was very scare.  To preserve the number of oak tress from being cut for lumber, wood was priced quite high by the government. That made any available timber, such as that in old ships, very desirable. Since the Mayflower wasn’t an important ship to the people of Great Britain, this is the fate that most likely happened to the Pilgrims’ Mayflower.
    In the early 1900s, a Quaker Historian , named Rendel Harris, found a document stating that the Mayflower had been determined to be unseaworthy. The year was 1624. The ship’s owners then sold the oak ship for its timber to make some money. While attending a funeral at the Quaker Meeting House in Jordans, England, Harris heard someone say the barn had been built from wood of the Mayflower.  That got Harris hunting through documents such as wills and deeds to try and find out whether this was true.
    The age of the barn’s timber dates back to the time of the Mayflower and the barn was said to have been built by one of the owners of the Mayflower.  If you go to the barn, you will notice that the main beam in the barn has a huge crack in it, just like the Mayflower got on its maiden voyage during a bad storm. The size and weight of the hull used in the barn’s construction matches that of the Mayflower and at one time, the letters ER HAR were evident, perhaps, referring to “Mayflower, Harwich, the ship’s home port.
    One thing is certain, if you tilt your head upside down, you can see that a hull of an old ship was used to build the roof of the barn...whether it was the Mayflower, that can’t be certain.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. 102 passengers in addition to the crew were aboard the Mayflower when it sailed from England to America. The year was 1620.
2. It took 66 days to cross the Atlantic.
3. A baby, named Oceanus Hopkins, was born on the voyage.
4. A crack in a main beam which happened during a bad storm was repaired with a giant screw(perhaps from a printing press or other equipment which was aboard the Mayflower)
5.  Before leaving the ship, the Mayflower Compact was signed, establishing a temporary government for the Pilgrims.
6. By the time of the first Thanksgiving, 52 Pilgrims had died during the harsh winter.

Your Turn!
1. Why were old ships used in construction in Great Britain?
2. Why wasn’t the Mayflower “saved” as an historic ship?
3. What would be 3 fears you would have had as a Pilgrim on the Mayflower voyage?
4. What would be 2 things you might have done to pass the time on the voyage?
5. Create sentences using the highlighted vocabulary words.

Other possible resources of interest on this topic:

1. Learn more about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims with this fun webquest. Extension activities, additional information and links, and the key are
   provided: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mayflower-and-Pilgrim-Webquest-403880
2. Love Brewster is a guest on Ms. Bi Ograffee's Talk Show. The studio audience asks Love questions about the voyage on the Mayflower, the first winter and the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. The Reader’s Theater Script includes comprehension questions, a Did You Know? Section, a Teacher Page with
   extension activities, links and the key:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pilgrims-A-Readers-Theater-Playfirst-Thanksgiving-2137703

NOTE: I visited the “Mayflower Barn” in England and took the photographs.

Gail


http://www.gailhennessey.com-my website for teachers/kids

The Pilgrims are coming!

  

Pilgrim Factoids
Possible Interactive Notebook Activity
by
Gail Skroback Hennessey

1. Over the years, many people took samples of Plymouth Rock. Today, it is now 1/3 the size it was during the time of the Pilgrims.

2. The sailors on the Mayflower didn’t care for the Pilgrims and called them “flib-gabbety puke stockings” because so many of the Pilgrims got seasick.

3. Would you wear the same clothes for 66 days? The Pilgrims did! 

4. The Pilgrims didn’t have forks on the table at Thanksgiving. Forks weren’t popular until the 18th century.

5. There weren’t any ovens to make pumpkin pie and sugar was in short supply. The Pilgrims also didn’t have cranberry sauce to eat at Thanksgiving.

6. Historians believe that in addition to turkey, the Pilgrims ate lots of venison, cod, clams, sea bass and lobster at their Thanksgiving feast.

7.  Did you know that there wasn’t any milk at the first Thanksgiving? There weren’t any cows brought over on the Mayflower!

8. Here is a list of some of the unusual names of some of the Pilgrims:  Oceanus, Resolved, Peregrine, Wrestling, Love, Remember, Humility  

9. The Mayflower traveled at a speed of 2 mph and traveled 2750 miles from England to North America.  The voyage took 66 days.

10. During the first winter, most of the Pilgrims lived aboard the Mayflower. Half the Pilgrims did NOT survive the first winter.

11. Of the 102 passengers, there were 34 children on the Mayflower’s voyage.

12. The Wampanoag Indians were guests at the first Thanksgiving.

Extension Activities: 

1.  Each family on-board the Mayflower could only bring one trunk of possessions with them.  What would be 7 things you’d  pack?

2. Some historians think when the Mayflower was no longer sea-worthy, its lumber may have been used in the construction of a barn. Read the story here: http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?barn.html  You can also get a free download at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mayflower-What-Might-Have-Become-of-the-Mayflower-A-Reading-Passage-1438415

3. See a list of the Passengers on the Mayflower in 1620: https://www.geni.com/projects/Great-Migration-Passengers-of-the-Mayflower-1620/8

4. Illustrate a factoid about the Pilgrims.

5. What would be the two most difficult things for you if you were a pilgrim living in the 1600s?

Link for Teachers:

http://www.plimoth.org/learn/just-kids/homework-help

Additional Resources:

Additional Resources of Interest:

1. A Ms.Bie Ograffee Reader's Theater Script, an interview with Love Brewster, a Pilgrim of Plymouth Colony.Love was an actual member of the 102 Pilgrims that came to America. He was about nine years old. The play includes info on Mayflower, first winter and Thanksgiving feast. Fun facts,Comprehension questions, extension activities, links: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pilgrims-A-Readers-Theater-Playfirst-Thanksgiving-2137703

2. The Mayflower was named after a flower called the "Trailing Arbuttus". This flower is an evergreen with a white flower and pink center. Learn more about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims with this fun webquest. Extension activities, additional information and links, and the key are provided: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mayflower-and-Pilgrim-Webquest-403880

3.Want a fun and informative activity to teach your students about the history of the first Thanksgiving?This webquest has 11 informative text questions on the history of Thanksgiving and turkeys. Hope you find it of value to use with your students: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Thanksgiving-and-Turkey-Webquest-403849  

Free Illustrations: Wpclipart

Geography Awareness Week 2025(November 17-21)

 

                                 2025

MAKING SPACES OF POSSIBILITIES

Geographic Activities to Foster Geographic Awareness.

Click here for free download: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Geography-Awareness-WeekNovember-10-192019-4177062

1. A fun way to show our  Globally Interdependent World: Assign a partner and have the students check the labels on their tops to see where they are made.  Do the same for their shoes. Have the students do a safari search with their partner looking for where things in the room were made(ex: crayons, textbook, colored pencils, ruler, etc.). Explain that in a globally interdependent world, we have goods from many parts of the world.  Identify the countries mentioned on a world map. Continue by having students find things in their home and where they are made. For example- their television, computer, dinner dishes, favorite jeans, favorite game or sporting equipment.  Discuss the countries using a world map for reference and tally up the 4 most popular countries mentioned for products in their homes.  

2. Atlas Letter Game:  Give groups of students a list of letters from A-Z and an atlas.  Have the students find a country, a capital city, river or a mountain range which starts with each letter of the alphabet. Return as a class and tell the students to raise their hand if the same response is given for a letter. Start with A. If more than one group has “Austria” for example, cross out the response and no points are given. If groups have different responses, the teams each earn 2 points. If only one team has a response and no other group has any country, capital city, river or mountain range for the same letter, the team earns 3 points. Continue down the alphabet list reviewing what the groups wrote down on their list of letters. The group with the most points wins!

3. Teaching Latitude and Longitude: Copy the map at this site: https://www.mapsofindia.com/worldmap/latitude-longitude.html or this link: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/world/cylatlongoutlinemap/  After explaining coordinates of latitude and Longitude, have students use a crayon to mark N(north) and S(south) above and below the equator and E(east) and W(west) on opposite sides of the Prime Meridian.  Explain that Latitude is stated first.  Have students place their one hand on the latitude line and the other hand on the longitude line for the coordinates you state.  For example, Which continent is 40 degrees N of the Equator and 140 degrees W of the Prime Meridian?(Asia). For younger children. Use colored masking tape and make a grid on the playground.  Place  0, 20, 30, 40,50 north and same for south on the latitude lines. Place 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 east and west on the Longitude lines.  Have a student stand on the 20 N and another student stand on 15 W. Have them walk together until they meet.  Another latitude and longitude activity is to make a grid using the coordinates  and having  LETTER where they meet. In groups have students figure out a short message from given coordinates using the letter grid.

4. Geographic IQ Game: Prior to this activity, make a number of pictures of a world map , globe and  red Xs. Divide the students into 4 groups..  Take turns asking a group a geographic question(ex: which is the largest ocean? Name a country on the continent of Europe. What is a peninsula?)  If the group give the correct answer, they get a picture of a world map or globe.  If wrong, they get a picture of an X.  Groups with correct responses can opt to get another world map or globe, or pass an X they may have earned to another team. The team with the most world maps and globes are the geographic IQ game winners! 

5. Create geography puzzlers: Have partners of students  make a geography puzzler with three facts from hardest to easiest about a mystery place in the world. Once done, have the students share their geographic puzzler with the class.  Taking turns, have the other partners try and be the first to raise their hand identifying the mystery location. For example: Clue 1. I am thinking of a place which touches the Pacific Ocean.  Clue 2: This country is an island. Clue 3:  It’s capital city is Manila. (Answer-Philippines)

6. Humpty Dumpty World Mappers: Go to the following website: http://www.jigzone.com/gallery/Mountains Assign groups of students a puzzle on a mountain of the world(such as the Matterhorn). After completing the puzzle, go to a site such as www.factmonster.com and type in the name of the mountain. On an index card, write three facts about the mountain to share with the rest of the class on completion of the activity. Have the students go up to a world map and show the mountain’s location. Another activity would be to copy some world maps(see this link:http://www.worldatlas.com. Have 2 students cut up the map. Pass the pieces to another group. Allow time for the students to try and piece their puzzle together. Time their first attempt.  Jumble the pieces and solve the puzzle two more times and record the fastest time.

7. Geography Concentration. Have groups make up cards with geographic questions and answers on index cards(ex: Peninsula/ land surrounded by water on three sides  France / capital is Paris ) Have groups share their cards with another group. Students take turns turning over pairs of index cards to find their match.  If they find a pair, they continue their turn as long as they find pairs.

8. Country Cards: Give students a card with the following headings:  Mountain , River, Resource, Continent and Cool geography fact(such as Iran is the world’s leading exporter of pistachio nuts). Have students select a country of the world and find information to fill in the grid card.

9. How did they get that name? Just why is the NBA basketball team, the LA Lakers, called that name?  There aren’t lots of lakes in Los Angeles! Make a list of some of the major league basketball, football and baseball teams.  This site is really great to give the origin of the team’s names.  http://www.factmonster.com/spot/nameorigins1.html  Seems that the LA Lakers originally came from Minnesota where there are LOTS of lakes. In fact, the state motto of Minnesota is “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” When the team moved, the part about lakes stayed. See if the students can brainstorm the geographic origin of some of the following teams’ names.   NY Knickerbockers(Knicks for short)(Give a hint... who first settled New York?)  Utah Jazz(Give a hint... the team originated in New Orleans) Seattle Supersonics(hint... Boeing airplane manufactures are headquartered in this state) Houston Astros(Hint ...NASA Space Center is in Houston) Indiana Pacers(hint...Indianapolis 500 is here) Denver Nuggets(Hint...What caused people to go west in 1849?)  Baltimore Ravens(Hint... Famous writer, Edgar Allan Poe lived in this city)

Fun sites to help with geography:

1. Make a compass-see this site: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/steering-science-make-a-homemade-compass/

2. http://www.earthcam.com Have students check out a world webcam site such as the Eiffel Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Niagara Falls and more.

3. http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/waffenschmidt.shtml  Where in the World is Mrs. Waffenschmidt? 

4. http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/geography_az.shtml Geography A-Z activities.

5. http://www.worldtimezone.com/  What time is it around the world.

6. Free geographic activities: http://gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?geography.html

More Geographic Resources:

1. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Geography-Geographic-Secret-Messages-709102
2. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maps-and-Geography-Lets-Map-It-433017
3. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maps-and-Geography-Test-Your-Knowledge-Challenge-ActivityBack-to-School-9239435 Test your Geography Knowledge Challenge
4. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-Capitals-Test-Your-Knowledge-Challenge-Activity-9253008 World Capitals. Test Your Knowledge Challenge
5. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/US-Landmarks-Test-Your-Knowledge-Challenge-Activity-9270184 Test Your Knowledge Challenge Activity-US Landmarks
6. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-Landmarks-Webquest-1516428 World Landmarks, A Webquest

 See Purple Annie’s Travels to China: FREE! http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?purpleanniestravels.html

Illustrations from Wpclipart.com and Pixabay.com