Weekly Homeschool Lessons, Learning Activities, Where I Am

Some “school years” begin in August (which seems too early!), but we at Everything Homeschooling will begin providing homeschool activities and homeschool lessons this month, too.

To ease into your homeschool year, here are some learning ideas and activities, which will be fun and educational for your children this week. See the end of this post for ways to document homeschool activities each week.

Week 1:

Have your children ask: “Where in the world am I?”

Then think about that. Maybe their answers will include: Home. With my family. In a town or city. In the country. On a farm.

Then ask your children: What’s the name of your town, city, or neighborhood? What’s your address? Write this down.

How far do you live from the grocery store, the dollar store or convenience store, library, park, zoo, gym, museum, recreation center, and other special places?

Draw a map of your area and label these places on your map. Mark the location of your home on the map, too, along with your address.

Do the math: Determine how far each of these places are from your home. Use Google Maps to measure the distance and calculate the time it takes to travel there by car or by walking or biking. Or, track the distance and time it takes the next time you visit those places.

Write these details on your map or keep them in a notebook.

Print maps of the world, the United States, regional maps, state maps, and more here: Maps to Print link.

Label the maps, noting your location in the world, in the United States, and in your state.

Learn more about map making and reading maps, research different types of maps, view aerial or satellite maps, street maps, terrain or topography maps, and more.

Arts and Crafts Activities: Make your own map by cutting out colorful shapes to match states or provinces. Cut out an outline of your country from cardboard, then glue your states in place. Be creative, and use whatever colorful materials or supplies you have to make your map unique and decorative!

Music and Songs: On the Map Song; Geography Songs; 50 States Songs; 7 Continents Songs; and more.

Books to Read: Me on the Map; Where on Earth?; Beginner’s World Atlas; Fun with 50 States; Maps & Geography; Geography: A Visual Encyclopedia; Draw the USA; Draw the World; Geography Activity Books; and many more at your library or online.

Games to Play: World Game Board Game; Race Across the USA; Great States; Ticket to Ride; Map of the World Puzzles; United States Puzzles; and more.

Lessons learned and skills honed: Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Community, Geography, Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Math Skills, Map Drawing, Spatial Thinking, Computer Skills, Technology, Reasoning Skills, Arts and Crafts, Music, and more. Jot down these lessons and activities in your lesson logbook or on our log sheets (available here: Weekly Planner Log link.)

Happy Homeschooling!