Sunday, January 2, 2011

U.S. Geography

Boring right? What kid would choose to learn that? It makes me giggle when I hear people say that children won't learn X unless they are forced have to learn it. As unschoolers we know that's just crazy talk not true. If the child has the interest, the child can and will learn anything. U.S. Geography is pretty darn boring. At least that's what I thought...then I heard about Stack the States, a cool little iTunes app.

Photo courtesy iTunes

I added it to my iPhone, as I do whenever I find any cool apps, for Princess to discover. She LOVES this game!! I often find her with the map on her lap playing the app. As she is eating a piece of bread, she will show me a bit of it and say, "Look Mommy, this looks like Vermont!" (or some other state).


I see myself as facilitator in Princess' life. If she has an interest, it is my job to provide her with tools like the Little Man In the Map book and the United States Coloring Book...

...and arriving soon, the Scrambled States game. The important thing for us to remember is that she needs to want to do these things, not be coerced or forced.

Princess loves to learn about almost everything...even geography. Now if I can just get her to play Stack the States on her iPod (I added it there just before we gave it to her) so that I can have my phone back!

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7 comments:

  1. RosalynJanuary 2, 2011 at 1:49 PM

    Boring? No way! There are some awesome online geography games that I use in my Geography Travelers class, or tell the kids about. And the National Geographic Kids website (and xpeditions site) has amazing activities and projects and study guides for all ages.

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  2. Shady LadyJanuary 2, 2011 at 2:02 PM

    Cool, Rosalyn! Perhaps you can share some links? I can pass them along to Princess and see what she thinks.

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  3. CateJanuary 2, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    Very cool.

    Also, as you have an iphone, download the "hipstamic" camera app. That's what gives me the vintage-type pics that I've been posting lately :-)

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  4. Shady LadyJanuary 2, 2011 at 8:45 PM

    I've just downloaded it, Cate! Thanks for the recommendation. Is that what you used for the recent deck photos?

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  5. SheriJanuary 3, 2011 at 5:47 AM

    Way cool. Daughter got an iPod for Christmas and she's already loaded it up with a bunch of stuff. I have no idea how she did it, where she found the apps or what the heck they even do. But she learned how because it was what she wanted to learn.

    Hehehe, crazy talk...loved it. :D

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  6. Colleen PaeffJanuary 3, 2011 at 7:52 AM

    I'm going to get that app now! I just tried to fill in a blank map of the US a few days ago (I found one when we were sorting through the "wreck" room) and my knowledge of US geography is pitiful. Warren's really good. With his help I finished filling it in with only one mistake--but I want to be able to do it on my own. It's never to late to learn!

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  7. Shady LadyJanuary 3, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Isn't it cool how humans, when inspired, can learn anything...no matter their age! You'll have to let me know if there are any super cool apps that Princess might like. :)

    Colleen! You're back! Yippee!!! It is a fun app and Princess will often ask me about the capitals. It tests my memory and by me answering the questions, Princess learns the capitals. Learning the shapes of the states should help with completing a map, but The Little Man in the Map book is really helpful for learning the placement...even if it is a kids' book.

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