Trying to teach kids about their place in the world is a little difficult (physically, everything else is beyond hard). I mean, it's sometimes hard for me to grasp how huge the world is and how very different living in it is for everyone. And I'm a grown up (just wondering if it's just me, or does anyone else ever feel like they're still just pretending to be a grown up and someday someone is going to notice?).
Anyway, when I found this super cute idea, I knew we'd have to use it.
Me on the map pinned on pinterest!
What I wasn't sure about was whether or not I wanted to make my own version or buy one of the varieties floating around the internet. In the end, I bought this one here (made by Clutter Free Classrooms and sold on Teachers Pay Teachers) and it turned out great (As a side note, I was a little disappointed it didn't have my room and my house in the little flaps and if I do it again with my kids I'll add them with a little photoshop magic).
You can tell she's older, a girl and takes her drawing seriously. She's also slightly anal like me. Her hands didn't end up straight and she couldn't stand the thought of any part of her being crooked or not even. I like her solution.
Ben is having a hard time holding up the world. Wouldn't we all?
I will always love James smile. His grin is so big. Big.
Josh is old enough to want to be "involved" in everything the older kids are doing, but isn't quite old enough to understand how he's "supposed" to. I've learned it doesn't matter, he has a TON of fun!
These go along with a book called, yep, you guessed it, Me on the Map, by Joan Sweeney. I stuck the book on my home school wishlist on Amazon (because it's a pretty cool book), but I just checked it out from our library for our activity (by the way, does anyone else regularly have 70 books checked out or is that just me?).
I love that it takes a child from hanging out in their room (the little girl even draws a map of her room) and step by step takes them all the way out to the whole world. The room (with the girl in it), moves to the house (which has the room marked on it) and then out to the street (which has the house marked on it) and then the city, state, country, continent and finally, the WORLD!
I hope that makes sense.
We took about two weeks to do finish them, coloring and mapping out one section a day and then putting it all together at the very end. I'm really glad I didn't try to rush it.
It showed me that we CAN do projects and have FUN doing them, ONLY if I'm patient. Somedays I really wish there was such a thing as the patience fairy.
This was more my 2nd and Kindergartners speed, although my 6th grader really loves to draw and had a ton of fun doing it.
What fun projects have you done with your kids lately (or not so lately)?
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