Welcome to Greece (Countries of The World), by Meredith Costain and Paul Collins is full of educational information.  Inside the front and back covers are Greek phrases, numbers, and English words that derived from the Greek Language.  There is a table of contents with icons that correspond with the information in the book.  It has great pictures that also go with the text and a map showing the surrounding countries.

Curriculum Connections
This book would work well for 1-4 graders studying geography.  With its real-life pictures and its easy-to-read information students will easily learn from this book.

Additional Resources
This website offers many different types of maps for students to look at. You can pick from world or country maps.

Kidsgeo.com has several different geography games for students to play.  You can pick from the different countries, the U.S. capitals, or lattitude and longitude games.

National Geographic Kids: People and Places In the Spotlight, gives children facts about the country  and also shows pictures.

Book: Welcome to Greece (Countries of the World)
Author: Meredith Costain and Paul Collins
Illustrator: Vaughan Duck
Publisher: Chelsea House
Publication date: 2000
Pages: 32
Grade Range: 1-4
ISBN: 0-7910-6545-6
                                       

Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney and illustrated by Annette Cable introduces the idea of maps and explains that they are all around us.

“Just think…in rooms, in houses, on streets, in towns, in countries all over the world, everybody has their own special place on the map.”

Sweeney begins explaining mapping in a very small way, “This is Me. This is me in my room. This is a map of my room.” She continues expanding to house, street, town, state, country, and finally world. With each example there is a map. Sweeney then explains, through the narration of a little girl, how to find her “special place on the map”. The second half of the book is the little girl going from the big picture of a globe and back-tracking all the way to her bedroom. She first finds her country, then her state, then her town, then her street, her house and finally her bedroom.

Curriculum Connections
Me on the Map is suitable for kindergarten through 2nd graders and compliments Virginia SOL 1.4 and 1.5. First grade students can easily read this story, and it is a great story to read to your class before having them draw their own maps. It will help them recognize how maps work and how they can either be large scale and show the whole world or they can be detailed and show a small place such as their bedroom or backyard.

Additional Resources

• A geography activity that helps students recognize differences in communities.
• An interactive activity to help students with geographical vocabulary through the use of riddles. Ex: I run but I have no legs. River.
• Map making lesson/activity. Making a treasure map to find a treasure hidden in the classroom.

Book: Me on the Map
Author: Joan Sweeney
Illustrator: Annette Cable
Publisher: Crown Publishers
Publication Date: 1996
Pages: 32
Grade Range: K-2
ISBN:978-0517700952

                                                 

Young Tameka wants her favorite uncle, Ray, to visit her in California.  Ray is too busy with his job in South Carolina to travel to Tameka’s home; so, he sends Oliver K. Woodman, a hand-crafted wooden man, in his place.  The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman, written by Darcy Pattison and illustrated by Joe Cepeda, recounts Oliver’s cross-country trek in which he depends on the kindness of strangers to reach his destination.  Pattison’s whimsical story is wonderfully told through postcards and letters.  Cepeda’s lovely pictures, painted with oil over acrylic on board, make not only Oliver, but the entire story come alive.

Connections

The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman includes a United States map which charts Oliver’s journey from coast to coast.  This creates a good tie-in to geography lessons for any elementary level class (VA SOL’s K.3-5, 1.4-6, 2.4-6, and 3.6).  This book could serve as the inspiration for a joint Social Studies/English project where the student uses correspondence and geographic research to document an imagined trip.  

Additional Resources

• Spark your creativity with ideas from Helping Your Child Learn Geography, a U.S. Department of Education website.
• Teach letter-writing skills by starting a pen pal program with people across town, across country, or across oceans.  Consider these suggestions before you begin.
• National Geographic’s Geospy game is a fun way for kids to learn the locations of countinents, countries and states.

Book:  The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman
Author:  Darcy Pattison
Illustrator: Joe Cepeda
Publisher:  Harcourt, Inc.
Publication Date: March, 2003
Pages: 56
Grade Range: K-5
ISBN-13: 9780152023294

A different time…a different place…What if you were there?

If you travled on the Underground Railroad
-Where was the safest place to go?
-Would you use a disguise when you ran?
-What would you do when you were free?

 …If You Traveled on The Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Larry Johnson is a book introducing the Underground Railroad, the system of escape routes, safe houses, and individuals who assisted slaves on their journey to freedom.

Curriculum Connections

This book can be presented when talking about the roles of enslaved African Americans during the Civil War (SOL VS.7).

Additional Resources

1. This is a brief biography on Harriet Tubman.

2. Check out this book about Harriet Tubman, A Woman of Courage.

3. This is a map of the Underground Railroad routes.

Buster, a book written by Denise Fleming, follows a dig named Buster through his quest to get away from the new family pet, a cat named Betty.  Not only is Buster afraid of cats, but he ruled the roost before Betty came along.  Buster had his own dishes with his name, a large grassy yard with a tall oak tree to nap under, a sandpit for taking dirt baths, an in-and-out flap on the back door, a basketful of toys, and a radio tuned to his favorite station.  However, Betty came along, she took over all of his private spaces and even changed his radio station, so Buster ran away from the house.  He spent the day at a nearby park but could not find his way back home after dark.  He searched for familiar clues or anything he would recognize, but found nothing until he saw Betty waving her paw.  He followed Betty all the way home and realized how nice she was after all.     Buster teaches students  the importance of looking for familiar landmarks when they are lost.  The students will enjoy following Buster as he ventures to and from the park.

Here are a few excerpts from the book.

• “Not his usual park but a fine park with tall trees, a bubbling fountain, tubs of flowers, large grassy patches, and not a cat in sight.” (pg. 16)
• “He looked up the street.  He looked down the street.  Nothing looked familiar.” (pg. 27)
• “Buster ran out of the park, around two corners, over five streets, turned left, and ran up the block.” (pg. 37)

Curriculum Connections:
Buster is an easy-read with wonderful illustrations to help students in kindergarten and first grade learn about geography. For kindergarten students, this book will help them use simple maps and globes to develop an awareness that a map is a drawing of a place to show where things are located, describe places referenced in stories and real-life situations, and to locate land and water features.  (VA SOL K.4)  For first graders, students will develop map skills by recognizing basic map symbols, including references to land, water, cities and globes.  (VA SOL 1.4) 

Additional Resources

• This kindergarten map activity is great for teaching both kindergarten and first grade students to how look for familiar landmarks to help them know where they are.  You can use the school or the classroom as a reference point.
• This book helps students get a great grasp for the basics of mapping and geography skills.  It’s colorful and interactive too!
• Draw a map of the inside of your school, and walk around the halls with the students and try to get to specific landmarks using specific references.

Book: Buster
Author: Denise Fleming
Illustrator: N/A
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: September 2003
Pages: 40 Pages
Grade Range: Kindergarten and First Grade
ISBN: 978-0805062793

My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, is a collection of 50 poems combined with beautiful art that together create a portrait of the United States. The states are broken down according to their specific region, and a map and facts about each state precede the poems that describe them. The beautiful illustrations and fun poems are sure to keep the attention of students!

“It’s here our U.S. Presidents
are sworn into command;
where the courtly U.S. Capitol
and the stately White House stand.”
(excerpt from Washington D.C. by Rebecca Kai Dotlich)

Curriculum Connections
My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States is a great book for teaching the different states and regions of the United States. It covers the Virginia Social Studies SOL 1.4d, which involves the identification of the United States and Virginia on maps and globes. Teachers can also integrate English into a geography lesson plan by asking students to create their own poems about where they live.

Additional Resources

• This is an excellent 10-day unit map skills lesson plan. Essential knowledge includes:
  Symbols and cardinal directions are used to show where objects and places are located on maps and globes.
  The United States and Virginia can be identified by their physical shapes on maps and globes.
  The locations of the capital cities of Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia are identified by specific symbols.
• Using this worksheet, students can practice their map-making skills as well as the identification and usage of the cardinal directions.
• ThisPowerPoint is a great teaching resource for identifying the United States and Virginia on maps and globes.
• Watch the My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States Reading Rainbow episode, and have students compare and contrast the girl from rural Montana and the boy from New York City. As a class, complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the lives of the two children.

Book: My America
Author: Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrator: Stephen Alcorn
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Publication Date: 2000
Pages:96
Grade Range: 1-5
ISBN: 0-689-81247-7

Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester is a book that chronicles the journey of a family around Australia.  The book begins with a map of Australia and the route that the family took around the country.  During the book, the family rides around the country in a camper.  The family travels to many different places and at each place some of the geological features are explained.  Each time they move to a different part of Australia it is represented on a small map of Australia on the top of the page.  At each stop the youngest child asks “are we there yet?”

Curriculum Connections
This book is a way to look at map skills, as well as how geographic features affect clothing, shelter, etc.  This matches to Virginia SOL’s 1.4 and 1.6.

Additional Resources

• Nullabor Travel Guide has a website with some pictures of the Head of the Bight as well as whale watching that is mentioned in the book.
• Penguin Publishing provides a number of lesson plans associated with Are We There Yet which touches on reading, science, and geography.
• The Melbourne Tourist website looks at the Twelve Apostles which is a scenic rock formation that the family visits in the book.
  

Book: Are We There Yet?
Author and Illustrator: Alison Lester
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers
Publication Date: January 2005
Pages: 32 pages
Grade Range: 1-3
ISBN-13: 978-1929132737

Introduction:

“Dinosaurs Travel: A guide for families on the go“, written by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown, is a wonderful book for young students exploring the many different aspects of traveling. The book is a great resource for young children to learn many important facts and tips about traveling. Each page is filled with important information as well as crammed with interesting, helpful pictures, covering a wide variety of topics.

Summary:

 This story is a compact guide for families when they are getting ready to travel, as well as while they are traveling. The story covers important topics such as getting ready for a trip, getting from place to place and all different modes of transportation, as well as eating and sleeping away from home. Important tips are given throughout the books on things to do and not to do when traveling. For example, when visiting a new place:

“No matter where you travel, it will be different from home. Here’s your chance to try all kinds of new things!”

“Bring maps and guidebooks with you and ask for directions if you get lost.”

 ”Some places you visit will give you a chance to speak a new language.”

 The story covers many different ways of traveling, such as on foot, using wheels, by car, riding the bus or subways, as well as by planes and boats. These different modes of transportation discussed help children learn about different geographical characteristics of a specific place. The language of the story is very simple and pictures are very descriptive, yet the information given on each page of the story is extremely important and helpful for young students to learn.

Curriculum Connections:

This story is important to be read by students who are beginning to learn about travel, or who are preparing to take a trip.The book also helps students understand basic uses and skills of maps, including basic references to land, water, cities, and roads (VA SOL1.4 (a)).  Students begin to also understand differences between their home and other places, specifically referring to food, clothing, language, shelter, and transportation (VA SOL 1.6) from reading this book.

Additional Resources:

1. This website provides a song from an education music player. The song provides an interesting way to learn detailed information about planet Earth, including Earth’s composition and other geographic information. The song begins “Our Earth is like a giant Grapefruit..” and tells a lot about the make up of our planet.

2. National Geographic’s website for kids, “Amazing Animals,” explores many different geographic concepts , equipped with intense photos and information about all different animals, including bats, tigers, spiders, etc.

3. This website provides 101 car travel games and tips for kids to use while they are traveling. Some examples listed are creating a travel journal, car sick trips, and games such as “Pirates of the the Caravan.”

General Information:

Book: Dinosaurs Travel

 Author: Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: January 1988

Pages: 32

Grade Range: 1-2 grade

ISBN: 978-0316112536

Maps, by David L. Stienecker and illustrated by Richard MacCabe, is a book designed to help introduce children to geography with a focus on maps and globes.

This book highlists the many purposes and differences between maps and globes, how to read them, and the many ways in which they can be drawn.  The author and illustrator provide child-friendly text and illustrations to show how maps can be used to visualize and locate specific regions, water features, forests, and landmarks of the world, as well as dicussing that maps can also be created for make believe.  The book offers children a view of North America on both a map and globe, and then slowly zooms out to show the Earth as a whole from the perspective of the sky.  This book also provides children with question prompts they can respond to during or after reading, while providing teachers with hands-on activitiy ideas for further study, a glossary of essential terms, and an index.  Lines of latitude/longitude, projections, compass, hemisphere, equator, and thematic maps are the main topics discussed throughout the book which allows the teacher discretion for how much content to share depending on varying student levels. 

Curriculum Connections

Maps serves as an excellent and useful resource to help teach, reinforce, and emphasize several kindergarten - first grade geography learning objectives in accordance with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL’s).  Students can enhance their understanding in that a map is a drawing of a place to show where things are located while a globe is a round model of the Earth (SOL K.4a), facilitate identification of land and water features (SOL K.4c), encourage understanding that maps and globes show a view from above the Earth and that features are smaller in size (SOL K.5a/b), develop map skills by identifying map symbols (SOL 1.4a), and facilitate accurate identification of North America and Virginia on maps and globes (SOL 1.4d). 

Additional Resources

• Discovery Education provides a wide range of geography lesson plans from grades kindergarten - 5th grade - lesson plans are organized by topic, and when clicked on,  provides you with a wealth of resource links, extention activity ideas, suggested readings, and evaluation assessments specific to the lesson

• Kids Geography offers a wide range of fun, interactive games for students to play either at school or home - games are organized into continents, American capitals, latitude/longitude, and the collective Earth so teachers, students, and parents have the ability to select games that are specific to what the student is learning

• Enchanted Learning is the place for teachers to go for an endless supply of various geography maps, printables, quizzes, and activities - if teachers want to focus on their state geography, there are links to supply you with tons of state maps for students to label, quizzes, and symbol and emblem worksheets specific to your state 

Book: Maps
Author: David L. Stienecker
Illustrator: Richard MacCabe
Publisher: Benchmark Books (New York)
Publication Date: January 1998
Pages: 32pp
Grade Range: Kindergarten - 1st Grade
ISBN-13: 978-0761405382

Looking at Maps and Globes is written by Carmen Bredeson. It’s a great book for introducing the concept of maps to students in Kindergarten and First Grade. It explains what maps are and how they differ from photographs. It introduces and explains terms such as symbols, map legend, map scale, directions, equator, map, globe, North and South Pole. The book has real photographs of globes and people using maps. It also has kid-friendly drawings of maps.

Curriculum Connections

This book could be used to help develop an awareness that a map is a drawing of a place and to show where things are located and that a globe is a round model of the Earth. K.4(a). It could be used to introduce students on how to locate land and water features. K.4(c). The book illustrates that maps show things in smaller size and shows the position of objects. K.5(b,c). It will also help students learn to recognize basic map symbols. 1.4(a).

Additional Resources

• This National Geographic website is a great resource for teachers. It has lesson plans, activities and many printable maps that can be printed without the names so it can be used for assessments.

• This National Geographic website is for kids and has interactive geography games!

• This Education World website has lesson plans and activity and project ideas.

• Ilike2learn has interactive quizzes on all things geography. They seem more like a fun game than a test.

General Information
Book: Looking at Maps and Globes
Author: Carmen Bredeson
Illustrator: Herman Adler Design
Publisher: Children’s Press
Publication Date: 2001
Pages: 31
Grade Range: K-1
ISBN: 0516259822