When you first start talking about world geography, it sounds like a dull and boring subject, right? There’s this idea that in order to teach geography effectively you need to have an oversized magnifying glass, dusty old maps, and a world atlas so big you need a fork lift to move it around the room.
And yet, this world is filled with interesting places to explore, incredible people to learn about, and spectacular animals everywhere you look. So, why should your study of this amazing, incredible world be reduced to something flat, dull, dry, and uninteresting?
It doesn’t have to be this way! Discovering our world should be an adventure. It should be fun and exciting. It should be a hands-on experience exploring not only the facts about a country, but the people, the culture, the animals that make that country in that corner of the globe unique.
But how do you do it? How do you create an environment for your homeschool that takes you on an adventure like this? Where do you start to come up with activities and games and crafts to help you learn about and explore our incredible world?
I’ve got good news for you: You don’t have to wander around hopelessly lost trying to figure out where to start or how to find all this information! In fact, I’ve put it together for you in one neat package. But why should you bother? Why should you take a look at this particular curriculum over any other geography curriculum?
Here are 12 reasons for you to fall in love with Adventures Around the World. And if you just can’t wait to check it out for yourself, you can grab your free First Lesson by telling me which email to send it to in the form just below. You’ll have a chance at the end of this post to get the First Lesson again, but if you just can’t wait to get started, here’s your opportunity!
#1 :: Written by a Homeschooling Mom for Homeschoolers
When I first started looking to find a world geography curriculum for my own children, I hit a huge conundrum: I couldn’t find anything that had the right combination of facts with fun. Of crafts and creatures. Of hands-on, interactive projects to help anchor the ideas we were talking about with interesting and true facts about the country. So, I decided to do something about it. I decided to create my own curriculum.
You see, Adventures Around the World has been in the works for over 3 years now. It started out as an adventure my children and I went on to look at different countries around the world, to try out recipes and look up interesting things. Along the way, it turned into something incredible. Something fun that’s easy to incorporate into your school day.
It strikes the balance between fun projects and true facts. It teaches facts like the size of a country and the language they speak in an interactive way. It is loaded with activities, games, recipes, and crafts to try as you learn what makes each country unique. It teaches about the people, the land, and the animals found in that country. And it does it all with an easy to understand, simple to teach, and enjoyable for everyone perspective.
If you want to read the whole story about how this curriculum came into existence, check out the post entitled How to Teach World Geography in a Fun, Engaging Way.
#2 :: Structured Flexibility
When it comes to world geography, there are certain facts you can find out about every country. Things like where the country is in the world, what the capital city is, how big the country is and what the flag looks like. There are also things common to every country that require more flexibility such as the people who live there, the animals who live there, beautiful and unique land formations, and the languages spoken there.
And yet, each country is unique. Each country has its own blend of culture and cuisine, of wildlife and wilderness, of language and landmarks.
Adventures Around the World takes all this into account! As you look through the different countries in this curriculum, you’ll see a pattern, a structure to how it is set up. And yet, there is freedom and flexibility in it all. In some places, the animals take center stage. In other countries the landscape takes center stage. But through it all, this structured flexibility gives you a guide, allowing you to have an overall picture of how you can work through each country while keeping each and every country unique and interesting to learn about!
Each country is broken up in to six main sections. Now, the length of these sections will be a bit different depending on which country you’re studying, but the order of these sections always remains the same. You can read through each country from start to finish as if you’re reading a book or you can work through one or two sections each school day, letting yourself take a bit more time with the information. You can spread out the crafts, activities, and recipes throughout the week or you can do them all in one day.
The structure is there so you know what to expect, but the flexibility is there to allow each country to shine as well as allowing you to tailor your Adventure Around the World to your family’s schedule!
#3 :: Everything You Need to Teach the Lesson is Included
Have you ever read the description of a curriculum and seen those words “all-inclusive”? They’re enticing, aren’t they? They inspire confidence. And sometimes you can feel the price for this curriculum decreasing as you read more of the description.
But then you get the curriculum. And you discover you have all the instructions you need (maybe), but you have to go and track down this book over here or find that textbook over there. You have to find a song over here or a CD by a certain person over there (because the songs you’re supposed to find aren’t on any streaming platform!). And in addition to all the time you spend tracking down these parts and pieces, you have to purchase them all on top of what you paid for the curriculum itself! And that’s all before you can start teaching the material!
Have you ever been burned by those words “all-inclusive” before? I know I have! And it makes me so mad when a curriculum claims to be all-inclusive and when it arrives, it turns out to be the exact opposite.
This is why I’m so passionate about giving you everything you need to teach world geography in Adventures Around the World! And that’s the beauty of it: You don’t need anything else to teach this curriculum effectively!
As I wrote this curriculum, I made sure it was comprehensive: All set and ready to go for you. All you have to do is open the file and start reading out loud. No additional textbooks are needed. No songs to track down. No extra materials to purchase to understand what’s going on. The only thing you might want to add is a globe. But, let’s face it: It is really hard to include a 3-dimensional globe in a PDF download!
#4 :: A Hands-On, Interactive Approach
One thing I’ve learned through my years of homeschooling is that when you incorporate hands-on activities into any area of study, things have a tendency to stick. My children are more interested in what we’re talking about and they remember more of what we did talk about when they have something to anchor it to.
This is why Adventures Around the World is such a rare find. With each and every country you’ll find activities to encourage hands-on, interactive learning. And while the exact type of activity changes to enhance each country you’re looking at, you can rest assured there will absolutely be multiple interactive activities for you to enjoy together!
In one country it might be a craft. In another, it might be a recipe. It might be an activity to try or a video to watch. It might be a game to play or a puzzle to figure out. The exact activities change depending on the country you’re looking at. But no matter what, the interactive piece has been worked into each and every country throughout this curriculum.
Now, you might be thinking: How do the words “comprehensive” and “hands-on activities” mesh together? Isn’t it hard to include everything you need for hands-on activities into a digital download? The simple answer: Yes! It’s extremely difficult to include the markers and paper towel rolls, the construction paper and glue that you’ll need to make crafts in a digital download. So there are some craft supplies you’ll need to get, but included in Adventures Around the World are clear instructions, photos, and all the templates you’ll need. When it comes to making recipes, you’ll need to supply the flour, the vanilla, the eggs, and even the bananas, but a full list of ingredients is included as well as clear directions so you can spend less time trying to figure out what to do and more time enjoying making a recipe with your children.
And while I encourage you to do as many of these recipes and projects as you possibly can, you can choose to skip them. No matter what you choose, you’ll still learn a lot about each and every country simply by reading the information in the curriculum. Best of all, you’ll learn the information in a fun, exciting way as you take your own Adventure Around the World.
#5 :: It’s Not Dull & Boring!
Here’s the thing: The world is not a dull place! Have you seen photos of some of the crazy amazing places scattered around the globe? Have you heard fun facts about different places? This world is anything but boring!
So, why is it that so many curriculums teach geography from such a dull and boring place? You see, facts and figures are important. They should be touched on, but when you only look at facts and figures without adding in some excitement, you teach your children that geography is boring.
On the contrary, geography is interesting and exciting! Everywhere you turn there are more things you can learn about the land, the people, the animals, the culture. There are new places to see and new foods and spices to try.
Adventures Around the World takes this excitement and amazement and fun and pours it into each and every country packet. As you learn about each country, you’ll see the wonder and the excitement come to life not just through reading words on a page, but through all the hands-on activities you choose to enjoy.
#6 :: Experience New Things
Have you ever tasted couscous? What about pavlova? Have you ever gone to the fruit market and gotten some tropical fruits like star fruit, pomegranate, or dragon fruit and tasted them just to say you did?
Have you ever heard of poi balls? Do you know why windmills are so important to the Netherlands? Have you ever heard of board games that are played with nothing but dirt and stones?
These are just a few of the experiences, games, recipes, and ideas you can explore through Adventures Around the World. Part of the fun of world geography is getting to see different places in the world and experience a tiny taste of their culture, their food, and their pastimes.
You see, Adventures Around the World is designed to help you experience new and exciting things. It’s designed to take you on an adventure and help you remember more about each country by anchoring those facts to an experience.
#7 :: Multi-Age Level
Adventures Around the World is written primarily to upper elementary age students. And yet, it can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages. Younger students will enjoy the simpler crafts and fun facts about the countries. They’ll enjoy getting to taste the recipes and participating wherever they can.
Older students will appreciate the solid base of information that Adventures Around the World provides. This solid foundation gives them a springboard to continue digging deeper and learning more about the countries, animals, people, or cultures that spark their interest.
Adventures Around the World is even enjoyable to adults as you’ll learn new and interesting things as you walk with your children through the curriculum.
In short, no matter if you’re 5, 15, 35, or 85 there’s something in Adventures Around the World for you to enjoy and learn about!
#8 :: Opportunity to Dig Deeper
One of the unique aspects of Adventures Around the World is the opportunity to dig deeper. You see, as you work through the curriculum, all the information included will give you a solid introduction to each country. But what if you want to learn more? What if the information in the packet isn’t enough to satisfy your curiosity?
This is where the Diving Deeper section comes into play. And at the back of every country packet, you’ll find the Diving Deeper section which is split up into three areas. The first area is called Explore More and in it, you’ll find recommended resources for you to Explore More about the country you’re studying. You’ll find a list of books and resources you can borrow from your local library, find online (through included links), or purchase to bring this particular country to life even more. All of these resources are completely optional, however, I wanted to give you a starting point to dive even deeper into your study of this country.
In some county packets, you’ll find a section called Local Authors. Here you’ll find a list of authors born in this country and the books they wrote. This section won’t be in every country packet, but I tried to include it wherever I could.
And finally, you’ll find a section called Learn More. This section is primarily designed for your older students. It gives you an opportunity to give them guided reports so they can look deeper into one particular aspect of the country. Now, assigning reports can feel intimidating – especially when you’re not used to it! So, in this Learn More section, you’ll find suggestions of the parameters you should give, suggestions on topics for your child to dig into, and even lists of questions for multiple topics to get them going in the right direction.
In other words, Adventures Around the World can serve as a solid, fact-filled introduction to each and every country, or you could use it as a springboard to learn more and more about each and every place you visit.
#9 :: Easy & Simple to Use
Have you ever gotten a bookshelf or a piece of furniture that comes in a flat box? Included in the box is supposed to be all the parts and pieces to put together the bookshelf along with the instructions. And yet, how many times have you attempted to put together a bookshelf that comes in a flat box only to get frustrated along the way because the directions are anything but easy to understand? The box told you this bookshelf was simple to put together, and yet part way through the project you find yourself screaming at the box that it lied! This bookshelf is anything but simple and easy to put together!
Adventures Around the World is not a complicated bookshelf! Making this curriculum easy to understand and simple to use is one of my top priorities. In fact, you can download the curriculum to your computer, open it up and start reading it just as it’s written to your children. It really is that simple. No major preparation needed. No need to spend hours preparing a lesson, just open and dive in and have fun!
#10 :: Written from a Biblical Worldview
When you start talking about cultures of the world and the religions of the world, you can start to get into sticky territory. Particularly if you’re coming at it from an undefined worldview. Now, before things get too technical here, let me remind you that a worldview is simply the way you look at the world. It’s like putting on a pair of sunglasses. The sunglasses you’re looking through will affect the way you look at the world.
Adventures Around the World looks at the cultures, the religions, the people of the world through a Biblical worldview. God, in His infinite wisdom, created the world and everything in it. The Scriptures, the Bible, are the ultimate authority and are God’s very words to us.
As you delve into the cultures, the religions, the holidays, and the festivals found throughout the world, this is the viewpoint through which everything is seen. It’s good to look at different viewpoints. It’s good and helpful to look into different festivals and to understand more of the meaning behind them. It enhances your view of the world when you’re able to see things and understand things from a different perspective.
And yet, you need to know your starting point. You need to know your foundation otherwise you run the risk of getting lost in trying to find something. Looking at world geography through a Biblical worldview is the foundation that Adventures Around the World is built on.
#11 :: Not Just a Homeschool Curriculum
As much as Adventures Around the World is talked about as a homeschool curriculum, did you know that you don’t have to homeschool to be able to use and enjoy this? It’s true! You can use Adventures Around the World as your world geography curriculum in your homeschool, absolutely. But it’s not your average homeschool curriculum.
You see, Adventures Around the World can be read like a book or a magazine. You can use these different packets of countries around the world to enhance your child’s education. To start your own study of different places around the world in your family.
You can create a family international dinner night, making the recipe or recipes included for a country, enjoying new flavors and foods and read through the packet to discover more about the country as you enjoy dinner together.
You can create a trip around the world over school vacation or over your summer vacation and enjoy Adventures Around the World that way.
The possibilities are endless if you only use your imagination!
#12 :: The Order Doesn’t Matter!
Do you want to know one of the best parts of Adventures Around the World? The order doesn’t matter! It’s true!
You see, many curriculums are written in a specific order with each lesson building on the next from the beginning of the curriculum to the end. The beautiful part of Adventures Around the World is that each and every country stands on its own. Each and every country is a complete lesson and holds the complete information you need to work through that country in its packet.
But what does this mean? It means you can choose the order of your adventure! Just because our family started in Oceania doesn’t mean you have to! Start with the country or continent you want, the one your family is most interested in. You can take it continent by continent or jump around the entire world if you want. You can take a south to north or east to west approach or simply pick your next country and hop on an imaginary plane to get there.
The choice is completely and totally up to you!
So with all these reasons, what are you waiting for? Get a glimpse at Adventures Around the World for yourself. This Free First Lesson will give you a tiny glimpse at 3 countries on 3 different continents into what you can expect with each and every country as you start your Adventure Around the World. Your First Lesson is fun, free, and all yours – providing you tell me what email to send it to! Claim yours right here:
Additional Resources:
- How to Teach World Geography in a Fun, Engaging Way
- Uncertainty, Intrigue, & Adventure: Around the World in 80 Days
- What Style of Homeschooling Curriculum is Right for You?
- Travel the World through Your Imagination: Over 100 Books to Transport You without a Passport
Elizabeth Tatham, founder of Inspiration in the Everyday, is a homeschooling momma of 5 who loves helping other homeschooling mommas create a unique homeschooling adventure your kids will love…without the overwhelm! Join in on the journey with 7 simple steps to make your homeschooling day go faster, easier, and with less tears here.