It is common to hear kids said that some topics are “boring” – and geography is one of those subjects that gets mentioned time and time again. Yet this should be one of the most exciting topics to learn about at school as it can demonstrate what is waiting to be discovered in the world. Perhaps part of the problem is what is being included within the curriculum, or maybe it is that teachers are not thinking of the most exciting ways to share the information.
Either way, you will want to be one of the people that gives geography a good name, inspiring kids to enjoy the subject and continue studying it in their later years. If you want a few sneaky hints on how to do this, have a read of this blog post to find out more…
Try drawing countries
A good teacher will find a way to get kids involved in one topic by using elements from others. Many children enjoy art class, so could you try and involve this within your geography lessons? One such idea is to get kids to draw countries that they have been learning about – but by doing it from memory. This will challenge them to recall what they have learned so far, as well as you being able to identify where there are gaps in education. If kids know that you will do this type of test more frequently, it might also inspire them to pay a bit more attention next time.
Look at world weather forecasts
There is a lot of information to absorb when you are at school, so kids cannot be expected to remember everything after hearing or reading about it just once or twice. Something which you could incorporate into your regular routine is putting the international weather forecasts on. Children will soon begin to understand where countries are in the world, as well as the main cities that are in them. Point out really high and really low temperatures to start introducing them to science topics as well.
Go on field trips
There is often no better way to make geography exciting than going on a field trip. Overnight camping stays could introduce kids to a forest environment, and skiing could be a fun way to see the mountains. There will be elements of learning, discovery and fun to be had, which should help to keep children interesting throughout the whole day or duration of the trip. When you get back to the classroom, why don’t you reinforce learning with resources available from websites such as Pencil Street Ltd? This might include posters for the walls, or even comparing two pictures and getting the kids to decide where they would want to stay and why.
Share holiday stories
Finally, when the kids come back from a holiday or break, get them to talk or write about where they went and why they loved it. For those that didn’t leave the town or city, ask them to talk about where they would love to go in the future and a few details about it. This will encourage children to branch out a bit more.
