The National Tree, Hallmark Channel movie--geography ideas

Hallmark Channel movie: THE NATIONAL TREE premiered Dec 4, 2009 & is filled with geography!!

Cute family movie about a man and his son travelling with a tree destined to be the US capital 's Christmas Tree. Lots of geography in this movie...shows their route on 1-80 across the country.

Got me thinking.....Your students could decide on a tree that represents their state...How
would they transport it to D.C?....Map the routes they would take to D.C. Like the movie, find pictures or postcard of cities they would pass through enroute to D.C.

See information about the movie at: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com

The National Tree movie trailer:

Wild Turkey Geography?

This map is from the National Wild Turkey Federation website:

www.nwtf.org/for_hunters/all_about_turkeys.html All kinds of information for kids and teachers about Wild Turkeys in the USA & Mexico.

Click OUTREACH tab > Education > Jakes for Educators:

www.nwtf.org/jakes/educators/educators.html

to see teacher materials, scholarships, newsletters, workshops, (National Wild Turkey Federation teaching kits available for purchase), etc.

Gobble, Gobble, to all...Have a Great Thanksgiving holiday!!

Worldonabike: Harry's Bikeblog, from Alaska - Ushuaia

Read and follow the adventures of two people biking the Americas...have your students map their adventures so far...


Worldonabike: Harry's Bikeblog, from Alaska - Ushuaia

COOL GLOBES

I previously posted these COOL GLOBES photos, but wanted to highlight this great U.S. Botanic Gardens http://www.usbg.gov/ exhibit again for all those geography fanatics out there:

http://www.usbg.gov/upload/one_planetalbum-3.html

http://www.usbg.gov/upload/imagegallery3-9.html

These globes are all around the outside of the Botanic Gardens in Washington, D.C. (map showing globe locations at the Gardens): http://www.usbg.gov/education/events/exhibitors_map.cfm

For details about the globe art project see: http://www.usbg.gov/education/events/One-Planet-Ours.cfm

SkyWatch Friday

SEE OTHER EXCITING SKY VIEWS @
htt://skyley.blogspot.com

This morning I looked out my back door and luckily captured this amazing, but simple, neon pink contrail illuminated above Mt.Timpanogos (Utah county, Utah, Wasatch Mts.) Pretty!!!

FREE Mapping Europe curriculum lesson plans

As part of Geography Awareness Week and GeoAction! "Mapping Europe" themes, National Geographic has developed a NEW, seconday level, Mapping Europe Curriculum Unit of (10 very wonderful, detailed lesson plans) available for FREE download from their premier geography curriculum site: Xpeditions.

The lesson plans (links below) are collectively titled:
Beyond Borders:Using Maps to Understand European Physical and Cultural Landscapes
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/EuropeMaterialsPart1.pdf
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/EuropeMaterialsPart2.pdf
Also Download the FREE BIG MAP of Europe to use with these materials:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geography-action/index.html

Info from the "Beyond Borders" materials:
"The overall theme of this unit is using maps to understand borders and their impacts in Europe. The materials will guide you and your students to use maps to think about how borders intersect physical and human geographical features, and how those intersections can lead to cooperation and/or conflict. During the unit, several case studies will be studied in depth, so students can develop skills in map analysis and applying that analysis to specific situations. Other parts of the materials will invite you and your students to explore similar cases in Europe and in your own community, which could be taken from the materials that you currently use or from a set of possibilities included in the curriculum. The unit is not intended to cover an entire course in European physical and human geography. Instead, the goal is to help students see maps as tools for understanding our world, using European examples and case studies."

Monday Blog-a-thon Wrap Up

I submitted a geo-related article for MyWonderfulWorld.org Geography Awareness Week blog-a-thon. My article was selected as a guest blogger
for their Monday blog site. I was thrilled to be selected for their blog-a-thon...another way to participate in Geography Awareness Week activities.
I encourage you to look at my GAW blog post.- Look for the "Sheila Keller-Powell: Farmers' Market Geography Lessons" 11/16/09 Monday blog posts.


Sheila Keller Powell- Farmers' Market Geography Lessons
Follow all the Geography Awareness Week blog-a-thon posts:
http://blog.mywonderfulworld.org/

Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Geography Awareness Week - My Wonderful World Blog

Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Geography Awareness Week - My Wonderful World Blog: "Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Geography Awareness Week
By Sarah on November 6, 2009 8:52 AM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks

Here it is: Our quasi-definitive list of the 'Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Geography Awareness Week.'

1. I am here: Update your social network status with your latitude and longitude on TUESDAY, November 17th. Tell your friends to do the same!

2. I ♥ maps: Blab about maps in the official Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-thon.
3. Extra, extra: Read all about it with geography-themed newspaper games. Check 'em out here and here!
4. Bird's eye view: Try to identify Earth's landmarks from space with a daily Mystery Location Quiz.
5. Round 2: Play National Geographic's Expedition 2 game: You'll need a map.6. Join the cause: Sign up for the My Wonderful World geography education campaign and tell a friend.
7. Go virtual: Navigate the globe from home with Google Earth geo-tours.
8. Post it: Create a bulletin board for displaying news articles from around the world.
9. Find a GeoMentor:
Teachers: Sign up to work with a geographer through the GeoMentor program.
Professionals: Sign up to become a GeoMentor and lend your skills to students.

Parents: Invite a GeoMentor to work with your child's after-school activity group.

Kids: Ask your parents and teachers to help you connect with a GeoMentor.
10. Paris, Je T'Aime: Rent a foreign film and cook theme cuisine with your"

Celebrate Geography Awareness Week, Nov 15-22,2009

http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/gaw.html


Join the celebration! Register at the above site..FREE materials, resources, links and activities for celebrating Geography Awareness Week! This website is loaded with ideas to use at home, classrooms, schools/districts, organizations, churches, activities for anyone interested in improving geographic literacy.

Get lost in Mapping: Find your way in Europe!!
http://www.ngsednet.org/uga
(click on "GeoAction/GAW Resources")

With help from the Utah & Hawaii Geographic Alliances, I have created a document with live links that is a one-stop guide to all types of activities and support for Geography Awareness Week.

The Utah Geographic Alliance website is hosting the document at the above site....The Hawaii Geographic Alliance has graciously let me use the format and some of their links for this document as well. The activities and suggested links are mainly geared to Utah teachers/core curriculum, but all are welcome to use the ideas collected here. Ideas for Geography Awareness Week:

• Join/sign up for Geography Alliance, MyWonderfulWorld, GeoAction! memberships and newsletters.
• See Geography Awareness Week /Utah geography core curriculum connections
• Links to free downloadable, Big Map and lesson plans
• Register for National Geographic Bee competition
• Children's literature connections for Geography Awareness Week
• Attend Utah regional GeoFests/teacher development activities
• Download FREE geography of Europe lesson plans!!
• Ideas for Geography Awareness Week activities
  

Make a BIG MAP, share ideas, watch videos, listen to music, read books all about Europe.....Enjoy and help celebrate Geography Awareness Week!!

CHEERS!!!!!!!!!

NGChannel's EXPEDITION WEEK

To Celebrate Geography Awareness Week, check out The National Geographic Channel's Expedition Week starting November 15, 9 pm. EP time. You may view on TV or online:
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/expedition-week-main
Here's a list of the progams/games etc that will show during Expedition Week:

• America Before Columbus
• Bizarre Dinosaurs
• Deep Secrets: The Ballard Gallipoli Expedition
• Devil's Bible
• Drain the Ocean
• Easter Island Underworld
• Egyptian Secrets of the Afterlife
• Expedition Great White
• Ghost Ships of the Black Sea
• Giant Crystal Cave
• Hitler's Hidden City

• Hubble's Amazing Universe
• Hunt for the Samurai Subs
• Mars: Making the New Earth
• Monster Fish of the Amazon
• Monster Fish of the Mekong
• Search for the Amazon Headshrinkers
• Secrets of the Druids
• The First Jesus?
• Titanic: The Final Secret
• Waking the Baby Mammoth
• When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs
• The Real George Washington

This website is packed with hundred of videos on all types of subjects available for viewing on TV, HD and on-demand as well as video clips for sharing:

My Wonderful World - Geography Awareness Week

Sharing information from an interesting interactive "Geo-Tours" website linked from MyWonderfulWorld.org website:

My Wonderful World - Geography Awareness Week:
"Get Lost in Mapping: Find Your Place in the World
Google Earth is one of the new technologies that are changing the way people see the world. You may have used Google Earth to get a bird's-eye view of your house, now see what else you can do! This Geography Awareness Week, take geo-tours that will introduce you to fascinating people and places. Read stories from young folks living abroad. Journey to global hot spots where nature and society collide. See how professionals around the planet use geography in their jobs, and discover how you can use Google Earth in your own life!"

http://mywonderfulworld.org/gaw-tours.html
"Geo-Tours" is an interactive website using Google Earth , video & map locations , to show interesting information about Asia and other places around the world: topics "mapped' on this site;
1) geography on the job
2) global hotspots / global tours
3) Asia animals
4)Asia food
5)Asia Art
6)Asia Festivals
7) Asia natural wonders

SkyWatch Friday: Full "rolling" Moon?

See other interesting sky views @
http://skyley.blogspot.com/

I took this picture a few days ago. The moon had just risen over the Wasatch Mountain near Centerville, Utah. I thought I had taken a picture of a full "harvest" moon...but this looks like the moon is "rolling" down and across the mountain ridge as well...Funny!

The Current Events, the Exciting Newspaper for Kids@ Kid News Articles and More!

http://thecurrentevents.com/overview.php:

"The Current Events, a newspaper for kids, keeps students informed while preparing them for academic achievement and real-world success. Designed for many levels of ability, The Current Events' articles for kids enhances the education of students in grades 2 through 8. Each issue of the national newspaper for kids boosts literacy and fosters the development of critical thinking skills while encouraging students to become engaged citizens and lifelong readers.
The Current Events is more than a newspaper for kids; it is a teaching tool produced by a team of educational professionals. Its research-based feature articles and activities foster higher-order thinking skills and prepares students for standardized tests.
Our diverse and experienced team of educational professionals, journalists, writers, designers, and award-winning illustrators ensures that students receive a maximum newspaper experience.
The Current Events serves students, teachers and parents, in private, public, home, and parochial schools. Our articles for kids empower students with a framework to understand world events - what is happening, why it is happening and how it matters to them - so that they can become involved and participate as responsible citizens in our democracy."


The Teacher's Guide that comes with paid subscriptions, provides learning objectives for the content as well as pre-reading/during reading/after reading guides to help guide students through non-fiction reading skills. Also provided: geography & science connections, writing skill adaptations, al as well as review questions for each weekly edition!!