World Explorer Geography Centers
Center 1: BrainPop Notetaking
- Check out the "Geography" section at Brainpop (in the Social Studies subject area).
- You may choose any of the geography videos to watch.
- Watch the video you choose at least twice.
- Take notes the second time you watch it in your Social Studies Notebook.
- Take the Quiz that goes along with your Brainpop video.
- If you have time, watch another video and repeat steps 1-5.
Center 2: "Where Do I Come From?" Writing Center
You are going to write an essay about your family's geographic heritage based on your interview that you did with a family member. Your essay should include information about:
Write your first draft on regular looseleaf paper. Then, revise and edit your writing with a partner. Ask a teacher to check over your writing. Finally, choose the publishing paper you'd like to use from the paper folders, and rewrite your final essay. All excellent efforts will be hung up on a bulletin board.
- the countries and continents your family comes from
- which ancestors or people in your family moved to the United States
- when your family immigrated
- why your family moved to the United States
- any other information you know!
Write your first draft on regular looseleaf paper. Then, revise and edit your writing with a partner. Ask a teacher to check over your writing. Finally, choose the publishing paper you'd like to use from the paper folders, and rewrite your final essay. All excellent efforts will be hung up on a bulletin board.
Center 3: Mapping Our World
Work with your partner on the two "Mapping Our World" activities. (This will NOT work on an iPad.)
(B) What on Earth (C) Holey Moley Glue each question page into your Social Studies Notebook. Make sure to answer the four questions after each activity in your social studies notebook. Remember to write in complete sentences! You must finish the questions for each activity before moving on to the next activity. |
Center 4: Book Scavenger Hunt
Use the three books pictured above. Work independently or with a partner, and choose one book to begin with. Glue the Scavenger Hunt page into your Social Studies Notebook that matches the book you choose. Search through the book to find the answers to the questions on the Scavenger Hunt page. If you finish the page for one book, trade for another book and go on another "hunt!"
Center 5: ZeeMaps
- Go to ZeeMaps.com and login using our class info. (344students@gmail.com and secret class password.)
- Go to "My Maps" and choose the "World Explorers Map Center" map.
- Research a country, man-made landmark, or natural landform using the books available in this center. Take notes as you research. Your notes need to be in your OWN words - do not copy the sentences in the books.
- Find the place you researched on the ZeeMap.
- Click on "Additions" and add a marker.
- Entry Name: Put the name of your location and then your name (Example: Eiffel Tower in Paris by Alycia)
- Location: Type in the location for your place (country name, or city if you know it)
- Description: Write in complete sentences a paragraph about the information you learned through your research. Make sure to use correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
- Submit your location "marker"
- If you have time, repeat steps 3-9 with a different location you research.
Center 6: Create a Treasure Island Map
Follow the directions page at the center to create your own Mystery Island map. Remember to include:
- a key with at least 6 symbols
- a compass rose
- a title for your island
- a detailed map
Center 7: TerraClues
- Go to the TerraClues Student website.
- The first time you go, type in our classroom name (Class344) and our class password (the Google one)
- Click "Login" (It'll look like the picture below ...)
- Then click on "Create a Nickname"
- Choose a nickname (it must include your name, so I know who you are) and an easy password - write them down in your S.S. Notebook!
- Then choose one of the Hunts assigned to our class. Good luck!
Center 8: Map Explorer Center
Use the maps that are available in this center to answer the questions on the map exploration page. See the directions at the center for more details. Good luck, map explorer!
Center 9: Timeline Center and Green Screen Movie Making Center
This center has two activities. Make sure to leave time to accomplish both parts.
Timeline Activity:
On the wall in the hallway is a timeline. Add your family to our immigration timeline by showing approximately when they arrived in the United States. Include your name and what country your ancestors came from. Write your information on an index card that is attached to a string, and tape the string to the appropriate place on the timeline. If your family immigrated at multiple different times, you can use more than one index card. |
"Where I Come From" Green Screen Movie Making:
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"I'm Done, Now What?" Extension Options
- Work on any incomplete work from the other centers you've been in.
- Choose a Geography Crossword Puzzle from the puzzle folders.
- Work on the Map of the World jigsaw puzzle.
- Practice learning where countries are on the various continents, using the quiz games on the Sheppard Software site. Click on a continent to focus on, and then work through the levels of the "Countries" quiz games. Start with tutorial, then beginner, and so on. How many countries can YOU memorize?
- Use the class globe to work on the Continents Facts Cards page.
- Play the online Google Maps guessing game GeoGuessr. The game will show you an image from Google Street View of a place in the world. Zoom in and out and pan around to see more. Then click on the map to show your guess for where the location is. You'll get points based on how close your guess is to the actual location.