Geography Travels: Alaska

Note:  This is another geography unit from last school year…I’m just a little behind! 

Alaska was one of my required states for Isaac.  I told him he could choose the states we study as long as he included Missouri (where we’re from), Alaska and Hawaii.  Alaska and Hawaii are, of course, the two newest states and the only two states that are not part of the continental US.  They are so vastly different than the other 48 states, and they totally fascinate me.  I’ve never visited either, but I would go in an instant if I had the money…wouldn’t you?

Here’s what we did in our Alaska unit:

Week 1

Located Alaska on our map and colored it in; discussed capital and major cities

Sang “Pacific States” (Geography Songs)

State Fact Sheet (Homeschool Creations)

Geography from A to Z: coast, gulf, sea, strait, ocean, islands, valley, peninsula, mountain range, mountains, forests, delta, tundra, volcanoes, lakes, marshes, permafrost, glacier, arctic, subarctic, rivers, archipelago

Map page (Enchanted Learning)

Flag page—We cut out printed stars and glued them to the blue paper.

Discussed Alaskan history (native Alaskans, Spanish and Russian control, Alaska purchase, US territory, gold rush, statehood, earthquakes, oil boom).  Go to Alaska History and Cultural Studies for a good overview.

Animals: salmon, halibut, reindeer, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, Alaskan Malamute, Huskies, bowhead whale, gray wolf, arctic fox, grizzly bear, polar bear, bearded seal, Steller’s sea lion, walrus, mink, sea otter, killer whale, snowshoe hare, bald eagles

Alaska Kids’ Corner: Alaska’s Wildlife Videos

Isaac did a poster of Alaskan animals, using pictures we printed and cut out:

Week 2

Mt. McKinley report and video, Denali National Park

YouTube videos on Denali National Park HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.  The first two give an overview of the park, and the other two are summit climbs.

Also discussed THIS volcano in the Aleutian Islands.

Northern lights and seasons

Native people groups (and terms totem poles, kayaks, parkas/anorak, mukluks)

Iditarod and dog mushing--Pretended to go mushing.  (Read description of this activity at Layers of Learning.)

Watched the animated movie Balto (and read the book, see book list below).

Inuksuk (stone landmarks)—We made our own.  See Danielle’s Place for description.

Inuit blanket toss (View Youtube video HERE)

We had salmon patties for a meal, simply because the canned salmon we used was imported from Alaska.

Books:

An Eskimo Birthday (Tom D. Robinson)—The name “Eskimo” is commonly used in Alaska in reference to the Yupik and Inupiat people groups.  This book, which I’ve had since I was little, is a wonderful story about a little girl’s birthday and combines native customs and traditions with modern life in Alaska.

Balto and the Great Race (Elizabeth Cody Kimmel)—The story of the famous sled dog who helped bring medicine to Nome in 1925.  This run is commemorated by the annual Iditarod race.  

…If You Lived with the Indians of the Northwest Coast (Anne Kamma)—This includes Pacific Coast Native Americans of Washington, Alaska, and Canada.

Iditarod Dream: Dusty and His Sled Dog Compete in Alaska’s Jr. Iditarod (Ted Wood)

The Eye of the Needle (retold, Teri Sloat)—based on a Yupik tale (as told by Betty Huffman)

Alaska (Paul C. Johnson)—This is not a children’s book, but it has lots of lovely photographs in it, as well as some interesting information about Alaska.

Other blogs with Alaska studies

Just Playin’ Around

Wee Explorers

Layers of Learning (Alaska study)

Layers of Learning (links to their Alaska travels)

Other online resources

Alaska Kids’ Corner: Facts About Alaska

Danielle’s Place (Alaska crafts and activities)

Lapbook Lessons (lots of ideas and book recommendations for studying Inuit culture)

What we didn’t get around to doing

Draw Write Now, Book 3, pp. 30-31, about the Haida and totem poles.  Also pp. 44-45, about caribou and tundra.

I'm linking this post to "History and Geography" at All Things Beautiful.