Geography Travels: South Africa

We did this unit over a year ago, but here it is!  It’s a shorter unit, because it was the very end of a school year, and we were trying to finish before our vacation (we were back in the US at the time). 

Week 1

Found South Africa on map; capitals (there are 3) and largest city (which is not one of the capitals).

Read The Not-For-Parents Travel Book page on South Africa.

Flag page (Homeschool Creations), national anthem (Wikipedia, top right side of entry)

Map page (Homeschool Creations)—We also discussed Lesotho, a country within the country of South Africa!

Geography from A to Z—mountains, oceans, beach/coast, scrubland, plateau, veldt (grasslands), desert, cape, continental shelf, bay

Read Guide to South Africa (Highlights Top Secret Adventures)

Cape Town video:

Week 2

South African animals—We discussed the “Big Five” (elephant, buffalo, lion, rhinoceros, and leopard).  We also watched this fun ostrich race.

South Africa has diamond and gold mines!

South Africa Diamond Mines

The Gold Mines of Johannesburg

Gold Mining in South Africa

This one is a dance:

Language—South Africa has 11 official languages.  We watched a YouTube video on the Zulu language, but it has been removed.  Here is a lesson in Afrikaans:

We discussed Nelson Mandela and apartheid, and we watched this video, which is part of a speech by former President Thabo Mbeki.

We read Around the World in 80 Tales, “The Cheetah’s Cubs”

We worked on our notebooking page (Country Fact Sheet from Homeschool Creations).

Websites

Time for Kids

Making Friends

National Geographic Kids

South Africa Tourism

South African Wildlife

Learning to Give—Click on the links for “The Collared Crow,” “Selekana and the River God,” and “The Ostrich Egg Wife,” all folktales from South Africa.

Homeschool Creations has lesson plans for South Africa.  I got several ideas and links from her!

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

Kindergarten Fun

We've just finished our 4th week of school, and Moriah is really enjoying kindergarten! She picked up the workbox system quickly, and she is settling into a routine and loving all the fun stuff scattered throughout the schedule. Here are some things she's done the past few weeks:

1. Fun with pattern blocks...she made the design herself!

2. Science experiment...how many fish counters can you fit into a foil boat before it sinks? We used all 200 counters before it began sinking!

3. Another science experiment where she had to test her sense of smell and try to guess what the scent was. Isaac and Daddy both tried it too!


4. History--We're learning about Joseph and Moses in Egypt, so Moriah made an "Egyptian collar" out of a paper plate.

Charity Shops and Yard Sales

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a yard sale junkie! I have been addicted to yard sales since I was a child in Oklahoma, when our normal Saturday activity as a family was going to yard sales! I was so disappointed when I realized that yard sales aren't big in England...what was I to do??? Some friends suggested car boot sales, but they're one morning a week (while I'm doing school), and they're really more like American flea markets. My fix? Charity shops! Charity shops in England are just like thrift stores in America, except that there are way more of them! Because people don't really have yard sales, they give all their unwanted items to charity shops, which resell them at yard sale prices. I can't even begin to tell you all the educational bargains I've found at yard sales AND charity shops! I have loads of educational toys, games, puzzles, and kits of all types, and very few of them were purchased new. Yet, nearly all of them are in good condition and contain all their pieces. I love, love, LOVE yard sales and charity shops! Okay, well, anyway, here is my "find" for the day. It's an Ultimate Explorer kit on Ancient Egypt. I paid 1.99 at Oxfam...and it's like new! I just wish Isaac could have had it last year when he studied Ancient History.