Untitled

Learning About our Globe

One Country at a Time

by Terri Johnson

Published by: Bramley Books™, a division of

Knowledge Quest, Inc.

Post Office Box 789

Boring, OR 97009-0789

the individual purchaser to reproduce the pages herein for noncommer-

cial, individual use. Reproduction for an entire classroom, school or school

system is strictly prohibited. Please call (210) 745-0203 or email orders@

kqpublishing.net for information on quantity sale discounts. No

part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any

information storage and retrieval system without written permission from

the author.

and Terri Johnson

www.kqpublishing.net

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-1-932786-35-4 (e-book)

Cover design by Krystin Corneilson

Page layout and design by Meredith Duke

Table of Contents

How to Use this Book........................................................................................................................... 4

New Zealand - A Land Down Under.................................................................................................5

Unit Study .........................................................................................................................................10

Scotland - Learning in the UK........................................................................................................... 17

Unit Study .........................................................................................................................................21

Poland - The Center of Europe......................................................................................................... 29

Unit Study .........................................................................................................................................33

South Korea - Life in High Speed......................................................................................................41

Unit Study ........................................................................................................................................ 46

South Africa - A Wild and Diverse Land....................................................................................... 55

Unit Study ......................................................................................................................................... 61

Brazil - A Land of Contrasts.............................................................................................................. 70

Unit Study .........................................................................................................................................75

Canada - Our Friendly Neighbor..................................................................................................... 82

Unit Study ........................................................................................................................................ 89

China - An Ancient Land................................................................................................................... 95

Unit Study ........................................................................................................................................ 99

Israel - The Convergence of 3 Continents ....................................................................................108

Unit Study ........................................................................................................................................113

How to Use this Book

Dear Parents,

If you are anything like me, then there are times when you and your children just need a break

from the normal homeschool routine so that you can keep learning fresh and interesting. That is

why this book of unit studies was written!

Actually, it exists for two reasons and these are:

Most homeschooling families teach history, but very few teach geography.

Many homeschooling families get stuck in a rut and may like to use an occasional unit study to

pull them back out!

There are nine complete geography unit studies included in Around the World - one for each month

of the school year. Each one takes 1 week to complete and you can do them in any order. So, here is

how I suggest that you use this book:

During a regular month of homeschooling, spend 3 weeks studying history using your regular

history curriculum, textbooks and read-alouds. On the 4th week, change it up by completing a

1-week geography unit study on one of the countries featured in this book.

You are free to cover the material any way that you choose, but an easy way to learn about each

country has been suggested below:

Monday – Read the chapter, plus do some additional reading from the recommended reading

selections that are presented for you in the unit study section. You can find most of these titles at

your local library, so plan ahead by placing the titles on hold a week or two (or three) before you

intend to use them.

Tuesday – Continue to read from the books that you picked up from the library, plus add some

dates of historical significance to your history timeline. If you do not have one in the works, you can

use the links provided to create and begin your timeline.

Wednesday – Continue to read from the recommended reading selections and label significant

geographical places on the unlabeled map of the country provided for you (use the teacher’s answer

map or a globe as necessary).

Thursday – Get into the kitchen and create some delicious dishes from the country that you are

studying. Recipes are provided for you in the unit study sections of each chapter.

Friday – It is time to get out the glue (or whatever is required) and work on a craft from the

featured country. This is, of course, optional, but fun for the kids when you can take the time to

make something to remember the country by. Alternatively, if you have older kids, you may want

them write a one page report about what they have learned during your country unit study.

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email - terri@kqpublishing.net. And,

as always, remember to have fun!

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Living and Learning in a Country Down Under

Ah, New Zealand… a tiny

island country known around the

world for its rugged beauty.

With its inhabitants fondly

referred to as “Kiwis” and its

countryside as familiar as our

own backyard, thanks to the

filming of The Lord of the Rings,

New Zealand holds a special

place in many of our hearts.

But how much do you actually know about this country called New

Zealand? Have you ever learned about its history, terrain, location, government

or culture? What would it be like to live there… to homeschool there? Let’s

explore this island nation and find out.

The Location

New Zealand lies in the South Pacific Ocean nearly 2000 kilometers (or

1,243 miles) to the east of Australia, and consists of two main islands – the North

Island and the South Island. It also encompasses many smaller islands, such as

Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands. Its closest neighbors to the north are

New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.

The capital city of Wellington and the largest city of Auckland are both

located on the North Island, which has the more temperate climate. The South

Island is the largest land mass and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps,

the highest point of which is Mt. Cook at 12,316 feet above sea level. In general,

the country experiences high rainfall, particularly in winter, which lasts from June

21 – September 22. Remember, New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere!

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What’s a Kiwi?

The kiwi is a nocturnal flightless bird

native to New Zealand. The kiwifruit

(all one word) is a fuzzy fruit, also

called the chinese gooseberry. To call

the fruit a kiwi is offensive to a

growing number of New Zealanders

as the kiwi is their national bird and a

strong symbol of this country. New

Zealanders are also affectionately

known as Kiwis.

The People

Approximately 80% of the

population is of European descent. The

indigenous people group, called the

Maori, makes up 15% of the population.

Polynesian settlers arrived sometime

between the 13th and 15th centuries.

New Zealand’s Maori name, Aotearoa, is

usually translated as “Land of the Long

White Cloud.” The first Europeans known

to have reached New Zealand were led by

Abel Tasman in 1642. He named the

islands Staten Landt, but Dutch cartographers changed the name to Nova

Zeelandia. In the 1760’s, Captain James Cook mistakenly pronounced it New

Zealand and the name held fast. Cook’s extensive surveys of the islands led to

European whaling expeditions and eventually significant European colonization.

New Zealand has declared its independence in many shapes and forms over

the years and now considers itself to be a sovereign constitutional monarchy

within the Commonwealth of Nations. Basically, this means that they recognize

Elizabeth II as their Queen and head of state, but she has no active role in the

running of their government. The Governor-General, usually a native New

Zealander, represents the Queen

by carrying out her various

responsibilities.

In 1893, New Zealand

became the first nation to grant

women the right to vote on the

same basis as men. Today, New

Zealand is the only country in the

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world in which all of the highest offices in the land have been occupied

simultaneously by women.

All around the world, the residents of New Zealand are nicknamed “Kiwis”

and you may be wondering why. Although New Zealand exports 80 million trays

of kiwifruit across the globe as one of its major exports, the name has no

connection with the fruit. It derives the nickname from the country’s national

bird, the kiwi, a flightless bird about the size of a domestic chicken. They have

tiny two-inch wings which are essentially useless, and no tail. Despite its

awkward appearance, a kiwi can actually outrun a human being. During the First

World War, New Zealand soldiers carved a likeness of their national bird in the

chalk hill above Sling Camp in

England. From that time forward,

the New Zealand Servicemen were

referred to by this nickname.

Today, New Zealanders overseas

and at home are still invariably

called “Kiwis.” Many sport teams

from the islands carry the name

proudly as well.

Homeschooling

The total population of New Zealand has now surpassed the four million

mark. With over 6,428 homeschooling students from 3,415 families recorded by

the Ministry of Education, this educational choice is embraced by approximately

1% of the school-aged population. In order for the MOE (Ministry of Education)

to grant an exemption to a child between the ages of 6-16 from attending a

registered school, they must be satisfied that the child will be “taught at least as

regularly and as well as in a registered school.”

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Cynthia, who lives in the small town

of Foxton situated on the southwest coast

of the North Island, states, “What this

means exactly is open to a certain amount

of interpretation. There is no required

curriculum that homeschoolers must

follow, but we do have to submit a plan to

the MOE that indicates our intentions for

the education of our children; that we

have an idea of where they are currently, where they need to go, and how we’re

going to get them there.”

Once the MOE approves the plan, homeschooling families have the option

of receiving government funding for their educational endeavors. The amounts

allotted to home educating families are $371.50 for the first child, $316 for the

second child, $270.50 for the third child, and $186 for each subsequent child.

These amounts are paid every 6 months and have no strings attached, apart from

submitting the signed and witnessed Statute of Declaration promising to carry out

the mission stated above. The Ministry of Education believes that there are

probably few unregistered homeschooled students because of these monetary

incentives.

“In general, homeschooling in New Zealand is a very positive experience.

We have greater freedom to educate our children without interference than just

about any other country,” Cynthia reports.

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So, are you ready to move to New Zealand? Or at least take a

vacation there? Well, slow down… there is some vocabulary you must learn if you

intend to visit the country. Yes, New Zealanders do speak English, but here are

some of the slang words, or expressions that are commonly used, that you should

know before stepping foot in the land of the kiwis:

Well, you have now had a crash course on New Zealand’s history,

geography and vibrant culture. Want to learn more? Turn the page for a fun unit

study on life in New Zealand.

It is time to dive in for some hands-on learning to cement your student’s

growing knowledge of this small but fascinating island country.

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Unit Study

1. READING SELECTIONS - Let’s start with some extra reading. Listed below are

some great books about New Zealand, or set in New Zealand, that will provide

many hours of enjoyable reading. The links below will take you to Amazon.com

for more information, but you can find these at your local library. Read for

pleasure, or have your kids write a book report on one of these selections.

- The New Zealand Shake-Up by Stacy Towle Morgan

- Australia and New Zealand by Elaine Landau

- The Maori of New Zealand (First Peoples) by Steve Theunissen

- New Zealand ABC (Country ABCs) by Schroeder, et. al

2. HISTORY & TIMELINES - Learn more about New Zealand by compiling

historical facts and events from New Zealand’s exciting history and adding

them to your timeline. If you do not have a timeline already started, you can

construct one by following these directions - How to Make a Timeline Easily.

Here is a link to a wonderful resource for timeline entries about New Zealand -

http://www.history-nz.org/timeline.html.

3. MAPWORK - A unit study would not be complete without

taking a good look at the lay of the land. Pages 15 and 16

include both a labeled and unlabeled map of New Zealand.

Have your students mark some of the major cities, the

southern mountain range and the seas, at the least. For

older students, have them use your teacher’s map and fill in the rest!

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4. RECIPES - This is my favorite part - the food from the land! If you do the

above activities on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then take some time on

either Thursday or Friday to whip up some authentic New Zealand cuisine in

the kitchen.

New Zealand cuisine is characterized by its freshness and diversity and has

been described as Pacific Rim, drawing inspiration from Europe, Asia, Polynesia

and its indigenous people, the Maori. Freshness is owed to its surrounding

ocean and fertile lands. Its distinctiveness is more in the way New Zealanders

eat - generally preferring to be as relaxed and unaffected as possible.

A Maori specialty is the hangi

(pronounced hung-ee), a pit in which

meats or fish are cooked with

vegetables. A deep hole is dug in the

ground, lined with red-hot stones and

covered with vegetation. The food is

then placed on top. The whole oven is

sprinkled with water and sealed with

more vegetation. The hole is then filled

with earth and left to steam for several

hours. Traditionally, men dig and

prepare the hole, and women prepare

the food to go in it. All members of an

extended family (whanau) help out for

such a feast. The occasion is relaxed,

friendly and fun, with people often eating the meal under a tent-like shelter.

It may be difficult to pull off the above, but here are three more recipes of

local New Zealand food that can be attempted in your own kitchen. Enjoy!

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5. CRAFTS - Finally, it is craft time! This craft was chosen as a quick and simple

one that represents New Zealand, its people and environment. The felt kiwi can

be used as brooches or even fridge magnets.

(Used with permission from Anne’s Guiding Pages - more NZ crafts can be found

here - http://www.azmetro.com/nzcraft.html)

Print off your kiwi pattern pieces here - http://www.azmetro.com/nzcraft1.html.

Whangerei

Auckland

Hamilton

New Plymouth

Wanganui

Wellington

Westport

Greymouth

Christchurch

Dunedin

Invercargill

NEW ZEALAND

Tasman

Sea

South

Pacific Ocean

Bay of

Plenty

Poverty

Bay

Cook Strait

Canterbury

Bight

Foveaux Strait

Pegasus Bay

Karamea

Bight

Golden

Bay

L. Taupo

Hawke

Bay

Hauraki

Gulf

Clutha R.

Waikato R.

L. Wakatipu

L. Te Anau

Mt. Cook

Mt. Aspiring

Ruapehu

Stewart Is.

hern

lps

NORTH

ISLAND

SOUTH

ISLAND

Teacher’s Answer Map

NEW ZEALAND

Student Map