Homeschool Geography:  The Teacher is "In"
 

There are neat ways to bring history and geography alive,
and make them more colorful for your kids!

A cool approach would be combining history & geography
together, with a classroom approach that uses fun and
interactive materials (including internet), or CD's.

Your students could even put on a play.  That is, once
they find a historic period they are fascinated with,
such as Medieval Times, they could study up and then
put on a play. 

If you have a child who is interested in sewing, maybe
they can make their own costume.

Homeschool Geography: Ideas for Your Lesson Sessions

Being prepared is half the battle. As a teacher, if 
you can come up with a really inspiring lecture and
then combine that with some quality History CD's that
serve to emphasize the Lecture, you'll be in good shape.

Of course, you'll want to make an outline for yourself
and go from there. Decide what period you want your kids
to learn about - and maybe seek input from your older kids
as to what they are passionate about.

As you get the hang of this home schooling thing, you and
the kids will just talk and come up with ideas naturally.

I am assuming you are at the outset of Homeschooling, and
will provide an example now.  It will include using a 
homeschooling field trip for good measure.

You choose a war battle to study, which emphasizes the
importance of Logistics in a war.  You want your students
to fully grasp the meaning of Logistics, and the fact of 
how the soldiers need certain materials to operate:

CIVIL WAR EXAMPLE - What did the Soldiers Require?

• Food and water
• Ammunition
• Cannon balls
• Clean socks

Logistics is the placement, and availability of resources;
it is planning ahead so that resources will be available
when most needed.

Point #1 for Your Syllabus

Thus, one aspect (for your syllabus outline) you can discuss
is, "How were the supplies & materials procured and then
distributed?"

Point #2 for Your Syllabus

"What was a most important influence on Logistics during the
American Civil War?"  Hint: This shaped the war's outcome.

(Answer: The steam-powered locamotive which supplied materials
to each side)  *Discuss the railroad's influence, and how an
army sitting on a railhead, when threatened with attack by an
enemy relying on wagons, could often be reinforced by rail
before the muscle-powered attacker could destroy them.

Examples to Use

Battle of First Bull Run - 

In July 1861 Brigadier General Irwin McDowell's Union army,
marching overland from Alexandria, threatened to destroy 
Brigadier General Beauregard's forces at Manassas. Using
the Manassas Gap Railroad, Brigadier General Joseph Johnstons
army traveled from the Shenandoah valley in time to reinforce
Beauregard and foil McDowell's offensive.

Final Step:  Homeschooling Field Trip

Now, be sure to do a homeschool geography and history field 
trip that ties this all together.  You can do a virtual field 
trip, rather than a physical one.

You can once again create an outline (syllabus) of what is
to be learned from the videos you select at Youtube.

Youtube has some very moving pictorials, which you'll find
out when you go research it. And I have created a list of
recommended Youtube virtual history trips and lessons here .

I've given you some ideas. I suggest you also look at some 
reviews by Amazon customers, on their History-geography
selection of books and CD's.