Once upon a time, people crafted blankets and tapestries with the intention of telling a story. These woven works of art often depicted stories of war and civilizations in disruptive times. And they often were made by the very people whose lives were destroyed or deeply changed. The passion in these crafts reveal what once was and what had changed. But these story cloths are not centuries old. They were made … Continue reading #tbt: When Stories Were Woven
GEOGRAPHY Garden Globe Makes the World a Succulent Sphere One of the world’s “largest living globes” will make its official debut at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show this week. The geographic features of the enormous globe (4.3-meters (14-foot) tall, 9.5 meters (31 feet) in circumference) are rendered entirely in plants, such as sphagnum moss, echeverias, sedums, and crassulas. The succulent globe is just … Continue reading Creative Materials Bring Maps to Life
The holidays are a great time to explore the geography of a new travel destination, rediscover the geography of your local community, or take part in fun geography crafts and games at home. Try to plan at least one geography-themed family activity over the holidays. Here are a few ideas:
1) Play a geography trivia or board game like Brain Quest, World Wise, or Passport to Culture
2) If traveling, let the kids play navigator and program the GPS device. Or, go old-school and chart your route on a map.
3) Bake a cake or sheet of gingerbread. Using candy and icing, decorate it with a map of your holiday travel plans or an upcoming trip.
4) Bake a traditional ethnic treat, such as Danish rice pudding, able skiver pancakes, or potato latkes.
5) Instead of the traditional gingerbread house, build a global village out of candy! Make an adobe abode for warm-weather dwellers, an igloo, maybe even an eco-home. Get creative!
Here are some more holiday tips from National Geographic Kids:
