The quizzes can be printed off for completion or just glanced over for a conversation starter. They are written at a reading level that students and parents can both understand. The simple content of the quizzes will cover general details of the countries–capitals, religion, natural features or historic landmarks, flag symbols, etc.  The answers, whether they are obvious or challenging, are a way to open up a topic about a particular country or region. Covering the general “social studies” details of culture, religion, geography, map symbols, geographical features, etc…are broad but will give the student confidence about what they might already know about a region. Then, from there, they can springboard into more specific details about a region. For example, on the writing section of a quiz, a student can get into more advanced information about that country.

The last tab of the blog menu on the far right is called QUIZZES. The lesson worksheets and/or quizzes on the individual countries or cities can be printed off for your child to write on. Answer guides or scoring keys are included for the teacher/ tutor/ homeschool parent to use. The student can answer the worksheet questions by searching for some of the answers on the individual blog posts and by looking up the information about the countries with other resources; the books from the bibliography, the internet or library books, etc. By reading the blogs, the student can “interactively” learn about a country by integrating visual (pictures) and auditory (any inserted audio links) skills.

Doing any of the arts/crafts projects, science activities, recipes or learning dances from the links will utilize the student’s kinesthetic skills. The latter is what educators call integrating the concepts….and utilizing learning modalities. If your student posts a comment under a blog, they are also using skills because they are communicating, using written expression and sentence composition skills. People have told me that they want to know what to expect on a trip….tips, pros/cons, suggestions, recommendations, facts/myths, how to expedite certain processes and how to get a family ready for a journey. So, I’ve included pages about those specific details and resources. After enough friends and acquaintances requested this information, it was suggested to me to start a blog. I hope it helps and I welcome any specific questions of things not yet covered here.

The “formula” for travel planning with your children can be outlined like this:

1. Consider your childrens’ personalities and incorporate those characteristics into the itinerary.  Are they athletic? scouts? artistic?

2. Have them each choose a country they are interested in. You can pick a region of a continent and connect the dots from there.

3. Have your children research their specific country by checking out books.

4. Meet together at the dining room table (or kitchen table) and work together daily to keep everyone on track. Leave the materials together one place for accessibility. Build a bibliography from their favorite books.

5. Make quizzes for your children to take from their books information.

6.  Each child is the docent for their specific country so when you tour those countries, treat that child as an actual “docent’ by letting them explain monuments, architecture, cuisine, historic facts, etc.

7. When you arrive to that country, let the child/docent who studied that particular country be the first to “step” onto the soil as a a celebratory arrival. You may enter that country by airplane (so let them be the first off the plane), by ferry boat, bus, rental car, etc.

Re: #1. above—if your children are athletic, you might pick a destination where there are many excursions and adventures. (hiking, rafting, skiing, whale watching, zip lining). If your children are scouts, you might pick a camping destination. If they are artistic, you might pick a country with many art museums. One year, we bought a live auction trip to Scotland for two. It included a Robert the Bruce tour and golf, etc. We decide to upgrade it to take along our three sons. When they found out we were going to Scotland, our oldest son said, “we always said we would go to Ireland where some of our ancestors are from….” So we thought, “Ireland is close to Scotland; let’s do both! Any other places you want to go to?” and our second son said, “Let’s go to Spain …..to Valencia–for the tomatino festival ” (Because he had studied this tomato-throwing festival in Spanish class). When I heard Spain, I said, ‘Let’s go to Southern Spain and ferry over to Northern Africa–to Morocco!” and VOILA–our trip itinerary was set–Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Morocco.! Kind of an unusual route but one that fit our family and our interests at that time.

This is an original idea of mine. Our sons were the students to try it out on and so far, it has worked out great!

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Fill in the blank:

1. The German word for Austria is __________________which means “Eastern empire.”
2. The official language of Austria is :_____________________.
3. ___________________is the capital of Austria.
4. __________________is a popular food in Austria.
   

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Word Bank:

 German          Osterreich

     strudel           Vienna

True or False:

Some of the most famous classical music composers in the world came from Austria:______

Austria is a landlocked country:_______

The movie. “Sound of Music”. was set in Austria:______

The flag of Austria is blue and white:______

Writing: Write a sentence or paragraph about what yodeling is.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Fill in the blank:

1. The capital of Canada is:________________
2. There are ______provinces in Canada. Provinces are divisions within a country.
3. The 2 main languages spoken in Canada are : ________________and ___________________.
4. The most popular sport in Canada is ___________________.

Word Bank: hockey        Ottawa          French           English            ten

True or False:

The Canadian/U.S. border is the largest border between 2 countries in the world:____

Canada is the largest country in the world: _____

The symbol on the Canadian flag is a maple leaf:_____

Canada is on South America: ______

Writing: Write a sentence or paragraph about Niagara Falls.

  © Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Fill in the blank:

1. The primary language spoken in Mexico is _____________________.
2. Ancient ruins of the _________________and the _______________are found throughout Mexico.
3. A popular Mexican food is an _______________________.
4. The main religion practiced in Mexico is:_________________________.

Word Bank:

Aztecs          Spanish             Mayans          enchilada            Catholicism

True/False:

Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico from America and Canada:_______

Corn, chocolate and chiles were introduced to the world by Mexicans:_____

The border between Mexico and the U.S. is the largest border between two countries in the world.:______

A very rare volcano rabbit lives in Mexico:_______

Writing: Write a sentence or paragraph about the symbols on the flag of Mexico.

IRELAND

Fill in the blank:

A famous cathedral in Dublin:____________________

The patron saint of Ireland:__________________

The most visited natural attraction in Ireland, overlooking the Aran Islands in Galway Bay:_________________________

The traditional dress of men and boys which is a pleated garment:_________________

A Celtic language of Ireland:__________________

The continent that Ireland is on:__________________

Word Bank:

Europe                                    Saint Patrick

kilt                                           Gaelic

St. Patrick’s Cathedral         Cliffs of Moher

True or False:

St. Patrick drove all of the snakes out of Irleand – _______

“Blood sausage” is a common Irish breakfast item- _____

The Vikings sailed near Ireland: ______

All of Ireland is part of the United Kingdom:_____

Bibliography:

• The Usbourne Book of Everyday Words in Irish
• This is Ireland
• Tales from Old Ireland
• Jamie O’ Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie DePaola
• Looking at Countries IRELAND
• The Last Snake in Ireland: A Story About St. Patrick
• The History of Ireland

Writing: Write a sentence or paragraph about the Cliffs of Moher and its geographical features.

Fill in the blank:

1. The square in Brussels, Belgium is referred to as the “most __________________square in Europe” because of its buildings’ ornate grandeur.
2. The capital of Belgium is:_____________________
3. Belgium is located between the countries of:_____________________, ___________________, ____________________ and _________________.
4. Belgium is known for it’s Belgian _________________.

Word Bank: Brussels     waffles        medieval        France    Germany                 Luxembourg           Netherlands

True or False:

The only language spoken in Belgium is German:______

There are over 800 kinds of beers in Belgium:_______

The colors of the Belgium flag are red, black and yellow:______

Belgium is one of the largest countries in Europe:______

Writing: Write a sentence or paragraph about the architectural details of the Grand Palace in Brussel’s medieval square.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Scotland

1. What is the capital of Scotland?__________________________   

2. What is the name of the pleated skirt Scots wear?_____________________

3. What is the name of a family “tribe” or group?___________________

4. What was the name of the movie that depicted the struggle between Wallace and Bruce?_____________________

5. What was the name of the historic King of Scots who led Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against England…..?________________________

6. What is the name of the street that both Holyrood House and Edinburgh Castle are on?________________________

7. What is the name of the castle where Mary, Queen of Scots, lived?________________

8. What valuable item is housed in Edinburgh castle?__________________

9. What is the nickname of the “Loch Ness monster?” ____________________

10. What is a lock?________________________

11. What is the name of a food made from a sheep’s heart, liver and lungs mixed with oatmeal and other ingredients_____________________

Word Bank:

kilt              Robert the Bruce         a device used for raising/lowering boats

clan                    the Royal Mile               the crown jewels       Nessie

Braveheart        Holyrood House           Edinburgh                  haggis

True or False:

Kilts are only worn by women- ____

They found the Loch Ness “monster.” -_____

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom -_____

“Loch” means Lake -_____

St. Andrew’s is the birthplace of golf-_____

Prince William and Princess Kate met at St. Andrew’s college-____

Writing: Write a sentence or paragraph about the Edinburgh Castle.

Fill in the blanks:

1. The capital of France is: _______________
2. France is on the continent of: _______________
3. The most recognized landmark of Paris is the _________________ _________________.
4. __________________is the name of a palace.
5. The __________ _____ _________________ is a famous monument in Paris which honors soldiers.

 Word Bank:

Europe     Paris   Eiffel Tower    

Arch de Triumphe       Versailles

True or False:

France gave America the Statue of Liberty as a gift:______

Charles de Gualle is the current president of France: ______

Napoleon was a famous fashion designer: _______

The Louvre is a world famous museum: ______

Writing: Write a sentence/paragraph about the Louvre Museum–about an exhibit or a piece of art.