Geography Matters: Exploring our Fifty States United States Geography – Thursday – Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 – 20 Weeks – Grades 5 -7
Thursday, September 14 2023 @ 1:00PM – Thursday, March 21 2024 @ 2:30PM EDT
Instructor:
Eva Goldstein-MeolaInstructor Email:
eva@opententacademy.comGrade/Level:
5 – 7Day of Week:
ThursdayClass Times:
1:00PM – 2:30PM (ET)Terms/Semesters:
Fall 2023 and Winter 2024
Did you know that about 75 % of graduating seniors admitted to not being able to……
- name all fifty United States?
- name all fifty capitals?
- locating the states on a blank United States map? (Reuters, 2016)
Additionally, according to the Nation’s Report Card, students lacked basic geographical awareness in both general know and problem solving. For example, 55% of graduating seniors could not answer the following question correctly:
What is the most common use of land in the Great Plains region?
- Fishing
- Farming
- Mining
- Recreation
With the focus on STEM related subjects, there has been a sharp decline in geographic awareness. That is where this class steps in. While at homeschooling conferences this spring by talking with students across the board, I noticed that students lacked knowledge in not only the geography of the United States, but the geographical features and location of our nation’s gems.
Geography is more than drawing a map and noting a specific state’s location. During our 20-weeks together, the students and I will focus on an in-depth study of our amazing country. We will focus on climate, flags and seals, date of statehood, mottos and symbols, tourist destinations, significant historical events, people that were important to that state, timeline of key events, and much more!
Students will maintain an INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK filled with maps and “State of the Unions”. They will also complete three projects: Physical Features Map, State in a Bag and an United States Regions Map Collage. Additionally, during the course of 20-weeks, they will take three quizzes: geography vocabulary, state capitals and states on a blank map.
Join us for a wild and crazy ride!
Homework is approximately two to three hours a week (with the exception of long term projects). Students will “map” each state and complete a State of the Union using their Atlas.
NOTE: This class must reach the minimum of five students by August 20th to run. If we do not reach this minimum, parents will be notified by email.
Excellent class with clear and detailed guidance
I believe my rising 7th grader has greatly benefited from taking the summer Powerful Paragraphs class from Eva. There were precise and detailed instructions on brainstorming, constructing varied and expressive sentences, and usage of transitional phrases, all in the context of the different writing structures they studied each week. The weekly reviews of past lessons and the incremental addition of new stylistic techniques were great reinforcement for the concepts being thoughts. It was also useful to have the numerous sample writings provided for reference with each lesson. Through out the class, they kids had a growing list of “banned” words to encourage them to choose more expressive and nuanced alternatives (started with one or two and grew to maybe ~15). Overall, a great class for my child who is still in the early stages of honing his essay writing skills.
Unsung Heroes
My daughter loved learning about “unsung heroes” of the Civil Rights Movement: individuals who deserve recognition, but receive little in the history books. Ms. Eva ties in historical background information extremely well to the book to help understand the bigger picture to further appreciate Claudette Colvin’s courage.
10 out of 10!
My son just finished ESSAY INTENSIVE, a 10-week course focusing on Critique Writing, Expository Essays, Persuasive Essays, Compare/Contrast Essays and Narrative Essays.
I really appreciate what you have accomplished in the course of 10 weeks!
What a change I saw in my son’s writing.
He would never admit it, but I think that he even likes writing a little now that he understands how to write!
As with our original OTA class, this experience has been incredible!
Forget 5 Stars – it is a 10 out of 10 in my book.
Eva’s Literature Classes are Amazing!
All of Eva’s Literature Classes are amazing.
My daughter MOST RECENTLY loved learning about “unsung heroes” of the Civil Rights Movement: individuals who deserve recognition, but receive little in the history books. Ms. Eva ties in historical background information extremely well to the book to help understand the bigger picture to further appreciate Claudette Colvin’s courage.
She has taken HIDDEN FIGURES, TWICE TOWARDS JUSTICE, AMERICAN GIRLS, WONDER, FISH IN A TREE, TO HOPE AND BACK and REFUGEE with Eva.
Each class was better than the one before!
Do not miss out on Eva’s literature classes!
This class should be mandatory!
I signed up my 8th grader for this class because I wanted him to start thinking about his future.
What I didn’t expect is him initiating meaningful discussions about our cost of living inflation, budgeting, work-life balance etc.
My son will be attending a college prep high school this fall and has already told me he won’t “going to be an idiot who blows over $100 a month on lattes at the cafeteria”.
I am so thankful for this class.
It really got my son thinking about the future.
