I will be using children's literature to explore world culture and geography with the class. The students will be learning about the culture and geography of the following places: China, Japan, Russia, Spain, France, Kenya, Sri Lanka. My goal is for the students to obtain a geographical knowledge of the world and an appreciation for the people and the cultures around the world.

I taught elementary school in the public school system for seven years and did a Holidays Around the World unit with my students. During this time, we learned about the cultures of each country and what their holidays, festivals, or special days are and why they celebrate them. Then we culminated the unit with a holiday celebration that included food, crafts, and music from the various countries. I homeschooled my own children and taught them world culture and geography using the method I'm using in this class. I have seen how the use of literature to teach culture and geography appeals to younger children and helps them retain what they learn. When my children reached upper elementary, middle, and high school, 
I continued to add cultural studies to our world geography and history courses. I've had a total of twenty years studying and teaching about the cultures of countries around the world. Also, I've been fortunate enough to travel to Mexico several times as well as to China. I have been able to experience the beauty of different geographical regions and develop an appreciation for the richness and value of cultures other than my own. I want to share this enthusiasm and appreciation with students.