“Who’s Charlotte Mason?”, you may be wondering.
I’ve written a bit about this before, but the Charlotte Mason method is based on the idea that children learn best from real books, not textbooks, and that workbooks are probably not the best way to help children remember what they’re learning. I use a Charlotte Mason approach when we learn about art, and we’re also utilizing that approach to learn about the United States.
The backbone of our “curriculum” for this study is made up of books from the library (yay for free!). Our library has several different series of children’s geography books, and we’ve been systematically checking them out as we work our way through the states.
I read these state books out loud to all 4 of the kids. Joshua obviously is soaking in more of this information than Zoe is, but I still think it’s valuable for her to be there. In fact, I’m usually pleasantly surprised to hear how much the littler ones are picking up and remembering.
As we read, I ask my kids questions to get them to talk about what they’re hearing (like, “Why do you think that Illinois has so much farmland and Colorado doesn’t?). If I’ve been to a particular state, I tell them what it was like. If we know someone who lives in a state, I point that out. We talk about the topography and the population, and compare these things to states we’ve studied previously.
We also usually get our well-loved state puzzle out so that the kids can get a good idea of how our current state compares to other states and so that they can see the states that border it.
After we’ve finished reading a state book, we get out pencils, crayons, markers, and paper, and all 4 kids work on making a “state paper”.
We write the state name at the top of the paper and trace the state puzzle piece. After that, we draw various things we learned about that state….the state flower and tree, the state flag, what the state produces, some of its landmarks, and so on.
This is Sonia’s Illinois paper…do notice the upside-down John Deer tractor. 
I think she accidentally turned her paper around when she was drawing that.
The building on the left there is the Sears Tower (oh, sorry…the Willis Tower), and you can see she remembered that Illinois has lots of farms, that it produces wheat and corn (that’s a pot full of corn there with corn sticking out of the bottom. Hmm.), that the BlackHawks play in Chicago, and that the state tree is the white oak and the state flower is a violet.
The point of this is not to produce perfect drawings, but to help my children remember what they’re learning. Reading, discussing, and drawing all help new information stick in their minds.
To keep our state papers organized, we put the state papers in a 3-ring binder (each kid has their own).
We also sometimes prepare a food that a state is famous for (bratwust for Wisconsin, crab cakes for Maryland, etc.) We also play some fun online state quiz games. This one is easy enough for Sonia and this one is more Joshua and Lisey’s speed.
One of the best things about this method is that it doesn’t even really feel like school. I often read state books to the kids while they eat their lunch, and our discussions feel as natural as any lunch conversation does. And when we get out drawing materials, it doesn’t feel like painful work…they usually have fun drawing the things they remember and they’re usually excited to show their drawings to Mr. FG when he gets home from work.
And of course, you can’t beat the fact that this course of study costs almost nothing. The books from the library are free, we already have an overabundance of pencils, markers, and crayons, and the cost of 4 pieces of paper is negligible.
Ah yes…when frugal, fun, and educational meet, I’m a happy girl.
Today’s 365 post: The promised pictures of my new little niece!
Tacy @homemakinghabits says
Great post! I am so with you on this!
Maria in Chicago says
This style of learning looks especially fun for U.S. geography. This Illinoisan loves Sonia’s state paper–and yes, it will always be the Sears Tower, not Willis.
Battra92 says
When you get around to Vermont I highly suggest you don’t fall into the temptation of bringing up Ben & Jerry’s. They aren’t real Vermonters.
Instead you should read Real Vermonters Don’t Milk Goats.
Molly says
Yeah Illinois! (I live in Chicago. RIght by the “Willis” tower.)
Jinger says
Speaking as a teacher with 25 years experience, you are a true educator…guiding your children to real learning through real books. The best way to learn and remember!
Jinger says
Oh, I forgot to mention FOOD! You remind me of myself when I taught my small groups of children. I even had the same USA puzzle! I remember clearly when my students made gumbo in class as part of a unit on Louisiana. Teachers all along the hallway stopped in for a taste!
Dmarie says
Jinger said it! Your methods are impressive, FG. I’ll have to remember these techniques for the next time I have my granddaughters over.
Stef says
WOW! I like the drawing of IL! I’m living there now! Pretty neat! That does look like fun! My kids are in public school but when we go to our Library, I would pick up books on different countries and scan thru those with the kids. My kids also receive a Kids of Courage magazine by-monthly. It is written by The Voice of the Martyrs. We recently cooked from the little magazine featuring children and families persecuted in different parts of the world. It was yummy, banana fritters from Malaysia!
It is a GREAT way of learning! Go Frugal-Girl!
Katy says
When you get to the point of history through regular books, I have a suggestion for Michigan. The Loon Feather, by Iola Fuller. The blurb says: “‘The Loon Feather’ is the story of an Indian girl, Oneta, daughter of Tecumseh, destined to grow up with the incompatible traditions of her own people and of the white traders on Mackinac Island. She learns French from a ‘black coat’ in a mission school, gradually becomes bound to the world of her French stepfather, Pierre Debans, and is educated in a convent in Quebec. Only when Debans, unable to reconcile tribal ways with his European background, nearly sparks an Indian uprising does Oneta make a choice between her two heritages.
This was one of my favorites growing up in the 50s and spending some time in Michigan. There’s a good dose of history, plus it’s a well written story. Includes things like the fur trade. They don’t carry it in my library, sadly, but I looked it up on Abebooks.com and they have it for $1.
A good set of books is Childhoods of Famous Americans. I was addicted to these as a 9-10-11 year old. They move quickly. I think they give a good background for history and a close look at people’s daily lives. I read them for fun, of course, but with guidance and supplement they would be even better. They are by various authors including, Bradford Smith (“Dan Webster, Union Boy”), Augusta Stevenson (“Paul Revere, Boy of Old Boston”), Helen Monsell (“Dolly Madison, Quaker Girl”). I actually saw a paperback reprint of the Paul Revere book at the Smithsonian about 10 years ago. (Remembered this one because it was dedicated to my grandfather, who was a bookseller).
Tina (Tightwad Mom) says
What a great way to teach your kid’s! Here in Idaho we are proud of our potatoes (they are world famous), but we are also know for other forms of agriculture, our beautiful opals, rugged mountains, beautiful outdoor scenery, and wildlife. Have fun with your fun geography lessons!
namastemama says
What a great idea. We have gone through Story of the World and I want to get into the 50 states. How do you decide which order to go in? Regional, alpha, etc. Do you make them memorize capitals too? Thanks for the info.
laurie says
I have to say that I do love “schooling” the most when it becomes unschooly. Children do seem to retain more in a natural setting. Applause on the comparative questioning. It scores higher with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Keep up the great work. I always enjoy your posts about homeschooling.
Barbara says
Where do you get your ideas for food from the different states? I’ve searched online to no avail.
Linda says
Need paper? super frugal paper? watch the thrift stores for old tractor feed computer paper. You may need to spend some time tearing on the dotted lines but I’ve bought it by the case for $1.00.
priskill says
Oh, that is great! I am a special ed. teacher and this totally makes sense — for any student. And fun!! You are a marvelous teacher!
jewels k says
thanks so much for the great idea! i do the same with reading, but i love the idea of them coloring a page about the info.I need to get them more involved! i just started homeschooling & i love to hear
( & use) your great ideas!
Fudgie says
I agree. My friend from a neighborhood I grew up in was home schooled. He is now the editor of a major newspaper. Most people his age cannot spell from regular school let alone understand more complex words ect..
Maria in Chicago says
It is sometimes shocking how many people–even people who have master’s degrees–have poor writing skills. And this group is not limited to any particular generation, I have found.
I admire FG for nurturing her children’s love for reading. This will serve them well as they grow older.
Tara says
Excellent! While I do not plan to home school my kids, I do plan to supplement the education that they get and this is exactly the kind of “curriculum” I’m interested in. We have a lift the flap book about the states, with just their capitals, shapes, and flags, but I bought a 50 States game for my son for Christmas. He’s not even five yet (and my 2nd isn’t arriving until March), so I’m starting slow.
Bethany says
Go Blackhawks! I like that it was noted! Let us know when you get to Minnesota! : )
Debra says
So nice to see the mention of Charlotte Mason as I used this approach when I taught my daughter. WOuld you have any interest in 8 back issues of The Parents Review published by Karen Andreola. . My daughter is now in college and I just found these issues while cleaning out the attic. Let me know
Lisa says
I love teaching my boys like this. We are in the UK and do a similar idea for the countries of the world. We look at the location, shape, language, culture, food, flag and animals of each country. Then the boys make a page up with their most important facts. We then have some dishes from that country for our dinner. My boys are not home schooled (I wish they were) but I am always complemented by their teachers on their outstanding knowledge of the world.
Victoria Smith says
Thanks so much for posting this. I am also using Charlotte Mason methods for our homeschool. I planned to go through the states next year and this looks simple and fun.
Connie Seward says
I am almost 47 years old and my children are pretty well grown, but Kristen, when I read your posts about homeschooling, I so want to have more kids and homeschool them. It just seems like the best thing ever.
Keep up the great work. I know it’s not as easy as it seems.