Geography - France

Oh what fun we had "traveling" to France this year!  We spent five weeks getting a quick glimpse at this beautiful country!  We again used Amanda Bennett's unit study, along with Expedition Earth from Confessions of a Homeschooler, and numerous other sites from the web.  Here is how our five weeks broke down...

Week 1: Paris and Northeast France
- we stamped our passports
- found the country on the map
- watched some videos of the countryside and ski-joering
- Looked at the Louvre
- Worked on counting to ten
- Looked art the Arc de Triomphe
- Examined a child's life in France
- Looked at Champs-Elsees
- Studied beavers
- Looked at the Eiffel Tower
- Made a 3-D puzzle of the Eiffel Tower
- Looked at French mealtimes
- Learned about crepes and pain au chocolat
- Made Beef Short Ribs with mashed potatoes

Week 2: Central France

- Looked at Burgandy France, the Alps, Seine River, and Lyon France

- Studied about Monet

- Painted a picture

- Looked at Fourviere Hill

- Worked on the alphabet

- Looked at Lyon Cathedral

- Looked at how perfume is made

- Looked at Chapelle St Michel d'Aiguilhe

- Studied about the chamois

- Looked at the interpol

- Learned about Croque Monsieur, and truffles

Week 3: Southern France

- Looked at Nice and Provence, Gulf of Lyon, Mediterranean Sea, Corsica, and French Food Market in Nice

- Looked at Gorges du Verdon

- Worked on colors in French

- Looked at the Roman Theater of Orange

- Studied sunflowers and completed a sunflower craft

- Looked at Pont du Gard

- Studied camargue horses

- Studied how to make cheese and some of the different types of french cheeses

- Taste tested some different french cheeses

- Made steak frites (super super yummy!)

Week 4: Southwest France

- Looked at the Villages of Quercy, Gascony, Garonne and Lot Rivers, Pyrenes Mountains, and the Bay of Biscay

- Colored the flag

- Looked at Bordeaux

- Worked on common words and phrases

- Looked at Chartres Cathedral

- Made "stained glass windows" with paper

- Looked at Carcassonne Castle

- Studied flamingoes

- Looked at Limoges

- Learned how to make soufflé and quiche

Week 5: Western France

- Looked at Normandy, Cotentin Peninsula, Brittany Peninsula, and Rouen

- Listened to the National Anthem

- Looked at the White Cliffs

- Looked at Mont-Saint-Michel

- Made homemade soap

- Looked at Chateau de Caen

- Learned about nutrias

- Looked at Chateau de Chambord

- Learned about making baguettes and cassoulets

- Finished up our lap books

- Made Basil Cream Chicken