Jun 12, 2020 in Tutoring

Studying With COVID-19: The USA

If you’re homeschooling during lockdown, we’ve put together this series of articles with activities for your child...

If you’re homeschooling during lockdown, we’ve put together this series of articles with activities for your child, whatever their age. Each series of activities will take them a week to complete, resulting in the creation of a workbook that summarises what they’ve learned.

This set of activities focuses on learning more about the United States of America, spanning subjects including Mathematics, Geography, History and Science. What’s more, you can adapt them to work for different countries.

• Draw key US landmarks. This could include Mount Rushmore, the White House and the Statue of Liberty. Older students should do drawings to scale. This forms the front cover of your child’s workbook.

• Investigate US population distribution. The US population of 330 million isn’t evenly distributed. Younger children can do basic percentages to see which states have the highest percentage of the population; older children should also investigate questions such as population density.

• Learn about the US flag. What does it represent? Your child can research one or two of the states symbolised by the stars or the stripes. If the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico becomes a state, how would they redesign the flag? 

• Find out about the US economy. Older students can research one of the USA’s most successful industries, such as the tech industry, and prepare a presentation on its history.

• Read American classics. Older students should read a classic American novel such as The Catcher in the Rye or the screenplay of A Streetcar Named Desire (both suitable for students aged 14+) and discuss what it’s taught them about the USA.

• Explore American history. Younger children can learn about Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas, including the ship he sailed on and what conditions would have been like on board. Older children can find out about the history of the Civil Rights Movement, including watching the award-winning film Selma (rated PG-13). How does this history influence the USA today? 

• Learn about space exploration. This activity can be enjoyed by children of all ages, from the youngest who can learn the basics of how rockets get into space, to older children who can explore how the Space Race affected the Cold War, and how the private sector has become involved in space exploration. They can then watch Hidden Figures (10+) to see another perspective.

Certificate of completion. When your child has completed their USA workbook with these activities, award them a certificate of completion to celebrate what they’ve learned.

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