Review: National Geographic Home Learning Essentials

 

National Geographic

Home Learning Essentials

Beginner's United States Atlas, Third Edition: (ages 7-10) The fully updated edition of this popular atlas introduces young readers to the wonders of all of America's states and territories, with maps, fun facts, geographical features, and more. It’s accessible design showcases what's unique about each state and territory and every profile starts with a colorful map and essay and includes capital cities; population; important land and water features; state birds, flowers, and flags. It's all packaged in a bigger format, with a refreshed design, and bold, bright photos and illustrations.

United States Atlas, 6th Edition: (ages 8-12) Current, authoritative, and produced by the expert cartographers at National Geographic, this best-selling United States atlas is newly updated with all the latest info and is packed with maps, stats, facts, and pictures. National Geographic's world-renowned cartographers have paired up with education experts to create maps of all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C., that pinpoint the physical features, capitals, and other towns and cities. Discover the latest data along with colorful photography of each state and the people who live there. Key points reflect the latest information about land and water, people, and places. Essays cover each region of the country while eight specially themed maps on nature, population, economy, energy, climate, and more delve deeper into key issues. State birds and state flags add to the high visual interest.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2021: (ages 8-12) - The latest installment of the New York Times best-selling almanac is edutainment at its best. With features like Homework Help and STEM related topics, and deep dives into history, geography and cultures from the world, combined with facts, crafts and activities, this is the go-to reference for both the school day and down time. This new edition also includes the Almanac Challenge 2021 — which inspires kids to reduce their plastic waste and encourage others to do the same — and also highlights the winner of the 2020 Almanac Challenge.

You can purchase these books from ShopDisney, Amazon. and other major retailers.

My Thoughts

As many people probably are doing right now, we find ourselves in the position of distance learning for school and began to throw in unofficial homeschooling. These National Geographic books for kids are awesome - my son loves all the detail in the United States Atlas, 6th Edition. Our current lesson is learning about the Midwest, where we live. The atlases are divvied up by region, making it even easier to explore. There are facts about the USA itself, each region, and each individual state plus information on our territories. A glossary and index are at the back.

The Beginner's United States Atlas, Third Edition edition has a little less of the same great details which is great for younger learners. You can see in the photo above the detail comparison for the state of Minnesota.

My son is very into nature and often asks to learn about specific animals so we are supplementing his education with the National Geographic Kids Almanac 2021 as well as the National Geographic Ultimate Weird But True book. After utilizing National Geographic Kids and other websites, we then turn to these two books for added fun facts. 

I'm sure we'll be adding more National Geographic books to our collection in the future! What a great way to make learning fun!

National Geographic Kids: Explorer Academy: The Star Dunes & Extreme Oceans Review

Continue the adventure with Explorer Academy: The Star Dunes by Trudi Trueit, the fourth book in the popular fact-based fiction series (National Geographic Kids’ Under the Stars; March 2020, ages 8-12). Deemed “captivating” by the editors at Parenting.com and “exciting, fast-paced” by Booklist, the series is filled with thrilling adventures, high-tech cadets, cool science, far-away lands, and codes to crack.

Follow 12-year-old Cruz Coronado during his time at the prestigious Explorer Academy, where he and 23 kids from around the globe are training to become the next generation of great explorers. In addition to making new friends and attending cool classes, Cruz must also work to unlock clues to his family’s shadowy past if he is to solve the mystery of his mother’s untimely death. In this exciting follow-up to The Double Helix, a major discovery catapults Cruz and the Explorer Academy team into the limelight and they head off to Africa. Cruz and his fellow recruits tackle challenging missions to dispense life-saving medications to gorillas, thwart pangolin poachers and capture images of the last known cheetahs in Namibia — all the while discovering that protecting the world’s threatened species is dangerous business! After yet another strike from Nebula, someone close to Cruz ends up on the brink of death, leaving the ship in turmoil and Cruz and his team down a major player. The discovery of his mom’s next clue leads Cruz to a vast desert — and just when he thinks he’s run out of leads for solving the mystery of her tragic disappearance, an unlikely ally helps him pursue another piece of the ongoing puzzle. Can Cruz and his team stay one step ahead of Nebula and find the next piece of the hidden cipher?

With four critically acclaimed titles in this series now available, two companion nonfiction activity books and literally hours and hours of videos, games, and info on real-life explorers at ExplorerAcademy.com , Explorer Academy is the perfect way to keep kids learning, reading and engaged. 

Extreme Ocean: Amazing Animals, High-Tech Gear, Record-Breaking Depths and Much More by National Geographic Explorer Sylvia A. Earle (National Geographic Kids Books, March 2020, Ages 8-12) A perfect pick for World Ocean Day (June 8th) and Shark Week in July. Discover the most outrageous aspects of the deep blue — from record-breaking depths to towering tsunamis, underwater giants to tiny sea creatures — along with ocean conservation challenges and what kids can do to help. An action-packed combination of science and adventure, famed National Geographic Explorer Sylvia Earle leads readers on an in-depth tour of life beneath the waves. Come face-to-face with whales and sharks, learn about the newest and most hi-tech ocean gear and gadgets, experiment with hands-on activities, and join Earle as she recounts her most daring dives. Packed with fascinating tidbits, animal profiles, and up-to-date science, each chapter combines stunning photography with fun, accessible text. Perfect for curious kids, ocean lovers, young explorers, and the classroom. Extreme Ocean reveals the mystery, majesty, danger, and — above all --the importance of our ocean.

Our Thoughts

Right now is a time of unprecedented learning-at-home for our children and for us. I know for my kiddos it has been challenging to keep them engaged in their daily school work. One of the things that my kids have to do as part of their school work is to log at least 20-30 minutes of reading each day. National Geographic Kids books are a great way of getting them to read for the allotted time without making it seem like they're actually doing their school work. 

When asked to review Explorer Academy: The Star Dunes and Extreme Oceans, my 10-year-old and 12-year-old immediately jumped to the task. 

My 10-year-old took on the task of reading Explorer Academy: The Star Dunes. While he didn't have the first three books in the series to go off of, he was happy to dive into this book. He said he felt the book was slow to start but as the pages turned, he was pulled into the story. He is now looking forward to reading the first three books and coming back to Explorer Academy: The Star Dunes to put the rest of the story together with this piece of the puzzle. The greatest thing about Explorer Academy is there is a website where the kids can go to learn more, explore new tech, play games, and keep their minds engaged without it seeming like they're being forced to learn. 

Extreme Oceans was right up my 12-year-old's ally! He had just completed a unit on oceans, climate change, and pollution right before our schools were shut down and was more than happy to continue to explore more about these subjects. Extreme Oceans explains what the ocean is, what is in the ocean, and how the ocean helps create weather patterns. The book does a good job of explaining about pollution, how it is affecting our world, and what we can do to help stop the pollution. Conservation of our planet is key in Extreme Oceans and I feel like it is teaching a whole new generation what it means to help conserve and protect this planet we inhabit. 

Over all, I would recommend both books as my kiddos have loved them and are now asking for more National Geographic Kids books, which makes this momma happy. I feel like reading is the key to learning and I'm thrilled that my kiddos are wanting to read and learn more, especially through an organization like National Geographic!

If you'd like to explore more books from National Geographic Kids, you can click on the following links: STEM for Kids, Reading, Books on Amazing Women, and Black History Month Books. 

DVD Review : He Named Me Malala

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment  announced today the critically acclaimed film “He Named me Malala,” will be made available on all formats; Digital HD, VOD and DVD December 15th. 
 
From the director of Waiting for ‘Superman’ and the Academy Award®-Winning An Inconvenient Truth comes this highly inspiring and deeply moving documentary about courage, survival, and empowerment.  He Named Me Malala tells the remarkable true story of teenage Malala Yousafzai, who was attacked by Taliban gunmen in Pakistan for advocating for girls’ education. Rather than be silenced, Malala emerged as a global voice for the education rights of all children, and in 2014, she became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize recipient.  This intimate glimpse into the life of an extraordinary girl is sure to inspire your entire family!
 
The documentary offers an intimate look into Malala’s life both before and following the attack. The then 15-year-old (she turned 18 this past July) was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education. The shooting sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. Malala miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.
 
HE NAMED ME MALALA features Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Toor Pekai Yousafzai, Khushal and Atal Yousafzai. The film was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, in association with Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Participant Media, with National Geographic Channel.  The film is produced by Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Davis Guggenheim.  Executive producers are Mohamed Al Mubarak and Michael Garin from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Jeff Skoll from Participant Media, and Shannon Dill.  Inspired by the book I Am Malala.


My Thoughts

"He Named Me Malala"  is a documentary about an amazing young girl from Pakistan named Malala Yousafzai.  At a very young age, she began to advocate for the education of young women in her community. Because of her selfless actions, she was targeted and shot by the Taliban. Against all odds, she survived the attack and became a world-wide advocate for children.

I remember hearing about Mahala on the news, but this documentary gives us a much more personal look into the life of this brave young lady and her family. It's a truly inspiring look into the life of a young girl who refused to surrender and who has made a difference in the life of so many others.

Book Review: How to Speak Cat - A Guide To Decoding Cat Language

Did you know....

* Almost everything you want to know about what a cat is thinking is being communicated by their tail?
* When a cat's whiskers lie flat against their face, watch out because fur is about to fly! But not for Persians -- they have such flat faces they can't move their whiskers at all!
* Listen up! Cats rotate their ears when they are angry. And yes, they have terrific hearing so when you call and they don't come they CAN hear you, they are just ignoring you!
* A cat's eyes are open windows into their hearts and a slow blink of one or both eyes means "Yes, I like you and I feel safe with you!"
* With time, practice and patience, you CAN begin to hear the difference between the "I Want To Go Outside" meow from the "Pet Me" meow. They DO sound different.


So don't be a clueless human! If you want to learn what your feline is feeling, learn to speak cat.

How to Speak Cat also contains fun facts, training tips, vet care and advice, hands-on activities and more than 100 photos of cats in every adorable, pensive, cranky, playful pose possible. Whether considering new cat ownership or have a frisky feline that you'd like to understand better, How to Speak Cat is a purr-fectly FUN resource for the entire family.

Here is a link to the book's video trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOS1hyXhgqk#action=share and here is a link to several spreads from the book itself: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qdt8jewj9twkn8r/AACCuTFu-1qB-hvzQWy6gIq7a?dl=0.

My Thoughts

My family loves cats. We have 6. When I got the opportunity to review this book, I was super excited. I felt before reading this, I had a decent understanding of felines, but living with 6 of them, I could certainly stand to understand them more. 

This book is full of information. There are lots of fun facts and even a comparison of cats vs dogs. The book is laid out in a good manor and was very easy to follow. Information was presented in a fun, non boring way. I was engrossed in the book from the moment I picked it up. 

I'd always thought when my cats laid on the couch and half shut their eyes, that meant they were tired. It doesn't! Turns out, the light in the room is too bright for them and they are protecting their eyes.

I wasn't the only one in my family of four to enjoy this book. Everyone from my 8 year old daughter to my husband has picked up this book and read. This will be a book that we keep out in our living room. I think guests that come over will like looking through this book and learning a few new facts about cats.

National Geographic Kids Fashion Book: Why'd They Wear That

This winter, best-selling author Sarah Albee and National Geographic will take readers on a walk down history’s runway in WHY’D THEY WEAR THAT?: Fashion as the Mirror of History (on sale Feb. 10, 2015; $19.99; ages 10 and up). From the invention of needles made from woolly mammoth tusks in 10,000 B.C., to the evolution of armor from chain mail to modern-day bulletproof vests, to the controversy surrounding contemporary outsourcing, Albee looks at history through the lens of fashion as a way to engage young readers.
 
Each chapter focuses on a major period of world history, from the Neolithic era to the present day, and explores the evolution of fashion as a reflection of the politics, class hierarchies, religion and economics of the time. This highly visual collection is full of colorful sidebars that answer questions that are not usually addressed in the classroom: How did people keep their clothes on before zippers or buttons were invented? How did soldiers go to the bathroom when wearing their heavy armor? Pictures, paintings and artifacts further illustrate the concepts discussed in each chapter, while funny anecdotes and a focus on cultures of interest, such as the Vikings, will keep even the most reluctant readers hooked.

 Our Thoughts

This book is fascinating. I love history and throughout life have always wondered how people lived with their clothing. How did it keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. How on earth did they go to the bathroom with THAT on? Where did these fashions start? How did they die? The cultural, religious influences etc... This book explains it all. 

I never realized how influential and important clothing was to our social structure until I read this book. The story of how silk became available to all was amazing. I had no idea, and I assume many people do not know the hardships that entailed.

Being able to sit with my daughter and go through this book, it's interesting and keeps her wanting to learn more. I homeschool and use this book as one of my options for history lessons. It is so much fun she doesn't feel like she's doing "school work" but just sitting with mom and hanging out.

The pictures and setup of the book are eye catching and keep you turning the next page. All the little blurbs on the pages are quick fact snippets if you want a quick glance. This is a book for any and all, I really really love it.

Buy yours on Amazon and don't forget to check out Nat Geo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!




Reviewed by Jackie

National Geographic "Welcome to the world, a keepsake baby book" Review

This March, National Geographic charts new territory with Welcome to the World: A Keepsake Baby Book, a stunning memento of a child's first years.

Welcome to the World connects the birth of a new child with the beauty of the world (s)he is entering through stunning photographs from across the globe, appealing to parents who appreciate design and elegance, and want to capture the memories of their baby's first year in living color.

Baby animals, sweeping landscapes, and miracles of nature from National Geographic's renowned photo galleries are paired with tender and inspirational quotes to guide parents as they immortalize milestones ranging from first steps to favorite lullabies and beyond.    

Welcome to the World captures a world full of beauty, promise, and hope, just what every parent wants for their child.

Our Thoughts

If you love anything nature-related you'll love this baby book! The pictures are absolutely beautiful and done with as much professionalism as you'd see in the National Geographic magazines. Many positive thoughts and cute sayings are written throughout the entire book. The book is well made as well, quite heavy, but not too much and hard cover, so the pages themselves are well-protected.

As well as the quality of the book it also contains all of the typical milestones in "normal" baby books you would buy, including where baby was born, birth statistics etc..., all the way up to all the various "firsts" that our young ones encounter in their lives.

Not just any keepsake baby book, it holds your precious memories as well as the beauty of nature! At every turn the book is reminding you through it's depictions of various animals how we're, essentially, all alike.

Buy yours here and don't forget to check them out on Facebook, and Twitter.

Reviewed by Jackie