First Globe-Trotting -Obtaining Passports

To get to know each other a bit and to break the ice on our first day at co-op, we played a game of "Hi, my name is Rosemary and I like Raspberries," with each one of the students going around the table but having to say the name and favorite food/thing of all the people who spoke before, so that when we got to the last person, he/she not only had to tell us their name and favorite food or thing that starts with the same letter as their first name, but everyone else's as well! They did great! Good memories!

At the beginning of each class, we play a game I made, "Where in the World is...?" (France, Mozambique, Australia...?). I have a giant laminated World Map which I have learned the kids enjoy best while it is on the floor! They gather round it, pointing and talking about all the places they have been, want to visit, etc. Each child has a turn of reaching their hand into the "mystery" bag and grabbing one of the nearly 200 index cards, each labelled with a name of a country . They may ask for help from their classmates in the form of a clue or a hint: "It is yellow" or, "It's on the the continent of Africa." Once found, they choose a sticker to place on their country. We always talk about where this country is in relation to others, what countries border it, which continent it is on, and so on. Everyone gets a turn and the kids LOVE this game. A simple, but very effective, fun way to get the kids loving geography and learning without knowing it! My favorite way to teach!

Before we Globe Trotters could go gallivanting around the globe, however, I asked the children what they would need. Some mentioned suitcases, clothing, and food. Yes, we would need all those things, but first, we had to obtain passports before leaving the country! We talked about why one needs a passport, saw what a real one looks like, discussed the information a passport contains and why, and we also learned that most people obtain a passport at their post office!

So, our first trip: a drive to the local post office, where I morphed from Miss Rosemary the teacher, to Miss Rosemary the Post Office worker. We hopped in my magic van (that will be able to fly on future global travels, but for today, only needed normal driving capabilities), buckled up and drove a not too far distance to our local post office. The kids take turns being the "driver." One drives us there, another drives us back. They are most excellent, safe drivers for their age. :) (btw, I issue temporary, one-time special driver's licenses that only work in my magic van-just so they won't be asking you why they can't drive home from co-op).

The kids stood in line. I handed them some information to fill out-this would be why I was asking for your children's DOB, place of birth, etc. The kids worked hard filling in all of their personal information on their own. Lots of questions and discussion arose from this activity, such as "What does 'nationality' mean?," "Where was I born?" :); and "What does "expiration" mean?" The kids learned that their passports, as children, would be good for 5 years, versus the 10 that an adult's would be.

I snapped each of their photos, explaining that for security reasons, they were not allowed to smile. Most took this to heart (as you will see-the cutest little mug shots I have ever seen-they were so serious! and so cute!).

We wrapped up by finishing our passports with an official US seal (smiley face stamp and US flag sticker :)) and I explained that I would have the photos and passports all ready for next week's adventure around the globe! (OH, and we almost forgot to drive back to class!) Vroom! Vroom!

The kids are very eager to show you their passports, but I will be hanging on to them for safe-keeping until the end of the semester when they will have a keepsake full of pages of where we have travelled, complete with their photos, stamps, and stickers.

Your children were a delight and I look forward to Trotting around the Globe with them!