Description
** This is a YEAR long class – 2 semesters. Each semester is worth 1/2 credit. Although students typically start in the fall, they can start in the spring and finish in the following fall. **
This class will help students get a broader perspective on the diversity of our world and the cultures of the people who live in it. Extensive use will be made of video as it gives a much better idea of geography than textbooks do. We also use interactive websites, podcasts, Google Streetview, photojournalism, and games.
Students will also be required to conduct research and deliver projects that show their mastery of the subject eg create websites, slideshows, cartoons, posters, games, e-books, etc. There will be a few short quizzes but no tests.
Students will gain a better understanding of how people in other parts of the world live and the challenges they face.
Please note: This class does meet the requirements for states that require World History/Geography. The emphasis will be on Geography but history will be included throughout the course.
Here is a commercial for the class made by a previous student!
Instructor: Meryl van der Merwe (world traveler!) – meryl@fundafunda.com
Hours: 4 to 5 hours per week
For: Grades 9Â -12
Credit Hours: 1 High School Credit on completion of both semesters
Full Syllabus: Available here
Fall Dates: August 19 – Dec 13 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)
Spring Dates: January 10 – May 2 (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)
View One Module Here
Examples of assignments produced by students
Elizabeth Himstedt –
This class was so fun and it taught me so much! I never dreaded doing the work. While it is very informational, it is taught in a very fun way through engaging videos, games, and assignments. I would highly recommend this class to anyone and if you’re on the edge about whether or not to take it, go for it! You will not regret it!
Ruth Roberts –
This course was so educational! It not only taught me more about different countries and cultures, it also taught me more computer skills. It was really nice not to have to study for any exams as well. There were some challenging parts, but they helped me grow in knowledge. Overall, this is a great course that you should totally take!
Aedan Berkheimer –
A very fun and educational class
Isaiah Doll –
Exceptional course! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned a lot more than I had expected to, and without a doubt appreciate the effort put into the creation of this class.
Devon Leslie –
Excellent class, learned a lot about both physical geography and about people, all the assignments were fair and I never felt like there was far too much work or anything like that. Would recommend!
Ana Berkheimer –
I thought this class was both educational and fun! I learned a ton from this course, and it made me want to travel all over the world. Overall, I highly recommend.
Samuel Witt –
Though it is long and tough, this class has been more than informative for me. It has been an absolute blast. Never before did I want to travel out of the country as much as I do now. 10/10 would learn to travel again.
Maggie Parsons –
I loved this class! I learned so much about the world around me that I don’t I would have learned if I didn’t take this class. The teacher was super nice and welcoming and was very generous about help and extra credit I definitely would recommend this class.
April –
I really loved this course it was interactive, fun and educational.
Jacob Mullins –
This is a great class, I learned a ton more than I knew before, and the more work instead of a bunch of tests works well. Just know in advance that the class gives a bunch of homework.
Elsie Donlick –
This is a great class! I used to have very limited knowledge of the world, but now I know a lot about all of the countries, capitals, landmarks, and much more. In addition to all of this knowledge, I had a great time doing it! Most of the assignments in this class are videos and games which are very educational. There are also a lot of creative assignments to make different projects online such as a learning cube, videos, word clouds, cartoons, slide shows, and a lot more. This added to my technology skills as well as geography! I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to have fun learning all about the world!
Kenzie Lynam –
This class is great! You learn so much! SO many fun activities and things to see and work on!
Leon Rapoport –
Couldn’t find the sixth star – although this class definitely deserves it. 🙂
The class was, in one word, awesome! I learned a TON from it, and it was very fun and interactive. Sometimes, I was having so much fun that I didn’t notice I was learning until it was too late and I had beaten my whole family in all our geography games! 🙂
Before this class, I knew almost nothing about the world we live in. After this class, I know all the countries, almost all the capitals, and many, many interesting facts! The class even contained history! And as I have already said, the class was very fun. One of my favorite things (there were many) was a game called Fanschool Geopolitics. In this game the players chose countries and the the player with the countries most often in the news wins! Different countries are constantly on the news, so the game requires strategy because you have to know when and which countries to trade. The best part of the game (in my opinion) is that you have to try to predict what countries will be on the news! So, this game is fun, teaches us about the world through the news, and it teaches us how to predict future events!
However, since I want to write an honest review, I will include everything. I would like to warn everyone, in the beginning of the class, the workload may seem like a lot. I understand, but TRUST me it is extremely worth the effort. The workload quickly clears up – and you will soon realize how much you know.
Aside from the class by itself being great, Mrs. Meryl is a wonderful teacher. She is very helpful, so if you ever have a problem immediately message her – she will help. I have some virus on my laptop which doesn’t let me see specific types of photos or play specific games with Flash – it just won’t load. However, instead of deducting points, Mrs. Meryl always gives me free points for those assignments.
She also gives many links to cool websites which I never knew about. She gave me links to websites on which you can create a website, instructional, advertising, or explanatory video, and even a logo for your own purposes.
Overall the class was GREAT. a 6/5 stars. I will definitely be taking many more classes with Mrs. Meryl, and I look forward to seeing you there!
Andrew Belcher –
I very much enjoyed this class! I feel like I learned a lot, but also I had a ton of fun. There were a lot of interesting activities and other assignments that I genuinely loved. I learned so much without even realizing I was learning. I would recommend this class to everyone!!
Katie Sharpe –
I really enjoyed this class. There were a lot of fun games and it was extremely helpful for remembering facts about different places. It really shows you find so many beautiful and fascinating places out there!
Patrick Daigle –
I loved this class! You really learn a lot about basically every country in the world. I especially learned that geography is not just about memorizing the countries, capitals, mountains, rivers, and all that stuff. It’s more about the people that live there, and what they do. I learned many different customs and traditions, and it makes me want to travel someplace.
Robert Burns –
If you are looking for a good geography course, I recommend Meryl’s. Like it says in the description, there are no textbooks. On top of that, there are practically no tests to study for. So there is no need to worry about staying up half the night studying for a huge exam. The class is awesome for learning about the physical and cultural geography from deepest corners of the world and she does it all with fun games and activities that can teach you just as much if not more than a textbook. I have loved this class and I don’t regret a single second of it.
Chance Jones –
This Geography class is tons of fun, but it is not just games. All of the activities and lessons have great facts and are also enjoyable to do. It teaches you about not just physical geography, but also about different cultures and things like agriculture. I would recommend everyone take this class.
Taylor Breeden –
Meryl is amazing and the class is very interactive. I didn’t know some of the places we studied existed, and now I want to go to each and every one of them just to know what life is like. You really get a sense of life outside your little world in this class.
Jacob Page –
It help me understand where landmarks and such were in the world, and a lot about the different places around the world. Also things that I learned were cities that I thought were capitals of countries were just large cities and not actually capitals. I am very glad I took this as I now have a much greater view of the world now!
Megan Goodman –
This class was honestly amazing. I loved how interactive it was! It really gave you the reality of some countries while still making it a lot of fun.
Lindsey Hedrick –
I thoroughly enjoyed this class! It definitely kept me busy with lots of fun, online activities. I definitely recommend this class!!