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PASSPORT CLUB

 
What is Passport Club?
 
The Passport Club is a geography program for elementary schools. It is designed to encourage students to learn some or all of the names of the world’s countries over the course of the school year. Passport Club is brought to Laurelhurst School by the Laurelhurst PTA.

 
The heart of the program is a monthly geography quiz led by parent volunteers. The quizzes are not part of the regular curriculum at Laurelhurst, but most teachers encourage their students to participate, and some teachers incorporate the quizzes into their regular class work. Grades 2-5 are invited to participate.

 
There are also "special itinerary" projects based on monthly displays on specific countries for students who want to spend more time learning geography, and a festive "International Night" with food and performances in the spring that serves as a fundraiser for Passport Club. Also related to Passport Club is the National Geographic Bee in which students in grades 4-8 can learn geography and compete in a geography bee.

 
How does it work?

 
Every month, students are given a study map with 25-35 countries labeled. The countries are divided into five levels, and students may study as many levels as they choose. If students successfully locate all five levels of countries each month, they will learn more than 200 countries by the end of the school year. Each month, starting in October, level 5 includes the capitals of the countries in level 1. Students should learn the names of the capital cities, rather than their location. A blank study map is provided at the beginning of the year. Please hang on to this blank map to use throughout the year (save paper!).

 
Level five students will be listed each month on the Passport Club bulletin board in the front hall, and students who achieve level 5 every month throughout the year will be invited to a special party at year’s end. Additionally, Passport Club T-shirts are available for students who achieve level 5 every month. For students who miss 1-2 months of level 5 during the year, there will be a makeup day in May where they will be able to test/retest for the months missed.

 
The quizzes are led by parent volunteers and occur on select Thursday mornings in the cafeteria (see dates below). At the first quiz, students will be given a paper passport to record their quiz results with colorful international stamps. The passports are kept at school.

 
For more information on The Passport Club, please click on the following:

 
Official Website:

 
Facebook:

 
Pinterest:

Metro Parent Article on Geography 

 
If you would like to volunteer, have any questions or ideas for improvement, please contact Michelle.

Other Geography Related Links

  Test your geography smarts right here online. Each day they post ten questions from the National Geographic Bee. Some of them are real stumpers, but it's okay if you miss a few—you can play as often as you like. Go back everyday for a brand new quiz and another chance to beat the Bee!

A fun game to test your general knowledge of world countries.

   A wonderful way to study world countries, art, science and math and donate rice to people around to globe.

Fun geography online quizzes to try: