Geography

by Kelly Knowlden

Here are some of the questions that our students need to know answers to:

1. What waterfall would you see if you took a ride on the Maid of the Mist?
2. Name two states that touch Vermont? 
3. What is the largest country in South America?
4. What countries in South America do not have any seacoast?
5. Manila is the capital city of what country?
6. East Pakistan is now known as what country?
7. What island country in the south Pacific has a north and south designation in its name?
8. Tahiti is part of what island group?
9. Name one country that touches Ethiopia.
10. Name the longest river in Europe.

If you know 5-6 answers, you are average. If you know 7-8 answers, you are doing well. If you know 9-10 answers, you must be a graduate of ICS! One of our goals for our students is that by the time they graduate from high school they know the names and location of 200+ countries of the world. (Some experts only count 196 countries in the world, but they are not including many of the island nations in the Pacific and also the small countries such as Andorra, Monaco, and the Vatican City). That is usually a high school geography course that includes drawing the world by heart!

Why is that important? Here are three reasons: First, this is God’s world. The more we know about it and appreciate the diversity that He has created, the more we will be able to appreciate Him! Second, to know about God’s world is to understand the differences in people that He has made. (It DOES make a difference if you grew up in a country where the spring monsoons caused the rivers to overflow and flood the land!) Third, food and clothing choices have historically been due to climate not to fashion. We want our students to appreciate those choices within the context of that culture.

Do you want to know the answers to the questions above? Here they are: 1. Niagara. 2. New York and New Hampshire. 3. Brazil 4. Bolivia and Paraguay 5. Philippines 6. Bangladesh 7. New Zealand 8. French Polynesia 9. any of these: Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti and 10. Volga River.