Colombia Unit Study | Geography Curriculum & Hands-On Activities for Kids

Explore the geography, culture, and traditions of Colombia with this hands-on, literature-based unit study designed for Grades 1 to 6. Perfect for homeschool families, co-ops, classrooms, or Montessori continent studies, this resource integrates mapwork, science, writing, and hands-on cultural activities for kids.

Meet Juana & Lucas in a humorous and heartfelt story about life in Bogotá, and follow Luis Soriano, the traveling librarian, as he brings books to remote villages on the back of a burro. Students will listen to cumbia music, learn how to cook beef empanadas, explore the Andes ecosystem, and play some traditional Colombian games.

✅ What You're Purchasing:

Our unit studies are literature-based learning frameworks built around carefully curated books, mapwork, journaling, and hands-on cultural activities. While books and select media resources are referenced, they are not included. Each country study provides flexible lesson plans, ready-to-use printables, and engaging activities that make it easy to explore the world together as a family or classroom.

✅ Learning Highlights:

• Read and discuss Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina and Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown
• Explore the Andes Mountains and learn about high-altitude ecosystems
• Build geography and research skills with mapwork and notebooking activities
• Practice writing skills with sentence-based activities using The Writing Revolution
• Discover cumbia music and play traditional Colombian games like Trique and Oba
• Cook beef empanadas and discuss the important of perseverance as a character virtue

✅ What’s Included:

• Colombia Mapwork & Notebooking: Students label major cities, landforms, and cultural landmarks while customizing their own maps. Notebooking pages invite students to document facts, sketch discoveries, and color the national flag.
• Literature Study: Read Juana & Lucas, a humorous story of friendship and learning, and explore Waiting for the Biblioburro, based on the true story of Luis Soriano’s traveling library.
• Writing Revolution Activities: Build writing skills with sentence-based exercises connected to Colombian literature and geography.
• Science Notebooking: Explore the ecology of the Andes and how plants and animals adapt to high elevations.
• Musical Explorers: Explore the rhythms of cumbia, a traditional Colombian music style.
• Cooking Class: Learn how to make Colombian beef empanadas together.
• Global Games: Play Trique and Oba, two traditional Colombian games.

✅ Bonus Materials:

• Printable Global Explorers Cookbook Page for Colombia
• Discover Colombia: Bingo Challenge activity sheet
• Colombia Unit Overview Sheet
• Access to our optional digital planning tool in Notion
• Plus, more than a dozen extra printable resources, such as book passports, food chain pyramid templates, and more!

Format: Printable PDF + Optional Digital Access

Best For: Homeschoolers, co-ops, enrichment, Montessori continent studies, and classroom geography units

Why Choose Global Explorers?

At the Global Explorers Club, we believe geography should be an adventure and not just a list of places to memorize. Our secular, literature-based unit studies allow children to explore the world through living books, hands-on activities, mapwork, and meaningful cultural experiences. Designed for flexible, family-style learning, each study encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for the people, places, and traditions that make our world unique.