geography/public library class

Our public library asked me to teach a once a month class for area home schoolers. Something they could use to supplement home school and bring HS'ers into the library. They have given me free rein to do what I want. After polling friends I am going to do a geography class for 6 to 12 year olds. I want it to be hands on and fun but really useful and send home stuff with parents for the rest of the month. I start Oct 11 with the first class with "Finding your way around the world..Maps, Atlases and Globes." So I need ideas for hands on activities to teach map and globe skills I'll tell you the one I have so far...

Take a grapefruit and draw on it a rough outline of the continents. Then cut the grapefruit down the long ways in 8 sections and lay flat on the table. This shows the kids how maps are a distorted version of the globe. I'm going to have to practice this at home first!

NOW do you have anymore ideas for me? Books to recommend? Websites? I have to fill 2 hours ! In November I'm going to do Australia then Christmas customs of the world in December then in the new year do one country per month. I hope I haven't agreed to do something that I'm in over my head on!

PS I am new and I don't know if this is the right forum for this there are SO MANY!
Mommyo6

Wow sounds great! but scary too.
I like the grapfruit idea cool!
Ok some ideas I have stored away for geog-
make a paper mache' globe
http://www.kidscolorpages.com/countries.htm this has a funny little charactor in the shape of each country, maybe if they were coloured it could be made into a mobile.
A tresure hunt using a map
http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxindex.htm outline maps
http://www.edhelper.com/clipart/teachers/org-map.pdf parchment type clip art
http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/index.htm countries and culture activities
http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/index.html this has a model of the Sydney Opera house
Can you do small group games? I know you can buy one like twister except the kids have to put a body part on a country. Maybe you could make a game on a large white plastic table cloth as a group activity.
Then play it in small groups. Or make a large dice with counties glued on each side that the child rolls and then either moves a small game piece (on there individual maps) or there whole selves to on the large group one. (or make it they only move when it's the next country along. Kind of like how long to travel around the world.
Hope you all have a great time.

Wow,
These are fantastic! Exactly what I need! Thanks!
(OK I know I'm over doing the excalmation points!)

mommyo6