I'm starting to implement the use of a morning basket into the start of our homeschool day and am looking for some great geography books to use during this time. Map books, read alouds, anything you can recommend would be great! Thanks! :)

I'd like some advice from the Hive Mind. We started HSing in August, switched to a private school in November (long story), and I'm pulling her out in the next two weeks. During all this time, she's been obsessed with Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology. My poor, beleaguered husband, who is the designated bedtime reader, pretty much has D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths and D'Aulaire's Book of Norse Myths memorized at this point. He's also read to her: Padraic Colum's The Children of Odin, Classic Myths to Read Aloud by William Russell, Myths of the Norsemen From the Eddas and Sagas by H. A. Guerber, Asgard Stories Tales from Norse Mythology by Cummings, Mabel H. and Foster, Mary H. The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles (not a hit) While I'm pleased she's so into mythology, it's a little disconcerting. My mother (who lives with us), was talking about Vikings, and so I mentioned that the Vikings are the Norsemen, and she was puzzled. :huh: Clearly, I need to do some context with her, so I thought that this spring would be a great opportunity to use some history and geography for background on the stories. I'm just a leeetle unsure how to go about it. I thought perhaps that we should at least do some maps, because she likes maps, I like maps, and we have maps on the wall. She's kind of familiar with the world map already. I bought Dover's Around the World Coloring Book for her, as well as Dover's Greek and Roman gods coloring books. I'm tempted to start SOTW Ancient Times, but I'm not entirely sure that's really where I want to go. I just don't want her to end up like the gifted, PS 4th grader I met this winter, who had no idea what a continent was. :thumbdown: Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

We are studying the Middle Ages next year and meeting up each week with a couple of other families. I have been searching for a workbook (or a website) that work on skills like Map Reading and Reading/Making Graphs that go along with this time period. Thanks for any direction or help!

Hi all, A month or two ago, we released the Study and Teaching Guide for the History of the Ancient World. The map exercises in that book can be done using the maps contained in "The History of the Ancient World." But some astute customers pointed out that if your student is reading "H.O.T.A.W." on a Kindle, he won't be able to write on (or trace) those maps! In response to this need, we've created a little PDF pack of 59 maps, using only the ones that are referenced in the map exercises. Here it is, ready to download for just $3.99. Hopefully that will help those of you who are using the Kindle version.

What is your favorite world map and or globe? Do you have both and can you get by with a maps software instead? I'm a minimalist that is looking for a world map and a globe I think or maybe software for SoTW Ancients. I was thinking laminated on the wall my kids could get the big picture of the little areas we are studying. I like the globe to have just so they can get the big picture (plus I could use it to decorate my sitting room). Obviously not the blow up ones that kids will use as kick balls in the house. For science, I would like them to maybe stick animals to it for the different continents, but removable animals. Did you just buy one and reuse or is it something you get new every couple years as the level of detail changes? I would like mostly topography and not multi-rainbow/colored/busy to look at wall world map. Or do I get a nice globe and then get software that lets me move around the map on the computer with printing capabilities? Any issues with out dated maps either? wow lots of questions!

I would like a map of the world (or just Africa, Europe, Asia) like it would have been in ancient (4000-0 BC) times. And if it had another (current) map that overlaid it, that would be great. Has anyone ever seen such a thing?

I need a good blank map of the Mediterranean Sea area and upper Africa and the middle east. I can find either the Med Sea or Africa/Mid East. SOTW (1) has one that OK (ch 25) but it has outlined and highlighted areas. My goal is to have the children make a progression of maps showing each empire in these areas and their contemporaries. Much like this map, but of course different and only to the Roman Empire for now http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/imperial-history.html Does anyone have any ideas where to find one (hopefully free) ?

I want to start making continent blobs with the kids today (you know, Leigh Bortins, The Core, style). It became blatantly obvious that we need to do something for geography when the kids didn't know where Africa was (eeeeeek!!!!) So I thought Continent Blobs would be a good place to start. I tried making one last night and feel really unconfident about my blobs (I know, right?) Anyone want to show me their continent blobs? LOL. You show me yours, I'll show you mine;)

Essentially, I'm looking for the most complete map collection available. I want maps for all significant historic events but I also want current maps.

This is really a question for anyone - not just if you've drawn maps - I'm not the best sketch artist. Anyway, I wanted to take a break from the world map and do a little US mapping as in the Core. (We'll still practice the world map once a week or so. I was thinking we could work on a world map for half the year, then the US map for the other half.) * Satori Smiles' daughter [i believe that's her screen name] drew a grid, then "transfered" each square within that grid. Seems like a good way to do it, I remember doing a few drawings like that in school. *I just saw - he started with Minnisota and went out. It's very cool to watch - would it be hard for a child to keep scale?*My original thought was to start with the outline and fill it in a section at a time. Thoughts? What method do you think is best? (Pros & Cons?) I was considering pairing this with Holling's books, using the BF guide (but much slower). So we would focus on one section at a time.

I'm teaching my boys to draw the world as outlined in the geography chapter of Leigh Bortin's The Core and I'm looking for a great map of Austrailia. I need the outline of the continent at a minimum. I would love it if the Tropic of Capricorn was marked, but I can draw that in myself if I need to. Thanks!

The map drawing curriculums look great but are expensive. Scanning samples, it looks to me like there are basic ideas of how to draw a map, that would be applicable to drawing any map. That instead of a curriculum showing how to draw each state/region/country, maybe there is a cheap book (or free download) that teaches a set of guidelines to attempt any map with. Is there any such thing?

going to be using SOTW 1 w/ my 1st grader. Anytime I read anything he always asks where is that on the map. Easy to show on maps of the present. Gets harder when showing Bible time places or any historical places. Where could I get a set of maps for over the years? Without spending alot of money!

WOW!!! I had heard about Google Earth but only now decided to try it out. It's amazing! My dd will be on it tomorrow exploring Ancient Rome and she'll even see the hotel where we stayed in Zakynthos, Greece! There are so many amazing things to see! I almost freaked when it plunged me into the ocean! For those that have explored Google Earth, do you have any recommendations? How do you use it for your family's school? What are your kids' fave things to do? Places to see? WOW WOW WOW!!! I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to try it!!!

Is there a website where I can print maps of the US states that have the capitals, major cities, major rivers, lakes, mountains and other important landmarks blank for labeling? (Canadian provinces, Mexican states and other countries would be a bonus too) Thanks!

Hi There :) I'm looking for everyone's favorite Ancient History Maps and also curriculum. (and if you know you can copy for your co-op's classroom, that's a bonus!) I'm also looking for suggestions on how you memorize areas so that your child doesn't get confused with the Modern Name for the spots you're studying. I also welcome suggestions for audio cds or dvds about the subjects. I have students from ages 4-12 so if you know what levels it covers, that's great, too. Thanks! Carrie