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What do ya'll use for Geography?


Ibbygirl
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I took the easy way and used Trail Guide to World Geography this past year. I really liked it.

There are 2 daily questions that can be completed in less than 15 minutes. Each week you can choose from a variety of mapping/"Points of Interest" assignments as well for further study.

It takes virtually no planning, and includes questions on 3 different levels. So I was able to use it for all 3 (6th, 7th and 10th grade).

There is also a Trail Guide to US Geography.

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I took the easy way and used Trail Guide to World Geography this past year. I really liked it.

There are 2 daily questions that can be completed in less than 15 minutes. Each week you can choose from a variety of mapping/"Points of Interest" assignments as well for further study.

It takes virtually no planning, and includes questions on 3 different levels. So I was able to use it for all 3 (6th, 7th and 10th grade).

There is also a Trail Guide to US Geography.

 

 

That actually sounds really good to me too! :) Do they have resources or additional reading for the points of interest?

 

Thanks so much for your reply. :)

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We just do geography as part of history. I May do something different for high school, but we do every map in the SOTW AG and look places up on the globe. We talk about current events in other countries and how they may or may not have been affected by the past. We read books about other countries and cultures and when we cover earth science ever four years we talk about where specific land features are located (Himalayas, Amazon River, volcanoes, Grand Canyon, glaciers, permafrost, etc.) and how the people who live in those areas are affected by those features.

 

Every once in a while I think we might do geography separately, but I really try to keep our school week as streamlined as possible or we simply can't cover it all.

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We generally do geography as part of history, but I did have dd work through a basic geography workbook - Rand McNally published it - at the end of this year, just so she'd have a review of latitude, longitude, and so forth.

 

I have a dim view of devoting too much time to geography - we were required to take a year-long geography class when I was in 7th grade and I felt like it was a waste of a year that I could have been learning history. Just my 2¢. :)

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In case dd ever takes a standardized test, we have the dull-but-public-school-functional Spectrum workbooks for occasional, dutiful use.

 

Like some others here, mostly we blend geography with history. I also tie it in with religion. After we have read the day's selection from the Synaxarion (lives of the saints), dd studies maps for where the saints lived/died, and build a "feel" for that part of the world. In one day we might end up examining several continents !

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where I tell people that I don't do geography, but yet my son knows geography. Then I realize that I do Story of the World. They always have those maps that we do. I forgot. I am doing geography with Story of the World.

 

My librarian was throwing away the Which Way USA? series. She gave it to me. Untouched books with maps!!!

 

We also have Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? And Where in the USA is Carmen San Diego? And Oregon Scientific Smart Globe. It's a nice variety.

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

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Galloping the Globe Grades K-4

Trail Guide to World Geography Grades 2-12

Trail Guide to U.S. Geography Grades 2-12

 

I have personally used both Trail Guides. There are companion notebook page downloads or CDs that go with the guides. IMO they are all you need for geography. My son has a beautiful US Geography notebook with detailed maps, daily questions, research and pictures. I do think they are best spread out over more than one year. The US guide features a literature unit on The Captain's Dog and the World guide features one on Around the World in 80 Days.

 

Another poster a few weeks ago mentioned that some of the research was obscure. For example, the notebook pages that go with Massachusetts cover the Industrial Revolution with Textile Mills and Factories (Intermediate level). New Hampshire covers the Constitution and the Presidential Primary. Vermont looks at quarries and their effect on the economy.

 

The same poster mentioned that there were lots of free resources on the internet. She has a point and you might want to research that.

 

For our family, the two books and the notebook downloads were well worth the money. I also like Uncle Josh's Outline Map Collection and Geography Through Art. In fact, I had to go to their site to add links and they've added new things...oooooooooooh:D

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I do maps along with our history studies, but I also always include some other things for the year. When my younger son was little, this meant things like McGraw Hill's Complete Book of Maps and Geography. Later he worked through a lot of the Which Way, USA? books (pricey, but they were a gift). We did a Holling study using BF guide and maps last year and will do that again this year.

 

Also, for first and second grade, I put together a list of picture books to read from every state and territory (first) and from a number of countries around the world (second).

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We do the maps that go with SOTW and also do map skills separately. We used the Evan-Moor Daily Geography Practice books 1 & 2 in 1st and 2nd grade. This year we started using the Map Skills series. We're using the first book over this year and next in conjunction with a state study, then will use the second and third books in 5th and 6th. My dd has really enjoyed this series so far, but she loves geography and maps. After we finish this series, I'm considering either the Runkle's Geography or the Galore Park SYRWTL Geography, both of which are physical geography.

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That actually sounds really good to me too! :) Do they have resources or additional reading for the points of interest?

 

Thanks so much for your reply. :)

 

Here is a sample page in a PDF file from the website. There are 3 levels of questions, identified by the 3 different animal tracks.

If you go to page 2 on the same file, you will see an example of a Points of Interest Assignment.

GeoMatters has lots of resources on their website, the only one I invested in was The Answer Atlas. We never had a need for any further resources.

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Thank you all so kindly for all of the wonderful replies and suggestions. Ay, the blessing and curse of homeschooling!!! So many curriculum choices! :D I chose two books. hehe I ordered the Learning Georgraphy through Art and also the Trail Guide to World Geography. Thank you all for the suggestions. :) Now to wait for them to come in the mail. :)

 

Blessings,

Jennifer

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I've done geography all different ways. Usually it is just included in our history study. I've also done A Child's Geography for the sciency part of geography. And this year I'm having my oldest do the geography book from Galore Park. For my 6yo, I've put together a world geography and cultures study based on A Trip Around the World and Another Trip Around the World and some DK books. Next year my (then) 6th grader will be spending the second half of the year, after he finishes SL Core 5, on geography with Mapping the World By Heart.

 

I think geography is one of those subjects that can be covered in many different ways. It's map work, cultures, volcanoes and earthquakes and plate tectonics. So it's not always a separate subject for us, but is sometimes if I want to fill in some gaps.

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It is in my blog. It is really messy, but you get a general idea. It is scheduled for 36 weeks. We do about 6 weeks worth over 12 weeks and then get bored for a while and then go back to it later. :) It was important to me that DD realize that lions and tigers and bears all live in different places, so I included some zoology at the introduction of each continent.

 

SOTW has geography built right in. I wanted to start with modern geography, but really, if you do all 4 years of SOTW you should get what you need.

Edited by Lovedtodeath
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It was important to me that DD realize that lions and tigers and bears all live in different places,

 

 

How you got through that sentence without adding "oh my" is amazing to me. hehe I KNOW that I wouldn't have had that much self control. I would have been too compelled to say it! ;) :D hehehe You're obviously A LOT more mature than I am! :) :grouphug:

Edited by Ibbygirl
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We've used those Trail Guides and then a hodge podge of other books :lol:

 

-Tia

 

 

How did you children like using the Trail Guides?

 

Up until now, I just have my daughter find things on the map or on the globe while were reading other things and when we finish a book, I have her draw a picture of something that symbolizes the story and then stick it on the map where the story took place. That's fine and all, but I feel like we need something a little more subtantial now. :) Thank you everyone for all of your help and wonderful suggestions. :)

 

Blessings,

Jennifer

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How you got through that sentence without adding "oh my" is amazing to me. hehe I KNOW that I wouldn't have had that much self control. I would have been too compelled to say it! ;) :D hehehe You're obviously A LOT more mature than I am! :) :grouphug:

 

:lol: Glad I'm not the only one.

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I use Visualize World Geography, BF Geography through Literature, and incorporate geo anywhere I can. For instance, we recently read Around the World in 80 days just for fun. It was a great launching pad for tons of geography and culture discussions. Also, hurricane season is starting up again. We will get a tracking map and start plotting various storms. I also purchased a Map Skills book from Rainbow Resources. It is just a simple workbook type thing for map reading, plotting, directions, rose compass use, etc. (the practical side of day to day geography). Sonlight has Windows on the World which is an excellent tool if you are trying to incorporate a missions study too.

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LovedToDeath......

 

Please tell us you were at least chanting the 'correct phrase' in your mind so that I can go on with my day.:laugh:

Oh Yes, over and over and over, just like in the movie... ready?

 

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my!

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They're easy to use workbooks and don't take much time, so I just add it to what we're doing or have my ds do it in the summer. It's mostly so I know he's current as far as what they expect on standardized tests. Otherwise we just incorporate geography into our history studies - nothing formal, just map work to go along with it. Also, when we talk about places or see a movie about another country, we might look it up on our world map.

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Oh Yes, over and over and over, just like in the movie... ready?

 

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my!

 

 

 

Wooot!!! :party: :party: Nobody is immune!! hehehehe :D :grouphug:

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HWIC has a flags product that I've been using with http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/. But flippantly I'd say that we use United Airlines and the world for geography b/c we are dependents and fly stand-by, plus I'm a certified secondary geography teacher.

 

But, simply talk about the world with your kids - please. There is a bigger world out there than just what's going on in your family/house/neighborhood. Raise kids who know where places are located from the news, but don't always let them read the news or see the news program on tv, because it's nasty and aweful.

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