babysparkler Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/id151.html Who is using it? What do you think? What ages would this work for? What all did you purchase? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 We're using it. Love it. It's a really well designed program. It has three components; the first is the history of geography lessons. This is a two page history that relates to the drawing portion of the lesson. My oldest reads, writes a short summary, and then gives younger ds and I an oral presentation of the material. We use the dvd instruction for the drawing portion. We watch it, draw, and pause the dvd as needed. The third section is activity focused. The activites vary from cooking to hands on crafts to games to recommendations to youtube vids that relate to the lessons. The activites look really creative and well done. We do very few activites - just not enough time in our day. I ordered the preprinted materials. You can order just the cd and print it yourself. I found having everything already printed and organized in a 3-ring binder with a nice cover page (provided by McHenry) really convenient. Also, it is printed in color making it attractive. I believe she provides the instructional dvd's free of charge. These are step-by-step instructions for each drawing lesson. You actually see her drawing and hear her verbal instructions. We have had a few technical issues with the dvd's, but the drawing instructions in the printed material was clear enough that the dvd wasn't really needed. We've just completed the 11th week of the program and should complete all 30 lessons by the end of the year. I would charactorize this program as a history of geography with a lot of drawing and fun, interesting hands on activites. The age recommendation from Ellen McHenry is 5th grade and up, and I think that's about right. The reading/history lesson is middle school to high school level. While the drawing component isn't difficult, it does require a good eye for detail and careful drawing. The activities seem to vary the difficulty level. Again, I'm not one to rave overly much about curriculum programs, but this is the exception to that rule. I'm really tempted to use her other programs based on the quality of this one. HTH, Stacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 We're using it this year and just love it! Actually, lol, that's sort of a lie. I bought it in August and was so thrilled to death with it that I convinced a good friend to buy it. She loved it so much that she and her husband agreed to teach it as a little weekly class. I've taught a couple of the classes when they were out of town, but mostly they've done it. Each week they have the kids read the history of cartography section (and I would agree with Stacey that this are written at a solid middle school level -- pretty challenging concepts for elementary, even though the readings are short), then they do the mapping together. Because it's a group, the adults actually draw the map on a large whiteboard, rather than using the dvd directly. At home, I really, really, really love using the dvd -- they're so simply presented, clear and memorable... They do some but not all of the activities McHenry details. I find the level for these varies a lot, and there are enough of them that picking and choosing is really necessary... There are eleven kids in the mapping class. The youngest is 7.5, but extremely focused and able to follow the mapping. I think she's probably missing a lot of the history and technically information (using math and astronomy to create accurate mapping techniques, etc), but she's certainly learning more about the geography of the world. There are, I think, two other 9 year olds in the class. They seem to have a lot more trouble with the mapping than the 7.5yo, so it really depends on temperament and skill level more than age. The other students are in 6th-8th grades, and that's probably about right. Another local friend bought it after planning out her school year. She's hoping to use the full program next year, but in the mean time she has pulled out the appropriate drawing lesson when a location came up in history or literature studies. For instance, when reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, she had the kids do the map for Antarctica... Even without using the whole program, she says they're getting a lot out of the maps alone. And if I had to drop everything else, I'd keep it for the maps too. Really, I'm very, very excited about this program. It brings together so many great elements (history, geography, some applied math, science, and astronomy concepts)... The mapping is just *fantastic*, and really gives kids a far greater picture in their heads of how the world fits together. I love how clear and step-by-step it all is -- something I had hoped for from Mapping the World By Heart and Draw Your World, but which neither of those programs had delivered. And it's cheap. (Given everything you receive.) I have no hesitations recommending it at all... :) There are many programs about which I can say that. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 And it's cheap. (Given everything you receive.) I have no hesitations recommending it at all... :) There are many programs about which I can say that. ;) Okay, Abbey, are you holding out on us? What are the many programs you can recommend? Honestly, I'd love to get my hands on other programs as well presented as Mapping the World with Art. If you know of any ... spill the beans.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I have this and it looks fabulous, but we just cant squeeze it into the schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Okay, Abbey, are you holding out on us? What are the many programs you can recommend? Honestly, I'd love to get my hands on other programs as well presented as Mapping the World with Art. If you know of any ... spill the beans.:001_smile: Roflol! OOPS! I meant, "There *aren't* many programs about which I can say that." ;) There are a few certainly, but I can't think of anything else as entirely unique as MtWwA... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your detailed responses... it is very helpful! I'm thinking about using the DVD portions next year for geography. They will still be on the young side, but they both love to draw and are very good talented at it (and enjoy it). I am considering using it as a supplement to our other history materials, and then go back an do the actual lessons at a later time. Does that sound reasonable, or should I look into something else for geography, and wait to do this all together in middle school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Wow! Thanks for the link, I'm so excited to try this. I'll have a 6th grader next year, and I feel a little lost as far as what to buy. I've never seen this company, has anyone tried any of the other products? thanks again- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Wow! Thanks for the link, I'm so excited to try this. I'll have a 6th grader next year, and I feel a little lost as far as what to buy. I've never seen this company, has anyone tried any of the other products?thanks again- I have all of her other products as well (the 2 chemistry programs, neurology, and the history of english one) and they are all first-rate. I love her stuff! There are lots of free samples and downloads on her website to try. And if you search the board for "Ellen McHenry" you should turn up a lot of threads. She has many fans! Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I have all of her other products as well (the 2 chemistry programs, neurology, and the history of english one) and they are all first-rate. I love her stuff!There are lots of free samples and downloads on her website to try. :iagree: And if you search the board for "Ellen McHenry" you should turn up a lot of threads. She has many fans! Jackie Or just click on the handy dandy tag down the bottom - I *think* I got most of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I have all of her other products as well Since you have these, would you comment on religious content, please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Since you have these, would you comment on religious content, please? McHenry is a Christian, but I haven't noticed any religious content in her science materials ~ they cover chemistry & neurology, so evolution doesn't really come up. We only use secular materials, and I frequently see Ellen McHenry's programs recommended on secular homeschooling lists. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 We only use secular materials, and I frequently see Ellen McHenry's programs recommended on secular homeschooling lists. Thanks. I keep hearing about good geography resources, but they seem to all have significant religious flavors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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