dragons in the flower bed Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I'm putting the middle touches (not finishing yet, but way past beginning) on a secular, literature-based, CM-ish, world geography program for K-8. It's kind of like MFW or WP or SL only entirely secular and less random, not selecting a few countries and doing them in depth, but hitting every region systematically. It will include great artists, music, and literature as well as geography. Are there any killer books, resources, study techniques, anything really, that you'd like to see incorporated into a secular world geography program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 If you publish it, could you include the supplemental books as an optional package? And a list of supplemental books in case we want to study a region more in depth? It sounds awesome. :drool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Will it have an art project or two for each region? My kids really enjoyed when we did world geography, incorporating some art projects and a recipe or two for each continent. Sorry I can't rememeber the title of the cookbook we used, but there are several for kids that have recipes from around the world. I mostly picked art projects off the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I don't have anything helpful to contribute. But any curriculum you're writing I'm exciting about seeing and using! (Any time estimates for completion?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 If you publish it, could you include the supplemental books as an optional package? And a list of supplemental books in case we want to study a region more in depth? I can try to work up a comprehensive list for each region so folks could go more in-depth. That's a good idea. I'm not sure about selling collections of books. I understand how to set up a webstore that sells ebooks and small self-published runs. I have experience on the author/editor/publisher/marketing side of the book biz. I even have used book sale experience. But I don't have any idea how to be a bookstore that sells new books other people make, and it seems like there'd be more financial risk in that. I wish I could e-mail WinterPromise and My Father's World and say, "any advice for noobs?" but they'd be competitors. (It's not that I would want to take them off the market. They're Christian and there's a need for more secular CM stuff, I think. We'd be complementary.) So probably this will be at least at first an ebook/Lulu sort of thing along the lines of what Classical Writing does, and to facilitate the purchase of the whole set of necessary books I will encourage the creation of Amazon Listmanias. I would love to start up a real curriculum company but I need to focus on one thing at a time, and my priority is getting the lesson plans up and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Will it have an art project or two for each region? Yes. I'm either going to incorporate a traditional folk art or copycat type projects of famous artworks of that region. I'd like to keep supply lists to a minimum though, so there will only be a few of these things. I despise acquiring craft project supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 I don't have anything helpful to contribute. But any curriculum you're writing I'm exciting about seeing and using! (Any time estimates for completion?) Thanks! Um. It should be ready for testing in July at the latest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay3fer Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Definitely interested! We are using A Child's Geography right now (with Evan-Moor Beginning Geography thrown in for map skills). We're not Christian, but I really appreciate its sense of wonder, which I have found missing in most secular texts. Like, "isn't this earth an incredible place??" It's easy in a Creationist book, because there's an acknowledgement of gratitude to a creator, but it might be possible in a secular book as well, somehow. You could probably set up an Amazon store very easily where folks could click through from your site to find the exact materials you recommend and you'd get a small kickback. Easier than having YOU stock the books and you could easily "replace" selections that went OOP. :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I can try to work up a comprehensive list for each region so folks could go more in-depth. That's a good idea. I'm not sure about selling collections of books. And some people would prefer a list of books that's more like how SOTW AG does it where there are lots of options and you can raid the library for the ones you can get and not worry about not having gotten every single title. :) I'll be curious to see it! It seems like a really good idea. I have heard other secular homeschoolers say that geography is a place where really comprehensive secular curricula is lacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 No suggestions but it sounds great. Is there any way to be notified when it's available? I'm afraid I might miss the announcement on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 No suggestions but it sounds great. Is there any way to be notified when it's available? I'm afraid I might miss the announcement on here. I'm no where near organized enough for that sort of thing yet. Sorry. Remaining subscribed to this thread is probably your best bet. I will likely come back to to it repeatedly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LydiaG Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I am currently searching for a geography program. I would like to see simple things like learn where the country is, the capital, the landscape, any famous features like mountains. I have seen several programs tht say it will teach your child to draw the entire world freehand. I don't really understand the point of this (anyone want to illuminate me?), but it sounds like a neat thing to be able to do. I think, however, the deal breaker is cost. I have looked at some neat programs, but they cost over $100. For geography?! I just can't justify that much moola. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Any updates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Wow, I miss everything LOL. ^ What she said :D Sorry for intrusion, just wanted to :bigear: it sounds interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EducationX2 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I missed this the first time around, but this sounds great. Any updates? Especially curious on estimated cost. Do you have any samples that you could send out or post? I'm about to start a geography program that sounds really, really similar to what you described, but I'll be pulling it together myself as we go. If you're getting close to finished and your program looks like something I'd use I'd rather wait a couple weeks than do it myself! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy Grommy Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 This sounds awesome! Subscribing to the thread to hear any new updates. Also, here is a link for creating your own Amazon store. You could have the books for sale on your site and let Amazon handle the details. I've seen it done well on various blogs, plus you get back a percentage of the sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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