Geography is "Story of the World" Series

[djunec]

So this coming year will be my first year homeschooling. We are going to be using the "Story of the World" series starting with Vol. 1 for both my 2nd and 3rd grader (I figure we should start at the beginning). For those who have used it, does the series do a good job covering Geography for do you use other stuff to supplement......or do you not even worry about that subject quite yet? Thanks for your thoughts.

[jwoodbri]

If you use the activity guide, there is a map with each chapter. My boys love doing them. The maps are usually zoomed in on the area discussed and the activity guide has them color in, highlight, shade borders, or draw arrows to review where things were happening in the chapter. Then my boys usually color in the rest however they want. We also go to a globe or wall map to see where there map fits in when needed. It has worked for us so far. I threw in a couple easy mapping workbooks just for fun this year which had them practicing skills like directions, reading keys etc which you could easily do as well. There are several companies out there that make them. We used these... http://www.amazon.com/MAPS-CHARTS-GRAPHS-LEVEL-COMMUNITIES/dp/0813621348/ref=pd_sim_b_2

[skeeterbug]

If this is your first year homeschooling, I'd say the geography in SOTW is plenty. You do not need to worry about geography as a separate subject on top of everything else you have to worry about. Give yourself this year to get into your routine and discover what will work for you, then you can decide if you want to add more later. Use the maps in SOTW and keep a wall map or placemat map nearby so you can point out locations as they come up in other subjects. That's plenty for now. Good luck with your first year!

[Milknhoney]

Also, the additional reading recommendations in the activity guide will include books about whatever country that week's lesson covers.

[djunec]

Thanks for the tips.

[2_girls_mommy]

We did start supplementing w/the Complete Book of Maps and Geography in 3rd grade for more map skills and different kinds of maps occasionally. Its a fun workbook for my kids anyway. They like doing it, at least in the early sections. But I agree w/everyone else. SOTW is enough for now.

[LEK]

We are supplimenting with Beginning Geography which in my opinion is mapping skills rather than geography, a very important skill in its own right.

Also, we look up region of the map in SOTW on a large world map, i feel they are so zoomed in that is it hard to get an overall idea of geography and location but we just grab our large map and look it up, puts it in perspective for the kids