geography drill book?

[...................]

My 4th grade dd doesn't seem to learn with the "natural" method too well. FOr some reason, because she is a big-picture person, and so clever and bright, and witty, and makes such great connections and whatnot, I thought I could be more fre- form with her education.  I have finally realized that is NOT going to work for her in skill subject areas, and she actually learns best with very systematic step by step review built in. 

 

Apparently I just realized that she thinks Alaska is south of California and next to Hawaii (because that is how they show it in her Maps Globes Graphs book) ...among other frightening realizations.

 

Is there a geography drill book anywhere that actually focuses on WHERE THINGS ARE ....aka (NOT the 5 themes of geography).

 

Using Seterra would be OK except that I want to be more hands on with monitoring her progress.  

[Um_2_4]

Trail guide to world geography? Forces them to look up certain info each weeek in an atlas. Broken down to Day by Day questions and focuses on one continent at a time.

Then they have Trail guide to US geography.

Here is a sample: http://www.home-school-curriculum.com/files/samples/WldTrGuide-SampleLesson.pdf

[Farrar]

I have looked and looked and looked for such a book and come up short.  It's astounding to me that it doesn't seem to exist.  So...  if anyone finds it.  Trail Guide was way, way more than what I was looking for.  I think we probably want the same thing, Tea, a book that is all pre-set up that is basically just geography fill in sheets and forces them to practice with a variety of places and overlapping world and US maps.  My kids have a similar thing going where they have a lot of familiarity with place names and some with locations, but they are pretty woeful with just finding stuff on a map cold, despite the practice we've done.

 

I was going to make it myself...  and then it was just being time consuming.  Sigh.

[...................]

exactly exactly exactly...

 

I mean, all we really need is a book, exactly like you described with a page introducing the LOCATIONS of several countries, followed by several pages (probably at least 2 weeks) practicing locating those countries, followed by several blank pages of naming them on one's own, followed by two quizzes- (two in case they really need the extra practice or boost.)  

 

This is how my teachers taught geography of the US In my 5th grade public school.  It was very old fashioned- lots of repeitiotious coloring and labeling going on...but it worked. :hurray:  I still know almost all of my states today (except those confounded square ones in the midwest!)   :lol:

 

There's some map thing called Uncle Somebody's Maps or something or other.  I may have to buy the download and just make a huge binder myself!!  I will look into it today.

[Cosmos]

We just used maps and reciting. I didn't feel the need for having my ds do worksheets; I just wanted him to know where things were. So we just worked orally. But it's pretty easy to find blank and labeled blackline maps if you want to add in that component.

[SunnyDays]

Have you looked at geography from Memoria Press? It's pretty simple and straightforward, including other facts but drilling on maps as well.

[...................]

Thanks Sunny Days!  I looked really carefully at it, but it's just a tad more than I need.

Ferrar, here's what I decided...I am paying for an Enchanted Learning membership. gasp.  THey have many different types of sheets for each continent.  So, I'm just going to print out 5 of each sheet and then bind them all into a binder and we will sit and work on them and color them together. Because I love history and geography I will sometimes talk about the places or we will look them up to add context if they are new to her.  We have a great all-in-one book that is called Circling the Globe that has 1-2 pages on each country of the world.  But mostly I am just going to do the sheets with her.  

 

Off to start printing.

[Mrs Twain]

Hey--

You are planning to do Hillyer's A Child's History of Art next year. Have you ever considered using his old book called A Child's Geography of the World? It is hopelessly out of date and besides that out of print, but I bought a used copy and am reading it to my 5th and 3rd graders. I think it is wonderful, though it sometimes needs edits on the fly or discussions (i.e. that the US now has 50 states LOL). I have a USA atlas and a world atlas next to us for the kids to look up the places on the maps during each chapter. Geography is more memorable when it is attached to a story.

[MeganW]

We have "blobbed" as described in The Core, and it is truly amazing how much my kids have learned this way!  We blobbed the world daily for a few months.  Now, they do it on their own once a week.  They have a map they can copy off of, but only the youngest actually refers to it.  http://www.teachingstars.com/2013/06/29/beware-of-the-blob-a-video-guide-to-getting-started-with-geography-blobs/

 

We also trace a continent map the other 4 days of the week.  I add a few places each week based on the CC memory work.  We started with Europe.  Week 1 - we traced the continent outline + traced/labeled the English Channel, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea, Adriatic Sea, and North Sea.  Week 2 - we continued labeling the 5 waters, and added 5 countries (England, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, France).  Week 3 we added 5 rivers.  Etc.  It takes them 10-15 minutes a day, and they know it COLD.  :)

[Farrar]

I get what people are saying about the Geography blobbing and the oral practice and less worksheets...  but we've done a decent amount of that and it's just really time consuming and has not really paid off for us.  We're already really teacher intensive with language arts and math and spelling and content subjects.  I feel geography *could* just be something that's drilled like we practice basic arithmetic that we've already learned.  It just needs to keep being practiced.  And I do not have the energy for one more thing.  I want a workbook!  It's so bizarre to me that this doesn't exist.

 

You're renewing my desire to do this again, Tea.  I looked at Enchanted Learning and I feel like it's not really enough.  I want ten times as many as that.  Sigh.

[Girl Power]

We enjoy this, http://www.amazon.com/Geography-Songs-Never-Forget-What/dp/1883028132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386644745&sr=8-1&keywords=Geography+songs

 

In addition to the workbook and catchy songs, it comes with a giant map for them to label. It's working nicely for us this year.

 

Beck

[Mrs Twain]

If you are looking for good geography workbooks which take none of the parent's time (except to grade and go over incorrect answers), try these:

 

This year my 5th grader is using the workbook "Discovering the World of Geography, grade 4-5" along with the Rand McNally Answer Atlas.

It is on "Basic" geography, but it is very challenging.

 

The other workbooks in this series are:

Grade 5-6 "USA"

Grade 6-7 "Eastern Hemisphere"

Grade 7-8 "Western Hemisphere"

 

 

 

[...................]

You know what? I don't know why I paid for enchanted learning!! The printouts came out pretty ugly - and uninteresting. I looked high and low and high and low and decided on The complete Book of Maps and Geography. I've.

had two of these books before and was very Impressed. It's still not exactly what I was looking for but it'll be better than thing Alaska is in the South Pacific.

 

😉

[Farrar]

I saw that Discovering one, but the previews all just show map skills, which is exactly what I'm not interested in.

[...................]

Yah I agree..map skills seem to be a major part of that series

[Mrs Twain]

I'll second the CC memory work. My kids are memorizing 4 or 5 places per week, and we continually review. You could get the material from CC or else just make up your own memory work.

 

Do you have a good globe? Perhaps just finding all of the places on the globe that you come across in your reading would help with the Alaska problem.

[Mrs Twain]

As for maps--

These are the ones I have.  I bought the laminated USA map and the laminated world map.  One side is color and labeled.  The other side is black and white and unlabeled.  Your students can use overhead markers on the unlabeled side and practice labeling places every day if you like. 

http://www.home-school-curriculum.com/product/double-sided-color-maps

[Classic Mom]

The memoria press program has more than you would need, but you could just use the quiz and test part of the program. You would only need to buy the teacher's guide not the student books.

[KeriJ]

I agree that what you are describing is the SCM method.  You have a stack of outline maps and an atlas.  Give them a blank map and have them label as much as they can.  They check it with the atlas to see if they are correct.  While they are looking at the atlas, they pick a few more countries to label.  Do it every week.  Each week they seem to remember a few more. That's what we have been doing this year, and it is working great.

 

Sometimes I have them color the countries they know and make a color key.  Easy peasy.

[stripe]

When I was in 8th grade, my teacher made us memorize the states. I took a bunch of copies of a blank map and practiced filling them in. 

 

I discovered that at the Carson Dellosa site, you can basically see all the pages in some of the books. I found this one

World Geography Resource Book

Grades 6-12 / Ages 11-18

96 pages

http://www.carsondellosa.com/cd2/Products/WorldGeography/ResourceBook/404095

What do you think???

 

Here is the next one down, but you can only see a small sample, and it has a different feel to it - focusing on a few countries in more detail, for example 

http://www.carsondellosa.com/cd2/Products/WorldGeography/ResourceBook/4347

World Geography Resource Book

Grades 4-6 / Ages 9-12

128 pages

 

...ETA: You know, what about those free downloads Hunter told us about some time back? I am looking at mine, and they look kind of interesting!

[trulycrabby]

Well, this is probably exactly what you don't want, but I felt complelled to mention it anyway because it has helped DS9 know where places are in the world. Evan Moore Daily Geography introduces a concept, shows a picture of the area, then has a few basic questions. We use it in conjuction with a social studies textbook, and lots of times we just get out the globe and start looking up places.  http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Geography-Practice-Grade-4/dp/1557999732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386716442&sr=8-1&keywords=daily+geography+practice+grade+4

 

Have you heard of the "10 Days in the..." games? We have the USA game, and once DS9 gets tired of it, we will buy either China, Europe, or Africa.

http://www.amazon.com/10-Days-The-Usa-Game/dp/B000301PG0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386716284&sr=8-1&keywords=10+days+in+the+usa

[Farrar]

I guess I haven't found it that easy to get to when I have to print them out and write out what the kids need to label at least a couple of times a week.  Realistically, it has not been happening.  It's yet another thing.  I did try to make a bunch of them at once and it took me HOURS and didn't last long enough.  Some of them I made way too hard, I realized (asked them to label too much) - I think because I was getting too frustrated and wanted each sheet to do more.

 

The Carson Dellosa ones look closer, but are still a lot of map skills stuff.

[stripe]

Here they are, you have to go to Resources-->Lower Reading Level Text download

http://www.carsondellosa.com/cd2/Products/ExploringAsia/ResourceBook/404172

http://www.carsondellosa.com/cd2/Products/ExploringAntarctica/ResourceBook/404171

 

Eh, I don't know where they are hiding, but anywhere there are those two.

 

I thought I got mine from here, I don't really know anymore, no clue if I paid or got them free. I have the longer version and the reluctant reader / lower level texts. I downloaded them in Aug 2012. I also have one from Evan Moore on Asia I think I got as a freebie from somewhere (Homeschool Buyers Coop, maybe??).

 

ETA Ok, I finally found them, I downloaded them from CurrClick for $1.99 each, but they aren't in the catalog anymore.

[KeriJ]

I guess I haven't found it that easy to get to when I have to print them out and write out what the kids need to label at least a couple of times a week.  Realistically, it has not been happening.  It's yet another thing.  I did try to make a bunch of them at once and it took me HOURS and didn't last long enough.  Some of them I made way too hard, I realized (asked them to label too much) - I think because I was getting too frustrated and wanted each sheet to do more.

 

The Carson Dellosa ones look closer, but are still a lot of map skills stuff.

 

That's the beauty of the SCM method though.  I literally just printed blank maps of Europe, hand one to the girls each week, and they choose what to label.  They're pretty proud of the ones they know already.  Then they correct themselves, and they choose which countries to add.  Each week, I've noticed that they learn a few more.  When Europe is done....we move on to another area.  I'm sure we'll continue to review.  But it's been no extra work for me other than just printing outline maps.

 

This game has become an invaluable tool for review at our house.  They think it's fun.  We add in Geography Songs to listen to in the car.  I'm seriously amazed at how many areas they know just from this year.

[...................]

OK, so the Complete Book of Maps and Geography arrived.  It's better than most Walmart type map books, and even better than MGG, as it does actually contain maps. But there isn't enough drill, and it almost exclusively focuses on the United States.  I think I might use about 1/3 of it anyway, but it's not even as nice as I expected after reading the Amazon reviews from homeschool moms.

 

I think I like the idea of the SCM method.  I will re-read your posts and see about doing that. FOr now, I am just going to get out the USA puzzle and review the USA and show her again where Alaska actually is.  I noticed that in the puzzle we usually use, Alaska is in the South Pacific.  haha

[MeganW]

FOr now, I am just going to get out the USA puzzle and review the USA and show her again where Alaska actually is.  I noticed that in the puzzle we usually use, Alaska is in the South Pacific.  haha

 

Want me to make you feel better?  Despite graduating #11 of several hundred in my high school class and going on to a good college, I did not realize until I was an adult that the USA was part of a continent that also included Canada and Mexico.  I thought the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans met somewhere over middle America.  I thought Maine was a peninsula.  Can you believe that??  I was a hard worker & a good student, but geography (other than US geography) was just not taught.  :(

[...................]

😳 😱

[Tiramisu]

This is just what you need. :)

 

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geography.htm

[stripe]

I bought a book from the Scholastic sale once, for $1, the Ready to Go Super Book of Outline Maps, maybe that would be useful if you can snag it for that price. It doesn't have blank maps, but it has lots of labelled maps. Only slightly out of date (2000).

http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/ready-to-go-super-book-of-outline-maps

[Farrar]

You're right, Tiramisu.  I even know about that.  That's exactly it.

[mama27]

My 4th grade dd doesn't seem to learn with the "natural" method too well. FOr some reason, because she is a big-picture person, and so clever and bright, and witty, and makes such great connections and whatnot, I thought I could be more fre- form with her education.  I have finally realized that is NOT going to work for her in skill subject areas, and she actually learns best with very systematic step by step review built in. 

 

Apparently I just realized that she thinks Alaska is south of California and next to Hawaii (because that is how they show it in her Maps Globes Graphs book) ...among other frightening realizations.

 

Is there a geography drill book anywhere that actually focuses on WHERE THINGS ARE ....aka (NOT the 5 themes of geography).

 

Using Seterra would be OK except that I want to be more hands on with monitoring her progress.  

 

 

If this helps any better an 18 yo ps student my 18 yo dd knows thought Hawaii and Alaska were next to each other because they are on the maps.

[...................]

This is just what you need. :)

 

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geography.htm

Yep.  I'm sending the maps book back right now and deciding to use the Sheppard software.

[Korrale]

I like the way that Classica Conversations cover geography. There is a lot of tracing. That is similar to how I learnt in school.

I haven't looked deeply into the Montessori methods, but I know that they are heavy in geography. They use puzzles and flags a lot.

 

If one has access to an Ithing I highly recommend the Kids Maps apps. There are ones for US and various continents that we love.

There is also a series on YouTube called Countries of the World. They cover pretty much all the countries... I can't verify how current it is because nations are changing all the time.

[stripe]

BTW Spinlight Studio's freebie of the day is Geography Drive USA.

http://www.spinlight.com/

[yucabird]

This is just what you need. :)

 

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geography.htm

 

Yes, it is for us as well.  THANKS!!!

[Guest]

KnowledgeQuest has a mapping series that is kinda like what ya'll describe. MapTrek

[Guest]

double post

[Guest]

double post.