EKT Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Hi all! I'm thinking of teaching geography as a separate subject this coming year and was wondering if anyone could recommend any resources or curricula that would work well for a 1st and a 3rd grader? Some context: up to this point, we've just been addressing geography as it comes up through our studies in history (SOTW) and in science, where applicable, but I'd like my girls to have a stronger understanding of geography in general, so I'd like to put more emphasis on it. I would like to teach it as its own subject this year, but don't have tons of extra time to come up with my own program from scratch. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks in advance for your feedback and ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Galloping the Globe. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 We have been reading this whenever I remember. https://ia902304.us.archive.org/27/items/highroadsofgeogr11218gut/11218-h/11218-h.htm#Exercises I bought a neat book at Costco last week: http://www.amazon.com/Maps-Aleksandra-Mizielinska/dp/0763668966/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1434050154&sr=8-2&keywords=Maps I hope to introduce map blobbing a la The Core after we finish the Highlands of Geography vintage book. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I just noticed that the Maps book has a companion activity book: http://www.amazon.com/Maps-Activity-Book-Aleksandra-Mizielinska/dp/076367771X/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0B5YJVRRRP4W6AWA6DF6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdobis Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Guesthouse has a great geography program, and it's FREE! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdobis Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I also really like Seterra online for map drills. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Visualize World Geography Legends and Leagues 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I am not sure if you want more of a country immersion type thing or not. We picked up this simple workbook called Maps, Charts and Graphs. It starts with communities and basic map skills and builds from there. There are seven books in the series. My kids like it, and it is quick and inexpensive. I like all the map skills in it. I was struck when a friend's daughter in high school couldn't navigate her mother through an unfamiliar city a few years ago and realized how necessary of a skill it was. We also tie in geography to the historical region we study. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/geography/geography.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahjokim Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 We're doing Expediton Earth: http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/world-geography And adding lots of picture books each week. Il've blogged our choices so far here (we're about half way around the world now): http://www.wellreadkid.com/category/geography/ There's another thread with lots of other resources we used and enjoyed - let me find that. Here it is: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/548476-geography-for-the-k-crowd/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 We'll be using The Geography Book next year. It has 30-some projects, so we'll be using it once a week. It looks very fun and hand-on, so it should be a big hit with my DC! http://www.amazon.com/Geography-Book-Activities-Exploring-Enjoying/dp/0471412368/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434167348&sr=8-1&keywords=the+geography+book We'll also be using SCM's Visits to Europe. We went through the Africa book a couple years ago and enjoyed it. It's also used once a week. My DC love doing map drills. Geopuzzles are another great hit with them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Trail guides to world geography or trail guides to us geography along with eating your way around the world or us? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Ellen McHenry's 'Drawing the World by Art' dvds would be a bit tricky for your grade one kid, but my daughter and I have had a bit of fun with them. She enjoyed copying from the dvd and made a reasonable job. There's not a chance she'd have done so well learning from the book. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underthebridge Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 We have been reading this whenever I remember. https://ia902304.us.archive.org/27/items/highroadsofgeogr11218gut/11218-h/11218-h.htm#Exercises I bought a neat book at Costco last week: http://www.amazon.com/Maps-Aleksandra-Mizielinska/dp/0763668966/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1434050154&sr=8-2&keywords=Maps I hope to introduce map blobbing a la The Core after we finish the Highlands of Geography vintage book. Arliemama, have you looked through the entirety of the first resource you listed? It seems quite dated and woefully inaccurate in its descriptions. This is what is says about Japan 3. Most of the people in the East are very backward. They have stood still while the people of the West have gone forward. Not so the Japs. They have learnt everything that the West can teach them. You will see in Japan all the things on which we pride ourselves. And about China 2. Girls, however, are not welcome. Sometimes they are called "Not-wanted" or "Ought-to-have-been-a-boy." 3. All round this city of Canton there is a high wall. From the wall the city seems to be a beautiful place. When, however, you enter it, you soon find that it is dirty and full of foul smells. ETA: I just read through the last few chapters on "The Red Men", "Eskimos" and African Americans and it does not improve. I won't quote from those sections. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Arliemama, have you looked through the entirety of the first resource you listed? It seems quite dated and woefully inaccurate in its descriptions. This is what is says about Japan 3. Most of the people in the East are very backward. They have stood still while the people of the West have gone forward. Not so the Japs. They have learnt everything that the West can teach them. You will see in Japan all the things on which we pride ourselves. And about China 2. Girls, however, are not welcome. Sometimes they are called "Not-wanted" or "Ought-to-have-been-a-boy." 3. All round this city of Canton there is a high wall. From the wall the city seems to be a beautiful place. When, however, you enter it, you soon find that it is dirty and full of foul smells. ETA: I just read through the last few chapters on "The Red Men", "Eskimos" and African Americans and it does not improve. I won't quote from those sections. Thanks for the heads up. I had not read through it. I had gotten the recommendation off of a board thread. There are a few other vintage texts that I haven't looked at yet for geography like The Seven Sisters Who Live on a Round Ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underthebridge Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Thanks for the heads up. I had not read through it. I had gotten the recommendation off of a board thread. There are a few other vintage texts that I haven't looked at yet for geography like The Seven Sisters Who Live on a Round Ball. Of course. It's a good reminder that vintage texts have their own set of problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftymama Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 We started geography by just using maps. I printed off blank maps and had kiddo color certain countries each time adding as we went. Asking things like, "What is south of Germany?" and such along the way. We worked through all the continents identifying all the countries, major islands, and bodies of water that touched them. We've grown from there. I also had maps and a globe available for independent study. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I use visualize world geography as our main geography program. (We use the out of print book only. Not the DVD program.) We are learning to identify every country on earth this way. We are also learning the flags. (I don't really think learning the flags is important....personally. We are only learning them because they often relate to the stories/memory devices used in VWG.) My current plan looks like this: Year 1-->Ancient History---> Africa and Middle East Year 2-->Middle Ages--->Europe and the rest of Asia Year 3-->Early Modern History-->North America & 50 State Study (50 states not included in VWG) Year 4-->Modern History--->South America As "Independent Work" (aka Busy Work), I have the kids work through the Evan Moore geography workbooks. These teach them some general knowledge things that are not taught in VWG. Compass points, map keys, etc. etc. I like these books because they are simple and effective. They can also mostly be done independently once your child is reading. I have them work in these books whenever they are waiting for me. (If I am working with a sibling, etc.) This keeps them out of trouble and gives them something productive to do. On our second cycle through history, I am going to go back through each continent and study some cultural things about each region. My plan right now is to use the literature recommended in the Simply Charlotte Mason geography programs. They give some book recommendations at several different age ranges, so I can include my younger kids too. I would also like to sprinkle in some of the geography memory work used in classical conversations. (What is each continents highest mountain, List the rivers in Europe, etc. etc.) I think knowing that type of information helps give you context when you hear a place mentioned in a book or on TV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Galloping the Globe. :) I agree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Geography Songs and maps. A few minutes daily. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Geography Songs and maps. A few minutes daily. Which songs? I think I am going to follow Charlotte Mason Help's recommendation of using a "World Wall Map [to] color in countries studied and draw routes of explorers studied." Plus also continent blobbing. I would like to assemble a HUGE map from these http://www.yourchildlearns.com/megamaps.htm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My plan is to use AO Y1. We will have the large world map (as mentioned above), a map from BFB to accompany Paddle to the Sea (Great Lakes), one of the Ancient World for our OT reading, and one for the Our Island Story (UK). Is that crazy?! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 The ones called Geography Songs :). CBD sells the CD and a book of the lyrics and reproducible maps. The Troxel family (Audio Memory) produces them. They are sort of an oldie but a goodie :). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 If you have Amazon Prime you can listen to Geography Songs for free. (My 7yo tried three of them and asked for her Skillet back. :ph34r: ) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 If you have Amazon Prime you can listen to Geography Songs for free. (My 7yo tried three of them and asked for her Skillet back. :ph34r: ) Thanks! I just added it to my library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 The ones called Geography Songs :). CBD sells the CD and a book of the lyrics and reproducible maps. The Troxel family (Audio Memory) produces them. They are sort of an oldie but a goodie :). Except for the Australia song. Koalas are not bears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 We add Southern Ocean to the end of Continents and Oceans when we sing it. Easy to sneak in there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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