Geography Curriculum

[Gamom3]

We are taking a break from History and want to cover geography next year. I am needing something that will last all year for a 5th and 7th grader.

Any ideas?

[Blossom'sGirl]

I want to restart my history rotation when my oldest is in 6th and my 3rd ds is in 1st grade. I decided next year when I will have a 5th, 3rd, and K'er, we will do a world geography / cultures study. I will be using Trail Guide to World Geography and the student pages as my foundation and will add books to that as I see fit. I am in the planning stages now. It is very easy to get book lists for country studies and I am actually enjoying picking what I want us to read from what is available instead of spending all my time and money doing someone else's choices.

I bought the Trail Guide Package special at Christmas when they had them disconted even more. The student cd seems important to making this work.

HTH
Michelle

[mcconnellboys]

I really like the Holling studies for the logic stage. Beautiful Feet has a study guide to help you fill out these books with gorgeous map work, lots of extra related reading, etc. You could also add in the state books from the Sea to Shining Sea series, etc. as you cover specific states.

The Hollings have written books that cover most of the US. Paddle does some of Canada and more of the states in the northern part of the eastern US. Minn overlaps a little, but moves down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. After doing these two, I'd fill in with any states in the eastern half of the US not adequately covered by them. You might even add in Pagoo (not part of the BF study) to help you cover ocean geography for our coastlines.

Tree in the Trail takes you on a trek out West. After doing it, I would fill in with something else for the desert southwest (Jean Craighead George: One Day in the Desert, etc.) and any western states I felt weren't covered adequately.

The only one I don't like for geography is Seabird used for world studies. I think it's much more a history of whaling than anything that lends itself to geography. I would choose something like Around the World in 80 Days to cover world geography.

You could also add in Weekly Readers or other series map skills books that would cover US and/or states geography for some added written work.

Regena

[LillianinAL]

With dc in 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th. The older two will do SL 5 pretty much as written, possibly with some of Around the World in 180 Days added in. The younger two will do some of SL5 with some of MFW ECC. I plan on everyone having a Geography notebook. SL5 is the Eastern Hemisphere, so we'll focus on those areas of the world next year. Hopefully we'll add maps and information on Europe and the Americas in the next couple of years as we start back through history with SL 6&7 or TOG.

HTH, Lillian

[Lori D.]

... That is a perfect age for really getting the most out of the mapwork and geography guide suggestions for more reading and vocab/research/writing ideas.

To go along with that, you could:
- do a unit study on your particular state
- practice states and capitals
(www.shepardsoftware.com has free online geography games)
(make your atlas, gathering info on all 50 states of the US)
- practice map skills with a workbook
(2 of the Modern Curriculum Press "Maps, Charts and Graphs" would fit in:
level E = United States and Its Neighbors
level F = United States, Past and Present)

Enjoy! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Cadam]

I vote for My Father's World - Exploring Countries and Cultures. It is defiantly NOT secular though so if you are looking for something secular this may not be the thing for you. You might find some of the resources on their site helpful though.

[SnowWhite]

While you're researching, take a look at WinterPromise's Children Around the World. Though it's targeted for grades 1-5 per the publisher, one big criticism has been that it seems to work better for older children.

[Wendy in ME]

I just received this and I am in love with it. I am prereading everything for next year and I am really enjoying this set. The maps are beautiful. The guide does have lots of extras that you can add in. It really can be so much more than straight geography. I can't wait to start it with the boys (11+9) next year. We are planning to do it just 1xweek for about 2 hours in addition to the reading.

Wendy

[dragons in the flower bed]

It is definitely meaty enough for a 5th & 7th grader, with weekly reports, independent internet research, and several books the publisher states are for adults or high schoolers.

[oakmom]

It's great for that age.

[Julie in MN]

Another vote for MFW. They have extra ideas for 7th & 8th graders, as well, at http://www.mfwbooks.com/ecc_7-8.htm

The core books are included. The library list is extensive and can be tailored towards each child's interests/abilities.

Julie

[Kendra]

We love, love, love A Child's Geography (http://www.achildsgeography.com/). Did I mention we LOVE it??? :D

[Tara from Florida]

A fun and free web site that could supplement any program you choose can be found at AAA Study (http://www.aaastudy.com/). It has a section on geography, as well as one on math and spelling. I think there may be a few other topics, but those are the ones I have checked out as of this writing. I just recently found it while looking up The Ron Clark Academy (http://www.rca.com/). It was listed on that site.

For more formal classroom type work we have used Geography Matters as well. I like the DC ROM option as it gives various level of complexity from which you can choose.

[Tina in WA]

My 7th grader is using Runkle's Geography (http://www.runklepub.com/)as well as unit studies on different countries.

[Maxine in WA]

We are using Abeka's 9th grade geography book, combined with some Sonlight 5 for our geography studies this year. For the ages of your kids, I agree with those who suggested MFW or "A Child's Geography".

[PixieKris]

We're using Trail Guide to World Geography this year, and my daughter loves it.... So far, we have just done Story of the World (and some girl scout activities) and she has always done reasonably well with geography. Trail guide is great because in two questions a day, it is familiarizing her with an atlas, and their maps and extra pages have come in really useful as I see opportunities arise.

Kris

[Linda (Australia)]

Around the World in 180 Days from Apologia is another option. We've not used it ourselves as yet, but it looks good - as always, it depends on what approach you are looking to use.