| Author | |
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
|
| Posted: Jan 24 2015 at 11:07am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
in your home school?
I can see we are lacking in this area and looking for some ideas.
We have no living books scheduled currently and in the past these are the books that always gets dropped when things get busy.
Currently we are only using Sheppard Software for some map drill. I'm not seeing much being gain from this.
What do you and your kids enjoying using for geography?
__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jawgee
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2011
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1415
|
| Posted: Jan 24 2015 at 11:28am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We are using SCM's Visits to North America this year and we've been enjoying it. The living books that are recommended throughout have really added interest and substance to our geography studies.
(We use Sheppard Software, too. My kids are learning US states, capitals, and Canadian provinces this year).
__________________
Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Jan 24 2015 at 1:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Stack the States app for the kindle fire (and other devices).. kids love it.
I like having maps up that are easy to access.. then any time we run across mention of things in daily life, in books, in school work, we can take a moment and check it out on the map.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ekbell
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 22 2009
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 747
|
| Posted: Jan 24 2015 at 9:57pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My children really enjoy playing with Google Earth.
In the lower grades we use CHC's continent and country studies along with plenty of read alouds and much time playing on Google earth.
Older grades mostly do mapwork along with their history, we use Blacklines Maps of World History. We work on our maps as a group and then add them to our notebooks.
I think Blacklines maps may be OOP, with Map Quest being a replacement product?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: Jan 29 2015 at 8:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
ekbell wrote:
| My children really enjoy playing with Google Earth. |
|
|
Yes, there are lots of activities you can do with Google Earth - fun resource.
A favorite geography activity that we have done many years - which also combines science and math - is Journey North Mystery Class. It is a fun way to learn a lot of geography concepts as well as culture connections, all while looking for secret locations. The 2015 class starts up tomorrow - though it is easy to jump in next week or even the week after. Highly recommended.
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Erica Sanchez
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 05 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1538
|
| Posted: Jan 29 2015 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Yes, Journey North!
We are starting up our weekly meetings with the local group. Does anyone want to do it here again?
__________________
Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
|
| Posted: Feb 05 2015 at 4:51pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
jawgee wrote:
We are using SCM's Visits to North America this year and we've been enjoying it. The living books that are recommended throughout have really added interest and substance to our geography studies.
(We use Sheppard Software, too. My kids are learning US states, capitals, and Canadian provinces this year). |
|
|
I have this and we started out using it, but the maps were so small for writing on that my boys complained. It became a handwriting mess. I gave up on it. We also weren't doing the suggested readings. Really a fail on my part with this! 
__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jawgee
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2011
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1415
|
| Posted: Feb 06 2015 at 1:29am | IP Logged
|
|
|
pumpkinmom wrote:
| I have this and we started out using it, but the maps were so small for writing on that my boys complained. It became a handwriting mess. I gave up on it. We also weren't doing the suggested readings. Really a fail on my part with this! |
|
|
I didn't have my kids write in the maps, I just ask them to tell me.
There are places to print maps online, though. I printed a large-size US map for my girls to label and color here.
We've enjoyed all the readings except, perhaps, Hello Canada!
__________________
Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stellamaris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 26 2009
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2732
|
| Posted: Feb 06 2015 at 12:09pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We have always focused on one continent or area of the world per term. When the boys were younger, we used a lot of picture books to give them an idea of the history,stories, and culture of an area. We loved using Ann Voskamp's Explore the Holy Land book. At these younger ages, we kept a lesson book in which we drew a flag, made a simple map (or colored in a simple map I had found online), and did a bit of copywork and narration from the books we were reading (Ann has a wonderful bibliography). We also would listen to music from that region of the world. When the boys were a little older, we enjoyed the books and materials listed over at Mater Amabilis. The only trouble here was finding a few of the books which were OOP. I also used another great book that I don't have here, but it basically listed all kinds of picture/story/factual books by continent. Oh, I wish I could remember the name of that book!!!
Now that they older, we still focus on one continent a term. We only concentrate on the most important political and physical aspects of the continent, such as mountain ranges, major cities, capitals, rivers, national borders, major landforms. We begin each continent study using the Rand McNally Answer Atlas to getting an overview of landforms, climate, population, land use, etc. We read and then narrate the sections in the atlas about these topics on the continent we are studying. This atlas has some secular/PC stuff, but just scan and use the sections you feel comfortable with. Then, we color and label the double-sided maps from Geomatters. We use the physical geography side to drill the location of major landforms. Sometimes we will draw the map from memory. We also post a large National Geographic map of the continent on the wall and drill using that. In addition, I usually read a book set in that region of the world as part of our lunchtime reading. We regularly use the National Geographic Concise Atlas to look up places we encounter in our science and literature reading. We use Holman's Bible Atlas for Biblical geography and for history we often use Shepherd's Historical Atlas, as well as the National Geographic Concise Atlas. It may seem expensive to get these atlases, but they can be used by multiple children over many years, so I think it is worth it, even if you acquire them one per year. I think Holman's is also available free online.
Don't mean to overwhelm you all with all these links, but I have found just having a good selection of atlases and narrowing our focus to basic geography has worked well for the upper elementary/middle school years.
__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
|
| Posted: Feb 06 2015 at 3:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
stellamaris wrote:
We have always focused on one continent or area of the world per term. When the boys were younger, we used a lot of picture books to give them an idea of the history,stories, and culture of an area. We loved using Ann Voskamp's Explore the Holy Land book. At these younger ages, we kept a lesson book in which we drew a flag, made a simple map (or colored in a simple map I had found online), and did a bit of copywork and narration from the books we were reading (Ann has a wonderful bibliography). We also would listen to music from that region of the world. When the boys were a little older, we enjoyed the books and materials listed over at Mater Amabilis. The only trouble here was finding a few of the books which were OOP. I also used another great book that I don't have here, but it basically listed all kinds of picture/story/factual books by continent. Oh, I wish I could remember the name of that book!!!
Now that they older, we still focus on one continent a term. We only concentrate on the most important political and physical aspects of the continent, such as mountain ranges, major cities, capitals, rivers, national borders, major landforms. We begin each continent study using the Rand McNally Answer Atlas to getting an overview of landforms, climate, population, land use, etc. We read and then narrate the sections in the atlas about these topics on the continent we are studying. This atlas has some secular/PC stuff, but just scan and use the sections you feel comfortable with. Then, we color and label the double-sided maps from Geomatters. We use the physical geography side to drill the location of major landforms. Sometimes we will draw the map from memory. We also post a large National Geographic map of the continent on the wall and drill using that. In addition, I usually read a book set in that region of the world as part of our lunchtime reading. We regularly use the National Geographic Concise Atlas to look up places we encounter in our science and literature reading. We use Holman's Bible Atlas for Biblical geography and for history we often use Shepherd's Historical Atlas, as well as the National Geographic Concise Atlas. It may seem expensive to get these atlases, but they can be used by multiple children over many years, so I think it is worth it, even if you acquire them one per year. I think Holman's is also available free online.
Don't mean to overwhelm you all with all these links, but I have found just having a good selection of atlases and narrowing our focus to basic geography has worked well for the upper elementary/middle school years. |
|
|
This was very helpful! We actually have several atlases but they just collect dust. I'm not sure how to use them! This helps a bit. Thanks!
__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Aagot
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 06 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 649
|
| Posted: Feb 06 2015 at 4:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We use poster sized maps from Abeka. I tried to find the set we have on their web site and can't. Our set includes a map of Europe, Asia, the middle east, Africa, South America, North America and the whole world. There are also some historical maps (Hittite Empire for ex). One side is blank. I laminated them and can write on them with dry erase markers. They are such a nice size. They look like this Maybe if you call them, they could direct you to the right set?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MKelly
Forum Newbie
Joined: June 15 2012
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12
|
| Posted: June 17 2015 at 9:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Monica, I'm very interested in SCM's Visits to....series. I have an upcoming third grader and three little ones along for the ride. I wasn't sure about the age level it's intended for - do you think it would be ok for an eight year old? My five year old would probably enjoy listening in to the stories, as well.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jawgee
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2011
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1415
|
| Posted: June 18 2015 at 4:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
MKelly wrote:
| Monica, I'm very interested in SCM's Visits to....series. I have an upcoming third grader and three little ones along for the ride. I wasn't sure about the age level it's intended for - do you think it would be ok for an eight year old? My five year old would probably enjoy listening in to the stories, as well. |
|
|
Fantastic for an 8 year-old. This year I did it with a 13YO, 9YO, 6YO, and 5YO. The 6YO and 5YO were just along for the ride, but between SCM and Sheppard Software (and the silly Wakko song), they did learn their states and capitals.
__________________
Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: What does geography look like . . . .
