Trail Guide to World Geography
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Product Description
This book literally blazes a trail through geography - all you have to do is follow it! Cindy Wiggers has done a terrific job of combining questions, mapping, and other activities into a fun, easy-to-teach approach to geography. Intended as a thirty-six week program, the first twenty-seven of these include a variety of activities. The first weeks encompass the world as a whole; then you focus on different regions continent by continent. Within each week there are several different methods of learning. One of these, Geography Trails, provides questions four days a week that will improve the student's ability to use maps to locate countries, capitals, bodies of water, and landforms, teach them valuable geography terms and learn many geography facts. Different questions are given for grades 2-4, 5-7, and 8-10, so that you can use this book for children at different levels at the same time. The questions are based on the content of three recommended atlases (one for each age group) which are listed in the key resources below. Additional geography activities for every week are in the form of "Points of Interest,"ť where you can take time to learn more extensively. Activities to choose from include mapping, researching, suggestions for art projects, and weekly projects to compile into your very own geography notebook. Then it's Geography through Literature for the last nine weeks as you read through Around the World in 80 Days. Questions for each chapter are provided, as are ideas for additional research and spelling and vocabulary words. Happy trails!
Please note that that this course provides a framework for studying world geography, and relies on additional resources for reference, maps, and activities. Required resources include: Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (if you are planning on completing the literature portion of the study) and one or more of the recommended atlases (depending on the age of the student(s). Three other "key"ť recommended resources you will rely heavily on for many of the activities include the Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Uncle Josh's Map Book (in book form, or CD-ROM), and Visual Manna's Teaching Geography Through Art (for the art in geography lessons). Although you could make the study work without these, they are often referred to in the lessons, and the program would work much more easily with them. These and other recommended resources are listed below. An almanac is also recommended, in case you don't have one on hand, we recommend the World Alamanac & Book of Facts. A Geographical Terms chart is also recommended; we are unable to offer this specifc one, but it is available from Geography Matters. ~ Stephanie
Category Description for Trail Guide to World Geography
This book literally blazes a trail through geography - all you have to do is follow it! Cindy Wiggers has done a terrific job of combining questions, mapping, and other activities into a fun, easy-to-teach approach to geography. Intended as a thirty-six week program, the first twenty-seven of these include a variety of activities. The first weeks encompass the world as a whole; then you focus on different regions continent by continent. Within each week there are several different methods of learning. One of these, Geography Trails, provides questions four days a week that will improve the student’s ability to use maps to locate countries, capitals, bodies of water, and landforms, teach them valuable geography terms and learn many geography facts. Different questions are given for grades 2-4, 5-7, and 8-10, so that you can use this book for children at different levels at the same time. Additional geography activities for every week are in the form of “Points of Interest,” where you can take time to learn more extensively. Activities to choose from include mapping, researching, suggestions for art projects, and weekly projects to compile into your very own geography notebook. Then it’s Geography through Literature for the last nine weeks as you read through Around the World in 80 Days. Questions for each chapter are provided, as are ideas for additional research and spelling and vocabulary words. Happy trails!
Please note that that this course provides a framework for studying world geography, and relies on additional resources for reference, maps, and activities. Required resources include: Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (if you are planning on completing the literature portion of the study) and an age-appropriate world atlas (suggested atlases listed below). Three “key” recommended resources you will rely heavily on for many of the activities include the Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Uncle Josh’s Map Book (in book form, or CD-ROM), and Visual Manna’s Teaching Geography Through Art (for the art in geography lessons). Although you could make the study work without these, they are often referred to in the lessons, and the program would work much more easily with them. These and other recommended resources are listed below, including atlases for students of different grades. Please note that the Beginner and Intermediate World Atlas are identical to the Jr. Classroom Atlas and Classroom Atlas, which are sold only to schools. An almanac is also recommended, in case you don’t have one on hand, we recommend the World Alamanac & Book of Facts. A Geographical Terms chart is also recommended; we are unable to offer this specifc one, but it is available from Geography Matters. Stephanie
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Without a doubt, the Trail Guide curriculum, which can be used individually, with your kids, or in a co-op group, is of high quality and well worth the money. When you have completed this program, your children (and you) will have an awesome wealth of geography knowledge and will be ready to enjoy some world traveling. We have completed all three of the Trail Guides (World Geography, US Geography, and Bible Geography) and loved them all. Each guide has interesting questions, fabulous mapping activities, a superb literature project, intriguing points of interest, and art projects, which are geared to different ages and learning styles. With the World Geography, we studied one continent per month, with a little more time for Africa, as outlined in the guide and I created a set schedule for each continent to correlate with the guide. Each week, the students completed the questions from the guide and read books on the continents and countries. In the 1st week of each continent, we completed the mapping activities and a spreadsheet which I created. The kids researched basic facts to complete the spreadsheet such as capitals, currency, language, religion, population, etc. The 2nd week of each continent, we studied the people and places of interest. The 3rd week, we drew each country's flag of that continent and tasted foods from those countries. The 4th week, we completed extra assignments or special projects as directed in the Trail Guide. During the month's study of the continent, each student would choose a different topic, from the guide's suggestions, to research and write a paper which was then presented to the family/group. At the end of the continent study, we enjoyed a game of geography jeopardy which I created from the questions, reviews in the guide, books we read, and papers which were presented. After completing the guide, the students had an awesome notebook full of beautiful maps, details of each continent, and fabulous flags, which they could proudly share with the grandparents. When friends or family have geography questions, my kids know the answers now! For resources with the guide, we used the Uncle Josh Outline Book, online websites such as the CIA World Facts website, maps, Flags of the World website, books from the library, and of course, food from the produce and specialty sections of local grocery stores. Wow, we all learned a tremendous amount and had so much fun completing this study together! Unexpectedly, God sent our family to live overseas and we were very prepared for our world travels after studying geography using the Trail Guide to World Geography! I highly recommend the Trail Guide curriculum and I highly recommend traveling, both of which will increase your knowledge and understanding of this incredible world which God has created!
What a great resource for teaching geography across the curriculum to students of all ages! We kicked off our year with the "chocolate chip geological dig" in chapter 5 and my children were hooked. We're using The Ultimate Guide along with Trail Guide to World Geography and Geography Through Art for a very fun, complete geography program that appeals to my children from 1st through 5th grade. What I like most about this book is that the wealth of information and ideas in this book is useful for teaching up through the high school level which makes it very economical. There are also several pages of resources for use in history and science as well as geography. These include the timeline figures, "Who Am I" game cards, landform cards, weather report pages, and maps. Don't miss out on this valuable resource. No homeschool should be without it!
