Geography

[NEprairiemom]

Hello. I am new to this forum, so if this has been discussed recently, I apologize.

I have a rising 5th, 7th and 8th grader this fall. The only geopgraphy we have done is the Evan Moor Daily Geography which is mostly just map reading skills. So I wanted to find a geography program to teach more countries, capitals etc. I found MP geography, but I have a few questions.

Oh, this is what I am thinking right now...my 5th grader will do the US study book, my 7th grader will do the Geo 1 book and my 8th the Geo 2 book.


1) will they be too elementary for my oldest 2 children?

2) are the samples on the website basically what is in the entire workbook....or do the pages vary from country to country. Only being able to see 2 pages, doesn't give me a very good idea of the overall feel of the program.

3) is there any reason why 1 has to be done first...or can one child do one and the other do book 2 and then they can switch?

4) would it be too much to have my oldest do Geo 1 and 2 in the same year?

So if anybody can shed some light on this program, I would be grateful!!!

thanks.

[The Autumn Oak]

Welcome to the forums!...

I only have States and Capitals and Geo 1...Any of them could be used by your children...The Geo 1 book is the same format throughout the book...

Are you planning to do MP's core curriculum with your children or just adding in the Geography?...I ask because I was wondering why you were doing three different ones...

[pickandgrin]

Welcome!

States and Capitals would be a great place to start for your 5th grader. They could then go on to Geo I and II in subsequent years. The older kids can do either of Geo I or II. As to their suitability, I found the readings interesting myself and like all MP products they are laid out in clean formatting that is appropriate and appealing to a broad range of ages.

The benefit of starting with Geo I is that you are focusing on the classical world and then working your way out. Geo I is also a very timely study since so much is happening in that part of the world *daily* in news, wars, and politics. If you wanted both your older kids to study Geo I next year you would just buy one student text (which they could share), two student books and one teacher book. While I'm sure you could cram it into one semester, I think spreading it out over the whole year keeps it very light and enjoyable as well as helps with mastery learning rather than simple exposure. In the fourth grade plans (which is where Geo I falls in the sequence), Geography is studied once a week (Tuesdays) with quizzes on Friday. The other advantage of having them do the same one at the same time is the learning and discussion synergy that will naturally happen in your home.

You can buy the individual lesson plans for $5/course here: http://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/individual-lesson-plans-subject Scroll down and you'll see it under the heading "American and Modern Studies." This will help you spread it out over 33 weeks.

FWIW: If I were in your shoes, I'd do States and Capitals with the 5th grader and Geo I with your two olders. Hope you find a perfect fit for your crew!

[tropicale]

We love Geography 1 here!

Hello!

We are doing Geography 1 with a rising 6th grader and a rising 7th grader and we are learning a LOT! We do it orally as an afterschooling project 3-4 times a week. (My plan is to finish geography 1 before our summer holidays).

In short:

1) will they be too elementary for my oldest 2 children?

No, it won't. The MP Geography is a mini history lesson of the people of the land, not just land facts and figures. When we were learning about the Middle East, I finally connected the dots between the TV news headlines in the 1980's and 1990's and the facts behind the headlines.

2) are the samples on the website basically what is in the entire workbook....or do the pages vary from country to country. Only being able to see 2 pages, doesn't give me a very good idea of the overall feel of the program.

That's it. No frills.

3) is there any reason why 1 has to be done first...or can one child do one and the other do book 2 and then they can switch?

I think others have already given you the reason for that, but nothing stops you switching around if Geography 2 goes with your current (history) studies.

4) would it be too much to have my oldest do Geo 1 and 2 in the same year?

No, absolutely no. It can be easily done. Perhaps schedule more frequent reviews so the material sticks instead of floating away...




Hope this helps

[SaintJude7]

geography I and II

I would not encourage you to do both in one year. There really is no rush, and they are less likely to retain the information at that pace. Geography I covers over forty countries.
Blessings,
Jude

dd 17
ds 14 (special needs)
ds 11
ds 9
dd 7
ds 4
dd 2