I am using both this year with my kids ages 8 & 9. It is just amazing how much they have learned and also sad how much they weren’t getting in public school. This has been a year of geography for us as I was kinda trying to catch them up to speed and I didn’t know what had been covered and what had not. I didn’t do any formal science this year and so these also would fit as science as well in some case such as the water cycle etc. I really love them both. I do CM’s on 1st school day, CC Long’s on 2nd school day, Ann VosKamp’s A Child’s Geography on the 3rd day of school, and on the 4th day we do map work. Knowing what I know now about both resources, I would probably start with CC Long’s first….The reading can be longer, but it is written in a more simpler form and it is readings with poems and is very laid back and gentle. Then I would move onto CM’s Elementary for 2nd mainly because the poems are pretty heavy, (my kids don’t always get them) and also because there are direct review questions that I think a 1st grader would be a bit stressed about, but by 2nd grade could find quite fun. I also like the Vos Kamp book, but it is way more in depth and is for 3rd-4th grader. next year we are going to be doing Seabird, Minn of Mississippi, Tree in the Trail etc….
Both are lovely books and my kids have enjoyed them. I learned how to pull them up using my son’s WiiU onto the tv, so they could read along with me and see the pictures. Also, kids wanted a test like the public school kids were getting so I used a lesson from the geography by drawing a room floor plan and cutting it into puzzle pieces…I marked a certain location with a treat btw. Once they answered each question correctly or they told me all they knew about a certain book sufficiently, then they received a puzzle piece and in the end had to put it together ad use the map to find their reward. they loved it and I am assured they can read a map! LOL So, either one you choose to use, will be a pleasure for you both. HTH
