I am wondering what you do for this type of work? I used Modern Curriculum Press but I have found so many errors and it’s copywrite is 1990 so also things out of place. I wanted to do something different BUT I like the simple 1 page a week – covers a school years worth of information. I like that each book works on a different skill.
For graphs, my math curriculum (RightStart) seems to have it in its curriculum. And even if it isn’t, sometimes I find something cool to show them anyway (mostly pie charts, bar graphs, and the like right now – kids are 10 & under).
I am trying to figure out what I’m doing for map work. Right now I have the kids just making maps of simple things and progressively getting more difficult. They start with rooms in the house (their bedroom, the kitchen, etc), then a map of the yard, then directions to certain places in town (park, grocery store, and the like). Then I’ve moved my oldest onto a map of the city, but I had her trace it from a map and label it. Then we did the state of MN labeling some cities, rivers, and lakes. We are doing the USA now, just rivers and lakes mostly. But I’m pretty sure none of them are retaining much – maybe a little… My 10yo and I do look at maps and globes while reading the history spine (This Country of Ours), and that seems to be sticking a little more with her. But my atlas is about the same age – Germany is still East and West! Oy…. I really, really should update it, but Google Maps is so convenient….
My co-op did something pretty awesome with geography/maps this year, but I signed up my kids for other things. But the maps the kids were making looked amazing. I am going to have to ask them again what it was and look into it more.
My kids are doing the Trail Guide to World Geography that is sold by Geography Matters. It’s great because it covers the same subject matter each week on three different levels. My 8 year old is doing level 1 and my 11 and 12 year old are doing level 3. The beauty of it is that once we finish it, they can move up and do the next level – very cost effective. There are two questions per day to answer, 4 days per week and they all require some investigation in an atlas or on a globe. We occasionally have to google something. The last few weeks are a geography study using Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. If you want any more info, let me know. It’s available from geomatters or on currclick.
Oh, just remembered one change I made to the curriculum. Rather than labelling the included outline maps, I have my kids draw their own maps.