Dear Sis,
I love the idea of literature based curriculum, but I learned last year that the prep work required to keep up with Torchlight was more than I can manage, from week to week. Also we do read aloud as a family for fun, so I don’t want to do too many subjects with a literature approach.
As I’m pieces together a plan for our kindergarten year, I’m finding we lack a fun engaging way to study geography material. This literature based compilation borrows some material from the reading lists of both Torchlight Level K and Build Your Library Level 0, which both have a global theme.
This elementary program can be used for a single student or as a family. Adding the optional cookbook, and using it on the weeks when time allows, will greatly enrich your family experience. In addition to the books below, the curriculum schedule includes prompts for an eight week family geography/history journaling project.
The text: Books will be labeled as consumable (one per student), spine (plan to purchase for reoccurring use), single use (can be borrowed from library to cut cost).
A Story Series (single use)
Greetings from Somewhere by Paris Harper, is an illustrated chapter book mystery series. Ethan and Ella bring adventure into your home as they travel the world with their parents, for their mom’s job as a travel writer for the local paper. Each book can be read in one or two sittings. Your upper elementary students can take turns helping with the reading too! Over this 36 week program we will read all ten books in the series.
Collection of Folktales (spine)
A Year Full of Stories: 52 folktales and legends from around the world by Angela McAllister, provides short stories arrange by the twelve months of the year from a wide variety of places and cultures. Many of the stories cover various holidays from around the world.
The Atlas (spine)
We have the 4th (2013) edition, of the Kids World Atlas by National Geographic, because we got a great deal on it. The layout is consistent between additions, so the 5th (2018) or 6th (2021) editions will work too.
Update: March 19, 2022
I was able to preview the 6th edition, thanks to our local library. Here are the main changes that aren’t cosmetic or stat/map updates!
- A two page spread was added in the Physical World section addressing Endangered Species.
- A two page spread was added in the Political World section addressing human Migration.
- The East Africa spread was divided into two spreads: Eastern and Central Africa.
- The games in the back of the book have been removed.
Please note that page numbers on the schedule will be a bit off with newer additions, so work by content instead of page numbers. Also, the games for the final week will not be available to those with newer text.
The Consumable
Ultimate Sticker Book: Flags Around the World by DK
The Cookbook (optional spine)
Cooking Class Global Feast!: 44 recipes that celebrate the world’s cultures by Deanna F. Cook
This is a 36 week homeschool program. We prefer to do all the weekly activities on a single day, but it can be broken into two or three small portions each week, if that is preferable to your family. Print the schedule to get started.
Global Greetings Geography Curriculum Schedule PDF
Happy Homeschooling!
Love,
b