Over the last month or so I have been writing out our lesson plans for the next school year. As I did so, I realized how nice it is to find a curriculum or product that I can refer to year after year. We try out a lot of new things with the Schoolhouse Crew, so it is nice to find a true gem that you know you will use over and over for many years. Such is the case with Knowledge Quest's Map Trek.
~Historical maps that will help you navigate through history studies.~
~Accurate maps that show what the world was like THEN and NOW.~
~Maps that are easily downloadable yet inexpensive to print.~
~Attractive maps that you and your children will be proud to display~
~Lesson plans that will show you what to do with them each week.~
Each of the 6 volumes contain full color teacher maps, blank outline maps for the student to fill in, instructions on how to use the maps, and lesson plans to go with them.
Map Trek can be purchased as one complete set for $47.00 e-Book or $55.00 Hardcover with CD-Rom. You can also purchase them separately (price varies depending on the volume):
If you'd like to check out Map Trek before you buy, you can download a free Map Trek Sampler.
So what did we think?
Well, as I mentioned before, this product is not one that you use up in a week or semester, or even a year. It can be used as a stand alone weekly curriculum, or integrated into your current curriculum. In fact, there is even a fabulous list of Curriculum Integration Guides on how to best use Map Trek with your favorite curriculum.
Mustang is at the very beginning of her map studies. We are still looking at the World Maps and identifying continents and countries. During our recent study on China, we pulled out the World Map and she colored in China on her World Map. I found it very nice to be able to quickly print out maps that were clear and easy to follow for our lesson.
This was extra helpful since her grandmother asked her that very evening if she knew where China was. She was pleased to say she did :).
As I looked through the hundreds of maps included in the Map Trek Complete Collection e-Book, I was just amazed at all of the maps author Terri Johnson had included. Not just basic maps of the world and countries. Not just maps I would have thought of such as a map of the Colonies or a map of the Louisiana Purchase. No, she has included so many amazing maps!
The Empire of Charlemagne
Totalitariansim and many more!!
In addition to the amazing maps, she has even written lesson plans to go with them! For example, the US Map Edition Volume One has 53 sets of maps-one color detailed map and one black and white for student's map work. For each of these maps, Terri Johnson has written out the student's assignments for the map work. She has assignments for your younger student in grades 1-4 and another set of assignments for your older student in grades 5-8.
I'll be honest, we have just tipped the iceberg on this product. But, I can already tell that it will be our go-to set of maps for a long time! I went to a used curriculum sale the other day and was so thrilled when I got to the atlases and map work books. I didn't have to even look, I could say-I've got that one covered with MapTrek.
And while I'm on honestly, I'll admit I may or may not have listened during all my history and geography classes in school. If you asked me to show you the Empire of Charlemagne, I would have had NO CLUE! I'm loving that with MapTrek I can pull out the map and see (er I mean show my children). I also have easy to follow lesson plans on how to teach my children from someone who already knew where the Empire of Charlemagne was. So then, I look like I knew all along and my children will never have to know that sometimes I really don't know everything.
If you haven't yet, check out the free Map Trek Sampler. So you can see for yourself all the great features in this product. You can also read reviews from the rest of the Schoolhouse Review Crew about MapTrek and other Knowledge Quest products.
Thanks for stopping by and God Bless!!
Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse Crew I received a free copy of the MapTrek Compete Collection e-Book in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for my review. I did not have to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I just pinned this for future reference! Sounds really great!! I too do not remember much from my history and geography classes and am nervous about teaching it to my girls. Love your review!
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