You'd think I love Geography, the way I am always searching out new resources. Actually, it's a subject that intimidates me, from past experience with (yawn) boring recitations of dry facts. Facts are important, I know; I only wish they'd been set to music when I was learning them.

Trail Guide to U.S. Geography is anything but dry!

The introduction begins, "Dear fellow Geography buffs and all..."

I was a little intimidated, reading the introduction, seeing that it was addressed to "Geography buffs," but then saw I was included ("and all").

Reading on, I saw that this book is one in a series of three, "all written with the busy teacher in mind." More and more promising! And then I read, "With a little guidance the first 2 or 3 weeks most students will work independently the remainder of the year." Well! Put that together with "multiple ages" and I'm practically sold! Now if the book will just live up to the promises...

...which I am happy to report, it does. The book has three sections, each with a different approach. You may use one or a combination of these.

Geography Trails: five-minute drills, where the student answers questions using a U.S. atlas or almanac. And as a boon for the "busy teacher" (Do I know any teachers that are not busy?), there is an answer key in the back of the book.

Points of Interest: mapping, research, and projects. These are weekly hands-on assignments where students study all fifty states, region by region. Each "Points of Interest" lesson includes mapping exercises, definition of Geography terms, and projects. As students complete projects they'll build a Geography notebook bursting with information about the United States.

Geography through Literature: Students join the Lewis and Clark Expedition, reading The Captain's Dog, My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe as a part of a unit study. Students read, answer questions about the text, label relevant points of interest and features on a map, and choose from an assortment of related activities for further study. Considering the scope of the expedition (plants, wildlife, Native Americans, customs, land features, history, speech, foraging, and more - I could go on all day, but you have the picture). The author suggests using this for a summer study, or to cap off a year of Geography studies.

Trail Guide to U.S. Geography may be used in an individual homeschool, but it is well-suited to use in a group or co-op, with the added benefit of students tackling different activities and sharing the fruits of their studies with each other through presentations and discussion.

The teacher's notes are a valuable resource, full of encouragement, enthusiasm, and suggestions. You will need a source of outline maps, colored pencils, and a good atlas for the mapping exercises, an almanac for the "Geography Trails" drills, a three-ring binder for the State Notebook, and access to reference materials (encyclopedia and/or library resources).

With "Lewis and Clark" such a hot topic around here at the moment, Trail Guide to U.S. Geography couldn't have come at a better time. But even after all the historical hoopla dies down, this guide will remain an invaluable addition to any homeschool study of the United States.