Beautiful Feet Geography...

We finished up Beautiful Feet Geography.  It was bittersweet.  I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing things.  However, the Holling C. Holling books used in this study grew to become dear friends and I hated to see them go.  I have wonderful memories of swimming with Paddle and Minn, soaring above the ocean with Seabird and sheltering from the sun in the safe shadows of the Tree in the Trail.  As they say, "Parting is such sweet sorrow"...

The BF Geography study has 39 lessons total and can be finished in one year by completing approx. one lesson per week or in a semester by completing 2-3 lessons per week.  It's intended for use in 3rd-7th grade.  I did obtain a copy of the new guide since the above photo was taken.  There are some significant changes in the new guide including color photos, maps, web links, and additional book suggestions.

There is no particular order, in which, one must read the Holling books.  I actually read one book per twelve week term over four terms, rearranging them to fit with our history study.  Last year, 2014-2015, we read Paddle to the Sea for Term 1; Tree in the Trail for Term 2; and Seabird for Term 3.  This year, 2015-2016, we finished up the study with Minn of the Mississippi in our first term.  Though the Holling books are pictures books, do not be fooled.  They are very in depth and actually written for upper grade school age students with Lexile scores ranging from approx. 800-1000.  They make excellent read aloud books with absolutely fabulous illustrations!

In our study, we completed one lesson per week.  Riley and Ruben kept notebooks, in which, they illustrated, copied vocabulary words, and completed map work.  Here are a few photos...

Beautiful Feet does produce large wall maps for each book, however, I wanted each student to have their own map that could be added to their notebook so I found something online that I could cut and paste to a Word document.  I then printed them and they completed the map work activities as we went along.  They then pasted them in their notebooks as we finished each book at the end of each term.

Overall, the Beautiful Feet Geography study is wonderful!  It's primary focus is U.S. Geography, however, Seabird does cover some world geography.  This is one study that I look forward to repeating with Levi when the time is right.