This year we are officially homeschooling high school!

As we venture into this new chapter, we require curriculum which will both engage our children as well as helping them succeed in earning credits towards their high school diploma.

Where we live there is a Social Studies requirement for the high school diploma, which covers both History and Geography.

My research for a great Geography curriculum has lead me to Bright Ideas Press and North Star Geography written by Tyler Hogan.

North Star Geography covers:

Geography Skills (maps, navigation, etc.)

Physical Geography (lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atomosphere, etc.)

Human Geography (social structure, heritage, culture, interacting with environment, etc.)

 It is written from a Christian perspective and counts towards high school credits!

What Helped Me Decide to Use North Star Geography?

• Watching this Bright Ideas Press Hangout called All About Atlases for Homeschool  helped me to get to know more about Bright Ideas Press president and North Star Geography author Tyler Hogan.  It is evident that Tyler really loves Geography and Atlases!

• On the Bright Ideas Press website under the Geography tab, you will find North Star Geography. They have sample lessons available to download.  I took advantage of that and had my junior high and high school kids work through that sample lesson with me. We also watched the intro video where Tyler explains about North Star Geography.  While you are there be sure to check out other materials to accompany your geography curriculum like the North Star Geography Audiobook!

• The icing on the cake was this fun video called “Got Geography”.  Yes, we all should learn geography!

The Day North Star Geography Arrived

My first impression was how beautiful the book is! Yes, it is a text book, but it really is a beautiful, well laid out book.  It is obvious this curriculum was written by someone who truly loves and appreciates the importance of learning geography.

North Star Geography

I promptly made a cup of tea, called my kids and we began reading! As I read I became excited because not only did I realize I made the right choice for our high school years, I am also excited to teach it! Although I have always loved maps, I didn’t particularly think I liked geography.

I was wrong.

After reading through and planning out our year with North Star Geography I realized I do, in fact, enjoy geography. As a homeschooling parent you look back at your own school experiences and my experience learning geography left a dry, apathetic taste in my mouth. 

Now, I am motivated to have fun bringing geography alive for my kids!  Only one lesson in and they have already realized how easily geography crosses into other subject areas; and they enjoy the atlas building exercises too!

Atlas and Map Skills

North Star Geography is a win for us and for our high school goals!

We have often kept up some sort of study throughout summer.  We are a family who embraces learning as a way of life v.s. something more institutional and dry.  Not to mention we live in Canada, so studying botany or entomology in the dead of winter (and -35 Celsius) just isn’t practical or rewarding.  Until this year however, our summer homeschooling has been quite unstructured.

This year I made the decision to truly embrace a year round homeschool schedule. We still make time for fun and lazy days, but we are not tossing every subject overboard for two and half months.

Year Round Homeschooling

Why Now?

Seeing as we have a child entering high school (yes, I blinked!), one finishing up middle school and the other in elementary we have hit a stage where I am needed in many different ways.  While they are all quite independent and good students, it doesn’t change the fact that I need to be there to guide, encourage and motivate them.  I can see that we will all benefit from a bit more structure, more acquired skills and even more fun.

My eldest is discerning possible career paths and has the foresight to know he will need advanced Science, Math, English and Social Studies (History/Geography) to achieve his goals for his high school diploma.

With this realization, I knew we would need to change up our homeschool routine and some of our curriculum.  At our spring homeschool convention I was able to purchase a new science curriculum from Apologia and shortly thereafter I found a great high school level geography curriculum from Bright Ideas Press called “North Star Geography”.

North Star Geography

Looking at Our Year

As my kids get older, their interests in sports and music lessons take up more time, not to mention some volunteer commitments and part time jobs.  With this in mind, I can see that following a typical school year of  September to June is crammed full with very little white space. 

We need white space!

I will admit this past year there were days where no one wanted to do anything.  No chores, no school work, not even fun read alouds, which is always my “go to” when things are upside down and we need a break.  When I witnessed this I knew I needed to make some changes.

Not only are we continuing to homeschool through the summer, but everyone is taking a good look at their extra-curricular activities.  We are committing to only participating in the activities which bring the most joy and the most beneficial.

By spreading the academics out, we can make more room for down time to replenish, book appointments, go to sporting events and competitions as well as our musical recitals.

The beauty of homeschooling is the flexibility it affords each family to embrace their calling and vocation and give them the time to address any needs which may arise.

This summer my family is having fun exploring Geography, History and Science mixed with a good dose of lazy summer days and great books.

The Math and Writing will be sprinkled in a pinch at a time, but don’t tell my kids; it’s a secret!

Besides, if summers are completely unstructured it can take a toll on mom.  Keeping some kind of routine is always beneficial.

More Ideas About Summer Homeschooling

• Summer Circle Time by Kendra Fletcher over at Preschoolers and Peace.  

• Summer Road Trip blog posts over at Bright Ideas Press.