Ever watch your man study a map? There’s just an intensity there, wheels visibly turning, all the parts falling into place as the big picture becomes focused. Then, there’s the favorite map of females everywhere... the mall directory with a great big red star that proclaims: “you are here!”. Maps are important; maps give perspective; and maps are a big part of understanding the larger scope of history, especially for kids.
Homeschool in the Woods recently sent me their wonderful maps to review and I am excited to share them with you! As your kids study the past, maps will help to provide a big “red star” of sorts, that let’s them know that this important event happened “here”...and helps them to reflect the past back to their own spot on the map, to see how that relates to them currently.
If you have been homeschooling for any length of time, you know you can’t underestimate the power of a good, handy map! Much time can be wasted on the internet looking for just the right one, with certain borders or features, or from a particular time period. Or, like me, you may own a book of maps that are reproducible...but you can’t quite get the book flat enough in the copy machine to print out one decent piece of paper minus a dark, foggy line up one side...argh!
Argh no more! Homeschool in the Woods has thought of everything for your mapping needs. Their Olde World Style United States Maps come in so many format choices, there should certainly be something for everyone. From U.S. maps that show physical features or political borders, to maps that display Colonial America or Slave/Free states, there seems to be a map for any and every need. You also have the flexibility of having a map with or without labels, enabling you to print from your computer just the right amount of info and leave off things you want your child to fill in.
The folks at Homeschool in the Woods suggest printing these maps on manila or parchment to give an old world feel, there are other tips for creating beautiful yet functional maps, as well. There are also pages to print for various labels, flags, notebook covers (to create a nice, personalized map book) and more. They’ve even included bonus notebook pages for you to use containing state facts, and special sheets for lap-books too!
But wait! There’s more! Forgive the sales pitch, but I have only given you half of the story as far as the offerings from Homeschool in the Woods is concerned. Besides the thorough options for mapping the U.S. (more than I have mentioned), there are equally amazing maps for charting the rest of the world.
It would take up too much space to list all of the maps you can print for studies with their Olde World Style Modern and Ancient World Maps, but let me just throw some out there (besides the obvious maps that one would expect in such a collection, there’s many more that you will find useful). For instance, there are maps for ancient Rome, the twelve tribes of Israel, Paul’s missionary journeys and the Ancient Viking World, to name a few. Furthermore, there are modern maps, timelines, and maps for oceans too.
The notebook pages available with the World Maps are well rounded, spurring on creative ways to make history or geography come alive. There are pages for Explorers, Flora and Fauna, Languages, Holidays, and more! Your kids can make travel brochures for places they are studying with the Brochure templates. There are also printouts that look like scrolls, or pages to help your student write a report. The plethora of choices gives a whole new meaning to “thorough”. Homeschool in the Woods seems to have covered all bases and I am very thankful to have their maps available on my computer, to print out just what I need, just how I need it...without a big black smudge across the edge! I hope I have piqued your interest enough that you will check out these offerings, as well as many other helpful history and timeline products, including free unit studies, available on their website: here. At just $18.95 each (downloaded straight to computer, or for $1 more you can have it in a CD format) or $28.95 for both sets (add $1 for the CD) these maps are an investment in your school with paybacks every time you hit that “print” button.
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