Map Skills by Continental Press

I feel a bit like a nerd to share this, but one thing that I always loved working on while I was in school was map skills.  I thought it was most fun when those maps were brightly colored, having always been a pretty visual kind of gal.  I was thrilled, then, to find the Map Skills series from Continental Press, which is available from a variety of online stores.

Pros:

• Affordable – Because each level is just a thin workbook (though it is full color), the price for each level is very reasonable (the prices vary by the places I found them)
• Optional Teacher’s Guide/Answer Key – The teacher’s guide/answer key is also very inexpensive, as it is just paper (no cover) and is only around 20 pages long (varies by level, I imagine).  The Teacher’s Guide gives information about the student objective for each page, as well as introductory activities and often extension activities.  There is also, of course, a section of the booklet that is an answer key.
• Visually Appealing – The student workbooks are full color.  This makes the maps easier to read, and is also just fun to look at.
• Easy to Understand Instructions – Assignments can be done with minimal adult assistance, if desired, once a child understands the basic concepts.
• Wide Range of Grades/Levels Available – Continental Press makes these books in Levels B – G, which they say are for 2nd grade through 8th grade.

Cons:

• Length – Although this is a non-issue with me, if you are wanting to do a couple of pages each week for an entire school year, you will have to buy more than one level.  However, if you are happy with one page per week (or a couple of pages every other week), then one level will be enough for one school year.
• Can Be Difficult to Find (if you want to combine shipping on your homeschooling order) – I wasn’t able to find this program carried at many of the bigger homeschooling websites.  I easily found it, however, through the Continental Press Website, Amazon (through third party sellers, though some are selling cheaper than CP’s website), and Catholic Heritage Curricula (though it is not a religious based program).

Angie is the founder of Many Little Blessings, The Homeschool Classroom, Catholic Mothers Online, and Catholic Gadget.  She also might need to make a map to find her bed soon.