Galloping the Globe Review

by Nicole
(TX)

We used Galloping the Globe for geography in 2007.

Likes: This was the perfect "first curriculum" to use with my 1st grader and Kindergartner last year. We prefer to use a relaxed approach at those ages, and GtG fit the bill.

The study of cultures and geography sparked my kids' interest and we all enjoyed the variety of books we were introduced to, as well as doing the related crafts and cooking.

This is basically a manual for the teacher to use, with reproducibles included, (maps and flags to color, related mazes and dot to dots, as well as other activities), suggestions for related reading for each country, and helps for getting started with notebooking. My kids really enjoyed making their own geography notebooks and still look back through them often.

Dislikes: There is not a whole lot of structure in this manual- no schedules or plans, but this suited us well.

Great for a Variety of Ages

by Carla
(Noblesville, IN, USA)

Levels Used: PreK-3rd Grade
Dates Used: 2006-2009

Likes: We have made this our spine curriculum. However, it can be used in so many different ways! You can use it for only geography or for all your subjects as a complete unit study or you can use it as a hopping-off area to build your own geography unit study with the resources you have available.

You can go as deep or as shallow as you wish. It has great ideas for games, recipes, history, art, music, Bible, literature, and even language arts and a little math.

Galloping the Globe studies a representative number of countries around the world, listing books, activities, and associated studies to go with each one of them.

I liked the fact that my preschooler could be involved with much of it as well as my older child. Though it is geared toward lower elementary, adding some activities and more in-depth study with older elementary or even middle school would be appropriate so that a large family could easily do this curriculum.

Dislikes: In order to make the most of this study, you need a good library!

One Curriculum for All Subjects

by Michelle
(Holmes, PA)

Subject: Bible, Geography, History, Literature, Science and activities

I used Galloping the Globe with my son last year when he was in 4th Grade. I loved the way it had the subjects broken out and had references and other resources to look to for the different countries. It was nice to have worksheets to copy and use to do as a Notebooking activity. I liked that I could use one curriculum source for all my subjects except math.

The one thing I didn't like was that it didn't come with a disk to print off the worksheets like the other book in this series Cantering the Country, which I had used the year before.

My son and I loved reading all the different books recommended in each country under each subject. Very well put together and I thought it was very thorough.