The people of Geography Matters have added a fun new product line called the Trail Guide to... series.  Consisting of three books, the Trail Guide to... series will help you teach geography from a whole new perspective for your children in fourth grade through high school.  (This program can be used with younger children, but they will need plenty of guidance from you.  The publisher suggests using Galloping the Globe for early elementary students before using the Trail Guide to... books.)  The approach used in the Trail Guide to... books is very flexible, allowing you to use the curriculum as a short daily review or to dig deeper using the suggested activities and notebook ideas.

Trail Guide to U.S. Geography is a 36-week hike through each of the U.S. states and regions.  Included are suggested lesson plans which you can customize to fit your goals.  The book's flexible approach will allow most students to work independently or with minimal supervision.  Author Cindy Wiggers suggests having your child read The Captain's Dog during the last six weeks of the Trail Guide to U.S. Geography course to enhance your child's learning experience.  I personally like the short daily geography drills.  My children are learning and retaining U.S. geography facts in a totally painless format - you've got to love that!

Trail Guide to World Geography is also a 36-week course and follows the same format as the U.S. history guide.  However, as the name implies, your child will be effortlessly sailing through all the regions of our world, and using Around the World in 80 Days for the last nine weeks of their adventure.  Trail Guide to World Geography is not only a wonderfully complete world geography course - but it's really fun too!

The third offering from Cindy Wiggers of Geography Matters is the Trail Guide to Bible Geography.  I have not had the privilege of reviewing this brand-new course, but I have no doubt that it is every bit as good as its sister books in this series - if not better.

The Trail Guide to... series can be purchased directly from the publisher at a cost of $18.95 each.  You can visit their website at www.geomatters.com, or you can call or write for a catalog to:  Geography Matters, P.O. Box 92, Nancy, KY  42544 - 1-800-426-4650.  It has been my experience that you can't go wrong with any of the products offered by Geography Matters - including their wonderful line of atlases and other geography study products for all ages.

-Reviewed by Mrs. Richard Hostler - October, 2004

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