Complete Elementary U.S. Geography Curriculum
Are you looking for a U.S. geography curriculum for your elementary student that is complete and easy to use? Our 50 States is a one-year course that is centered in God's Word and makes learning exciting for homeschooling students and parents.
Who Can Use It
Mary Evelyn Notgrass McCurdy designed the curriculum for students to use successfully in 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, or 4th grade. It combines the flexibility and richness of a literature-based unit study approach with the simplicity of a textbook-based approach.
Lessons guide your child on a journey across the United States, highlighting key landmarks and the stories of real people. With open-and-go lessons, you can teach your student with minimal planning or preparation.
What's Included
The Our 50 States Curriculum Package includes everything you need for a successful study. The course is flexible, so you can choose the assignments and activities that work best for your child.
- Read the beautiful hardbound lesson book filled with colorful photographs and maps.
- Listen to recordings of historic songs from each state performed by homeschool students and graduates.
- Complete assignments in the Atlas Workbook.
- Get creative with optional recipes, crafts, and other hands-on projects.
We suggest seven literature titles that coordinate with the lessons and enhance your student's understanding. We also offer optional review questions and tests.
Watch our intro video and keep reading to learn how the curriculum works, see sample lessons, and read what parents are saying.
Quick Overview
Our 50 States has 104 lessons for use during one school year (26 units of 4 lessons each). Each lesson has clear instructions on what to do each day.
The main Our 50 States book is a full-color, richly illustrated hardcover that include the lessons to read and instructions for using the other components. You do not need a separate teacher's manual. You can choose the assignments you want your child to complete. For example, you might expect an 4th grader to do all of the suggested assignments while a 1st grader might only complete a few. The choice is yours.
If you prefer a video overview, watch author Mary Evelyn McCurdy explain how the components work together as she walks you through a sample unit from the curriculum.
What's In the Curriculum Package
The Our 50 States Curriculum Package includes the four books listed below, enough for one child to complete the curriculum. If you are using the curriculum with more than one child, you can purchase additional Atlas Workbooks or Lesson Review books separately.
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Our 50 States
This book has the lessons to read plus all assignments. It includes the song lyrics and instructions for the family activities. You also get access to stream or download the audio recordings of the songs.
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Our 50 States Atlas Workbook
This consumable book has geography activities related to the lessons. We recommend that each student have his or her own Atlas Workbook.
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Our 50 States Lesson Review
This consumable book has review questions about each lesson and a test about each region. Parents may choose to have younger students answer the questions orally. Older children can write their answers in the book.
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Our 50 States Answer Key and Literature Guide
This book contains answers for the Lesson Review questions and tests. It also includes a guide for the literature titles incorporated in Our 50 States.
Optional Resource
We also offer a literature package with seven recommended titles.
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Our 50 States Literature Package
All seven titles are available individually or as a package. Each book is assigned at a particular point in the course and focuses on a different region of the country.
What the Lessons Are Like
You will spend two days studying each state, plus two days on Washington, D.C., and two days on the five major U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.) Students can read the richly illustrated lessons on their own, or you can read the lessons aloud.
The first lesson for each state introduces kids to a variety of places and topics important to that particular state. The second lesson features a song from that state's history and a story that focuses on a real person, a real family, or a real place that is part of the fabric of that state. We have produced audio recordings of all the songs in Our 50 States, which you can stream or download as part of your purchase.
For example, in Ohio you learn how a young farmhand discovered the spectacular Ohio Caverns. In South Carolina, you meet a Gullah family and learn about their faith in Jesus. You also get to hear a Gullah song.
As they study Our 50 States, students will complete their own Atlas Workbook. For each state, they will illustrate one geographic term that relates to that state. They will also complete simple map activities to reinforce what they have learned about that state. A simple Lesson Review book offers questions about the lessons and tests about each region.
Each week we also provide instructions for a family activity related to the region you are studying. These projects includes crafts, recipes, and other hands-on activities.
See Table of Contents and Sample Lessons
Watch author Mary Evelyn McCurdy explain how the components of Our 50 States work together as she walks you through a sample unit from the curriculum.
We recommend seven works of literature to read along with the lessons in Our 50 States. Each book is set in a different region of the country.
- Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (New England)
- The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz (Mid-Atlantic)
- Soft Rain by Cornelia Cornelissen (South)
- The Story of George Washington Carver by Eva Moore (Midwest)
- The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (Rocky Mountains)
- Philip of Texas by James Otis (Southwest)
- The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver by Thornton Burgess (Pacific)
Read sample lessons and see sample pages from the consumable books with these PDF files.
Audio Sample
Just the Right Length
"My kids are 9, 8, and 7, and the lessons are just the right length for them. The kids are excited every day to discover which state we're going to read about, are counting down to the states that they know, and ask me to do their reading on the weekends." (Melissa P., Idaho)
Absolute Favorite Subject
"This is now [my kids'] absolute favorite subject, and they actually CHEER when I say 'Pull out your geography!' Every subject should be like this! Thank you for putting together such an amazing program." (Sabrina F., Kentucky)
Rich and Well-Planned
"The beauty and organization of Our 50 States has been such a blessing in our family this year. My son is really enjoying learning, and I love teaching! The added book selections have been so rich and well-planned!" (Christina A., California)
Asking Me to Do More Geography
"Once we began the lessons my two boys cannot get enough. They are asking me to do more geography and even asking to do their geography on weekends. I have a kindergartner and a 2nd grader, and now I am wondering how quickly we will get through the curriculum and how sad they will be when it is done!" (Michelle K., Indiana)
Mary Evelyn Notgrass McCurdy was homeschooled by her parents, Ray and Charlene Notgrass. She is now a wife and homeschool mom. Mary Evelyn (aka "Mev") is the co-author of the Our Star-Spangled Story curriculum, author of Katy and Katy's Box, creator of the Walking In series, and founder of the Homeschool Dramatic Society.
Photo by Olivia Merritt Photography
Our 50 States Purchase Options
Are you ready to experience all that Our 50 States has to offer? Order today with confidence. If you are not satisfied for any reason, we offer a full money-back guarantee.
Purchase the curriculum package by itself, buy review materials or literature separately, or bundle everything together for your convenience. The choice is yours!
Use the product links below to order online or call 1-800-211-8793. If you have any questions about choosing the right options for your child, please call, text, or email us.
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