Geography Resources

If you really want your kids to know and understand world geography, you'll save enough money to buy a Volkswagen bus and travel the habited continents, filling countless notebooks with observations and facts. Unfortunately, most of us aren't that financially independent (or flat-out hardcore), but that doesn't mean our kids can't have a good geography education.

Probably the best place to start is with an organized curriculum, but even the most comprehensive program will leave holes, and none of them are able to know and cater to your childrens' specific interests. Even a specific course on Africa won't necessarily spend as much time as you or your kids would like on African river tribes, the Rwenzori Mountains, or the number of non-indigenous peoples in cities like Tripoli and Johannesburg.

Which is exactly why geography resources exist. Some of them are probably sufficient to teach geography by themselves, but most of them are simply tools to fill out and enhance a more broad study. The best ones are fairly specific in content, though a lot of the reference books we carry cover large regions (including continents) and offer information you aren't likely to encounter elsewhere.

You don't have to actually go to Africa or Europe to make geography a hands-on study, either. One of the best ways to get kids to remember where things are is to have them fill in names and landmarks on a blank or rewriteable map. Or you can have them play games, complete crafts, cook an ethnic meal, make clothes or hats specific to a region, etc.

It's also a good idea to have them read literature that takes place in the area being studied. Even in works of fiction, regional stories can give a sense of place that sticks with readers more than disconnected facts. Not that the facts aren't important—but reinforcing them through other means will cement them more than rote memorization is likely to do.

Then there are the books to keep around the house, the go-to-when-you're-bored atlases, map books, and travel guides great for browsing. Almost every child is visual to some degree, and when they can actually see what a country looks like, with its terrain, lakes, cities and borders, they're far more likely to want to know more about it. Geography study doesn't always have to be formal; supplementing after school hours is often when a lot of the real learning goes on.

Just like you can't teach your kids everything there is to know, we at Exodus Books can't offer all the resources in existence. Groups like the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institute offer bajillions of free online resources, as well as books, TV documentaries, magazines, activity guides, and more. Even more fun (and just as educational) are the Carmen Sandiego computer games and other products that turn geography drill into a hunt for an international supervillain.

To the right you'll find a list of online sites offering information, quizzes, and fun ways to learn geography. We also suggest making use of your local library as much as possible; atlases can be expensive and nation fact books quickly go out of date, but libraries are usually well-stocked and current (though a lot of books of this type are research materials and can't be checked out; be sure to bring a notebook!). Look for the audio-visual section, too; there are usually plenty of documentaries and supplements available.

Understanding geography is one of the first steps toward understanding our world. It affects government and politics, religion, food supply, even the entertainments a culture enjoys. It's probably one of the easiest subjects to get kids interested in, too, but oddly it's often neglected. With all the resources available, however, it can quickly become a focus of study during schooltime and during free time. And you don't even need to buy a junky bus or passports.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.

 

Did you find this review helpful?
126 Items found Print
Active Filters: Used Books & Materials
50 States
by Gabrielle Balkan, Illustrated by Sol Linero
from Wide Eyed Editions
for 3rd-6th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$30.00 $18.00 (1 in stock)
7 Continents: North America
by Marilyn Evans
Pap/Map from Evan-Moor Educational Publishers
for 3rd-6th grade
in Evan-Moor Geography (Location: GEO-CUREM)
$21.99 $12.00 (1 in stock)
All About Maps
from Gingko Press
for 6th-Adult
in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Amazing World Atlas
by Alexa Ward
from Lonely Planet
for 2nd-5th grade
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Amazon River
by Sangma Francis and Romolo D'Hipolito
from Flying Eye Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in South America (Location: HISMC-LAT)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Another Trip Around the World
by Leland Graham
from Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company
for 4th-8th grades
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$12.00 $9.00 (3 in stock)
Around the World in 2,000 Pictures
by A. Milton Runyon and Vilma F. Bergane, editors
Revised from Doubleday & Company
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Around the World with Kate and Mack
from Wycliffe Bible Translators
for 2nd-4th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$8.00 (2 in stock)
Atlas of Adventures
from Wide Eyed Editions
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Atlas of American History
from Rand McNally
for 4th-9th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Atlas of Countries
First Discovery Book
by Gallimard Jeunesse
from Scholastic Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Atlas of Oregon
by William G. Loy (director and cartographer), text by Clyde P. Patton
from University of Oregon
for Adult
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Baker Atlas of Christian History
by Tim Dowley, Editor
from Baker Books
for 7th-Adult
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Bible Then & Now
by Jenny Roberts
from Simon & Schuster Macmillan
for 6th-Adult
in Archaeology (Location: HISRF-ARCH)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
British Empire and the Great Divisions of the Globe
Charlotte Mason Geography Volume II
by Charlotte M. Mason
2022 Reprint from Yesterday's Classics
for 3rd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Children Just Like Me
by Anabel Kindersley, Barnabas Kindersley
from DK Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$21.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Children's Atlas of the Bible
by Henry Wansbrough
1st edition
for 1st-7th grade
in Bible Study & Reference for Kids (Location: BIBR-STU)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Cities of the Biblical World
by LaMoine F. DeVries
from Wipf and Stock Publishers
for 11th-Adult
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Collier's World Atlas and Gazetteer
from P. F. Collier & Son Co.
for 9th-Adult
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$30.00 (1 in stock)
Continents Map Set of the World
by Geography Matters
from Geography Matters
for 3rd-8th grade
in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Continents: Antarctica
by Leila Merrell Foster
from Heinemann Library
for 1st-3rd grade
in Arctic & Tundra (Location: SCI-ECO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Country Report Projects for Any Country
by Michael Gravois
from Teaching Resources
for 5th-9th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
DK Concise World Atlas
8th edition from DK Publishing
for 3rd-Adult
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Bible Lands
DK Eyewitness Series
by Jonathan Tubb
1st edition from DK Publishing
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Bible Lands
DK Eyewitness Series
by Jonathan Tubb
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
HIstory Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Don't Know Much About the 50 States
by Kenneth C. Davis
Reprint from HarperCollins
for 4th-8th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$11.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
Draw Africa
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (2 in stock)
Draw Asia I
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (2 in stock)
Draw Asia II
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (1 in stock)
Draw Canada and Greenland
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw Europe
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw Mexico, Central and South America
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw the Natural Wonders of Europe
by Kristin Draeger and Glen Draeger
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (1 in stock)
Draw the USA
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (4 in stock)
Draw the World
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Enchantment of America: New England Country
Enchantment of America: Regional Books of the United States
by Dorothy Wood, illustrated by Tom Dunnington
Second Printing from Children's Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Readers & Textbooks (Location: VIN-READ)
$7.20 (1 in stock)
Everything You Need To Know About Geography Homework
by Anne Zeman & Kate Kelly
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Exploring World Geography
by Richard Rayburn
3rd edition from My Father's World
for 5th-8th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Fabulous Facts about the 50 States
by Wilma S. Ross, illustrated by Bill Cummings, maps by Frank Ronan
from Scholastic Book Services
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Families Around the World
by Jo E. Moore
from Evan-Moor Educational Publishers
for Preschool-1st grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
From Akebu to Zapotec
by June Hathersmith
from Wycliffe Bible Translators
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
GATB Creative Companion Level 4 (old)
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 4th grade
in Art & Drawing Reference (Location: ELE-ARTREF)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Geography Book
by Caroline Arnold
1st edition from Jossey-Bass
for 3rd-6th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Geography from A to Z
by Jack Knowlton
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$11.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Geography Songs - Booklet only
Audio Memory CDs
by Larry & Kathy Troxel
5th edition from Audio Memory
for 2nd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$6.95 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Geography Songs with CD
Audio Memory CDs
by Larry & Kathy Troxel
5th edition from Audio Memory
for 2nd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$13.00 (1 in stock)
Hammond's Illustrated Atlas for Young America
from C. S. Hammond and Co.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Handy Geography Answer Book
by Matthew T. Rosenberg
from Visible Ink Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Hawaiian Kids - Coloring Book
from The Islander Group
for 1st-5th grade
in Nature / Geography Coloring Books (Location: COL-NAT)
$2.80 (1 in stock)
Holman Bible Atlas
by Thomas V. Brisco
from Broadman & Holman
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Home Geography for Primary Grades
by C. C. Long
from Living Book Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$6.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
How Do I Use an Atlas?
Research Tools You Can Use
by Therese Shea
from Britannica Educational Pub.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
If the World Were a Village
by David J. Smith
1st edition from Kids Can Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Illustrated Atlas of Hawaii
by Gavan Daws
from Island Heritage Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Illustrated Picture Atlas of the World
by Nicholas Harris
from Hinkler Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Inflatable Globe
from Learning Resources
for 1st-4th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$7.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Interactive 3-D Maps: American History
by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Intermediate World Atlas
by Rand McNally
from Rand McNally
for 4th-8th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Journey to the Eastern Hemisphere
by April Lotempio
1st edition from Avyx, Inc.
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Kingfisher Geography Encyclopedia
by Clive Gifford
2 Rev Upd from Kingfisher
for 4th-9th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$29.50 (1 in stock)
Kingfisher Young People's Atlas of the World
by Philip Steele
1st edition from Kingfisher
for 4th-6th grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Kregel Pictorial Guide to the Bible
by Tim Dowley
from Kregel Publications
for 7th-12th grade
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Legends & Leagues West
by Ned Bustard
from Veritas Press
for 5th grade
in Legends & Leagues (Location: GEO-VPLL)
$15.00 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Letters from Egypt
by Mary L. Whately
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 4th-12th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Mapping the World with Art - Textbook and DVD Set
by Ellen Johnston McHenry
from Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop
for 4th-8th grade
in Geography Curriculum (Location: GEO-CUR)
$32.00 (1 in stock)
Maps & Globes
by Jack Knowlton, Harriett Barton
from HarperCollins
for 1st-3rd grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$7.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
Maps Activity Book
by Aleksandra Mizielinska, Daniel Mizielinski
from Big Picture Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Maps and Mapping
by Barbara Taylor
from Kingfisher
for 4th-6th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Me on the Map
by Joan Sweeney & Annette Cable
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Mega-Fun Map Skills (Grades 2-3)
by Catherine Tamblyn
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Merriam-Webster's Student Atlas
from Merriam-Webster
for 3rd-8th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
National Geographic Kids U.S. Atlas
7th edition from National Geographic
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$14.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
National Geographic Student Atlas of the World
by National Geographic
from National Geographic
for 4th-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
National Geographic Student Atlas of the World
3rd edition from National Geographic
for 4th-8th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Nelson's 3-D Bible Mapbook
by Simon Jenkins
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for All Ages
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Norte, sur, este y oeste
by Allan Fowler
from Children's Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
North America
by Nellie B. Allen
from Yesterday's Classics
for 6th-Adult
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$22.95 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Nursery Geography
by George S. Dickson, illustrated by George Morrow
Undated from T.C. & E.C. Jack
for 1st-4th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Operation World
by Jason Mandryk, Patrick & Robin Johnstone
7th edition from IVP Academic Press
for 9th-Adult
in Spiritual Disciplines (Location: XCL-SPDI)
$21.00 (1 in stock)
Our 50 States
by Lynne Cheney
from Simon and Schuster
for 4th-6th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Our Fifty States
by Mark H. Bockenhauer, Stephen F. Cunha, Jimmy Carter (Foreword)
from National Geographic
for 4th-6th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Our Globe, Our World
by Kate Petty
from Barron's
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Passport to the World
by Craig Froman
from Master Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$13.59 $9.00 (3 in stock)
Puzzle Maps U.S.A.
by Nancy L. Clouse
1st edition
for 2nd-5th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Atlas of the Oceans
from Rand McNally
for Adult
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas
from Rand McNally
for 4th-8th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas
by Rand McNally Staff
from Rand McNally
for 1st-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas
by Rand McNally Staff
from Rand McNally
for 1st-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas of the World
by Rand McNally Staff
13th edition from Rand McNally
for 1st-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$18.00 $9.00 (4 in stock)
Rand McNally Junior Classroom Atlas (old cover)
from Rand McNally
for 1st-4th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Readers World Atlas
from Rand McNally
for Adult
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines
by Rose Publishing
from Rose Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$34.99 $20.00 (1 in stock)
Scholastic Atlas of the United States
by David Rubel
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-10th grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Seven Wonders of the World
by Ron Tagliapietra
from Bob Jones University Press
for 8th-Adult
in International Landmarks & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANINT)
$12.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)
South America
Evan-Moor Geography Mini-Unit
by Jo Ellen Moore
from Evan-Moor Educational Publishers
for 3rd-6th grade
in Latin American & Hispanic Culture (Location: HISMC-LAT)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
South America
by Harriett Kinghorn
from Instructional Fair
for 4th-8th grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
South America
from Bridgestone Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
State Report Projects for Any State
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
States & Capitals Learning Wrap-Up Keys
from Learning Wrap-Ups
for 3rd-6th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Student World Atlas
Fourth Edition from National Geographic
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
12