WHL Discussions - Geography 0.25 credit

[4Truth]

Geography in high school? ....

I noticed in the World History that you can earn a 1/4 credit in Geography if you complete all the maps. In what other years do/can you earn credit in Geography?

I looked through the sample pages of AHL at the "grading keys" (not sure what to call them off the top of my head), and didn't see anything for geography, but I was wondering if maybe they weren't all on the website. (I was afraid that since we had skipped AHL that we wouldn't be able to get the Geography credit via MFW)

Thanks!
Rhonda

Hey, I just noticed on page 13 of the sample lessons for WHL (year 2), it says you get 1/4 credit if you complete all the maps that year. http://www.mfwbooks.com/downloads/pdf/a ... sample.pdf

I know the mapwork in AHL is fairly light... probably because you don't really venture out of that relatively small region of the world. The known world expands quite a bit after Rome takes power, however, so it makes sense to have MORE mapwork in year 2.

I guess we'll figure this out together as we go!

[Bret Welshymer]

Year 4 of high school (US History 1877 to Present) will offer an additional 1/4 credit of geography. After successfully completing both 1/4 credits, one semester of geography can be added to the student's transcript . If you have other questions about the geography credit, please call our office (573-426-4600).

[Bret Welshymer]

I am wondering about something. My book ends with the Vietnam map. Are there other maps that were added by MFW that has the break-up of the Soviet Union and a subsequent map showing how the countries now look in Eastern Europe? I called Walch Pub. and found that they don't have a new revision since 1997, which ended on page 140.

Thanks for any help with this!

World History and Literature map activities end with the Modern Middle East and Modern North America. The maps for Vietnam are not assigned. Vietnam will be covered in Year 4, US History 1877 to Present. Map activities for Eastern Europe after the Cold War are completed during week 33.

WHL contains 1/4 credit of geography. Year 4, US History 1877 to Present will include an optional, additional 1/4 credit of geography. For more information please call our office (573-426-4600).

[mdfriederich]

For those who are currently working through Year 2 of high school (or have already done it), I am wondering what ideas you have for grading the maps which will count toward 1/4 credit of Geography. As I'm working to figure out what rubric to use for grading the 24 maps, I thought I'd ask those who've already grappled with how to do this. Are you giving a point grade (what scale are you using) or letter grade for each map? Any thoughts will be so appreciated.

Thanks,
Diana

I called the MFW office today and learned the suggested pointage for each map is 4 points. 24 maps X 4 points maximum credit each = 96 points That makes a slush fund of 4 points to give towards a total of 100 points. Apparently this information was in the pilot version, but didn't make it into the version I bought last spring.

Anyhoo... just wanted to share that info in case it helped anyone else.

Diana

[cbollin]

Thanks for the heads up. And thank you for letting them know so that next year's printing, I get to be blessed with the info printed it there. I like how they are so willing to listen to those little things in the manual. I can't imagine anyone having to proof read that much stuff with out help.

I'm glad you got an answer even if no one here was able to chime in . Thank you for the update

-crystal

[cbollin]

Thanks from me, too, Diana. We'll be there next year, too!

Just out of curiosity, I compared this to AHL this year. AHL has only 5 maps, for a total of 25 points, out of a total of 100 history points. Sounds like each year is going to be unique.
Julie

I guess it's a little different b/c in WHL the map work gets to count toward 1/4 credit in geography vs. just part of a history part.

Oh, I'm clueless.

So the AHL maps aren't part of the geography credit, I assume. The WHL maps do sound like a big jump in number, so it's nice to know it could be towards an extra credit.

Maybe your question is the same as mine -- what's the other fourth I'm sure that will be easy enough to fill in over the next few years.

the other 1/4: I know that one. i know one.. wahoo! it's in year 4. I remember that thread of Bret's.
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php ... 419#p62846

-crystal

[Julie in MN]

In my state of Michigan, highschoolers are required to have 3 credits in World History & Geography and U.S. history and geography, and 1/2 credit for both civics and economics. Do the high school programs meet these requirements? I've been pondering over whether to use AHL for 9th grade next year. I was also considering that if my dd were to transfer to our local christian school in the middle of high school if having used MFW instead of a traditional course of study would mess up her credits and such. Thanks!

MFW has set it up so students get 1/4 credit of geography in WHL and 1/4 credit in US2 (hey, I'm using the new abbreviation ). Would that work?

Julie

[cbollin]

1 semester (aka 1/2 credit) of Government (aka Civics) is in US1.
1 semester (aka 1/2 credit) of Economics is in US2 (new abbreviations)
1 semester of Personal Finance (I'm required to have that in my state umbrella school, so I mention it) is in Electives
either 1 semester or 1 year of Fine Arts - is given a plan in WHL

In addition to the Geography that Julie mentioned, MFW also has it set up for those in states where a full credit in Geography is needed.
Geography credit in 12th grade includes ¼ credit for map work from World History and Literature, completed earlier; may be expanded to a full-year credit with suggested additional activities listed here

• Geography – Suggested Additional Activities
  To earn a full-year credit (to meet state requirements or personal learning goals), plan to add an additional 75 hours of work throughout the year (or in second semester if you are not completing the Economics course). Suggested additional work:
  1. Read one missionary biography per quarter (four total) and write a one-page personal reaction to each book. Suggested biographies are Bruchko, The Narrow Road, Peace Child, and I Dared to Call Him Father (available from My Father’s World in the Exploring Countries and Cultures 7th and 8th Grade Supplement).
  2. Take a pre-test for identifying the locations and names of countries, major rivers, etc. Then set a goal with your parent/teacher for memorizing a certain number of them. Work on your goal until achieved. (The Geography Game in Exploring Countries and Cultures may be used.)
  3. Read/study general geography books found at your library. Another option: BJU has a year-long course with multiple components. Consider reading through just the textbook, Cultural Geography for Christian Schools.

"I was also considering that if my dd were to transfer to our local christian school in the middle of high school if having used MFW instead of a traditional course of study would mess up her credits and such. Thanks!"

This is a tricky question because the administrators of that school can do whatever they want to do and accept what they want to accept. They might get where they say "nothing you did in homeschool matters". Or you might have the situation where they look at your portfolio and say "wow.. you did a lot of great work there, but what do we call it since we don't offer it?" Or you could get someone on a good day who accepts an offer to a waiver of a geography "requirement" and says "wow... Ancient history will count".

Here is the scope and sequence and planning guide that MFW offers
https://www.mfwbooks.com/products/14/De ... h-School-/
very strong college prep planning. I know it fits my umbrella school's suggestions for college prep.

If you are intending on transferring to a brick and mortar school, I would think you will want to keep a good portfolio of all of the graded work in AHL. There are plenty of tests and other graded work that will help a school administrator figure out that you did a year's worth of work in the class. Another option out there to consider is to use an online accredited school which will permit homeschooling parents to use whatever materials the parents want to use. Then, you will have an official transcript from that school to give to your local christian school and they will have to deal with it.

If you are not intending to transfer from homeschooling, using MFW will be college prep for a college admissions officer.

It is my opinion that the only major thing that is different in the traditional school vs. classical is that in 9th grade in classical we do Ancients instead of Geography. MFW breaks up the US history a bit in order to allow students to study for the CLEP US History part 1. So, even if you transfer at beginning of senior year to a local school, and have done well on the CLEP exam, you might be able to convince the high school administrators to give some kind of credit for it and help you plan.

If you know you're transferring at end of 9th grade, then do BJU Geography as an elective instead of Logic. and do the Logic books this summer. just one opinion.

-crystal