Have you ever pictured the perfect curriculum, and then searched high and low for it, only to come up with nothing? That was me, looking for a Bible-based, unit study approach curriculum that was Charlotte Mason friendly.
There are living book approach curricula out there, but I always look at them and feel SO overwhelmed! 
And then at long last, I finally found it! I had the pleasure of reviewing Paths of Exploration, the first book in the Trail Guide To Learning series by Geography Matters.
Written by homeschool veterans Debbie Strayer and Linda Fowler, not only does this curriculum use living books, but it tells you exactly which books you will need. The book list is not left up to my imagination, which can run wild.
The age range for this curriculum in grades 3-5. However, I am using it with my 7-year-old, who is in second grade, and she is doing well. I also have added the optional Middle School Supplement for my 6th and 8th grader.
We just finished up the first six-weeks, which were all about Columbus. The lessons didn’t get into the darker side (consider the age range) but we did discuss as a family some of the things we didn’t agree with as the study progressed.
What’s included-
Two, beautiful hardback books- filled with guided curriculum, including History, Geography, Science, Grammar, Reading, Art, Nature Study, and Spelling which cover an entire school year, with CD-ROM of different levels of student notebook pages.
What I love about Paths of Exploration–
- There are extras that you can add-on for even more learning like lapbooks, Bible supplement, Middle School Supplement.
- It is rooted in the education philosophies of Dr. Ruth Beechick.
- POE marries nicely with Charlotte Mason.
- Encourages engagement with dictation, discussion, and writing.
- The kids love it. There have been no complaints about school with Paths of Exploration. They love the readings, enjoy the maps and activities, and clamor for the Nature Study. They even enjoy the copywork and dictation! And, they finally get regular art in each week.
- The living books chosen as the base for this curriculum are wonderful. You even get to cook, using the cookbook, Eat Your Way Around the World, by Jamie Aramini.
- I finally have a guide to incorporate Nature Study into our homeschool.
- Geography Matters is a home-based company, located in Kentucky.
- The cost- If you have a good library, you can spend as little as $150.00 {which is for the textbooks and CD-ROM}. You can also buy the Paths of Exploration curriculum, and all of the books you will need for the year for $375.00. That is for all subjects except Math, for an entire year. For me, I am using POE with 4 children this year, which is an amazing deal in my book.
- This curriculum is non-consumable! The student pages are printed from the included CD-ROM, so everything else is reusable year after year. }
What I don’t love-
- Nothing! This curriculum has been an answer to prayer!
Right now, there are two more titles in the Trail Guide To Learning series, covering American History, with three years of World History planned. The World History is going to be geared for grades 6,7, and 8.
You can also preview the other two years that are available, Paths of Settlement and Paths of Progress. Other helpful information, and families who are using the Trail Guide To Learning series, as well as an updated reading schedule can be found in the Yahoo Group.
If you are still looking for “the one”, I hope you will give this curriculum a try!
Thank you for this review – as a new homeschooling mum I’m soaking up everything I read and love reviews. Found this via facebook. For our first year I’ve written my own curriculum for everything but science but for next year looking to purchase Christian curriculum.
Wonderful! How brave to write your own! Paths of Exploration has a Bible supplement, and we just love it. We are going to be using the next title in this series for next year. Good Luck!
When I was looking for reviews and comments on Trail Guide to Learning, most posts were older so I wanted to add a comment for anyone looking for recent reviews. After my sons and I were feeling burned out from our “same ole” workbooks and textbooks, I decided to switch mid-year to Paths of Exploration (w/2nd and 5th grader) and it was just the shake up we needed. We all like school now. Gasp! We are only in the first unit so I am not able to give a seasoned review, but we really enjoy the way topics are tied together in a way that doesn’t feel like we are doing specific subjects. We aren’t sitting down for grammar or writing or geography, we are just learning and it flows well. Very little prep each week which I love. We have not done enough science for me to comment, but my gut feeling is that we won’t love the science, but that’s okay because we were using a science that I really didn’t want to give up anyways. It is new this year by Dr. Jay Wiles and it is called Science in the Beginning. It’s great and I think it can be easily added to our school day because POE doesn’t take very long. My boys are usually done in about 2. or 2 1/2 hours so adding math and science really isn’t a big deal. I am also going to continue IEW for writing with my 5th grader because he is doing so well with it, but again, it can easily be added and the school day still doesn’t drag on. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about using a Charlotte Mason type approach, but to see the way that my children are enjoying learning, I am sold.
Where can I fimd a list of living books that will be required if I don’t purchase them with the set?