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viiiJournalist and geography writer Robert Kaplansays that geography is the backdrop to human history.Geography is where we live, and it impacts how welive. Geography affects all of us. Some people denythis. They say that geography is only incidental tohuman interaction. Moreover, with the invention offaster travel and instant worldwide communication,some people say that geography doesn’t really matteranymore.Try telling a soldier who has fought on the desertmountains of Afghanistan that geography doesn’tmatter. Explain how cotton became king in thepre-Civil War American South without referring togeography. Describe the role of New York City as aninternational trade and immigration center withoutreferring to its geographic location. Understand themodern Middle East without referring to oil or theexistence of Israel. Discuss the immigration issuewithout referring to a geographic setting. Whenyou look into these and many other issues regardinglife on this planet, you will find that geography doesmatter.Every person can make a profound differencein the lives of others by how they respond to theirsetting and to the opportunities that God places intheir path—a path that runs through geography. Ourworld—especially the part of it where you live—iswhere God has placed you. You might wish that youlived in a place with greater natural beauty or withmore opportunities for economic advancement,but He has placed you in the location where youare. If you move to another place or region, in thatnew setting you will find other opportunities andlimitations that geography will influence.The task of living effectively as an adult is beforeyou; serve God by fulfilling that task where you are.We hope that we encourage you to take geographyseriously. Be assured of this: if we as Americans do nottake geography seriously, other people—includingsome who have decided to be our enemies—willtake it seriously; and that will affect us negatively.A few key factors help to explain why historyand current events have happened the way theyExploring World Geographyhave. The most important is God. The second mostimportant are the decisions and actions that peoplemake. We might also cite family, cultural influences,and religious beliefs. In this mix of factors, one keyfactor is geography.We hope that this curriculum will help youunderstand better this fascinating world in which welive. We hope you will think, “Oh, that’s why thiscountry has done this or that” or “It’s amazing howthat mountain range affects that region.” Knowingsomething about the geographic settings in whichpeople live will give you empathy. Knowing inspiringstories will encourage you in your own life. Learningwhat God teaches us about our world helps us live init. Learning the power of the gospel that offers hopeand truth to every tribe and tongue and people andnation will help you redeem the time that you have.Geography has relevance to current affairs. Inthe time that we worked on this curriculum, theruler of Swaziland changed that country’s name toEswatini. The country once known as Macedoniachanged its name to the Republic of NorthMacedonia. Wildfires devastated the geography ofAustralia. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, whichmany countries accepted eagerly its early stages, haschanged shape and encountered opposition fromsome countries. Huge demonstrations in HongKong protested the way China was governing thatcity. As we were finishing the development of thecurriculum, the COVID-19 pandemic swept theworld. As you move into adult life, you will need toremain informed and discerning about the issues inwhich geography plays a part.Our goal is to inspire you to think broadly andto act boldly, to see your own setting in time andplace as an opportunity for growth and adventureor as an obstacle to overcome. We hope that youwill envision what God might do through you asHe has done through countless others who havelived in their own times and places. Preparing youto live successfully in that big room called the adultworld is what we have tried to do in the lessons, thereadings, the literature, and the assignments.

Lake Wanaka, New ZealandHow to UseThis CurriculumAs you both, parent and student, plan yourstudy using this curriculum, here are someideas to help you get the most out of it.This curriculum provides one year’s credit inthree subjects: geography, English (literature andcomposition), and worldview. The 150 lessons aredivided into thirty units of five lessons each. Eachunit has four lessons on geography, and a final lessonon worldview.Since a typical school year has thirty-six weeks,you have some flexibility in completing the course.The student can take two weeks to complete a unitif they find a topic particularly interesting or whenyour schedule is especially busy. Families are free tochoose how they want to schedule the course, butmany families choose to begin a unit on Mondayand finish it on Friday.On the first day of a unit, read the unitintroduction. Here you will find a brief overviewof the unit; a list of lessons for that unit; a Biblepassage to memorize; a list of books used with thatunit; choices for a project for that unit; and, whena literature title is begun, an introduction to thatbook.After reading the introduction, choose a projectto complete by the end of the unit and make aschedule for how to complete it. Find the memorywork for the week in the Bible translation ofyour choice.Complete the following each day: Read the lesson for the day. Complete all of the Gazetteer, geography,worldview, and literature assignments forthe lesson. If you are using the optional Student Review,complete the assignment(s) for that lesson. Work on your Bible memorization and onyour chosen project.On the last day of each unit, the student willrecite or write the memory work and complete theproject for the unit.The curriculum includes the Exploring WorldGeography Gazetteer. This volume contains maps ofthe continents and regions we discuss in the text, asection on each country of the world, and originalsource material that we assign once per unit. TheAssignments section at the end of each day’s lessonincludes the Gazetteer assignment when appropriate.You will need to plan carefully what the studentdoes each day. For instance, every fifth day includesix

xreading the worldview lesson and answering thereview questions, finishing the project for the unit,writing or reciting the memory verse for that unit,and taking the geography quiz for that unit.In twelve of the units the student will alsoneed to finish the literature title they have beenreading, answer the review questions on it, andread the literary analysis for that book. In six units,the student will also need to take the geography,English, and worldview exams over the previous fiveunits. Plus, the student will need to study for all ofthese exams.Instead of waiting until the last day of a unitto complete all of these assignments, students canspread out the work load and make it easier tocomplete. For example, students can complete theirunit project on Day 4 of the unit. She might alsowant to plan her reading so that she finishes theliterature title on Day 4 of the unit and completesthe review questions and literary analysis that day.We have provided the tools for your study of thesesubjects. How you complete the curriculum isultimately up to your family determining what is thebest approach for you to take.An assignment checklist is available as a freedownload on our website (notgrass.com/ewglinks).Worldview LessonsIn the assignments for several of the lessons in eachunit are thought questions regarding worldview. Werecommend that the student have a Bible notebook(wire-bound or 3-ring binder) in which she copieseach question and writes a response to the question.Alternatively, the parent may choose to have thestudent read the question aloud and give an answerorally. However, writing down the questions andanswers will probably help the student rememberthe questions and answers better.As part of our worldview survey, we look atseveral religious systems that people practice in theworld besides Christianity. We look at these otherfaith systems from the perspective of outsiders.How to Use This CurriculumWe have never been part of these groups, and theinformation we share is the result of our researchon these subjects. Those who adhere to thesefaith systems might see inaccuracies or misplacedemphases in our treatment of them. It is not ourpurpose to misrepresent these faiths or to createstraw men that we can easily knock down in anattempt to show the superiority of Christianity.We have attempted to refrain from usingdemeaning language or from saying anything like,“We can’t believe that intelligent people believethese ridiculous ideas, but apparently they do.” Wewant to show respect for the people who hold thesebeliefs, even as we express our disagreement withthese beliefs and why we believe that Christianityis true. We are not ashamed of the gospel, and wewant to keep the door open for civil discussionswith those of other faiths in the hope that we canencourage everyone in the pursuit of truth.Map Skills AssignmentsA map skills assignment comes at the end of onelesson in most units, usually on the fourth day ofthe unit. Their purpose is to help the student betterunderstand and utilize maps. The lessons in Unit 2have a good deal of information about maps, so themap skills assignments begin in Unit 3.We recommend that the student create a mapskills notebook or folder for these activities.Tips on Bible MemorizationEach unit of Exploring World Geography gives aBible passage to memorize. Here are some tips onmemorization for the student. Pay attention andinternalize what the verses mean. It will be mucheasier to memorize thoughts that you understandthan to see them as a string of words that have nomeaning to you. Write the verses on index cards.Keep these handy to use when you have a sparemoment. Copying out the verses is a good exercise,especially if you learn visually.

How to Use This CurriculumDraw pictures illustrating the verses. Ask anotherperson to read the verses to you. Ask another personto listen to you and correct your recitation. Workingon memorization consistently in small chunks oftime over several days works much better than lastminute cramming.Unit ProjectsEach unit (except Unit 3) has three choices fora project, always including a writing assignment.Parents can decide how many writing assignmentsthe student must complete to fulfill the Englishcredit of Exploring World Geography. We recommendthat you choose the writing assignment as the projecta minimum of six times throughout the course.The other project choices include a wide varietyof activities: building models, cooking, field trips,volunteer opportunities, and more, all of which willenhance and expand what the student is learning inthe course.The projects relate to the material in the unit.Where applicable, we note the lesson from whichthe project is drawn. The student should choose aproject at the beginning of the unit and work onit throughout the unit. The student may need tolook ahead at the relevant section of the lesson to getstarted on the project.As you choose projects unit by unit, take theopportunity for the student to try new things andexpand her skills. If she has never made a model outof STYROFOAM , or seldom done any cooking,or doesn’t know how to make a video, this isa great opportunity!The student should complete each project at ahigh school level. Some of these assignments couldbe given to an elementary school student and theresults would be on an elementary school level.The student should complete the work with careand research and attention to accuracy, creativity,and excellence. Throwing something together in ahaphazard fashion is not appropriate. Whether thestudent spends his time writing an essay or buildingxia model, he should use his mind and hands to createsomething he can be proud of.Student Review PackThe Student Review Pack includes three booksto help the parent and student measure the student’sprogress through the course and understanding ofthe material: the Student Review Book, the Quiz andExam Book, and the Guide for Parents and AnswerKey. Using these books is optional, but you willlikely find them useful.The Student Review Book contains reviewquestions on each lesson, review questions on someof the source documents in the Gazetteer, reviewquestions and analysis of the literature, and a mapskills assignment for most units.The Quiz and Exam Book has: a geography quiz for each unit that coversthe first four lessons of that unit and isdrawn from the lesson review questions forthose four lessons, a geography exam covering every five unitsthat is drawn from the quizzes for thoseunits, an English exam covering the literary analysisand questions for the books read every fiveunits, and a worldview exam every five units coveringthe review questions for the five worldviewlessons in those units.How We Present ScriptureThe most important material in this course arethe studies from God’s Word. Understanding worldgeography and literature is important, but how welive before God is the most important issue beforeeach one of us. We want to help you as you do that.

How to Use This CurriculumxiiWe believe in the inspiration and authority ofthe Bible, and our desire is to present the Bible inall of its truth, wisdom, and power. We strive in allwe do simply to be Christians. We are on a quest tounderstand the truth that God has provided in HisWord.If you read something in this curriculum thatdiffers from what your family believes, take theopportunity to discuss the issue and search theScriptures together. We welcome your feedback. Ifyou believe that we have written something in error,please email us so that we can learn together thetruth that will set us free.Notes on the LiteratureWe chose works of literature that illustrategeography in various places around the world. Asthe student reads the books, she should take specialnote of geographic features such as lakes, rivers,mountains, the region of the world, the cultureof the people, and how these features fit into thestory. The setting of a work of literature is a place ingeography, so the study of geography and the studyof literature will enhance each other.Worldview also plays a part in the study ofliterature. As the student reads each work, he shouldnotice the worldview of the characters; clues to theworldview of the author; and how the book supports,informs, or challenges his worldview. Thus the studyof literature and the study of worldview will enhanceand support each other.AppreciationI am indebted to all those who have helped withthis project. My wife, Charlene, wrote the lessonabout her ancestor, Pierre Boucher of Boucherville,Quebec, Canada. She proofread the curriculumwith me and provided invaluable input in manyother ways. Our son John collected illustrationsand laid out the pages, lessons, and units. Ourdaughter Bethany helped to develop the originalplan for the curriculum, selected the literature toinclude, and wrote most of the literary analysisand the literature review questions. Our daughterMary Evelyn designed the covers and proofread thecurriculum. I also want to thank Dena Russell andDavid Shelton for their vital assistance in developingthis curriculum and Sean Killen for producing thebeautiful maps in the Gazetteer.Exploring World Geography completes the cycle ofNotgrass high school social studies curriculum thatincludes Exploring World History, Exploring America,Exploring Government, and Exploring Economics.This series began with the publication of ExploringAmerica in 2002. What a joyful ride it has been.I will forever be grateful for the thousands ofstudents who have used these materials and for thecountless words of appreciation we have received.May the Lord receive all the praise. Thank you andthank Him.Ray NotgrassGainesboro, TennesseeDecember 2020ray@notgrass.com

Chinese Typewriter (1970s)Advice on WritingComposition is part of most high schoolEnglish courses. It usually involves learninghow to express ideas, write themes, anddo research papers. Practicing writing helps you todevelop your style and skill, just as practicing anyactivity will help you to be better at it. I make myliving by writing, so I appreciate the importance ofthis skill.One goal of high school composition is toprepare you for college composition. I have taughtcollege students who never learned to construct agood sentence, let alone a good paragraph. However,learning to write just for high school and collegecomposition assignments is a limited goal. Life doesexist beyond school.You will probably have many occasions to engagein research and to prepare your thoughts on a vitalsubject such as abortion or capital punishment. Youwill have numerous opportunities to write: lettersto friends and family, journals, letters to the editor,social media posts, advertisements for your business,and reviews and articles for periodicals, to mentionjust a few. The Internet has created new possibilitiesfor sharing your ideas in written form. Desktoppublishing has made getting a book publishedwithin the reach of many people who might not geta contract from a big-name publisher.Writing helps you express what you understandabout a subject. If you can’t explain something toanother person, you probably don’t understand itwell yourself. The writing assignments in this coursewill help you learn to pull your thoughts together.Good writing style is important in getting yourideas across to other people. Writing skills will behelpful in your job or in conducting your ownbusiness. You will bless your spouse and children ifyou write thoughtful letters to them often. You canhelp others by expressing yourself well in writing.Three ways to improve your writing are to readgood writing, to write often yourself, and to receivecriticism of your writing with humility and a desireto do better. Reading and applying the guidance ingood books on writing will also help you refine yourtechnique. I recommend The Elements of Style byWilliam Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.Writing Assignments inThis CourseEach week you do a writing assignment (insteadof one of the other suggested projects), you willhave two or three possible topics from which tochoose. Some of the essay prompts refer to topicsthat one of the lessons in the unit discusses.xiii

xivA basic way to compose an essay is to writefive paragraphs: an opening paragraph that statesyour purpose, three paragraphs that developthree different points or arguments, and a closingparagraph that summarizes your position or topic.If you are floundering on a particular assignment,using this outline can get you started.The usual target length of your writing projectsfor this course is 250 to 300 words, which is abouttwo typed, double-spaced pages.Writing Tips to ImplementHere are some tips I have learned that havehelped my writing.Write with passion. Believe in what you aresaying. People have plenty to read, so give themsomething that will grip them. If you don’t believedeeply in what you are saying, you give others noreason to do so either. This raises an issue that relatesto many writing assignments. Assigned writing islike assigned reading: we often approach it as achore. Deep emotion and a passion for convincingothers may be difficult to express in a theme on“The American Interstate System” or “The InternalHierachy of International Organizations.”Writing with passion means that you should notsoft-pedal what you say. Phrases such as “It seemsto me,” “I think that it would be good if,” or “Mypersonal opinion, for what it is worth,” take the fireout of your message. It is your piece, so we knowit is your opinion. Just state it. Related to this isthe common use of quotation marks to highlighta word. Save quotation marks for when you areactually quoting something.Develop your paper in an orderly and logical way.Using an outline helps me to structure what I amwriting. Identify the major points you want tomake, the order in which you need to make them,and what secondary points you want to includeto support your major points. Be sure that eachparagraph has one main point, expressed in a topicsentence, with the other

physical world that God made. However, the modern field of geography has expanded to include many elements of human life on this planet, especially as it relates to geography or geographic place. For instance, you can study population geography, cultural geography, political geography, economic geography, rural and urban geography, and, in this