Our Great Big World
Complete Elementary World Geography Curriculum
Are you looking for an exciting and easy to use world geography curriculum for your elementary student? Our Great Big World is a one-year course centered in God's Word that takes students on a journey around the world He made.
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. You can easily include students who are a little older or younger in your family study of this curriculum. 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 across all seven continents, highlighting God's natural wonders and amazing creatures, fascinating people God created to do fascinating things, and beautiful landmarks people have built. With open-and-go lessons, you can teach your student with minimal planning or preparation.
What's Included
The Our Great Big World 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 inspiring stories about people and places illustrated with colorful photographs.
- Listen to recordings of folktales and songs from around the world.
- Complete assignments in the Atlas Workbook.
- Enjoy coloring a picture related to each lesson in the Coloring Book.
- Use the simple Lesson Review.
- Get creative with optional hands-on projects, including recipes, crafts, and games.
We suggest seven literature titles that coordinate with the lessons to enhance your student's understanding of different regions.
Quick Overview
Our Great Big World has 90 lessons for use during one school year (30 units of 3 lessons each). Each lesson has clear instructions on what to do each day.
The main Our Great Big World book is a full-color, richly illustrated hardcover that includes 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 a 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 Great Big World Curriculum Package includes the six books listed below, which are what one child will need to complete the curriculum. If you are using the curriculum with more than one child, you can purchase additional Atlas Workbooks, Coloring Books, or Lesson Review books separately.
Our Great Big World
This book has 90 exciting lessons to read. At the end of each lesson, an Activity Ideas box provides all of the instructions and assignments for using the other books.
Folktales and Songs of Our Great Big World
This book features 30 folktales and 31 songs from around the world. You will also find a link to stream or download audio recordings of the folktales and songs.
Listen to one of the songs composed and recorded by a music teacher in Rwanda especially for this curriculum.
Our Great Big World Atlas Workbook
This consumable book has one activity page that goes along with each lesson. The activities focus on engaging map assignments, but also include puzzles and other activities that reinforce material from the lessons. We recommend that each student have his or her own Atlas Workbook.
Our Great Big World Coloring Book
This consumable book has one coloring page related to each lesson in the curriculum. Coloring is a great way to reinforce concepts visually. It requires children to focus on details and think about the subject they are coloring.
Our Great Big World Lesson Review
This consumable book has five review questions about each lesson. Most lessons have one short answer to write and four multiple choice questions. Parents may choose to have younger students answer the questions orally. Older children can write their answers in the book.
Our Great Big World Answer Key and Literature Guide
This book contains answers for the Atlas Workbook assignments (when needed) and for the Lesson Review questions. It also includes a guide for the literature titles recommended in Our Great Big World.
Our Great Big World Literature Package
We offer a literature package with the seven recommended titles. All seven titles are also available individually. Each book is assigned at a particular point in the course and takes place in a different region of the world.
What the Lessons Are Like
Lessons feature natural wonders, animals, man-made landmarks, and stories about real people. We include many stories about what life is like for Christians around the world and how they are spreading the gospel. Students can read the richly illustrated lessons on their own, or you can read the lessons aloud.
After each lesson, you will see an Activity Ideas box like this:
The number of activities for each lesson varies. The activities include:
- Finding a particular place on a globe. (We recommend purchasing a globe if you don't already have one.)
- Completing an assignment in the Atlas Workbook.
- Answering questions in the Lesson Review.
- Coloring a picture in the Coloring Book.
- Reading and listening to a folktale or song.
- Completing a creative writing assignment.
- Working on a fun family activity.
- Reading from one of the recommended literature titles.
Table of Contents and Sample Lessons
Watch author Mary Evelyn McCurdy explain how the components of Our Great Big World 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 Great Big World. Each book is set in a different region of the world.
- The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye (Middle East)
- Akimbo of Africa by Alexander McCall Smith (Africa)
- A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond (Europe)
- Race for the Record by Dave and Neta Jackson (Asia)
- The Muddleheaded Wombat by Ruth Park (Australia)
- Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat (North America)
- Juana and Lucas by Juana Medina (South America)
Read sample lessons and see sample pages from the consumable books with these PDF files.
Answer Key and Literature Guide
Audio Sample
Swahili is the language most commonly spoken in Africa. Elie Muhanano grew up speaking Swahili in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Music became Elie’s passion. He later moved to Rwanda and began teaching music to children. Elie composed this song in Swahili and recorded it in Rwanda for this curriculum.
Mary Evelyn Notgrass McCurdy was homeschooled by her parents, Ray and Charlene Notgrass. Mary Evelyn (Mev) has been a part of Notgrass History since she was in high school. She is the author of Our 50 States, an American geography curriculum, as well as Katy and Katy’s Box. She is a co-author of Our Star-Spangled Story, an American history curriculum. Mev has written and directed historical musicals for the Homeschool Dramatic Society since 1999. Mev and her husband, Nate, live in Tennessee where they homeschool their children.
Photo by Olivia Merritt Photography
Complete Elementary World Geography Curriculum
Are you looking for an exciting and easy to use world geography curriculum for your elementary student? Our Great Big World is a one-year course centered in God's Word that takes students on a journey around the world He made.
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. You can easily include students who are a little older or younger in your family study of this curriculum. 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 across all seven continents, highlighting God's natural wonders and amazing creatures, fascinating people God created to do fascinating things, and beautiful landmarks people have built. With open-and-go lessons, you can teach your student with minimal planning or preparation.
What's Included
The Our Great Big World 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 inspiring stories about people and places illustrated with colorful photographs.
- Listen to recordings of folktales and songs from around the world.
- Complete assignments in the Atlas Workbook.
- Enjoy coloring a picture related to each lesson in the Coloring Book.
- Use the simple Lesson Review.
- Get creative with optional hands-on projects, including recipes, crafts, and games.
We suggest seven literature titles that coordinate with the lessons to enhance your student's understanding of different regions.
Quick Overview
Our Great Big World has 90 lessons for use during one school year (30 units of 3 lessons each). Each lesson has clear instructions on what to do each day.
The main Our Great Big World book is a full-color, richly illustrated hardcover that includes 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 a 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 Great Big World Curriculum Package includes the six books listed below, which are what one child will need to complete the curriculum. If you are using the curriculum with more than one child, you can purchase additional Atlas Workbooks, Coloring Books, or Lesson Review books separately.
Our Great Big World
This book has 90 exciting lessons to read. At the end of each lesson, an Activity Ideas box provides all of the instructions and assignments for using the other books.
Folktales and Songs of Our Great Big World
This book features 30 folktales and 31 songs from around the world. You will also find a link to stream or download audio recordings of the folktales and songs.
Listen to one of the songs composed and recorded by a music teacher in Rwanda especially for this curriculum.
Our Great Big World Atlas Workbook
This consumable book has one activity page that goes along with each lesson. The activities focus on engaging map assignments, but also include puzzles and other activities that reinforce material from the lessons. We recommend that each student have his or her own Atlas Workbook.
Our Great Big World Coloring Book
This consumable book has one coloring page related to each lesson in the curriculum. Coloring is a great way to reinforce concepts visually. It requires children to focus on details and think about the subject they are coloring.
Our Great Big World Lesson Review
This consumable book has five review questions about each lesson. Most lessons have one short answer to write and four multiple choice questions. Parents may choose to have younger students answer the questions orally. Older children can write their answers in the book.
Our Great Big World Answer Key and Literature Guide
This book contains answers for the Atlas Workbook assignments (when needed) and for the Lesson Review questions. It also includes a guide for the literature titles recommended in Our Great Big World.
Our Great Big World Literature Package
We offer a literature package with the seven recommended titles. All seven titles are also available individually. Each book is assigned at a particular point in the course and takes place in a different region of the world.
What the Lessons Are Like
Lessons feature natural wonders, animals, man-made landmarks, and stories about real people. We include many stories about what life is like for Christians around the world and how they are spreading the gospel. Students can read the richly illustrated lessons on their own, or you can read the lessons aloud.
After each lesson, you will see an Activity Ideas box like this:
The number of activities for each lesson varies. The activities include:
- Finding a particular place on a globe. (We recommend purchasing a globe if you don't already have one.)
- Completing an assignment in the Atlas Workbook.
- Answering questions in the Lesson Review.
- Coloring a picture in the Coloring Book.
- Reading and listening to a folktale or song.
- Completing a creative writing assignment.
- Working on a fun family activity.
- Reading from one of the recommended literature titles.
Table of Contents and Sample Lessons
Watch author Mary Evelyn McCurdy explain how the components of Our Great Big World 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 Great Big World. Each book is set in a different region of the world.
- The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye (Middle East)
- Akimbo of Africa by Alexander McCall Smith (Africa)
- A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond (Europe)
- Race for the Record by Dave and Neta Jackson (Asia)
- The Muddleheaded Wombat by Ruth Park (Australia)
- Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat (North America)
- Juana and Lucas by Juana Medina (South America)
Read sample lessons and see sample pages from the consumable books with these PDF files.
Answer Key and Literature Guide
Audio Sample
Swahili is the language most commonly spoken in Africa. Elie Muhanano grew up speaking Swahili in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Music became Elie’s passion. He later moved to Rwanda and began teaching music to children. Elie composed this song in Swahili and recorded it in Rwanda for this curriculum.
Mary Evelyn Notgrass McCurdy was homeschooled by her parents, Ray and Charlene Notgrass. Mary Evelyn (Mev) has been a part of Notgrass History since she was in high school. She is the author of Our 50 States, an American geography curriculum, as well as Katy and Katy’s Box. She is a co-author of Our Star-Spangled Story, an American history curriculum. Mev has written and directed historical musicals for the Homeschool Dramatic Society since 1999. Mev and her husband, Nate, live in Tennessee where they homeschool their children.
Photo by Olivia Merritt Photography
Our Great Big World Purchase Options
Are you ready to experience all that Our Great Big World has to offer? Order today with confidence. If you are not satisfied for any reason, we offer a full money-back guarantee.
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.
We are currently accepting pre-orders for this curriculum while it is being printed and bound. We anticipate being able to ship the completed books by the first week of August.