Visualize World Geography in 7 Minutes a Day: Let Pictography Take you from Clueless to Knowing the World
Author: Theresa A. Blain
Publisher: Tender Heart Press
For more information or to order: www.tenderheartpress.com

I have found several mnemonic tools to teach U.S. states and capitals, but had never located a tool for teaching world geography—until now.   We all have gazed at the clouds and identified objects or animals; Theresa Blain identifies common pictures in landforms of bordering nations to help us visualize geography.  Through her “pictography” and mnemonic devices you can easily learn the location of over 100 nations and their flags. 

The 6” x 9” bound book begins each section with a pictography (ex. eagle on rock, Scottie dog, rooster chasing caterpillar, etc.) on a continent outline map.  Each pictography (21 in all) depicts from one to 11 nations.  For each nation, the left page shows a smaller pictography, a labeled map, a colored flag and a mnemonic device (paragraph explaining what to look for in the picture or a storyline to remember the details.)  The right page includes a fill-in-the-blank section for capitals and bordering nations (to be used at a later time to review), a country profile (terrain, population, languages, religions, currency, etc.) a flag description, and an area to draw and color the flag.  At the end of each section you will find a flag quiz and an outline map to identify the nations for that pictography.  Additional countries are included without pictography using creative visuals and the nation’s flag to bring the total nations covered to 112.  The book includes a CD clearly stating the nation and capital city as well as jingles for younger listeners.  The index makes it easy to locate a particular nation in the 288-page book and the corresponding information on the CD.

Here’s how it works.  Select 1 or 2 nations a day to learn from a particular pictography.  Read the mnemonic device and identify the part of the pictography depicted for each nation. Listen to the CD for correct pronunciation.  Next, look at the nation’s flag and read the description.  Say the nation and capital over and over while drawing the flag.  Later in the day, look at the pictography’s flag section—point to the flag and recite the name of nation and capital (requiring about 30 seconds).  Throughout the day look back at the pictography, point to and identify the nation, and say the capital city (30 seconds).  Although Ms. Blain suggests learning no more than two nations a day, five days a week, let your child set the pace.  You are not to proceed with another pictography until your child can easily locate each nation on the map and identify the flag and capital city.

Here’s why it works.  Pictography takes what the scientific community knows about effective memory encoding/retrieval processes in our brain and applies it to learning geography.  When you associate new geographical information with easy, everyday words and organize these associations visually (pictography), put them in a story (mnemonic device) or in an auditory format (music jingles) the more successful you will be in remembering this information.  In addition, the various formats will help you capitalize on your child’s particular learning style.

My two girls and I have found the methods presented in Visualize World Geography extremely useful in remembering the location of nations, capital cities and flags.  After we had reviewed the information in the morning, I found it best to bookmark both the pictography page and the flag/outline map at the end of the section and keep the book at hand to review periodically throughout the day.  A corresponding set of flashcards would be a great compliment to the book as you could easily pull out just the countries studied to create games and activities to reinforce and review.

Few Americans can identify nations on a world map. As homeschoolers, we, too, often neglect this area of study.  Visualize World Geography offers a solution and will help your child (and you!) have success in learning world geography.

Making the grade: A+
Cost: $19.95
Value for your homeschool dollar: 10
Reviewed by Carol Benson, Homeschool mom of 2