Knowledge Quest Maps and Timelines

by Terri Johnson

Knowledge Quest

Terri Johnson has created a marvelous collection of blackline maps and timelines that can be used alongside all of your history studies. Maps also come with lesson plans—basically activity suggestions for research and entries on the maps.

Maps

Maps are available for world history and American history. I'll begin with the Blackline Maps of World History. Terri has divided these maps into four time periods: The Ancients (5000 BC-400 AD), The Middle Ages (400-1600), The New World (1600-1850), and The Modern World (1850-the present). For each period, there are 25 to 28 maps, about four or five pages of the aforementioned lesson plans, and a page with a glossary of terms and a list of geographical regions or places covered.

The selection of maps is quite broad. There are maps from Asia and other parts of the world, but the collections and the activities reflect an essentially western civilization approach.

The maps are blackline (including some gray shading) with crisp, clear lines, printed on sturdy 24 pound paper. These basic maps include a minimal amount of identification/labeling so there's plenty of room for students to add their own information whether it be geographical features such as rivers or mountains, cities, or battle lines. An "expanded" version of each set of maps is also available. The expanded sets include all of the above plus another full set of maps with no labeling other than the title of the map. These are suitable for older students sixth grade and up.

Permission is given to reproduce maps for personal use but not for an entire classroom or school. (Contact the publisher for information on classroom use.) Each set comes in loose-leaf format, shrink wrapped for you to insert into your own binder. A cover sheet is included, so it's a great idea to purchase a binder with a clear overlay so you can insert the cover on the front.

You can save money by purchasing a complete set of all four time periods. The complete set comes already packaged in a two-inch binder.

To add even more options the four individual sets are also available as downloadable files from the website. While I'm mentioning downloadable PDF files, be sure to check out the free sample maps that can be downloaded from the website.

The complete set can be purchased on a single CD-ROM for the best deal yet. All the pages from the "books" are included. The only difference seems to be that the CD versions (PDF files) are saved at lower definition than the preprinted versions, so you can easily see the pixels in the "grayed areas" and symbols. This is not really a problem but just something to consider. This CD and all others run on either Windows or Macintosh systems.

Blackline Maps of American History is a single package covering 1000 AD to the present. It features more than 80 maps, including an 11" x 17" United States map with state outlines. Fifty of the maps are of individual states. Maps cover topics such as exploration and expansion, Native American tribal groups, the original colonies, and the Civil War. But they also cover other topics that arise in United States history courses such as WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the war in Vietnam, the Gulf War, 9/11, Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom--a high proportion of war coverage among these maps. As with the world history maps, there are lesson plan suggestions on the first six pages. Blackline Maps of American History comes in the print version in a binder, in a downloadable version, or on CD-ROM.

All of Knowledge Quest's maps are also available as giant 24" x 30" wall maps, either laminated or unlaminated.

Those using Tapestry of Grace should check out the joint project Tapestry of Grace MapAids CDs designed to work with that curriculum. Information is on the website.

Timelines

Wall Timelines of World History follow the same breakdown as the world history maps with four separate timelines. Each timeline is ten feet long by one foot tall--this is really long. Be sure to measure off wall space before ordering if you want to keep one or more of them up all the time.

Timelines are printed with just enough color to make them visually appealing but not too busy when students begin to add stickers, drawings, and information. Each timeline comes with a set of 150 category stickers. These are not for specific people or events but rather for 16 different categories like art, exploration and discovery, and wars and conflict. (You can order a packet of an additional 300 stickers if you need extra.)

Those who lack ten-foot long blank walls might be interested in the timeline book, Wonders of Old: A Blank Timeline Book of World History. This is a beautiful 96-page hardcover book with pages printed on 70 lb. paper. Most of the pages are your timeline pages marked off into time periods. The book is divided into the same four sections as the other timelines and map resources. The book comes with a postcard to be sent in to the publisher for a free set of 125 timeline category stickers. For each section of the book, there are a few pages of key events and dates that students might enter on the timeline.

Wonders of Old is also available on CD-ROM or as a download. The CD-ROM and downloaded file both also have files and instructions for printing out the stickers on Avery sticker-size labels. I also appreciate the CD's instructions for how to easily print out double-sided pages on a printer that does only one side at a time. I love the look and feel of the book, but if you have more than one child, you'll really save by purchasing the digital files and printing out copies for each child.

None of these timeline options includes actual figures. Rather than produce yet another set of figures, Knowledge Quest sells the timeline figures from History through the Ages. Information is in their catalog and on their website.

Knowledge Quest has really covered all the bases with their high quality maps and timelines in formats to suit just about everyone.