How the textbook helps

Not all children are going to enjoy textbook learning, but the textbook doesn't have to be just for the children!
Recently I bought a geography textbook to use with the boys. The first topic that we are covering is a chapter on volcanoes, earthquakes and tropical storms. Part of the chapter addresses the impact of these events on human populations, how people prepare for and manage their response when events like this happen.When I heard about the supertyphoon Megi hitting the Phillipines I got the boys to go onto news websites and read the reports.
As I read the page myself I realised how the description of the Phillipino disater management effort was such a good illustration of the issues the textbook had described. As a result of looking through the textbook I was able to start a discussion with the boys and get them to understand the difference between advance preparedness in case of disaster, and emergency response at the time through the examples given in one short news report.
I have to admit that without having read that textbook through previously I would not have thought to analyse the event in this way. I would have mainly focussed on the physical geography, the phenomenon of the storm itself and the material damage it may have caused.
So, that was how the textbook helped.