Conservative Christians can you please recommend Ancient..

[BlessedMom]

History books that you loved and felt were appropriate for early elementary ages?

 

Is there a list of resources online that recommends appropriate age level books for each of the ancient civilizations?

 

Thanks for your time.

[Caroline4kids]

History books that you loved and felt were appropriate for early elementary ages?

 

Is there a list of resources online that recommends appropriate age level books for each of the ancient civilizations?

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Any of the books listed for Heart of Dakota's Hearts for Him Creation through Christ would be appropriate. I think that Christine Miller's adaptation of H.A. Guerber's work is probably one of the best spines for this topic.

 

Also, All Through the Ages from Christine Miller has this period divided by genre and age level.

[mama25angels]

what are the ages of your DC? I'm using MOH vol. 1 with my 8th grader and i'm thinking that my 1st grader will just tag along with him, we will still use SOTW, but it probably won't be the main spine or anything. I've heard wonderful things about the Story of series by Christine Miller as well.

[hmschooling]

I second the suggestion to check out Heart of Dakota's ancient history books. We are most definitely conservative Christian and HOD is one of very few (maybe the only) curriculums that I never have to second guess a book choice.

 

I also agree that All Through the Ages would also be a wonderful resource to have in hand when searching for books from certain time periods for certain age/grade levels.

[mama25angels]

I second the suggestion to check out Heart of Dakota's ancient history books. We are most definitely conservative Christian and HOD is one of very few (maybe the only) curriculums that I never have to second guess a book choice.

 

I also agree that All Through the Ages would also be a wonderful resource to have in hand when searching for books from certain time periods for certain age/grade levels.

 

 

 

You guys are making me rethink my choices again! I looked at HOD alot this year because I wanted to use it with my stb 1st grader, the only reason I didn't is because I already had SOTW and MOH and I really needed to concentrate on getting things for my HS students, but i'm wondering how badly they really need chemistry :lol:

[PeterPan]

This is totally not what you asked, but I'd like to say that in retrospect, I probably won't do ancients in early elementary this next time around. I found tons of books for it, and it was fine (used VP). I just realized that around 4th grade we could have started over with ancients, done everything at a higher level, and started making some of those connections I wanted. When you do it in 1st and 2nd, it's all sort of a vague, distant, fun memory, and just a bunch of stories by the time you get to 5th, nothing that really changes their soul or makes connections for them. It will come, and my dd has enjoyed what we've done. I'm just saying with my new little one I'll seriously consider doing several years of american, lots of read alouds that include ancients, then starting ancients formally in 4th.

[angela&4boys]

I'll add the BJU Heritage Studies 6 title to the other suggestions. I've heard that some moms read this aloud to their elementary dc. My ds will read it independently for the upcoming year.

 

Blessings,

[Lovedtodeath]

Here are a few from my booklist. The curriculum is secular, but I am a Christian and have a sensitive little girl (and mom;)). I believe in teaching about the myths and gods of ancient cultures, but most of these that I pulled out of my list aren't real heavy in that.

 

I had to start many books about the Iliad and stop them due to gore and morbidity. I have settled on The Trojan Horse by Emily Little and adapted parts of Tales of Troy by Andrew Lang.

 

Good Times Travel Agency

Adventures in Ancient China

 

" " Egypt

 

You Wouldn't Want to Be a Sumerian Slave

 

" " Be a Slave in Ancient Greece

 

Miranda the Great

 

Aesop's Fables Coloring Book

 

Lugalbanda: The boy

who got caught up in a war

Kathy Henderson

A picture book of the oldest written story known to date.

Lugalbanda is believed to be the father of Gilgamesh.

 

Usborne Beginners: Egyptians (IR)

Stephanie Turnbull

Included as part of Usborne’s Egyptians Kid Kit.

 

Seeker of Knowledge:

The Man who Deciphered

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

 

All About Passover

 

Optional Picture books:

 

The First Painter

Katherine Lasky

This is a beautiful picture book that describes the birth of cave painting.

 

We’re Sailing Down the Nile

A Journey Through Egypt

Laurie Krebs

A rhythmic story that is well-suited for the youngest students about a class field trip to all of the landmarks on the Nile. A section in the back has additional information that students of all ages would benefit from.

 

Tutankhamen's Gift

Robert Sabuda

How did Tutankhamen contribute to Egypt?

 

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters

John Steptoe

This is based on a folktale told by native people living near ruins in Zimbabwe. I was glad to find an Ancient African tale that was neither Egyptian nor about Anansi.

 

 

Rimonah of the Flashing Sword

A North African Tale adapted by Eric A. Kimmel, Rimonah is an African Snow white, with skin as dark as a pomegranate. She becomes a great hero of the desert nomads.

 

 

The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale

Laurence Yep, Kam Mak.

 

Fa Mulan

Robert D. San Souci.

 

Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha (I didn't read this one yet)

Jonathon Landaw

 

The Great Alexander the Great

Joe Lasker

 

Confucius: Chinese Philosopher: World Cultures Through Time (I didn't read this one yet)

Primary Source Readers

Wendy Conklin

 

You might want to add books about Jonah when studying Ninevah, and Queen Esther for Persia.

Edited June 21, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[hmschooling]

This is totally not what you asked, but I'd like to say that in retrospect, I probably won't do ancients in early elementary this next time around. I found tons of books for it, and it was fine (used VP). I just realized that around 4th grade we could have started over with ancients, done everything at a higher level, and started making some of those connections I wanted. When you do it in 1st and 2nd, it's all sort of a vague, distant, fun memory, and just a bunch of stories by the time you get to 5th, nothing that really changes their soul or makes connections for them. It will come, and my dd has enjoyed what we've done. I'm just saying with my new little one I'll seriously consider doing several years of american, lots of read alouds that include ancients, then starting ancients formally in 4th.

 

THis is almost exactly what we've decided on...a biblical history overview in K, american til about 3rd, then a world history overview from creation to present, then start with ancients in 5th. We will then finish the 4-yr cycle in 8th and get a full cycle again for high school. The gore and horrific truth is not something you want to minimize or water down yet it's too much for the younger crowd...ancients is just full of it. Waiting allows you to dig in and focus on using the truth, no matter how awful it might be, to build character and relate to the Bible in a meaningful way. We're able to accomplish this by using Heart of Dakota and have been very happy with this route.

[Lovedtodeath]

The gore and horrific truth is not something you want to minimize or water down

I do respect your decision to focus on Biblical history in lieu of the other history, but I disagree with that statement.

 

The Assyrians can get too graphic, but you can leave that out and focus on myth (Lugalbanda) and architecture, which was a big part of what made these civilizations interesting. Abraham moved from a city that was very advanced with a system of running water and sewage to live in tents. Did you know that Mesopotamians started wearing a model of their city's walls as their crown and other countries followed suit? Think of a crown. Recognize the shape? That is from Ancient Mesopotamia. There are things to learn that are not gory.

 

My DD recognizes aspects of ancient life without hearing about beheadings, etc. She finds Ancient Egyptians fascinating. What kid doesn't? There is very little focus on war when Egypt is studied.

 

The Trojan Horse by Emily Little is a great example. Children are familiar with the life-styles and geography of Greece and Troy and introduced to the story of the Iliad so that they will recognize it when it comes up later (it is not as intimidating), but they don't have to hear about the mistreatment of Hector's body, and other gory details to be familiar with the story.

 

Of course, for all of that historical knowlege to be applied to a greater understanding of Biblical history, more maturity is needed, but putting the history in a bit at a time starting early is one of the things that WTM is all about.

[Rebecca VA]

I feel it's really important to start out with the Biblical account of creation, the pre-Flood days, and the early post-Flood days. Since the Bible says that the Flood wiped out everything -- all vestiges of civilization, and even reshaped the topography of the entire world -- you can't say that Creation happened and then civilization went smoothly on thereafter. There were pre-Flood civilizations which we don't know much about, and they got destroyed and buried in the Flood.

 

There are some wonderful picture books published by Master Books (a creation science publisher). Some of the titles are "What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs?" by John D. Morris, "Noah's Ark, Noah's Flood" by John D. Morris, "Life in the Great Ice Age" by Michael J. Oard (this is my favorite because it explains cave people), and others. They're very good for young children, but even older elementary students will enjoy them because there's a lot of information packed into them.

 

There's a fabulous book by Dr. Henry M. Morris called "God and the Nations: What the Bible Has to Say About Civilizations Past and Present." It's written for adults, and I read it as background teaching material. One very important thing it discusses is the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 and 11 -- which descendants of Noah founded which nations. It helped me see ancient history in a whole new light.

[hmschooling]

I do respect your decision to focus on Biblical history in lieu of the other history, but I disagree with that statement.

 

The Assyrians can get too graphic, but you can leave that out and focus on myth (Lugalbanda) and architecture, which was a big part of what made these civilizations interesting. Abraham moved from a city that was very advanced with a system of running water and sewage to live in tents. Did you know that Mesopotamians started wearing a model of their city's walls as their crown and other countries followed suit? Think of a crown. Recognize the shape? That is from Ancient Mesopotamia. There are things to learn that are not gory.

 

My DD recognizes aspects of ancient life without hearing about beheadings, etc. She finds Ancient Egyptians fascinating. What kid doesn't? There is very little focus on war when Egypt is studied.

 

The Trojan Horse by Emily Little is a great example. Children are familiar with the life-styles and geography of Greece and Troy and introduced to the story of the Iliad so that they will recognize it when it comes up later (it is not as intimidating), but they don't have to hear about the mistreatment of Hector's body, and other gory details to be familiar with the story.

 

Of course, for all of that historical knowlege to be applied to a greater understanding of Biblical history, more maturity is needed, but putting the history in a bit at a time starting early is one of the things that WTM is all about.

 

I didn't mean not to cover the time period...I just meant you don't want to present a tragic event but make it seem like nothing. I feel it's best to not approach that topic at all and focus on other parts of the history period (like culture and architecture, etc.). I like to also have a strong foundation in biblical truth before I study the myths and gods of other cultures as not to confuse my kids when they aren't still so young that differentiating fact from "fiction" is hard. My main focus in teaching my kids is to dig out biblical truths from it and for them to see the way God's hand is in it all and what they can learn from it. I just find that easier to do when our core history is not ancients at these early ages (since I have to leave out many of the best tie-ins due to content!)

But, I have nothing against ancient history-- my young dd LOVES ancient history and reads about it in her free time from books I've approved. She'll have a wonderful foundational knowledge of the time period once we get to it. I think it's great to start early teaching history no matter where you begin. It just works best for my family if I'm not having to omit and tweak so much. There are many great resources out there to teach ancient history to youngers. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you had to defend your decision to teach it to your kids. That wasn't my intention. Much like the post before mine, I was simply stating another option that I have found to work very well for us...especially if you are having a hard time finding books that will work with your beliefs and your kids ages for this time period.

:001_smile:

[Lovedtodeath]

I didn't mean not to cover the time period...I just meant you don't want to present a tragic event but make it seem like nothing. I feel it's best to not approach that topic at all and focus on other parts of the history period (like culture and architecture, etc.). I like to also have a strong foundation in biblical truth before I study the myths and gods of other cultures as not to confuse my kids when they aren't still so young that differentiating fact from "fiction" is hard. My main focus in teaching my kids is to dig out biblical truths from it and for them to see the way God's hand is in it all and what they can learn from it. I just find that easier to do when our core history is not ancients at these early ages (since I have to leave out many of the best tie-ins due to content!)

But, I have nothing against ancient history-- my young dd LOVES ancient history and reads about it in her free time from books I've approved. She'll have a wonderful foundational knowledge of the time period once we get to it. I think it's great to start early teaching history no matter where you begin. It just works best for my family if I'm not having to omit and tweak so much. There are many great resources out there to teach ancient history to youngers. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you had to defend your decision to teach it to your kids. That wasn't my intention. Much like the post before mine, I was simply stating another option that I have found to work very well for us...especially if you are having a hard time finding books that will work with your beliefs and your kids ages for this time period.

:001_smile:

I completely understand your viewpoint on this. I am sorry if I came across as confrontational. I think we are more similar than it may appear. Edited June 21, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[Lovedtodeath]

 

I feel it's really important to start out with the Biblical account of creation, the pre-Flood days, and the early post-Flood days. Since the Bible says that the Flood wiped out everything -- all vestiges of civilization, and even reshaped the topography of the entire world -- you can't say that Creation happened and then civilization went smoothly on thereafter. There were pre-Flood civilizations which we don't know much about, and they got destroyed and buried in the Flood.

I really wonder about this and would love history books that would tie this in. I just go by my understanding of the timeline (the Harappans would be pre-flood). I wonder how accurate some of the dates that we have are, and how many myths come from pre-flood time. Maybe some of those stories that were found buried were written before that? :001_huh: Where did all of those ideas come from? Did members of Noah's family pass them down? It seems unlikely. Then again, the tower of Babel was post flood... Reading about this from a source that knows more than me would be great!

[FloridaLisa]

Two of my favorite source for ancient history:

 

*Greenleaf Guide to Old Testament History - excellent; we've cycled through it twice now. We start Ancient History with Genesis. The Greenleaf Guide does a great job of breaking the OT reading into manageable daily chunks, with follow-up questions and a few hands-on projects.

 

*Veritas Press: The VP cards tie together secular and Christian history. The VP catalog has great book recommendations to round out the reading.

 

If your dc are very young, you might do well using the Bible as your initial spine; Eyewitness type books for information of particular cultures such as the Sumerians, Chaldeans, Egyptians; Israel and Its Neighbors or Laurie Carlson's Classical Kids for hands-on projects and the VP reading list.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[HiddenJewel]

Greenleaf Guides

 

Simply Charlotte Mason\

 

Heart of Wisdom Unit Studies (not sure if they are good for younger students or not)

[Lovedtodeath]

You might also look at Tanglewoodeducation.com where they use Our Young Folk's Josephus as a spine.

[amtmcm]

This is totally not what you asked, but I'd like to say that in retrospect, I probably won't do ancients in early elementary this next time around. I found tons of books for it, and it was fine (used VP). I just realized that around 4th grade we could have started over with ancients, done everything at a higher level, and started making some of those connections I wanted. When you do it in 1st and 2nd, it's all sort of a vague, distant, fun memory, and just a bunch of stories by the time you get to 5th, nothing that really changes their soul or makes connections for them. It will come, and my dd has enjoyed what we've done. I'm just saying with my new little one I'll seriously consider doing several years of american, lots of read alouds that include ancients, then starting ancients formally in 4th.

 

:iagree:

 

Here's an excellent article on this topic from Beautiful Feet:

http://www.bfbooks.com/s.nl/it.I/id.2/.f

[PeterPan]

Yeah, I read articles like that. I had TQ at the time, and back in those days, when TQ was so popular, it was a LOT harder to do american with early elementary than it is now. TQ is basically free-form, just topics and lists of books, leaving you the entire working of structuring. We pre-dated WP AS1, and even the WP AS series wasn't quite right for us. Even now there isn't anything that's amazing. (Shh, I didn't say that!) Doing it over, I'd probably use the Rainbow Book of American History as a read aloud in those early grades. I've become keen on MP's articles on history, which really resonate with me and my experience. I think broad exposure through read alouds and plenty of intermingling is probably about where it's at.

[Soph the vet]

My favorites for Ancients with elementary:

Victor Journey Through the Bible (Beers)

Moses' Ark (out of print but if you can find it, very good)

What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs?

Classical Kids (Laurie Carlson)

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth (Lasky)

Any of the Brian Wildsmith books (Moses, Exodus, Joseph, etc.)

Pharoahs of Ancient Egypt (Payne)

D'Aulaire's Greek Myths (my kids love this one for some reason)

Any books by Rosemary Sutcliff

[ChicoryChick]

This is totally not what you asked, but I'd like to say that in retrospect, I probably won't do ancients in early elementary this next time around. I found tons of books for it, and it was fine (used VP). I just realized that around 4th grade we could have started over with ancients, done everything at a higher level, and started making some of those connections I wanted. When you do it in 1st and 2nd, it's all sort of a vague, distant, fun memory, and just a bunch of stories by the time you get to 5th, nothing that really changes their soul or makes connections for them. It will come, and my dd has enjoyed what we've done. I'm just saying with my new little one I'll seriously consider doing several years of american, lots of read alouds that include ancients, then starting ancients formally in 4th.

 

:iagree: I also agree with HOD have some of the best conservative Ancient books choices that I have come across in a curriculum!

Edited June 22, 2009 by kayinpa

[Donna A.]

D'Aulaire's Greek Myths (my kids love this one for some reason)

 

My oldest dd just read this one last year, and she didn't like it at ALL. She got very upset and proclaimed that they "just took things out of the Bible and twisted them to make up stuff". And this was at age 12. Since the op was addressed to conservative Christians, I would recommend holding off on this book til they're older. I know it's very popular for younger kids, esp in the classical crowd, but that doesn't mean it's right for everybody. (Still not sure what ages we're talking about with the op.) "Early" elementary to me implies up to about 3rd or 4th grade.

 

One book that we enjoyed when the girls were younger was the Magic Tree House story about the Olympics. It told just *enough* in a light and fun way without being gory or too detailed.

 

The Trojan Horse was also a good choice.

 

But mostly I'd focus on the Bible for that time period until at least 4th grade, maybe even older for some kids who are very sensitive. Studying history chronologically doesn't mean one HAS to start with all the gory details of the pagans at age 6 or 7. Even with the Bible, I'd focus on the main Bible stories and not read a lot of the icky details at that age.

[Lovedtodeath]

Black Ships Before Troy is very morbid and full of gory details. I would not recommend it.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I'm in the process of planning for next year. Here are some of the books I'm planning for my 5yo (whose tagging along with his older sisters).

 

Biblical history:

 

Egermeier's Bible Story Book

A is for Adam by Ham

D is for Dinosaur by Ham

What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs

The True Story of Noah's Ark by Dooley

Joseph by Wildsmith

Exodus by Wildsmith

 

Ancient Egypt

 

Ancient Egypt by Cohen (I skip the couple of pages dealing with the religion)

Pyramid by Delafosse

Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki

Croco'Nile

The Shipwrecked Sailor

 

HTH

[BlessedMom]

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful Ancient History resource recommendations.

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, personal experiences, suggestions, and recommendations. You have given me much food for thought and many great resources to research.

 

You ladies are amazing and I am so blessed by your detailed thoughts and responses!

 

Thank you and bless you all!

[Classically Minded]

I've been searching the forum for something like this list - thank you so much for these!! ;)

 

Here are a few from my booklist. The curriculum is secular, but I am a Christian and have a sensitive little girl (and mom;)). I believe in teaching about the myths and gods of ancient cultures, but most of these that I pulled out of my list aren't real heavy in that.

 

I had to start many books about the Iliad and stop them due to gore and morbidity. I have settled on The Trojan Horse by Emily Little and adapted parts of Tales of Troy by Andrew Lang.

 

Good Times Travel Agency

Adventures in Ancient China

 

" " Egypt

 

You Wouldn't Want to Be a Sumerian Slave

 

" " Be a Slave in Ancient Greece

 

Miranda the Great

 

Aesop's Fables Coloring Book

 

Lugalbanda: The boy

who got caught up in a war

Kathy Henderson

A picture book of the oldest written story known to date.

Lugalbanda is believed to be the father of Gilgamesh.

 

Usborne Beginners: Egyptians (IR)

Stephanie Turnbull

Included as part of Usborne’s Egyptians Kid Kit.

 

Seeker of Knowledge:

The Man who Deciphered

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

 

All About Passover

 

Optional Picture books:

 

The First Painter

Katherine Lasky

This is a beautiful picture book that describes the birth of cave painting.

 

We’re Sailing Down the Nile

A Journey Through Egypt

Laurie Krebs

A rhythmic story that is well-suited for the youngest students about a class field trip to all of the landmarks on the Nile. A section in the back has additional information that students of all ages would benefit from.

 

Tutankhamen's Gift

Robert Sabuda

How did Tutankhamen contribute to Egypt?

 

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters

John Steptoe

This is based on a folktale told by native people living near ruins in Zimbabwe. I was glad to find an Ancient African tale that was neither Egyptian nor about Anansi.

 

 

Rimonah of the Flashing Sword

A North African Tale adapted by Eric A. Kimmel, Rimonah is an African Snow white, with skin as dark as a pomegranate. She becomes a great hero of the desert nomads.

 

 

The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale

Laurence Yep, Kam Mak.

 

Fa Mulan

Robert D. San Souci.

 

Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha (I didn't read this one yet)

Jonathon Landaw

 

The Great Alexander the Great

Joe Lasker

 

Confucius: Chinese Philosopher: World Cultures Through Time (I didn't read this one yet)

Primary Source Readers

Wendy Conklin

 

You might want to add books about Jonah when studying Ninevah, and Queen Esther for Persia.

[Lovedtodeath]

I've been searching the forum for something like this list - thank you so much for these!! ;)

You are welcome. You can find the complete list for the curriculum at my link. ;) I am still writing the second half, so it is subject to updates.

[live2love]

This is totally not what you asked, but I'd like to say that in retrospect, I probably won't do ancients in early elementary this next time around. I found tons of books for it, and it was fine (used VP). I just realized that around 4th grade we could have started over with ancients, done everything at a higher level, and started making some of those connections I wanted. When you do it in 1st and 2nd, it's all sort of a vague, distant, fun memory, and just a bunch of stories by the time you get to 5th, nothing that really changes their soul or makes connections for them. It will come, and my dd has enjoyed what we've done. I'm just saying with my new little one I'll seriously consider doing several years of american, lots of read alouds that include ancients, then starting ancients formally in 4th.

 

I know this post was from 2009, but this is exactly what I have been considering with my upcoming 1st grader. Doing a couple years of American history with lots of different read-alouds and getting a good grasp on geography/maps/globes as well. Then start ancients in probably 3rd grade. It seems like they would retain more of American history in 1st and 2nd simply because we are immersed in the culture. :)

 

I am thinking of going through Beyond Little Hearts and Bigger Hearts from HOD just to have something all laid out for me while I get used to homeschooling my oldest (1st grade) with four more little ones around.

 

My question is what did you use to start ancients in 4th grade? VP? I just don't know if they would seem too young for them at that point. I have ATTA and I plan to probably use a lot from Greenleaf press and the Miller/Guerber books.

 

Also, what are some books that you recommend using for American history in the early grades?

 

Just wondering how things have turned out, and if you have any "been-there-done-that" advice to impart!

 

Thanks a lot!

 

~Michaela~

[jewel7123]

I feel it's really important to start out with the Biblical account of creation, the pre-Flood days, and the early post-Flood days. Since the Bible says that the Flood wiped out everything -- all vestiges of civilization, and even reshaped the topography of the entire world -- you can't say that Creation happened and then civilization went smoothly on thereafter. There were pre-Flood civilizations which we don't know much about, and they got destroyed and buried in the Flood.

 

There are some wonderful picture books published by Master Books (a creation science publisher). Some of the titles are "What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs?" by John D. Morris, "Noah's Ark, Noah's Flood" by John D. Morris, "Life in the Great Ice Age" by Michael J. Oard (this is my favorite because it explains cave people), and others. They're very good for young children, but even older elementary students will enjoy them because there's a lot of information packed into them.

 

There's a fabulous book by Dr. Henry M. Morris called "God and the Nations: What the Bible Has to Say About Civilizations Past and Present." It's written for adults, and I read it as background teaching material. One very important thing it discusses is the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 and 11 -- which descendants of Noah founded which nations. It helped me see ancient history in a whole new light.

 

Rebecca, what curriculum do you use to accomplish this? Thanks!

 

ETA: Oh, wow, just saw the date on this. Thanks for resurrecting it though, its a good post! =)

Edited February 22, 2010 by jewel7123

[Parrothead]

I do respect your decision to focus on Biblical history in lieu of the other history, but I disagree with that statement.

 

The Assyrians can get too graphic, but you can leave that out and focus on myth (Lugalbanda) and architecture, which was a big part of what made these civilizations interesting. Abraham moved from a city that was very advanced with a system of running water and sewage to live in tents. Did you know that Mesopotamians started wearing a model of their city's walls as their crown and other countries followed suit? Think of a crown. Recognize the shape? That is from Ancient Mesopotamia. There are things to learn that are not gory.

 

My DD recognizes aspects of ancient life without hearing about beheadings, etc. She finds Ancient Egyptians fascinating. What kid doesn't? There is very little focus on war when Egypt is studied.

 

The Trojan Horse by Emily Little is a great example. Children are familiar with the life-styles and geography of Greece and Troy and introduced to the story of the Iliad so that they will recognize it when it comes up later (it is not as intimidating), but they don't have to hear about the mistreatment of Hector's body, and other gory details to be familiar with the story.

 

Of course, for all of that historical knowlege to be applied to a greater understanding of Biblical history, more maturity is needed, but putting the history in a bit at a time starting early is one of the things that WTM is all about.

:iagree:Biblical history can be gruesome. Start with Cain and Able and finish with the crucifixion.

[Lovedtodeath]

Well, while we are all here :D. Rebecca, does your book give young earth dates for ancient civilizations? I noticed that SOTW and the encyclopedias have timelines that do not take the flood into consideration. If that book doesn't, does someone else have any suggestions?

[Rebecca VA]

We did Ancient History two years ago, when my daughter was in fifth grade. I was using TOG, which was very good, but I was frustrated by its failure to stress that the Flood completely wiped away the earliest civilizations (TOG does mention the Flood, but it doesn't treat it as the civilization-destroying event that it was, and the books on its booklists don't even mention the Flood in their timelines). So I added material to what TOG already recommends. The creation science picture books I mentioned were a big part of that, and I did some reading for my own knowledge. We also used Rod & Staff's wonderful Bible history curriculum to track along with the secular material.

 

I can't remember if the Master Books material talks about specific dates for Creation and the Flood. I have loaned my books to another mom, so I can't check for you right now (sorry!).

[Chloe]

This is similar to what we do....... Biblical history in K using Catherine Vos' Story Bible, American in 1st and 2nd with Pioneers and Patriots and lots of good books (especially D'Aulaires) from Beautiful Feet Early American History and Truthquest American History for Young Students guides, a general world history overview with Child's History of the World and supplemental books in 3rd grade, then start ancient history in 4th grade. If the cycle is finished in four years (by the end of 7th grade), I may consider doing a year of world geography in 8th using MFW's ECC or SL Core 5 before starting another history cycle in high school. But I'm willing to allow 5 years for the first cycle, if needed.

 

 

THis is almost exactly what we've decided on...a biblical history overview in K, american til about 3rd, then a world history overview from creation to present, then start with ancients in 5th. We will then finish the 4-yr cycle in 8th and get a full cycle again for high school. The gore and horrific truth is not something you want to minimize or water down yet it's too much for the younger crowd...ancients is just full of it. Waiting allows you to dig in and focus on using the truth, no matter how awful it might be, to build character and relate to the Bible in a meaningful way. We're able to accomplish this by using Heart of Dakota and have been very happy with this route.

[live2love]

This is similar to what we do....... Biblical history in K using Catherine Vos' Story Bible, American in 1st and 2nd with Pioneers and Patriots and lots of good books (especially D'Aulaires) from Beautiful Feet Early American History and Truthquest American History for Young Students guides, a general world history overview with Child's History of the World and supplemental books in 3rd grade, then start ancient history in 4th grade. If the cycle is finished in four years (by the end of 7th grade), I may consider doing a year of world geography in 8th using MFW's ECC or SL Core 5 before starting another history cycle in high school. But I'm willing to allow 5 years for the first cycle, if needed.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking time to share what you do! You are one of several I have been paying close attention to because your style/taste is so similar to my own! :) This really helps to solidify my decision to teach history this way.

 

Rebecca, it's good to hear how wonderful the Rod and Staff Bible program is, I was just wondering about that as well!

 

Thanks,

Michaela

[mrsrevmeg]

We have used TOG for ancient history and the books they recommend are fabulous! If you go to Bookshelf Central you can do a search for year one, lower grammar or upper grammar books. You can also go to Tapestry of Grace,

click on store, and look to the left of the screen. There will be a resource list that you can see everything they recommend for each level. So far, we have not seen any books that my husband and I feel are inappropriate. I have not finished looking through all the unit four books, but most of them are dealing with Rome, the early church and such.

[Rebecca VA]

Oh, I wasn't trying to bad-mouth TOG at all! I like it a lot. I was teaching a TOG class that year, and really felt a heavy responsibility to present things as Biblically accurately as possible. I couldn't find dates that corresponded with a young earth/worldwide Flood mindset in any of the recommended books (in fact, the books didn't even agree with each other). I also added in many books that I felt would add even more Hebraic/Christian perspective. We even learned the Hebrew alphabet and visited a historic synagogue!

 

No, I didn't discard the TOG recommendations; I only added to them.

[jewel7123]

We have used TOG for ancient history and the books they recommend are fabulous! If you go to Bookshelf Central you can do a search for year one, lower grammar or upper grammar books. You can also go to Tapestry of Grace,

click on store, and look to the left of the screen. There will be a resource list that you can see everything they recommend for each level. So far, we have not seen any books that my husband and I feel are inappropriate. I have not finished looking through all the unit four books, but most of them are dealing with Rome, the early church and such.

 

How old are your kids that are doing TOG yr 1? Just curious.....

[Wendi]

I really liked a number of the VP literature, both colorful and engaging nonfiction books and read-alouds. Our favorites for ancients were:

 

Tirzah

Adventures in Ancient Greece

Alexander the Great

Archimedes and the Door of Science

Black Ships Before Troy

The Bronze Bow (a bit over ds's head at the time, but a wonderful book!)

Children's Homer

Detectives in Togas AND Mystery of the Roman Ransom (*LOVED THESE)

Librarian Who Measured the Earth

Lysis Goes to the Play

Peril and Peace (*EXCELLENT CHURCH HISTORY)

Theras and His Town

A Triumph for Flavius

The Wanderings of Odysseus

 

They've added a number of books to their catalogue since we did Ancients. Some people find Black Ships Before Troy, The Wanderings of Odysseus, and the other similar book to be too much for young elementary (violence, etc.). My ds also really enjoyed the Mary Pope Osborne series Tales from the Odyssey; these are exciting, but "younger".

 

For church history, you can't beat Peril and Peace. For learning about the culture through the eyes of a child, I loved "Lysis", "Theras", and "Flavius". For just plain fun, while learning a surprising amount, the Detectives in Togas books are wonderful!

 

Wendi