Please Help me pick an Am. History Spine!!!

[Soror]

Ugh!!! I have spent way too much time and effort looking over various books and still am not sure what to get. I have already all the major d'Aulaires books, a few "If you Lived" and a few various other books. I am looking for a spine and some lesson ideas to tie it together.

 

I looked at Guest Hollow but it seems they recommend a lot of books, which I don't think I will have access to at the local library and I really want it more simple.

 

I looked at "The American Story" which seems perhaps it is a bit anti-Christian and also at HE Marshalls US book which seems is perhaps anti-Catholic.

 

Ideas? Nothing anti-christian, or Catholic but it doesn't have to be strongly religious- or thoughts from other's on "The American Story" or HE Marshall's book. I like the fact that it is recommended by both AO and Mater Ambelis(which seems pretty strictly Catholic).

 

I need the info from people that have actually used various programs! HELP!!

[susankenny]

Hi,

 

Guest Hollow recommends a lot of books with the assumption you will only pick and choose a few. You certainly don't need to get them all, as the author is just trying to give you a selection.

 

If you already own a lot of the D'Aulaire books, I'd suggest looking at Beautful Feet Early American History - they include a lot of those books :)

 

Here's a link:

 

http://www.bfbooks.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a0101431f43a35364aacb8d4dc1a7d2f0d707578df1.e3eTax4KaN0Le34Pa38Ta38SaNb0?sc=18&category=854

 

 

 

Susan

[Avila]

I will throw a few things out here just to offer some possibilities. I used How Our Nation Began, which is sold by Emmanuel Books and OLVS. You can also get a workbook to go with it that has mapwork and activities.

 

It might be more than what you are looking for, but it is written to a younger crowd, IMO, than Our Pioneers and Patriots or the Seton book set. I have used it with an advanced 2nd grader with no problems, and I think if you read it aloud, you could go younger. MODG uses it in their 3rd grade syllabus, but it is pretty easy to use on its own, too. It only covers half of American history, and then you would need to find How America Grew used or go with the second Seton book to finish off. And MODG schedules some of the books you mentioned having already, which would be a plus.

 

Another possibility is the Artner Guide. It would be more work, though. It is what I am thinking about using for our next go-round through American history. It would pose little to no problems for Catholics, IMO.

 

Yet another possibility is using the Eggleston history books. You can buy them or get them free online. Eggleston tells American history using stories and biographies. They seem less controversial than TCoO, but keep in mind that I haven't read all of both books. HOD uses them in Bigger Hearts for His Glory, and that would pull a year together for you. I think this year of HOD would be fine for Catholics, but I have reservations about some of their other programs. Anyhow, Bigger looks like a good year to try.

 

Best wishes!

Edited June 13, 2010 by Asenik

[t-hat]

We really liked Children's Encyclopedia of American History: http://amzn.com/0789483300

 

it was the old spine used by Winterpromise til they switched to "American Story". We liked it a lot and supplemented it with a lot of literature - but it worked well for a straightforward spine.

[Dina in Oklahoma]

Ok . . . but I'm ducking as some have issues with a few of these :tongue_smilie:

 

Abeka

Guerber

All American History

Drive Thru History text

 

supplemented with lots of living books!

 

ETA~ We are using Eggleston also,DD loves history and reads for fun.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dina in Oklahoma

[Avila]

We really liked Children's Encyclopedia of American History: http://amzn.com/0789483300

 

it was the old spine used by Winterpromise til they switched to "American Story". We liked it a lot and supplemented it with a lot of literature - but it worked well for a straightforward spine.

 

We have this one too!

 

If you can get an older copy of WP (2006, I think), it schedules this for you and it was before they didn't allow the resale of their materials, so you may be able to get ahold of one. The Catholics I know using WP all recommend using the older version of it instead of the new one with The American Story. They have a yahoogroup CatholicWP if you want to know more.

[BlessedMom]

Recently I came across "A Living History of Our World: America's Story, Vol. 1" and thought it looked interesting.

 

You can see it here:

 

http://www.queenhomeschool.com/productpages/History/americasstoryvolume1.html

 

The author has a blog at this site and there are some additional sample pages if you scroll down the page.

 

http://angela-odellfamily.blogspot.com/

 

 

hth

[Jen the RD]

What about A Child's Story of America by Christian Liberty Press. I think it would be perfect for the age group of your dc. It comes with a teacher's answer book and tests. Chapters are short so you can easily supplement with some quality literature. Here's a link to see it:

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1276456934-681683

 

HTH,

Jennifer

[Robin's Song]

Hi,

 

 

If you already own a lot of the D'Aulaire books, I'd suggest looking at Beautful Feet Early American History - they include a lot of those books :)

 

Here's a link:

 

http://www.bfbooks.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a0101431f43a35364aacb8d4dc1a7d2f0d707578df1.e3eTax4KaN0Le34Pa38Ta38SaNb0?sc=18&category=854

 

 

 

Susan

 

:iagree:

[Soror]

I am researching every suggestion here, thanks so much for the ideas.

 

Looking at the BF for primary I do have most of the books there, so that would be fairly inexpensive- I could buy the guide and a few more books.

 

However, I see that I already had the Eggleston books in my wishlist(I had forgot all about it)- so I really like the idea of using it as well and supplementing w/ the other books- any thoughts on that?

[Avila]

I think the Eggleston books would work well that way.

 

Here is a link to Maria Rioux, another Catholic homeschool mom who has graciously shared some of her lesson plans on the internet:

 

http://www.shirreware.com/StThomasSite/Site/Welcome%21.html

 

This is the year she uses Eggleston and some of the resources she schedules with it. I like her lists, and she gives a lot of good ideas.

 

http://www.shirreware.com/StThomasSite/Site/Welcome!_files/Four-1.pdf

[Soror]

These are what I have or have coming my way:

 

D'Aulaire Leif the Lucky

D'Aulaire Columbus

D'Aulaire Pocahontas-

D'Aulaire Benjamin Franklin-

D'Aulaire Abraham Lincoln

D'Aulaire George Washington

D'Aulaire - Star Spangled Banner

 

Meet Abraham Lincoln

The 4th of July Story

Great Am. HeroesEric the Red and Leif the Lucky

A Picture Book of George Washington

Meet Christopher Columbus

Bennett's A Children's Book of America

If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad

If You Lived American Revolution

If You Traveled West In a Covered Wagon

 

Squanto

My First Thanksgiving

Meet the N. Am. Indians

A Day in a Hopi Village

 

Plus various other Lincoln , Edison, and Columbus books.

 

 

I am thinking of perhaps buying the 2 Eggleston books and maybe adding d'Aulaires Buffalo Bill.

 

I am LOVING those lesson plans using it- looks like a wealth of information!!!

 

Does anybody see gaps in what I have? I do have access to a library as well of course, but they don't have a lot of classics there and it is often hard to get ILL.

[Soror]

Thanks again to all for input, always happy for more, but I think, hope I have finally decided!!!

 

Thinking again that I will use Egleston w/ the aforementioned free lessons as a loose guide- living books added.

 

then also weave the "The Catholic Faith Comes to America"