Prairie~Phlox Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 After talking about Independence Day a little bit I've decided I probably should cover some U.S. History along with our normal History rotation. This year we are covering Rome to Reformation. Any suggestions for something light that I could use. Thanks, Phlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Read and/or watch John Adams (HBO miniseries). I just finished the last part a few minutes ago -- I'm still wiping away the tears. Its that good :) My best advice would be to familiarize yourself w/ US History while you are doing Ancients. Then you will be inspired to share what YOU are learning -- and that excitement will be contagious. Speaking from recent experience... Happy Birthday America! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeBean Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 There's a whole series of books by Betty Maestro that cover US from ancients to 20th century(ish?). Each book is about 50 pages. They look like picture books but are chockfull of information with awesome maps and statistics at the back. I hav ea few and will probably get the rest (used somewhere) and keep them around for quick refences even for older kids. Coffee Bean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 This year we are covering Rome to Reformation. Any suggestions for something light that I could use? if you want to keep that time period, you might use Suzanne Strauss Art's history of American Indian nations. If you want to hit the major points or common stories, I'd recommend The American Story. It's light for your kids ages, and interesting, and the pictures will draw the kids in. It should only take twenty minutes to read a couple of stories, and if you do that every week, you'll have spanned American history in a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peso Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 these are some great ideas! I wish there was a Story of the USA like SOTW... Cheers - Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 We are covering a bit of Amer. Hist this year b/c my ds10 must have some Amer. Hist before 7th gr. (per PA requirements). A few things that we are doing: 1. Presidential Elections - I just bought a lapbook from KBC during the 50% off sale (so the book was $7.50 or so). They have a K-5 and a 6th-12th book. 2. We have several Liberty's Kids DVD's and my kids LOVE watching them. They really retain a lot of it leads to more discussions and book reading 3. Evan-Moore History Pockets - we are not using any right now but they have several for Amer. Hist. themes that don't take too long to do 4. We are listening to a great audiobook called George Washington: Spymaster. It is AWESOME! My ds10 LOVES it. It might be a bit over the heads of lower elem. kids but it is so neat. I'm learning a lot. It is all about the "spy ring" that developed during the AMer. Rev. So cool for my code-loving, Amer. Hist. loving kids! 5. My kids are particularly interested in the AMer. Rev. and Dec. of Ind. after watching National Treasue so we have lots of books pertaining to that period. The Magic Treehouse book, Rev. on Wed. along w/ the non-fiction guide, The Amer. Rev. for Kids, some Cornerstones of Freedom books, If You Grew Up During the Amer. Rev. 6. Currclick.som also has some great notebooking pages and lapbooks w/ Amer. Hist. themes. HTH! Hey I noticed you use the FlashKids curriculums. Do you like them? Are they just as good as others? Thanks! PM me if you want so we don't hi-jack your Amer.HIst. thread! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Academy of Jedi Arts Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I hate US History textbooks. I'm doing my own thing- using books, primary sources, videos, and other supplementary materials. Right now, we're studying Prehistoric Americans, then we'll cover explorers, then back to Native Americans, then colonies...etc. etc. etc. We might get through the explorers by September. Native Americans will probably take until after Christmas. We could easily study the colonial period until next summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisharog Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I am happy for this thread and hope it will continue. I posted an earlier one saying that I will do US History the following fall and as a newbie , I cant imagine planning my year without SOTW. Would love to hear of any other craft and fun ideas to do with US History like the SOTW AG has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bula Mama Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I've been reading my ds a few books from queenhomeschool.com about American history that we've been really enjoying! They are: Boys and Girls in American History, The American History Storybook, and Short Stories from American History. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 This isn't by any means a complete history, but we loved "The Liberty Tree", which is about the American Revolution. My two oldest boys spent days reading it over and over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 We just started WinterPromise's American Story 1 history theme and we are in LOVE. My ds walks around with a silly grin on his face saying, "I sure do love school. Second grade is just so much more fun than first grade! I guess it's because I'm old enough to learn about different things now. . ." Have I mentioned how much I love homeschooling? Where it's still COOL to love SCHOOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom to Aly Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 I haven't found a secular history program I like at all (I don't consider SOTW secular, because, when we started it, I discovered it teaches the bible as history, not secular, to a non-Christian at least), so I have finally decided to make my own. We are doing Amer. History this year, and we started with Explorers, then Native Americans, have just gotten to Colonial America (we started our year early because we are totally changing all curricula and both dd and I were so excited we decided not to take a summer break, which I don't really believe in, anyway), and are tying in Trail Guide to US Geography and some art as well. We are using Evan-Moor History Pockets (the ones that are too young can be padded for older kids), theme or unit studies (I have found some wonderful ones!), and a ton of lit, which will also take care of a lot of creative writing, report writing, etc. I think the books by Betsy Maestro are WONDERFUL, also by Jean Fritz, who writes for an assortment of ages, Scott O'Dell has some great ones, we are reading "The Serpent Never Sleeps" right now, and dd prefers that to the movie I let her rent yesterday (it is really wonderful, colonial America, Jamestown settlement). I just got one about the Lost Colony, which I have always been fascinated by, and, even though I have been there many times, and read all I could find in the area, this one has so much more info! Basically, there is a ton out there, and, if you search on this list, I have asked for books for colonial america, post Amer Revolution, and pre, for lit suggestions, and people have given wonderful lists! They have also put up some wonderful library lists that I would suggest you look at--although, really, Betsy Maestro is one of the first I'd take a look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 A couple I plan to use: https://store.aop.com/aop/AMERICAN_ADVENTURES_PART_2_RB7841.prod and FREE WP-like curriculum: http://www.ourlosbanos.com/homeschool/history/booksandmaterialslist.html HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 For several years now. There are 8 units total for US history in it and we just read some of the book suggestions in chronological order. We will cover it more fully as we get near the end of MOH 3 this year and hit American History full swing after that. Artner Reader's Guide to US History Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah in tenn Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 For my favorite author on American History is David McCulloch. For younger kids, I still like Childhood of Famous Americans. Also, Profiles in Courage by Kennedy has great biographies. sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisharog Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Snow White, Does Winters Promise have quality (or any ) activities , crafts and projects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Oh, yes, very much so. There is a new optional Early American Trades and Crafts kit with high quality materials included. Check out the book "More than Moccasins" from your library.. that is scheduled. Another couple to check out from your library are Pioneer Sampler and this one: http://www.amazon.com/Lewis-Clark-Expedition-Discovery-Kaleidoscope/dp/1885593732/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215558308&sr=8-11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Have you looked at A History of US by Hakim? Excellent curric. - highly recommended :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 We will be using Hakim's A History of US with the study guides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Run, run, run to the Dover Publications website and do a search for coloring books on American history. You read aloud while the kids color. The kids read the blurbs at the bottom of their pictures, and add it to their history notebooks. It adds a wonderful element to our days, and the boys have become coloring book snobs. They love some artists, and find others lacking. http://store.doverpublications.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Does Winters Promise have quality (or any ) activities, crafts and projects? Holy smokes, that's what they're known for! When we did it, we got to make maps where the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria actually move across the page, assemble a tipi village in the same way Lakota woman would have, grow a potato plant like the pioneers had to, make a diorama of the one clue that was left about what happened at Roanoke . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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