Hive- US History Help Please

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Hello All,

 

I was hoping to tap some Hive wisdom-

 

Here at Chartwell we haven't tackled US History yet but a friend came today with a request... She has realized that after living overseas for several years her dd has never really studied history and certainly not US history. They may be returning to the US in a year or so and dd would be entering 5th grade. She would like to spend the next year doing some afterschooling to catch up. She doesn't want anything as extensive as Biblioplan or TOG. Perhaps some reading and comprehension activities suggestions. She found one of the standard prep type books you see in bookstores for grades 3-5 but thought there might be something better.

 

I thought I might recommend the Core Knowledge website as a guide for what might have been studied in a US school but I wonder if that accurately reflects teaching in the schools?

 

Thanks in advance! I didn't have a handy answer for her but I knew where to turn and that felt good:001_smile:

[jpklehm]

I've ordered the series by Joy Hakim, A History of US. It's a series of ten books that work chronologically through our country's history (there is an 11th book that's a sourcebook and index). There is also a book that is coordinated with it, that contains worksheets for each chapter (I'm using some of these as tests as we finish each book). Each book is not thick (less than 200 pages).

 

Here's the link to the assessment guide through Rainbow Resource:

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/History+of+US+Assessment+Book+3ed+Rev/018506/1216842461-1981233

 

 

I purchased the paperback books, but you can find hardcover if you want. I purchased my set through e-bay. I also know that our libraries have them available. These books seem thorough, and I like their style a lot.

 

PAM

[Donna T.]

Personally, I think Sonlight has the best American History courses. A full core may be more than she is looking for, but she could use the catalog to pick out read-alouds and readers from Cores 3 and 4. She may want a spine book. I just read the Boorstin book (The Landmark History of the American People) that Sonlights uses and I liked it. That would work.

 

Or, This Country of Ours by Marshall - that would be a great spine choice and she could then use SL's catalog to pick extra books to read alongside it.

 

Pam mentioned the History of US. I love these books. I read they were written for fifth graders, but to me they look like a bit much for that age. I could be wrong though. They are very interesting and should be easy to find in a public library.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Thanks for the above suggestions. I think she is looking for something less intensive. The kids here often don't arrive home from school until after 4 or 4:30 between traffic for the buses and after school activities. In bad weather you can easily add half an hour. Plus they already have homework so time is at a premium. I think something that would take about 1/2 hour a day would be good. I'm kinda stumped because that is not how I would normally teach history...

[Donna T.]

Duh, sorry. I didn't catch that she would be afterschooling.