1A3Cs Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Perhaps I have a tall order; but I feel the need now more than ever to provide my 3rd grade daughter with a strong foundation of American History. While I know it's very popular, SOTW hasn't managed to captured her imagination. She's very much a visual and kinesthetic learner. Historical sights are few in Hawaii, but when visiting places like Pearl Harbor she's absolutely enthralled. So short of moving to New England, I'm looking for material that will spark her imagination: Looking for a core curriculum that is: 1) Engaging AND interactive - perhaps with DVD or CD supplements, activities, photo rich, and something that will allow her to understand the early American experience (perhaps stories of what it was like to be a colonial/civil war/pioneering, child, etc).... 2) Preferably Christian material (or at least has an emphasis on religious freedom and individual liberty). 3) Strong Constitutional emphasis. 4) Geography of America (again particularly important, because other than visits to relatives, the "mainland" is almost another country to her). Again, I know this may be a tall order; but if I'm able to at least find a core that meets with the first requirement, I'm sure I can supplement the other three. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briansmama Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 No help here, but thanks for starting this thread! We are about to embark on US History with my 3rd grader. I downloaded the Beautiful Feet guide yesterday and it looks great, except about half the books are not available at our library. I'm looking into ordering them or using alternatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyagain Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 How about something like the Time Travelers cd's from Homeschool in the Woods. They have lots of crafts and hands-on things to do. Or look at Guest Hollow's American History plans (free and done by a member on this board). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 What about Sonlight Core D, which is American History part 1 at the elementary level, combined with David King's activity books and Knowledge Quest's MapTrek US Edition? My boys loved SL for elementary. The historical fiction and biographies really did make history come alive for them. They also needed hands-on stuff, so I added activity books. http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/Map-Trek-US-Edition.html Knowledge Quest Map Trek, United States Edition http://www.sonlight.com/homeschool-curriculum.html?core=D Sonlight Core D: American History part I David King's Colonial Days activity book David King's Revolutionary War Days activity book And then the next year you would do Sonlight Core E, which is American History from the Civil War to the present. David King also has activity books that fit that time period: Pioneer Days, Civil War Days, and Wild West Days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Our tentative plan for third grade US history part one next year: Truthquest with the a Journey Through Learning lapbooks, maps, timeline, and notebooking pages, using the books from SL core core as well as the American girl books that fit in, adding projects from the time traveler CDs as well as some of the projects using the hands on project kit from Winterpromise (it has like 3 or 4 ready to make projects) We will not read all* the SL books (I know we will skip the landmark spine and a few of the read alouds). When we can we will add the Nest DVDs and Liberty Kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I'd say put it together yourself with individual resources! It can be a lot of fun to do. Look at Netflix and the DVD's available that cover topics you want to cover. Maybe use a lapbook from Hands of a Child to build around, and you can make it a lapbook or a notebook. Create a list of books to read, look at the online courses available from Colonial Williamsburg, incorporate mapping from Trail Guide to US Geography. There are tons of neat things to use if you aren't looking for a package and are willing to sit down and sort of create something. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1A3Cs Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Wow - thank you all for your input! I'm bookmarking and researching all of your suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest April98 Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 While she's a bit too young for it now, you might want to check into the world history and American history DVDs from Great Courses. Professor Linwood Thompson is an absolute riot. He dresses & speaks in character for all of his lectures. My kids are 10 & 12 and they LOVE watching/listening to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasa Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Both of my children (~3 grade boy and ~K girl) love the original Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, both paper editions (you can find them illustrated and in full color) and audiobooks read by Cherry Jones. So much historical detail, such engaging storytelling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljenn Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I'll be the doing the same as Nicole above. We are starting Truthquest American History with the lapbook s, maps, and timelines. I am also using American History Stories, by Mary Pratt, which is an old book, but I love it! I am also going to read Stories of the Pilgrims which really gives the reader a true glimpse of what it was like to be a pilgrim! Also wanted to add that SOTWdid not win my daughter over either:( I plan to do 2 years of American history and then go through the History cycle with My Father's World. I think my dd will enjoy SOTW a bit more when she is older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esse Quam Videri Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Our tentative plan for third grade US history part one next year: Truthquest with the a Journey Through Learning lapbooks, maps, timeline, and notebooking pages, using the books from SL core core as well as the American girl books that fit in, adding projects from the time traveler CDs as well as some of the projects using the hands on project kit from Winterpromise (it has like 3 or 4 ready to make projects) We will not read all* the SL books (I know we will skip the landmark spine and a few of the read alouds). When we can we will add the Nest DVDs and Liberty Kids. Does that mean you are dropping Biblioplan? I am deciding on what to do for Medieval next year, and I was hoping BP was it :-). I enjoyed your post comparing BP to TOG, SOTW, and SL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Does that mean you are dropping Biblioplan? I am deciding on what to do for Medieval next year, and I was hoping BP was it :-). I enjoyed your post comparing BP to TOG, SOTW, and SL. Total thread hijack here but BP for Medieval has been wonderful! If we weren't taking a detour for US history I would not hesitate to continue with BP. :) I will actually be doing a BP like study for US I have liked I so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esse Quam Videri Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Total thread hijack here but BP for Medieval has been wonderful! If we weren't taking a detour for US history I would not hesitate to continue with BP. :) I will actually be doing a BP like study for US I have liked I so much. Sorry to hijack! Maybe I should just pm you, but I thought BP had a strong American History focus in years 3 and 4? Maybe not so much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1A3Cs Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 Thank you again for the wonderful suggestions - I wish I'd posted sooner - it would have saved a lot of angst! Here's what I've chosen (I pieced it together); * Time Travelers: New World Explorers (the hands-on activities in this series look fantastic) * Olde World Style Modern and History United States Maps (each state come in three formats: with labels, without labels, and in outline form...plus the "state fact sheets" with flags, state symbols and other information. * Early American History (the literature "Living Books" based approach is really appealing...and we will be supplementing with several other books, including the Laura Ingalls Wilder series as well, thanks for the suggestion!) * American Pioneers and Patriots (again, I love the "relatable" learning through literature this book provides) * Supplementing with rescources from the web, Netflix and Amazon's Kindle & Prime membership, particularily for constitutional based lessons for children. I'm also looking to order the American History DVD set, to visit as she gets older. Thanks again for the fantastic input...I've bookmarked a lot of the references and materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Sounds great! I hope you have a wonderful homeschooling experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.