mamabear2three Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 I want to do American History next year with my advanced 1st grader. We are finishing SOTW 1 this year and loved it (specifically the readings, coloring pages, library books and mapping excercises - the hands on activities were hit or miss and my daughter didn't ever complain when I didn't do them but loves history and begs to do it every day). I've looked at: MFW - it's expensive for what I get because I don't need anything but history. Beautiful Feet - I'm ok with providential history but feel like the text/words used are old fashioned and out dated (am I over thinking that?). Elemental History Adventures in America - If I prefer Christian curriculum will this one bother me as a secular curriculum? I really dislike that I can't see a sample of the teachers guide... can someone at least give me a list of the read alouds it schedules?? Is there something else that's for the younger elementary crowd? Seems like everything else is for 4th grade and up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Elemental History Adventures in America - If I prefer Christian curriculum will this one bother me as a secular curriculum? I really dislike that I can't see a sample of the teachers guide... can someone at least give me a list of the read alouds it schedules?? Elemental History website. Here's the sample for the teacher's guide... and it lists read-alouds. I think the book list is really good, and it includes suggested readers, too. I think the program could be improved by using some kid-friendly biographies/histories, instead of the 1-page history summaries that the program uses (MFW Adventures has this same kind of set up with their "The Story of the U.S.") I also think the activities could be a little more FUN in Elemental's program -- but that's easy to remedy. As for religious orientation, I THINK I remember reading that the author is Christian who tries to write neutral curriculum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemeche Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Our kids adore tapestry of grace. It is pricy (pricey?) but worth it to use. We love the multiple level usefulness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 oh thanks, I'm not sure how I missed that sample Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Truth Quest? http://www.truthquesthistory.com/store/products.php?categoryParentName=Books&categoryName=American+History+for+Young+Students+I&itemId=35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddlemomma Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Have you looked at Guest Hollow' s free AH curriculum? I used for Dd in 2nd grade and it was great. http://guesthollow.com/homeschool/curriculum.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyc78 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Following. I have looked at Adventures but I am in the same boat as you, only need it for History, although we would get use out of the science texts and I *could* use their language arts but was planning on Sonlight LA. I've seen lots of options for piecing together my own but that always ends up being more work than I anticipate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 The more I look into it, the more I think I might just piece something together... I'm down with the stomach flu right now but I'll post more about what I'm thinking later after I am feeling better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 The more I look into it, the more I think I might just piece something together... I'm down with the stomach flu right now but I'll post more about what I'm thinking later after I am feeling better. That's what I ended up doing (planned ahead for next fall). I had both Elemental History and MFW Adventures in hand ... and just didn't feel the love for either. I considered BF Early American but wanted more than just a few random biographies (sorry, but that's sort of how it presents to me). I'll have a 1st and 3rd grader. I decided to use The Complete Book of US History -- which is rather dry and maybe above my younger's head... but it makes a good outline (and it's cheap). I will only do the first half of the book, which has 5 units: The 1st Americans, European Explorers, Colonial Period, Revolutionary War, and Westward Expansion. I basically just went with that and filled in with LOTS of picture books and easy biographies and historical fiction (my library had a good bit, but I ended up spending about $85 on books that I didn't want to miss that my library did not have). I printed out lots of color sheets, if we want them we'll use them. If not, okay. I bookmarked 1-2 bigger crafts/projects for each unit (yay Pinterest!) We'll probably use a composition notebook and make a note of major historical figures or events (sort of a make-shift timeline). All in all, I think I came up with a pretty complete history year for us... and I still spent a good deal less than I otherwise would've if I bought a program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I second Guest Hollow! It's easy to pick out what you want--and design from there. Other ideas-- I really liked the Betsy Maestro books. I'd add in some fun fiction read alouds (Sid Fleishman has some gems that are quite funny, and there are good Sonlight books, too) and a couple activity books, like Colonial Kids and the Kaleidascope books. Some biographies--simple ones on people like Ben Franklin (or Ben and Me--fav here!) and Geo Washington, and Liberty's Kids videos would round out a nice first grade history, imo. Oh, and seterra and puzzles for mapping, and maybe a good postcard exchange (pin the cards along the outside of a big map, run a string and thumbtack to the state). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2pandc Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Will she be in second or first when you do the American history next year? I couldn't tell from your original post. I will have a young 3rd grader and 5th grader in the fall and I purchased notgrass America the beautiful (5th grade and up) and am mixing in the time travelers series CD Roms for my younger to make it more hands on. I haven't started with the time travelers yet, but if have the materials printed for week one and they look great. If you don't mind printing things, it might be worth looking into. I think it's recommended for 3rd and up, but if she's an advanced second grader I don't see any reason why you couldn't use it while mixing in other age appropriate books. Eta: it's by homeschoolinthewoods.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuzu822 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Maybe Winterpromise? American Story 1 is now available in e-book form, hopefully bypassing their shipping/delivery issues. http://winterpromise.com/american-story-1-theme-introduction/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Technically she will be in first, but an advanced first... Writing is really the only thing that is on level for her. I looked at notgrass and I love love love the map book that comes with it... does anyone know if there's an independent map book of the united states that doesn't require a specific curriculum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuzu822 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Technically she will be in first, but an advanced first... Writing is really the only thing that is on level for her. I looked at notgrass and I love love love the map book that comes with it... does anyone know if there's an independent map book of the united states that doesn't require a specific curriculum? Would Map Trek fit the bill? http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/Map-Trek-Outline-Maps.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Would Map Trek fit the bill? http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/Map-Trek-Outline-Maps.html yes yes yes!!! Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted May 6, 2014 Author Share Posted May 6, 2014 Ok here's my tentative plan: A child's first book of American History (this seems like it is written in a similar style as SOTW, which we are enjoying) The Maestro and Fritz books Read alouds in addition to this (We enjoy chapter books and will probably add several, I just haven't mapped that out yet) knowledge Quest Map Treks Then we'll also add a hand's on project here and there and I will probably put together a coloring book to follow along too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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