ajfries Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 We're taking a detour from the 4 year history cycle & doing American History next year. I've found quite a few options I like the looks of (Memoria Press, Winter Promise, etc) , but most of them are upwards of $200...just for history alone. I have in mind a literature rich option with worksheets and activities thrown in. Guest Hollow seems to be a good option, but I wonder if having it be so free range will allow my analysis paralysis to set in. Should I get used to the idea of spending big bucks (I'm not out-rightly opposed to it, but it does warrant extra consideration)? Is there something I'm overlooking? What have you used & adored? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) . Edited August 31, 2023 by SilverMoon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three4me Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 We're currently doing Beautiful Feet's guide and enjoying it. The library has most of the books it uses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 We really liked Beautiful Feet Early American History Primary. If you can get the books at the library, than you'd only need to buy the guide...which is reasonable priced. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea_lpz Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 We are using mfw Adventures in US history for my 2nd grader. It's in the 200's but includes History, science, art, music, read alouds (lit / living books), and Bible and some hands on stuff---arts & crafts, cooking, etc. It's a Christian curriculum. Don't know if that's an issue for you or not. Anyhow we are really enjoying it! It's a one year general overview of US history and it includes a state study. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Check out Christian Liberty Press' offerings. I loved American Pioneers and Patriots and A Child's Story of America. You might also look at History Pockets from Evan Moor. Those are great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountains27 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I am using Adventures in America for my 7 and 8 yo combined and like it. I use it as a spine and add more or take some out. We are going slow with it and still involved in the American Revolution. It was only about 14$ I think and is in PDF form so you get it right away. It's read aloud information, a coloring page, activity suggestions and some copywork/narration. Usually I read both pages to the kids while they color and then they do some copywork that is related to what we learned in that section. It also has a state a week to learn but we are way behind on that part- my idea is just to introduce them to history this year and follow their lead if they want to know more about something. We have also been using Liberty Kids episodes off youtube for our Revolution study. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 An inexpensive and very solid option: 1. Use Eggleston's A First Book in American History as your spine. 2. Add in library books (make your own list). There are plenty of old threads to search on this subject. 3. Have your child make lapbooks (in place of worksheets). I have my younger kids do about seven lapbooks per year, one activity per day. I download most of them from Hands of a Child. I print them all out at the beginning of the year and put them in binders so they are open-and-go. The lapbooks are not match up with our history reading, but it has worked out fine for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Truth Quest guides are great. They also have lots of extras so basically you have a great library list with notebooking/lapbooking(binder builder), and maps and memory cards. We used the TQ extras alongside SL books. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Thank you for all the suggestions! Our library system is really bad, so I'm going to just have to buy most of the books we use whether I put something together on my own or buy a ready-to-go curriculum. I have to say the idea of getting a big box of lovely books makes me swoon. Also, I'm noticing when reading reviews it seems like every possible spine is accused of being biased in one way or another. :mellow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 We're taking a detour from the 4 year history cycle & doing American History next year. I've found quite a few options I like the looks of (Memoria Press, Winter Promise, etc) , but most of them are upwards of $200...just for history alone. I have in mind a literature rich option with worksheets and activities thrown in. Guest Hollow seems to be a good option, but I wonder if having it be so free range will allow my analysis paralysis to set in. Should I get used to the idea of spending big bucks (I'm not out-rightly opposed to it, but it does warrant extra consideration)? Is there something I'm overlooking? What have you used & adored? We are using Adventures in America and it is WONDERFUL and cheap. The readings are right in the program, there are activities each week, and pages for copywork and narration. I add in lots of library books (the Who Was ... and What Was ... series are perfect) and some things like learning the preamble to the constitution, the lyrics to the national anthem, and a song that teaches the Bill of Rights. The spine is all there, so you can add in as little or as much as you want. http://www.elementalhistory.com 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Elemental History with History Pockets and lots of library books thrown in. We used EH as a guide and actually stretched it over two years. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyshoe Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 I really love Truthquest History because it's so flexible and is based on living books (which we get from the library). We can spend as much or as little time on each topic as we choose. We can do the mapwork, timeline, lapbooking, notebooking, and hands-on/craft projects---or we can pick-and-choose which--or we can do none. If you like a firm schedule, it's probably not for you. I think the flexibility has enabled us to be a little more delight-directed. I highly value being able to individualize education, and TQ is very much set up to do that. Before starting TQ, I tried to make a DIY history combining various resources. It was *incredibly* time-consuming. TQ has the advantage of being easily tailored without the work of DIY. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad astra Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Another vote for EH Adventures in America! We LOVE this curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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