History curriculum

[busymama7]

I would like something video (or possibly audio) based that is geared for a somewhat wide range of ages.   Early American specifically.  Something that we can use as a spine all together.  I will have ages 8-17 although the 17 year old will be most likely doing dual enrollment and not participating in that part.  It is fine if it is geared for older because the youngers just come along and get what they can and that is fine. 

For the last 4 years we have used the good and the beautiful history and it worked really well.  One part I really liked was that there were audio teaching parts where I could just relax and listen along with them.  There was a bit too much reading aloud of the textbook though and that is something I am looking to avoid this year.  In the past I have read aloud from a textbook or story based history book and then we have branched out for the different ages.  Picture books and such and then harder/more in depth reading assignments for the older kids.   It doesn't work for my family to have everyone studying different things so having a spine where we are all based from is just what works best for our family.  

There are quite a bit of texts that work ok but I just don't want to do that kind of reading aloud this year. I am still having cognitive issues from having covid in 2020 and need to save my brainpower for things like reading aloud fiction and historical fiction and all the other school subjects for 5 students.  

I am not super interested in Story of the World (sorry 😔) but if I was to use it with the audio is there any reason I couldn't start with a different year? I do not want to do ancient next year. One of the things I *loved* about TGTB history is how it went through all of history in one year just making longer/deeper stops at different points each year. It was basically one ancient civilization and then move on instead of a full year of ancient and I LOVED it.  I don't know that anything else is set up like that but I am good doing American history this year or probably over two years before I come back around to ancient. They are re doing their history program and I might go back to it when it's ready.  

Oh and I am not really interested in an audio of a textbook. Someone said notgrass has an audio option but when I mean audio I mean more like a story or teaching not just reading aloud from a textbook.  I think a video course would be perfect for what I need but I would want something multimedia with more than just a teacher at a board kind of thing. 

Anyways thanks for any help. I have been looking for awhile and I just can't find what I'm looking for. 

[Slache]

You can do any year of SOTW.

A History of Us is available on Audible. So is A History of The English Speaking Peoples.

[busymama7]

18 minutes ago, Slache said:

You can do any year of SOTW.

A History of Us is available on Audible. So is A History of The English Speaking Peoples.

Thanks. Yes one year when we were using a history of us I got one of the books on audible and it was fine but I feel like it was missing from the perspective of being able to see the pictures and sidebars etc.  It is pretty close to how I feel reading from a textbook like that.  All the kids can't see and I am always having to stop and read this sidebar which detracts from the flow. It doesn't I don't think when reading to yourself but I just don't see it as a great option for audio.  If the kid was a weaker reader and following along that could be great for them though. It has its place it's just not what I'm looking for. 

ETA: I am not familiar with the history of the English speaking people but would love more input as to what it's like. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by busymama7

[HomeAgain]

I think you might be asking for a unicorn.  I would be interested in the responses as well, to see what comes up.

You could try matching up videos curated by Brookdale House to a program of your choice. Or using something like Creek Edge Press that allows you to use whatever books/videos/etc. you want, but offers assignments for each topic.

Our favorite chronological podcast for middle school U.S. history is History That Doesn't Suck, but that doesn't sound like it would be a good option for you.  I don't know of a more providential one that would align with your beliefs.

[busymama7]

16 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

I think you might be asking for a unicorn.  I would be interested in the responses as well, to see what comes up.

You could try matching up videos curated by Brookdale House to a program of your choice. Or using something like Creek Edge Press that allows you to use whatever books/videos/etc. you want, but offers assignments for each topic.

Our favorite chronological podcast for middle school U.S. history is History That Doesn't Suck, but that doesn't sound like it would be a good option for you.  I don't know of a more providential one that would align with your beliefs.

Actually I think the podcast might be a good option.  It would be something that is designed for audio and looks like it is someone who is passionate and such about the topic.   They are long however so more than we would want to listen to in one day unless we restructured how we did our days.  Thank you I will look at this more. I also really like the video resource at Brookdale. I hadn't seen that before and always struggle to find videos to go along with history because it take searching etc.  I might pick a general topic for each month and then use the videos and podcasts for our group time and assign the reading for each kid. Thanks!

[Slache]

33 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

ETA: I am not familiar with the history of the English speaking people but would love more input as to what it's like. 

I haven't read it, but I'm secretly in love with Winston Churchill and plan to use it high school. 

[countrymum]

Not audio, but Simply Charlotte Mason has reading schedules and some narration questions written up in a guide for 1-12. There are 6 different time period guides and I am planning to sort of combine the Rome one and the american portion of Early modern one to avoid the all ancient history. There is a narrative spine that you (or a child) reads aloud then older kids have other assigned reading. There are scheduled Bible readings and picture books also. It is a bit light, but I like that as we can either dive deep with our own ideas added on or gloss over it quickly and check to box (depends on the day/ year;) I have not found anything I like better.

https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/history-geography-bible-lesson-plans/

They have a few audio books 

 https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/product-category/product-audiobooks/

[Green Bean]

k12 5th and 6th are UA history using A History of US concise editions. You can use this as an independent.

https://www.k12courses.com/subject/history/filter/course_type/independent-study.html

Time4Learning? Middle school has a US History. I have no idea about the lower grades.

https://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum/social-studies.html

BJU dlo 5th grade is US History. All their distance learning online except Gr. 1 are US history.

https://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/category/Video-Lessons#HS

The Good and the Beautiful has a constitution course for all ages.

https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/products/history-us-constitution-and-government/

I'm sure there are others. I'm just drawing a blank.

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Green Bean

[ktgrok]

I think Notgrass has Audi versions of their textbooks. 

[busymama7]

2 hours ago, ktgrok said:

I think Notgrass has Audi versions of their textbooks. 

They do but I'm not super interested in a textbook read aloud.  Some of them will be reading a history of us to themselves.  I just want 20 or so min most days of something we can do together that isn't reading aloud by me. I will read other things aloud.  Which actually maybe I should think about getting our *other* reading as audio as an option. I just thought of that. It could work and then I could read aloud something like notgrass or the simple Charlotte mason american history stories which I already have.  

I am also looking at veritas press history. They are meant to be done independently but I have a friend who did it as a group and the kids just took turns answering the questions etc.  I don't generally like Christian curriculum really even though I am.  I like to do religion studies other ways and make connections as they come up but not really have it integrated.  So I am conflicted. 

I kinda can't believe that there isn't anyone out there that has produced a video based history curriculum that can be watched by multiple ages.  

 

[avazquez24]

I was going to suggest Veritas Press self-paced history.  We used it for several years and the first couple years I had my kids do it together.  We would hook the laptop up to the TV and watch it all together on there. They would take turns doing the games  and such. They also have literarure packages for each time period and they offer two different levels for the literarure (or they did when we last used it). You could then assign the literarure to your kiddos since they have different levels. 

I actually really enjoyed when we did it as a family versus when they broke off and did it independently later on! I loved being able to learn along side with them and have discussions.  My 3 year old at the time also picked up the history songs and loved joining in for parts of it. 

Edited July 4, 2022 by avazquez24

[ktgrok]

Oh, there are these history videos! https://www.amazon.com/Rebels/dp/B004AH1T1I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MI528UTN345D&keywords=history+of+US&qid=1656958583&rnid=2941120011&s=movies-tv&sprefix=history+of+us+%2Caps%2C163&sr=1-1

[busymama7]

35 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Oh, there are these history videos! https://www.amazon.com/Rebels/dp/B004AH1T1I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MI528UTN345D&keywords=history+of+US&qid=1656958583&rnid=2941120011&s=movies-tv&sprefix=history+of+us+%2Caps%2C163&sr=1-1

Those look good. Thanks 

[HomeAgain]

18 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Oh, there are these history videos! https://www.amazon.com/Rebels/dp/B004AH1T1I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MI528UTN345D&keywords=history+of+US&qid=1656958583&rnid=2941120011&s=movies-tv&sprefix=history+of+us+%2Caps%2C163&sr=1-1

We rewatched these recently, and, well, they did not hold up well over time.  The cameos are......extremely questionable in light of more recent events and some of the history was just wrong.

We only made it through the first few episodes and it was a mix of being horrified and laughing.

[Servant4Christ]

On 7/3/2022 at 10:56 PM, busymama7 said:

They do but I'm not super interested in a textbook read aloud.  Some of them will be reading a history of us to themselves.  I just want 20 or so min most days of something we can do together that isn't reading aloud by me. I will read other things aloud.  Which actually maybe I should think about getting our *other* reading as audio as an option. I just thought of that. It could work and then I could read aloud something like notgrass or the simple Charlotte mason american history stories which I already have.  

I am also looking at veritas press history. They are meant to be done independently but I have a friend who did it as a group and the kids just took turns answering the questions etc.  I don't generally like Christian curriculum really even though I am.  I like to do religion studies other ways and make connections as they come up but not really have it integrated.  So I am conflicted. 

I kinda can't believe that there isn't anyone out there that has produced a video based history curriculum that can be watched by multiple ages.  

 

This made me think of Drive Thru History videos as a possible spine but I haven't looked at it in a while to see what all they have available. It's just something that popped into my head as I read your post.

[ktgrok]

5 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

We rewatched these recently, and, well, they did not hold up well over time.  The cameos are......extremely questionable in light of more recent events and some of the history was just wrong.

We only made it through the first few episodes and it was a mix of being horrified and laughing.

oh boy. We watched them....well, my son was in middle school, and he's 22 now...so a long time ago, lol. 

[busymama7]

3 hours ago, Servant4Christ said:

This made me think of Drive Thru History videos as a possible spine but I haven't looked at it in a while to see what all they have available. It's just something that popped into my head as I read your post.

I have looked at those. I will look closer.