American History Elementary Homeschool
American History is a very popular subject to study in homeschooling and there are many different options available to choose from. These curriculum choices come in a variety of formats and prices, but they all aim to teach American History in some way. They are typically based on the Charlotte Mason Method and allow children to learn through the natural process of “dual coding” where they hear, see, and do things that give them the information they need.
Beautiful Feet Books is an excellent American History curriculum for grades 1-8 that can be used with multiple kids at once and is also easily reusable. It is a literature-based curriculum with hands-on activities and includes 2 books of lesson text (over 300 pages), a Historical Skit book, an Additional Material CD full of more things to add to your lessons (timelines, games, video clips, songs, and activities), and a Sing Some History CD with 20 historical songs.
Another great option for learning american history homeschool curriculum is the Notgrass Company American History Curriculum. It is a Christian-based curriculum and has a high standard of quality and content. It covers all the major events in American history and uses a variety of literature resources.
This curriculum is based on the historical timeline and focuses on primary source documents to give students an accurate view of America’s past. It also encourages discussion questions, writing assignments, geography work, and memory verses from the Bible. Lesson texts contain lots of photographs and illustrations that make it visually appealing. There are a variety of activity ideas such as making a Declaration of Independence, a Pilgrims and Puritans Venn Diagram, a Civil War Battles Chart, a Constitutional Branch Tree, and a Amendments Flip Book Activity.
American History Elementary Homeschool Curriculum
There is an optional DVD series for studying American History which helps to bring a unique twist to learning about the past by visiting the places where the stories took place. The videos have been well-reviewed and are a fun way to supplement your American History studies.
Sonlight is another popular American History curriculum for preschool through high school. It is a Christian-based program and uses a Charlotte Mason approach to teaching. It also emphasizes that American culture is enriched by learning about other cultures. This curriculum also starts kids outside of the United States, showing how American history rolls into other times like Westward Expansion and the Revolutionary War. This curriculum is a bit more involved and requires some parental involvement.
The curriculum uses a literature approach that organically integrates history, social studies, geography, reading, and writing. It includes stories about famous Americans such as Pocahontas and Benjamin Franklin, as well as ordinary people who did extraordinary things for God. Biographies, historical fiction, and absorbing readers are used to teach children how the past has shaped the present.