History Curriculum Elementary
A well rounded homeschool history curriculum elementary should include a mixture of resources to make it fun and engaging for kids. Whether you are using a Charlotte Mason approach to teaching history with the beautiful literature packs from Beautiful Feet Books or Memoria Press which takes a classical approach to history, there are many resources available for families to teach their children about the amazing world we live in. Many of these resources are written by homeschoolers and may be a good option for you and your family.
Often the best homeschool curriculum history for elementary is one that incorporates hands-on learning and living out the time period you are studying. These kinds of activities will help your child remember the important details of a particular period in history. Using an exciting book that makes the time period come alive – known as a “living book” or historical fiction novel -and incorporating it into your study with a project idea and some history games will give your children a lasting memory of their history studies.
You might also want to consider looking for a history program that has an element of field trips. Most of these programs will have a suggested list of related history projects and activities and recommend read aloud books to go with the time period you are studying. History Odyssey from Calvert is a secular history program that has an online format and a print version. Their first and second grade level is available in a printed kit that includes teacher’s guides and 10 color-illustrated consumable student books. The course is designed for a 180 day school year with lesson-by-lesson instructions and includes self tests and review questions.
Website design By BotEap.com
Homeschool History Curriculum Elementary
Another great choice is Story of the World from The Well Trained Mind. It’s a 4-volume set that covers world history from ancient times to the present. This is a Christian-based curriculum that can be used by all family members regardless of their age.
There are also secular unit study programs to choose from. These programs usually require a bit more planning from parents and may be more expensive than the Charlotte Mason style history curriculums mentioned above. However, these programs can be a great choice for those that have a little more time to plan their studies and would like to use a more structured program.
A few of the secular unit study programs to choose from are Curiosity Chronicles, Notgrass History and History Quest. Each of these programs uses engaging narrative texts, helpful reference guides and a variety of hands-on activities to bring history to life for your students. Most of these programs will teach about the history of the United States and a little about world history. They may include a mix of historical fiction and non-fiction texts.
Depending on the age of your student, you may find a chronological approach to history easier to manage than thematic approaches which tend to have a harder time connecting the dots between different historical events and ideas. A timeline can help a student visually see the connections and also serves as a great keepsake that your family will enjoy looking back on over the years.