Homeschool American History Elementary

The right american history homeschool curriculum will provide your children with a firm foundation in America’s history, while allowing them to explore the unique aspects of its culture. It should also teach them how the United States has enriched the world in many ways by taking advantage of its strengths and addressing the needs of others.

When teaching a course such as this, students should be encouraged to interact with the material by asking questions and discussing their opinions with classmates. The use of hands-on activities is especially helpful for young children. For example, you may want to have your children act out historical events and ask them what they learned from the experience. Another fun way to learn history is to try to imagine what life was like in that time period. For example, you can try cooking foods from that era, or listening to music from the time. You can even get your children to retell the stories of historical figures in their own words.

This Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum uses living books written in story format to teach the history of the United States from before the arrival of Columbus to just before the Civil War. This curriculum is great for elementary ages and can be used for all grades in your home, as most of the books are public domain and can be tweaked to fit the age level of your kids if needed.

How to Homeschool American History Elementary

Sonlight offers a two-year, literature-based homeschool american history curriculum for elementary ages that includes all the necessary books, timeline, and laminated map. The package covers the years before and after Christopher Columbus, and introduces your children to a variety of people groups from around the world who were present before colonization by European explorers.

Another Charlotte Mason-inspired option is Blossom and Root’s secular literature approach to US History. This curriculum is available for first through high school, and includes a full US history unit in addition to guides on the arts, geography, and music of that time period.

If you’re looking for a more traditional, textbook-based homeschool american history curriculum, Notgrass History is a popular choice. This curriculum is unabashedly Christian, and teaches history from a biblical perspective. The lessons include the history of the United States and the Western Hemisphere, along with a study of a variety of historical documents from the Library of Congress, including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and rough drafts of the early American colonies’ charters.

Another option for older students is to use the award-winning website, EyeWitness to History. This is a collection of primary source documents from the Library of Congress that tell the real-life stories of historical figures in an engaging and relatable way. The website is free and includes a wealth of information on US History, including the Revolutionary War, Westward Expansion, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Great Depression. The website also contains links to other resources, such as primary document analysis and lesson plans for teachers.