Resources to Homeschool American History
A homeschool american history curriculum should be jam-packed with the adventures, discoveries, innovations and achievements that made our country. It should also introduce children to the heartbreak, injustices and tragedies that took place as we forged our nation. When children are excited to read about the events of our past they absorb, process and retain that information much better than they do from a textbook.
While there are many different resources to help you homeschool american history, some of my favorites include:
Cathy Duffy Reviews – This is the go to site for comprehensive and objective reviews of homeschooling curriculums and classes. Cathy describes what each curriculum has to offer, discusses age level and additional learning needs and includes pricing information and purchasing options.
The History Curriculum Guide – This is a resource created by a homeschool mom who compiled and organized free bits of resources she found online. It covers all aspects of a homeschool american history curriculum and includes unit studies, lapbooks, timelines, video clips, printables, an online world history encyclopedia and more.
WatchKnowLearn – This website catalogs hundreds of free educational videos “Wiki-style” and is easy to search. They have separate sections for history and social studies with sub-categories to make it easier to find what you need.
History Lesson Plans – This site has lesson plans for all grades and covers all eras of us history homeschool curriculum. It is designed to be used as a stand alone curriculum or can be inserted into other curricula.
Free Resources to Homeschool American History
ADVANTAGE – This free online curriculum teaches students about our founding documents and the institutions and principles that make the US great. It uses a performance-tested method to teach history to K-12 students.
Bringing Up Learners – This is a complete, literature based homeschool curriculum that is centered around American History. It has a free curriculum guide and also offers a subscription to their online e-learning course.
Sonlight – This is an affordable, Christian based curriculum that provides books and other learning resources. They have an American History book list that enables you to create a custom history curriculum for your family.
The Ultimate History Curriculum – This is an eclectic, free resource with lesson plans, primary sources, music and more for teaching US history. It is designed to be used by upper middle school and high school students as a stand alone curriculum or as a supplement to another curriculum.
The Ultimate History Curriculum focuses on the big picture and how our US history fits into world history. It is a great option for families looking to avoid textbooks and focus on a more Charlotte Mason approach to history.
