American History – Colonization and the Creation of a Country

Description

American History – Colonization and the Creation of a Country is a well-rounded, secular, history-based curriculum designed for children ages 6-10 years old. Together you and your child will learn about the European colonization of North America, the establishment of the 13 colonies, the Revolutionary War, and the writing of the Constitution. All with great hands-on go-along activities, engaging picture books, and thoughtful discussion topics that go beyond the story. Every lesson starts with a wonderful picture book and includes a wide range of go-along activities built on the topics in the book.

You’ll learn about Prairie Dogs with Lewis and Clark, make George Washington’s breakfast of Hoecakes and tea, read poetry by the first African-American woman poet to be published in North America, explore the science of ocean currents, and even learn a little French. You’ll watch videos, play games, and create art to bring alive lessons in a way children enjoy. The lessons include activities to learn language arts, math, and life skills, along with our history and geography. Each lesson includes a copy work passage relevant to the lesson topic. This program is designed to teach your child as a whole person and to include educational activities in a variety of ways to be the most engaging, well-rounded lessons possible.

The program includes:

• The teacher’s guide with over 100 pages of instruction and lesson plans.
• The Student Workbook with over 75 pages of maps, copy work pages, and activities.
• A United States Wall map you can print and assemble.
• Online resources including additional maps and timeline graphics.
• A complete playlist of videos and website resources.
• The full book list with links to purchase the books from Amazon, Thriftbooks, and local bookstores.
• Supply list and recommendations.
• Ongoing support and updates as needed.

This program contains 18 lesson topics with over 150 activities spanning a full range of subject areas. The program is designed to be completed in a semester. Each lesson should take between one to two weeks with you and your child completing two or three of the suggested activities each day. Some of the topics covered in the American History – Colonization and the Creation of a Country program include:

Language Arts:

• Writing exercises
• Copy work
• Types of writing: tall tales, poems, newspaper articles,
• Evolution of language
• Compare and contrast
• How to research a topic

Science and Math:

• Ocean currents
• Electricity
• Animals of North America
• Calculating tax and percents
• Measurement
• Reading graphs
• Botany

Social Studies:

• United States Geography
• World Geography
• History
• Government
• Historical clothing
• Historical perspective
• Social Justice

Art and Life Skills:

• Art appreciation
• Drawing and painting
• Crafts
• Cooking and baking
• Social skills
• Handwork
• Music and dance

Written by an occupational therapist, lessons include notes on how to adapt the program to work for children with learning challenges, dyslexia, dysgraphia, ASD, ADHD, and more. Not only can this program work for your child but it is made to be easy to adapt for them! The hands-on activities are designed specifically to promote both more in-depth learning and understanding and to help develop fine motor skills. The program is designed to be easy to follow and easy to use. Each lesson has a simple supply list right at the top of the lesson, so you know what you need for the week. And there are no fancy or specialty supplies needed. You can get everything you need from your local big box store.

Each lesson starts with a beautiful picture book. By looking at the pictures in the story, your child can imagine themselves there in the story. The act of not only hearing the story but also seeing it, engages both the sense of hearing and vision, bringing the story to life.

The stories included in American History – Colonization and the Creation of a Country are beautifully illustrated and include vibrant and descriptive language. Books alternate between detailed histories showing the long arc of the American story, and engaging biographies, focusing on a single person at a moment in time. This alternating approach lets your child see the big picture while learning how the events they are learning about impact real people.

All children benefit from learning from picture books because the pictures help them to understand the story more fully. Books that take place in a place or culture the child is unfamiliar with can convey more information through pictures. Incorporating hands-on activities that tie into the story helps your child relate to the characters and the narrative on a deeper level. Recipes, videos, songs, and rhymes all help bring the lessons alive..

Because every lesson is actually a small unit study, you can take the pressure off both you and your child to “get through” a certain number of subjects in a day. You will be exploring different subjects as they relate to the history lesson and the books you are reading, in a natural way, following your child’s interest and discovering new passions. Your child will be learning without feeling like they are being taught. It is almost magical!