What to know about Learning American History Through Literature from Common Sense Press

Looking into American history curriculum options for the upcoming homeschool year? Today I’m sharing what I’ve learned about Learning American History Through Literature, a literature-based history option from Common Sense Press.

You can read my full review of their American history curriculum here: https://tablelifeblog.com/american-hi... and download a sample unit from the curriculum here: http://ow.ly/SRfc50Kgo3b

In the video, we cover
An overview of the curriculum. (45-second mark)
The flexibility of Learning American History Through Literature. (4:50 mark)
The comprehensive coverage of the different historical eras. (6:25 mark)
The affordability of the curriculum (8:20 mark)

Curriculum Summary: Learning American History Through Literature is written with grades K-8 in mind and can be used as a standalone curriculum or as a supplement to another history text.

It is divided into seven units and covers the following eras of American history:

Colonial Period (1607-1763)
Revolutionary War Period (1763-1815)
Westward Expansion (1800s)
Civil War Period (1860-1876)
Industrial Age (1876-1914)
World War Years (1914-1945)
Postwar Years (1945-1968)

Each of these units contains book recommendations, discussion questions, viewing suggestions, hands-on learning activities, and ideas for further exploration. This allows families to customize American history lessons to fit their children’s interests and abilities, homeschool schedules, and resources.

Also, it can be used over one school year or spread out over two years, depending on your family’s pacing and how many of the recommendations you follow. This probably goes without saying, but you’ll go through a unit more quickly if you read a handful of the suggested books and do a single activity rather than read most of the recommended books, watch a couple of the movie suggestions, and complete a few of the hands-on learning ideas in the unit.

Bottom Line: Learning American History Through Literature is the perfect curriculum solution for homeschool families who want to include literature-based learning in their history studies, but don’t want to be bogged down with specifics to be covered from lesson to lesson. It also provides the right mix of guidance and flexibility for teaching American history, making it a great addition to any literature-based homeschool lineup.