Featuring daily literature-based lessons for primary-grade students, this easy to use guide can be adapted to your students' needs. Diverging from the route of teaching history in 4-year, chronological cycles, this guide is built upon literature first and foremost. Utilizing Charlotte Mason's "Living Books" approach, this guide is built upon well-known works about Early American History; following a notebook approach, daily lessons include resources to memorize or study; page numbers for the lesson's literature; literature lesson outlines; questions to consider; coloring activities; and more. 33 pages, softcover. Though designed as a one-year course, it can be stretched to two years, depending on your pace. Contains 110 lessons and it is suggested that 2-3 lessons be completed each week. Parents should provide a notebook for the notebooking activities. Grades K-3.

Familiar with my local library’s copies of the D’Aulaire books, I was intrigued when I found that Rea C. Berg (mother of six) incorporated them into a history course for homeschoolers. I also liked her idea of keeping a notebook for recording Christian principles. Regular assignments direct the young student to paste pictures (photocopied by Mom) into the notebook beside written entries that are mostly copywork. By the end of the school year, the student has a keepsake of meaningful pages.

The picture books listed in Early American History are popular with homeschoolers. I believe they became popular because of this guide. Although the reading list includes 20 books, the notes in the guide are uncluttered. The course doesn’t feel overwhelming; however, I do remember trimming it a little here and there. An important thing I learned early was to do lessons regularly but also tailor lessons to best suit us.

A history lesson three days a week brought us appropriately to Stories of the Pilgrims by November. One story, in particular, opened the mind of my daughter Yolanda. The Courage of Sarah Noble proved to be the right book to expand this quiet child’s abilities to narrate orally. I was so happy she was finally “getting it”—you can read a sample of her narration in A Charlotte Mason Companion, page 128. Some poetry, listening to audio selections from Your Story Hour, and singing with Wee Sing America help to vary activities throughout the year. For grades 4 to 6. 33 pages, softcover from Beautiful Feet.

—Karen

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