Posted in History

Our children have learned -- and retained -- so much history from listening to great (and very informative) tapes and CD's.  We started having them listen to a tape or CD at bedtime many years ago.  By the time they were ready to read about history, they already had a very good background and familiarity with many of the people and places.  These are also great to take on long trips!  Some of our favorites are listed here.

 

 

Your Story Hour Volume 6

Like old-time radio, these 24 riveting historic dramas bring to life exciting chapters from America's past. Backed by music and sound effects, a professional cast re-enacts the tests and triumphs of both celebrated and lesser known people such as Benjamin Franklin, Belva Ann Lockwood, Walter Reed, Booker T. Washington, and Glenn Cunningham. 12 one-hour CDs in a vinyl storage case.

 

Your Story Hour Volume 7

Children will listen and learn as they experience the historic adventures of  Joan of Arc, John Bunyan, Albert Schweitzer, George Mueller, Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Louis Pastuer, Sir Wilfred T. Grenfell, Dwight L. Moody, John Wanamaker, George W. Carver, and Keith Argraves.  Exciting, educational, and entertaining, these dramatizations feature sound effects, music, and professional actors portraying the high moral values demonstrated by men and women throughout history, and necessary for successful living today. 12 one-hour CDs in a vinyl storage case.

 

The rest of these listed here are by Diana Waring.  My boys love listening to her tell stories of history.  She is so enthusiastic about it and listening to these has helped our boys to seek out books about various people and events on their own.  She has several other great items that I didn't list here -- I was just listing the ones here that we own (and a couple that I plan to buy soon).

 

What in the World's Going On Here? Part One: Creation to Christ

Diana Waring

Now revised and expanded, this award-winning set is a gold mine of information! Centering on events between Genesis 1 and the life of Christ, this eye-opening tour introduces students to fascinating archaeological discoveries and "movers and shakers" of antiquity. Witness God's mighty hand  in history---and get a behind-the-scenes look at controversies between prevailing opinion and Scripture's true account of creation. Four CDs, approx. 5 hours total.

 

What in the World's Going On Here? Part Two:  Resurrection to Revolution

Diana Waring

Witness Christianity's impact on Rome, follow the rise of Islam and the fall of the Byzantines, and trace God's hand in events from the Middle Ages through the French Revolution. Four CDs, approx. 5 hours total.

 

What in the World's Going On Here? Part Three: Napoleon to Korea

Diana Waring

The curtain rises on the ashes of the French Revolution in volume three of this popular series. William Carey, father of modern missions, journeys to India. Then we travel through the 19th and 20th centuries, before finally witnessing God's deliverance of Allied troops during World War II, as well as his guidance in the Korean War. Four CDs, approx. 5 hours total.

 

True Tales & More True Tales from the Times of  Ancient Civilizations & The Bible

Diana Waring

How does the Bible mesh with history? Now updated, Waring's best-selling text and teacher's guide take students on a 9-month journey through ancient and biblical history, from creation to the time of Jesus.

 

True Tales & More True Tales from the Times of Romans, Reformers & Revolutionaries

Diana Waring

More stories to pique your curiosity from the early Church, the middle Ages, and the Age of Exploration! Learn about the Canon of Scripture (how the New Testament was accepted). Discover the amazing adventures of Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal-who didn't  leave home! Hear the spine-tingling story of Hernando Cortez and the Aztecs. Meet Sir Isaac Newton whose discoveries put a man on the moon. Sail to the South Pacific with Captain Cook, and more. 3 CDs.

 

True Tales & More True Tales from the Times of World Empires, World Missions & World Wars

Diana Waring

The 3-CD set contains more short vignettes of history, short biographies of fascinating people, and short descriptions of incredible events, all told in Diana's internationally renowned, enthusiastic and captivating style. In this CD you will ride the wavesof freedom with Diana as slavery is abolished and nations are liberated from empirical rule, watch  as the aftermath of the second World War unfolds across Europe, Asia and the Pacific Ocean, listen as men and women sacrifice all to bring the Gospel to distant lands, and stand  amazed at the unflagging persistence of heroes who conquered opposition and overcame failure to attain their destinies and dreams.  Topics include: the Father of Modern Missions, William Carey, the Englishman who gave himself for the abolition of the slave trade and slavery, William Wilberforce, the architect of Europe after Waterloo, Klemens Von Metternick, the scientific genius of James Watt,  Empire builder, Napoleon III,  the hero of Mexico, Benito Juarez, the Liberator of South America, Simon Bolivar, the Italian Patriot, Garibaldi,  the construction of the Suez Canal, the mission and life of Lilias Trotter,  the adventures of Lawrence of Arabia, the Korean War, the Cold War, and the life and martyrdom of Jim Elliott.

 

More True Tales from the Times of World Empires, World Missions, World Wars

Diana Waring

Fascinating new stories from the 1800's and 1900's. Learn about William Wilberforce who single-handedly waged war against the slave trade in the British Empire-and won! Hear the incredible tale of James Watt, who persevered through mind-boggling difficulties to produce the Steam Engine. Find out about the earthshaking building of the Suez Canal. Prepare to meet Lilias Trotter, an amazing artist who gave it all up to share the Gospel with Muslim Algeria. Discover the unbelievable true-life adventures of Lawrence fo Arabia, and much more! 80 minutes. 1 cassette.

 

America, the First 350 Years

Steve Wilkins

This link takes you to an MP3 version of this that you can buy for $25.  I happened to come across a great deal on the cassette tapes on eBay and bought them.  Click on the link above for more information about the series.  Excellent and very informative!

 

 

 

Posted in History

Here is one of the best things I have come across in a while!  Seterra - Learn Geography is a free download and has geography games that you can customize.  It also keeps the top ten scores, which in our household means competition (and learning that's fun)!  I downloaded it and started playing so I could have the top score.  Of course, that didn't last long when my kids saw what I was doing.  They wanted to try and beat my score -- and they succeeded, I might add.  You could easily tie this in with any history or geography study.  It's definitely worth trying!

Posted in History

I have been reading a book about Squanto to my two younger boys.  They draw about what I 'm reading and then narrate the chapter or chapters to me while showing their pictures.  I just downloaded a Squanto Unit Study from homeschoolestore.com.  Here's the description from the website . . ."This Unit has a short historically accurate fictional story followed by 15 activities based on the story. These activities are :Daily Journal Questions for 15 days, Drawing, Science, Report Writing, Creative Writing, Poetry Writing, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Sequence of Events, Cause and Effect. Dictionary Skills, Encyclopedia Skills, Bible Verse Activity, Map Skills, and a Craft Activity.
GRADES 3-6"

 

Squanto Unit Study

Posted in History

We generally have read so much historical fiction and listened to so many history tapes that I have never really been concerned that we weren't learning enough in this area.  I wish I was one of those moms who enjoy doing unit studies with all kinds of fun activities to learn history, and I wish that we had a wonderful timeline that my children had filled in through the years.....but I'm not....and we don't.  I tried and tried to do things like this and we would end up in misery and setting aside whatever it was we were using.        I'm not even going to list the various unit study curriculums here that we have tried because I did finally accept the fact that it was me and my teaching style that was the problem -- not the curriculum.  (Goes back to "If Mama ain't happy....".....well, you know the rest.)  So here is what we are doing this year...

 

My oldest son asked before the summer if he could just have a history textbook so he could go through it by himself at his own pace.  Hmmm....said I......okay!  I ended up getting him a Bob Jones 9th grade Geography book (decided this just by looking at the different texts for 8th and 9th grade and bought the one I thought he would learn the most from that wouldn't be repetitive for him).  This book does a good job of combining geography and world history.  And, of course, I also bought the maps and the tests to go along with it.  After all, isn't that part of "doing" a textbook???  Well, several months later, he is enjoying reading the textbook at his own pace and sometimes even shares with the rest of us some of the interesting things he has learned!  (He is a very visual learner and this seems to work for him.  We put aside the maps and tests.  As long as he can tell me about what he has learned, that's good enough for me in this subject area for now.)

 

My next son is really enjoying Story of the World Vol. 2.  I realize this curriculum says it is for younger grades but he is going through it on his own and doing all of the map work that is in the activity book.  He really enjoys the map work and the memory cards and is retaining much of what he has read about.  He did this with Volume 1 last year.  I gave him the option of doing something different this year and he really wanted to continue with this series.  Sometimes you just can't pay attention to the "grade level" of the book.  I know that he will learn a lot by doing this on his own and will have a definite frame of reference when he studies history in his high school years.  He just follows a schedule that I made up for him and marks it off as he gets it done. 

 

I started out this year going through Beautiful Feet Early American History with my younger two this year.  They really enjoyed it but we are taking a break while they are working on United States Notebooks that they wanted to do.  I plan to get back to the Beautiful Feet history in a few weeks with them.  We school through the summer, so I don't worry too much about getting finished by the end of the school year, etc.  (Summer is so hot where we live, we might as well continue with our homeschooling unless something comes up that we want to do.  We take breaks during fall and winter when we can enjoy being outside more.)

 

My kids still enjoy reading lots of historical fiction books and I know they are retaining so much more about history than I ever did when I was in school!  (I was one of those students who could learn it, remember it to do well on the test, and then completely forget it).