Resources for American history year 2 (modern history)

[Faline]

I can't seem to find much for the 3rd-6th grade range. There are oodles of things for the first half of American history, but then it really tapers off. Would SOTW 3 and 4 work?

For various reasons we are going to have to skim lightly over this time period, so I am looking for a general overview. We can't spend an entire year on it right now, as much as I would like to do so. We'll have to catch up the next time around. I would love to find a good spine or story-type book that covers the main points of modern history, so my oldest at least has a general idea of this time frame.

I have most of the SL 4 readers, but want something to fill in the gaps. :confused:

[dragons in the flower bed]

I can't seem to find much for the 3rd-6th grade range. There are oodles of things for the first half of American history, but then it really tapers off. Would SOTW 3 and 4 work?

I have most of the SL 4 readers, but want something to fill in the gaps. :confused:

How about Books 3 & 4 of the Story of the USA series (from Sonlight -- quite readable).

[Kathie in VA]

I'm kinda doing that also with my kids this spring-next year for Ren/Ref thru Modern [at least that's my current plan ;) ]. I have the Guerber books from Christine Miller that I will probably use. These are great narratives but perhaps a bit longer then SOTW books and geared for middle school kids (but fine so far for my rising 3rd grader as a read aloud).

Other options could be:
The VP history cards, just read the back and follow up with additional reading per card from encyclopedia and other library books.

What about reading up on each US president and what was going on around the world during each presidency?

hth

[Mamabyrd]

You're right - there does seem to be more out there for early American history. There are some options, however.

I'm going to be using Winter Promise American Story 2 for the second half of American history. My kids will be in 3rd and 5th. We did AS1 last year. It has a "middlers" add on you can get to beef it up for older students. They also schedule the "History of US" books by Joy Hakim so one could use those if they desired. I am just going with the standard AS 2; I think it will be plenty.

My Father's World also has a program for American History after 1850. Sonlight does, as well.

Good luck.

[Jenny in Atl]

SL's core 3/4 can't be beat for US history for that age. You would want Core 4. The readers really bring the times to life for the kids. I know these were my favorite of the cores we have used.

[ABQmom]

When we studied that year the first time around, we used the readers and read alouds from Sonlight's catalog. We LOVED it. I didn't use anything to tie it all together. We just read those books, learned a ton, and loved every minute of it. www.abookintime.com lists books in order of the time period you are trying to cover, so I put together a book list in chronological order picking much from Sonlight, and adding in books from a book in time. We had so much to read that year, that we went through the summer trying to finish up all the wonderful books on that time period. My dc were 4th, 2nd, and K that year, and they still talk about all the great books we read.

[Mamabyrd]

Oh, I forgot to list the Truthquest guides. You could cover modern US history using these guides and library books.

[Faline]

Thank you for all the suggestions! So you think just reading the read-alouds/readers (not the history portion) from Sonlight 4 would be ok? I could probably do many of the read-alouds over our summer break. Hmm...

[Faline]

PS. Thank you, ABQmom, for that website. It is going to be a big help!:001_smile:

[siloam]

Thank you for all the suggestions! So you think just reading the read-alouds/readers (not the history portion) from Sonlight 4 would be ok? I could probably do many of the read-alouds over our summer break. Hmm...

Well I am not known for doing the least amount to get by with. ;) but I would want to have some history. Landmark History of the American People is a great text, and is also used in SL Core 4. My opinion is that you wouldn't HAVE to do all the reader and all the RA's. Yes it will be a more complete package if you do, but I think you could do Landmark and the readers with a few RA's throw in and be just fine.

Though I will admit I have only read the first half of the Landmark book and not much of Core 4 at all yet. That is just my sense from being around the SL boards. Feel free to totally ignore my opinion. :D

Heather

[Faline]

Well I am not known for doing the least amount to get by with. ;) but I would want to have some history. Landmark History of the American People is a great text, and is also used in SL Core 4. My opinion is that you wouldn't HAVE to do all the reader and all the RA's. Yes it will be a more complete package if you do, but I think you could do Landmark and the readers with a few RA's throw in and be just fine.

Though I will admit I have only read the first half of the Landmark book and not much of Core 4 at all yet. That is just my sense from being around the SL boards. Feel free to totally ignore my opinion. :D

Oh, I do value your opinion! I tend to want to do "too much" myself, and it is hard for me to think of skimming over this part of history.