Here’s a free resource for those of you using Tan’s Story of Civilization Vol. 2 this fall. It’s a BIG one…. 180+ pages! My friend Sue Clement and I collaborated on this project. We love Story of Civilization, but we wanted our kids to think critically about what they have learned and to have cumulative reviews.
This resource includes:
- vocabulary lists
- dates for a timeline
- book suggestions for each chapter
- map work suitable for older students (Gr. 5-8)
- critical thinking questions that encourage students to think beyond the page and to make connections with previously learned material
- cumulative reviews after every other chapter.
- And, of course, a complete answer key.
It’s a HUGE project, which took a lot of time. (I think we burned some Purgatory time working on it). So I hope your kids will benefit from it.
Just for clarity, this resource is for The Story of Civilization, vol. 2, published by Tan. Story of Civilization, vol. 2 is a fascinating account of medieval history… my kids have really enjoyed it.
Here is the cover of our supplement:
Here’s the Chapter 6 supplement:
Here’s the Chapter 20 supplement:
I highly encourage you to go discuss the Questions to Think About with your kids. These can be challenging and are meant to teach them to think more deeply and analytically about what they have read, to draw comparisons, and to see how history applies to their lives today.
By the way, this workbook is not meant to replace Tan’s activity book and test book. It’s meant to supplement them. We designed it particularly for children in grades 5-8, and children in this age range will still benefit from answering the reading comprehension questions in the teacher’s manual, giving a narration of what they have learned, and taking the chapter tests.
If you have any auditory learners, be sure to have them listen to the audio dramatization while following along in the textbook.
Looking for literature guides to go with some of the recommended novels? Check out this post.
May 2026 UPDATE
Starting this fall of 2026, Tan will start releasing workbooks for the Story of Civilization series. These will be very similar to our Medieval Supplemental Workbook and will include map work and analytical thinking activities suitable for students in grades 5-8. In order not to infringe on their copyright, we have taken our supplemental workbook off the blog.
So, the bad new is: you will no longer be able to download our Free Medieval workbook.
The great news is: you will be able to purchase similar workbooks for all four textbooks in the series from Tan.
In the meanwhile, here are some options to consider for students in Grades 5-8:
American History: Use Sea to Shining Sea by Catholic Textbook Project, which has a workbook and Teacher’s Manual. You can use our lesson plans and book lists which include mapwork and other supplemental activities.
From Sea to Shining Sea Gr. 5-6 Lesson Plans Part I
From Sea to Shining Sea Gr. 5-6 Lesson Plans Part II
World History: Use Christ the King Lord of History, also published by TAN. This is a very compelling read, and we have really enjoyed it. The lesson plans also include mapwork and book lists, as well as illustrated notebook pages for each chapter. These are great for students to practice note-taking, an important skill students whould develop as they approach highschool. These are suitable for students in Grades 7-8.
Here are my plans and book lists for this text:
Christ the King Lord of History Lesson Plans and book list Part I – Ancient and Medieval History –
Christ the King Lord of History Lesson Plans and book list Part II – Modern European History
For all my history resources, visit this page: History and Geography Resources for Homeschoolers
Oh, my goodness, THANK YOU!!! My sixth grader enjoys this series but I worry the activity book is not “enough” writing and vocabulary practice. Your book is amazing! Please make a companion for volume 3, which he wants to complete next year. 🤣
A sincere thank you.
Thank you for saying thank you!!! Companion for volume 3???? We’ll see how much purgatory time I accrue this year😂. Have a blessed school year!
I found your blog while searching for just this type of resource, I’m hooked! Thank you so much for this workbook, it’s exactly what we need for my 7th grader!
Any chance you have started on just a timeline for Volume III The Story of Civilization, The Making of the Modern World?
I will happily barter with you in books I have 🤣 just send me a request
Hi Margaret,
That probably won’t happen for about a year two. Thanks for asking!
wow- this is incredible and I am so grateful!!!
Thank you! This is really amazing.
You’re welcome! Hope you and your kids enjoy it!
I adore every resource and ounce of wisdom you share – thank you!
Thank you for your words of appreciation! 🙂
Hello! The link to this doesn’t seem to be working. If you still have it available, I would love to use this for next year!
Hello! Since Tan will start releasing workbooks for this series, we have taken down our workbook. But I think you will be happy with their workbooks when they are released:)
HI! I am wondering if you have supplemental book list for volumes 3 and 4? I am so grateful for all your hard work!
Hi! We did not create booklists for volumes 3 and 4 of SOC, since we switched to Sea to Shining Sea and then Christ the King Lord of History after the SOC Volumes 1 and 2. I recommend looking into Laura Berquist’s book on “Designing Your Own Curriculum” which has many booklists and recommended reading for the different time periods.
Hello, the workbook you created is so good, and the charity you have shown by sharing it has been incredible. May God bless you both!
Thank you! 🙂
I cannot find any information on this new resource from TAN for 5-8th graders. We are hoping to start Vol III in August with my 8th grader. Any advice? Or is there someone at TAN we can contact? Thank you so much, sad that we can’t use your resource in the meantime, I am sure it was a great deal of work! Thank you for this blog!
Hi! You could try calling Tan’s customer service to find out when the release date is. I know they were hoping to get Vol. 1, possibly Vol. 2 out by the fall. Another option is to use Light of the Nations by Catholic Textbook Project, which is fully developed, but it is a much more challenging text than Story of Civilization.
I just realized… Vol. 3 is American History. You could try from Sea to Shining Sea by Catholic Textbook project. It has a workbook and a teacher’s manual. Here are lesson plans, mapwork ideas, and booklists for Sea to Shining Sea:
https://mercyformarthas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/gr-5-6-american-history-i-with-sea-to-shining-sea.pdf
AND
https://mercyformarthas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/gr-5-6-american-history-ii-with-sea-to-shining-sea1.pdf
All these together with the workbook would be similar to what we have assembled for the SOC vol. 2. Hope this helps!
Do you have an idea when TAN release these books? We start our school year first week of August and I would love to supplement my 7th grader with this! It sounds like exactly what I keep trying to add for the older kids!
Hi! I believe TAN is trying to release the workbooks this fall, but I’m not sure where they’re at with that. Once I get a a chance, I will add to this post some options you can consider until the TAN workbooks are available. 🙂
We were able to get in contact with TAN (a friend and I are both searching for a resource like yours 🙂 and they said *maybe* by the Spring of 2027 (but we will be done by that point). Trusting in the Lord and will use the pages above for Ch. 6 and 20!