Gr. 3-6 is a great age to start doing time lines and working with maps. So, many of these lesson plans include doing these activities. I have also added great novels to read aloud, corresponding saint stories, and other supplemental activities.
The easiest way to make a time line is to use the History Worth Remembering Time Line Figures from Emmanuel Books. They have time line figures for every historical time period and they include Catholic saints as well. Just buy a spiral note book with stiff paper and put the figures in order on a time line as you learn about them.
Map Trek, Atlas and Outline Maps of World History is an extensive collection of maps for you to use as part of your study of history. Several of our lesson plans include map work using these maps.
Ancient History
Susan Wise Bauer’s Story of the World Vol. 1 is a great pick for learning about Ancient History until grade 4. For grades 4 or 5, I like to supplement with the Activity Book and the Test Book. D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths and the Study Guide from Memoria Press make for great reading comprehension.
Story of Civilization is a Catholic version of Story of the World. My children really enjoy the audio CDs. Here is a book list and pictures for narration pages that go with Volume 1: Ancient History.
Early Church and Medieval Church History
Story of Civilization, Vol. 2: The Middle Ages is a highly engaging account of Medieval Times. There is a lot of church history mixed in. We really enjoyed this one!
Here is a booklist to accompany each chapter, as well as literature guides to some wonderful novels that take place during the Middle Ages.
And here is a project that took all summer long to make: a FREE workbook supplement for Story of Civilization, Vol. 2, the Medieval World. It’s over 180 pages long… check it out!
Gr. 4 – 5 Early Church and Medieval History with Founders of Freedom
This Catholic textbook tells the history of the Early Church and gives a lively account of the Church’s contribution to medieval society. This begins with Creation and goes until the discovery of the New World. For this course, we only use the second half of the textbook.
Gr. 4 -5 Famous Men of the Middle Ages
For these lesson plans, you will need both Famous Men of Rome and Famous Men of the Middle Ages, as well as the student guides and teacher guides (if you want the answers). These are not Catholic texts, but the short biographies read like stories and are very interesting.
American History
Gr. 3 How Our Nation Began Lesson Plans
How Our Nation Began is a wonderful Catholic text that is perfectly written at a 3rd grade level. Since I am such a geek, I made a workbook to go with it for Feisty. The workbook is designed to allow him to do this course independently. Lepanto Press just published it for use at Our Lady of Victory Homeschool. Yay! Click here to see sample pages.
For grades 5-6, we use From Sea to Shining Sea , a beautifully written Catholic textbook full of color pictures and maps. We take two years to go through this text because there are so many delightful historical novels and supplements that make American history come alive. If you use these lesson plans, make sure you get the workbook on CD.
Gr. 5-6 American History I with From Sea to Shining Sea
Gr. 5-6 American History II with From Sea to Shining Sea
Mercy for Marthas 