medieval homeschool history

23 DIY: free History Guides – Ancient Civilizations to Modern History

August 21, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Below, I have 23 free unit studies which cover ancient civilizations to modern history. Depending on your objectives, the unit studies can be used to supplement homeschool history or they can be used as stand alone.

Content subjects are not really grade level. If you need an explanation, click here to read Skill Subjects vs. Content Subjects: What’s the Difference. If you waited to study the American Civil War until 7th grade, then introductory information is just that. It doesn’t really matter if you cover that topic in 4th grade or 7th grade. However, do adjust books and writing for each level, but even that is doable when you have a framework of where to begin.

Also below, I’ve included tips for teaching hands-on history because it’s such a valuable part of bring history from boring to bam. Teaching history doesn’t have to always include some over the top hands-on activity, so a lot of the ones are easy to do.

23 free DIY History Guides from Ancient Civilization to Modern History. Unlike skill subjects which require a certain sequence of objectives to follow, a content subject like history does not. Creating diy history guides become a way of hooking your kids on history because the focus is on topics which interests them.Click here to grab the guides!

23 DIY: History Guides

If you are looking for a more formal, but flexible framework in which to cover history, then my favorite curriculum for covering history in broad strokes is Brimwood Press. It’s very unusual because it covers history in 14 lessons. It’s great for a variety of learners :

diy homeschoolers who may want to cover history in broad strokes,
homeschoolers who want a framework, but want to fill in with details which interests them,
and homeschoolers who hate history because the focus was on dates instead of the action-packed lives of history makers.

Look at these other posts to help you.

How to Teach Homeschool History (Easily) in Just 14 Lessons

4 Shortcuts to Teach Hands-on American History in Half the Time, How to Teach History in 14 Lessons (From Daunting to Doable), and Start the Homeschool Year Off Right: 5 History Ideas for the First Week.

Hugs and love ya,

This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

How to Teach History in 14 Lessons (From Daunting to Doable)

January 13, 2017 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Teaching history in 14 lessons is doable. I was so excited to review this curriculum and use it. Also, look at my page Ancient Civilizations for my ideas!

It’s hard for me to believe that I could’ve born a child who loathed history, but I did.

Beginning to teach him the same way I had his older brother, my history hater pushed back.

And he let me know there is absolutely no reason to learn history.

Explaining that history is all about the present, that fascinating treasure troves can be unearthed when we tap into the minds of brilliant people of the past and learning from both triumphs and tragedies in history sounded eloquent to only me.

However, my history naysayer wasn’t budging from his mindset or attitude.

Two things had to change (for me) and one thing was not going to change.

One change was my expectations.

Second, I had to put aside curriculum, which taught too many details.

Teach History in 14 Lessons

But what absolutely couldn’t change or that I wouldn’t compromise on was giving him a solid foundation in history.

Like all subjects, a thorough, but basic foundation is necessary because every child deserves that.

Little did I know that back when I reviewed What Every Child Needs to Know about Western Civilization that I would refer it to many years afterward.

And it would help my highschooler cement time periods.

Although it’s written for a middle grade student, it helped my teen with the Ancient periods.

You can look at what I wrote then about how I used What Every Child Needs to Know About Western Civilization by BrimWood Press.

History in a Nutshell

Look at three things I learned since then.

ONE/ Teaching history in broad strokes makes it manageable for those who either get overwhelmed by the details or need to know immediately the value of learning history.

It didn’t mean that my son wasn’t interested at all in history.

He needed to see the practical value immediately instead of covering it for a year chronologically.

Even though my history hater has graduated, to this day he still wants people to get to the point of what they are saying instead of patiently listening to details or a story.

Are you sure this kid is mine? I always have time to dawdle over the details of any story and especially history.

Now that my history hater is grown though, I realize that is part of his personality. Not only do we need the detailed people, but we need people who see the big picture.

I learned that it’s not just history that he could hate.

But when he learned other things, he wanted them in a nutshell first.

TWO/ Forget the story or at least for the immediate time.

A story approach works for a lot of kids and it did for my other two boys, but such a detailed approach is not necessary to form the basic cornerstones of understanding history. Move on, it’s okay.

Learn Major History Periods First

When my son wanted to learn more about a famous person or event, then he would ask to. Otherwise, I moved on to the next topic.

THREE/ Let him choose which topics or activities he wants to do, if any.

Though a hands-on approach to history is always a favorite of mine and I feel it teaches way beyond books, I allowed my son the right to make choices in how he wanted to absorb the information.

Choices or options on subjects that I am not so crazy over (math) empowers me to take information in at my leisure. Kids are not any different.

When given the option, I learned that many times my son would do the hands-on activities I suggested because he is a hands-on learner.

Value of History Broad Strokes

What I liked the most about What Every Child Needs to Know about Western Civilization is that it breathed life into our day.

When we wanted to cover one area of history without getting overwhelmed with every event or person in a time period, we were able to do this.

And the history hat cards, which have a famous person to remember in each time period honed in on valuable cornerstones to form a framework for history.

Look at the picture below so you can see the broad sweeping time periods covered. Such a huge help to teaching history. I put the civilizations so you can see how helpful they are.

Yes, history should really be this easy and streamlined.

And What Every Child Needs to Know about Western Civilization is a great help if you don’t feel adequate to teach history.

Remembering 14 points about Western Civilization is a lot less intimidating than covering one time period of history in depth.

Form a framework first with the broad strokes in history, then sketch in the details, people and events at your leisure.

Fast History Approach

The curriculum is for 5th to 8th grade.

But you can easily hand it to your high school teen. It will give him a framework.

If you have a history hater, don’t feel qualified to teach history or want to cover it in broad strokes, but not compromise on the significant big picture, you’ll love What Every Child Needs to Know about Western Civilization .

Look at my original Review of What Every Child Needs to Know About Western Civilization by BrimWood Press, and these other ways to cover history, which are 10 ways to Hook Homeschooled Kids On History and 8 Ways to Teach Homeschool History Other Than Chronologically.

Hugs and love ya,

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How to Teach History in 14 Lessons to a History Hater @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Medieval History for Homeschool Middle School

July 12, 2016 | 17 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When I got our box of the Medieval History Pack history curriculum from Beautiful Feet Books, I almost passed out from excitement. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Medieval History for Homeschool Middle School using Beautiful Feet Books or history living books @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I was given free curriculum from Beautiful Feet Books and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a review, it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here.

For just a moment as I opened up the box from Beautiful Feet Books, I had a flashback to my public school high school years when I learned about the Middle Ages from a history teacher who wasn’t a rule-follower.

My teacher planned a huge high school medieval feast to kick off our study and because I answered the most questions correctly about medieval history, I was crowned medieval queen. Complete with costumes and activities, I won’t ever forget the fun of learning about history in the older grades.

Memory making moments from my high school years stuck with me and hands-on history and living books became part of my must-haves for my homeschool.

Beautiful Feet Books has been part of my homeschooling journey for many years because it fits my criteria of how history should be covered in the middle and high school years.

When my first son, Mr. Senior 2013 was in Kindergarten, I used Early American History with him. Next as I folded into my day Mr. Awesome 2016 and Tiny, we used the Early American and World History and the Medieval History Sr. High levels.

You can read my article, When We Used Beautiful Feet Books as our History Spine to grab more tips about how I use Beautiful Feet Books.

Beautiful Feet Books Living Literature for Middle School Homeschool @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

However, because Tiny was young when I studied medieval history with my older two sons, I felt that Medieval History Pack was a better fit for us right now.

Living Literature Bringing Medieval History Alive

Look at some of the reasons why we love using the Medieval History Pack.

Living books should be a staple of any great course about history and we just can’t get our fill of them. Tiny started off reading The European World, Beowulf and then on to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. We always have trouble following the teacher’s guide because once you get hooked on a living book, you can’t put it down. It’s important to mention here that though I have used a lot of living history books in our study, I value the fact that Beautiful Feet Books spends time culling over the very best ones so that I don’t have to. Again, with this level, we were not disappointed.
If you have kids that are middle or high school level, I know you can relate to the struggle in keeping history entertaining and educational because so many programs want to move away from interactive activities to exclusive book learning. Making us choose to either prepare a child for rigorous history in the upper grades or making it entertaining seems to be two choices homeschool curriculum providers throw at us. I reject that mentality which is why many times I come back to Beautiful Feet Books. They show us we can and should have both when we homeschool our older kids.

Beautiful Feet Teacher's Guide @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Also, the teacher’s guide gives me the freedom to incorporate living literature as a unit study because it is filled with teaching ideas, but it is not overly complicated. In other words, I don’t want to have to follow a schedule exactly, but just want a framework to work within.
However, if you run short on time the teacher’s guide has just enough guidance if you want it. For example, it has vocabulary words for the reading, ideas for hands-on activities, and of course geography and history helps.

How to Make Learning About Medieval Geography Stick

Medieval map work using living literature @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Another reason that we wanted to use Beautiful Feet Books was to incorporate geography in a hands-on way that sticks.

Don’t get me wrong. Computer programs and pre-labeled maps are super resources, but learning the nitty-gritty of geography happens when you can dive into it.

Middle Ages Map using Beautiful Feet Books @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Making a map of the medieval world as suggested in the teacher’s guide is what piqued our interest. Creating a hand-drawn map and taking time to label regions and cities helps Tiny to remember what Europe looked like back then.

We are off to a great start using his map and we can’t wait to add more to it as we will continue on with our study this year.

Does Teaching History Develop Essential Thinking Skills?

Beautiful Feet Books has never been about having to move fast with quick bites of history. I don’t want my sons rushed when it comes to understanding the ideals of the past because it affects the way people think today.

Too, let’s just face it. When it comes to medieval history, we not only want to dig deeper, but we want our kids to savor learning about knights, castles and jousting.

That takes time.

You’ll love these ideas for literature and hands-on ideas from Beautiful Feet Books.

Look at these other things I want you to know about.

It is a 35 week program, which means it is a year long program. You just can’t rush the richness of the points learned in the literature.
If you are looking for a day by day guide, this is not your program. If you want wiggle room to add your own spin to it but to have some ideas for each week, you’ll love the flexibility of the teacher’s guide. I added in our own science. Look at Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History.
With the book choices, it easily adaptable for high school. Look here at the suggested credits for high school.
The teacher’s guide has answers and the definition of the vocabulary words in the back of the book. Did I mention it is in beautiful color?
I did notice a few links that were not up to date, but I found them easily on the home page of the suggested link. Again, having the other links for extra reading is a huge benefit to helping Tiny understand this time period and I appreciate him being able to use his iPad along with reading the books.

I won’t hide my obvious bias and love toward Beautiful Feet Books because it has been around for a long time and there is a reason why. Simply, it works.

Learning about history should be action-packed and motivating. With a framework to work with for studying medieval history, you’ll love this curriculum.

You’ll want to see how I used one of the living books, The World of Columbus making 5 days of Free Printables for a unit study. Also, look at 8 Ways to Teach Homeschool History Other Than Chronologically and Should Homeschool History Be Covered in Chronological Order?

What do you think, will this curriculum work for you?

Hugs and love ya,

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Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity

June 22, 2016 | 19 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Medieval chemistry and homeschool history is about hand on today. Medieval Chemistry had early beginnings although we don’t always think about the medieval period as that time. Also, look at my free 4 week Middle Ages Unit Study for more fun.

I shared Medieval Homeschool History – 4 Surefire Ways to Beat a Boring Study when we started using Beautiful Feet living history books.

Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History. Alchemy was a 'science' back in Medieval times. Look at this fun hands-on activity over @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

We have been loving reading about the Middle Ages, but I wanted to add some science in with our history and reading.

Although the Middle Ages is not really known for its scientific discovery, the ‘science’ of alchemy was a popular idea.

The Forerunner of Chemistry in the Middle Ages

Trying to turn different base metals into gold I’m sure kept early alchemists busy discovering new things.

Today, I thought I would do some basic chemistry with Tiny so that he understands how early alchemist felt.

Alchemy was probably the forerunner to chemistry today.Though Tiny now knows that he can’t turn egg yolks into gold, he used to think about that.

However, he is always up for some fun chemistry.

Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History

Look at this easy hands-on activity to do when learning about Medieval history. Color changing is about as close to gold changing as we get to today.

Grab these items.

5 small jars
1/2 head of red cabbage
sprite or I used diet 7up
cream of tartar
baking soda
vinegar
lemons or lemon juice
big microwavable bowl
colander
pitcher

Medieval Chemistry 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Medieval Chemistry 2 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

After Tiny grabbed everything, I used half of a head of red cabbage and put enough water to cover it somewhat.

Medieval Chemistry 3 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Medieval Chemistry 4 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Then, we put the bowl in the microwave for about 10 minutes.

While the cabbage is in the microwave, Tiny put a 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar in one jar, 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice in one jar and we repeated this for each item.

One ingredient in each jar.

Medieval Chemistry 5 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Medieval Chemistry 6 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

When the time was up for the red cabbage in the microwave, I used a colander to put on top of the pitcher and strained the juice. (Whoops, ignore my morning glass of cold iced coffee. I do love my coffee. )

Since the water is hot, it makes it easier to experiment if your kid can pour it into each jar using a small pitcher.

Because the cabbage juice is a ph balance indicator, each ingredient will turn different colors depending on it’s acidity or alkalinity.

Water has a ph balance of 7 and acids will have a lower number and alkaline items will have a higher number.

Medieval Chemistry 7 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Medieval Chemistry 8 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

For example the lemons have a low number and the baking soda turned blue-ish because it has high alkaline.

Look at this nifty scale for understanding about ph balance.

Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History - Fun Hands-On Activity

You can experiment with more ingredients. Just remember this is chemistry so be sure you know what you’re doing because it can be dangerous combining ingredients.

I felt pretty comfortable with these things because I did them with my oldest kids.

However, there is nothing like your youngest child being able to do the things he had just watched his older siblings doing when he was little.

Besides, this fun activity helps Tiny to get into the spirit of discovery like they did in the Medieval times.

We used Beautiful Feet’s Medieval history because we love living literature!

Can you add a bit of chemistry to your study of Medieval history?

Also, look at Medieval History for Homeschool Middle School.

Hugs and love ya,

Look at how we used Beautiful Feet before in When We Used Beautiful Feet Books as our History Spine and also look at How to Use a History Spine to Build Your Study of History.

Medieval Homeschool History – 4 Surefire Ways to Beat a Boring Study

May 8, 2016 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re studying Medieval homeschool history and knights and castles make for a fascinating study of the medieval times. Also, look at my free 4 week Middle Ages Unit Study for more fun.

However, many other topics and vocabulary words can make it hard and well, flat out boring to study this time period.

Getting lost in the medieval world where definitions of words and topics are not things that you or your children hear and speak everyday can make you feel like you’re sinking when you start studying about them.

Medieval Homeschool History

Today, I am sharing 4 surefire ways to beat a boring study.

They have worked for me when we studied this topic before and how I will be incorporating them again when we study medieval homeschool history next.

We are excited to move on to medieval history and we will be using Beautiful Feet because you know I love their books and how they give a framework to guide you in the study.

However, I also love Beautiful Feet because they fit my criteria needed to complete a meaty and fun history unit study.

4 Surefire Ways to Beat a Boring Study

Take a look at these 4 things to include when studying medieval history.

1. LIVING BOOKS.

Living books are a must-have to cover history eras, which may be hard or boring to explain.

Too, when studying history where there may be fewer primary resources, fictional history can stir a child to think about the “what if”.

Teaching facts and making a story relevant to current life is the advantage of living books. Mix in fictional history and your child’s curiosity is sparked.

I love the living books used in Beautiful Feet’s medieval history study because reading about King Arthur, Robin Hood and Beowulf draw my boys into thinking what it would be like to live back in those times.

That is the beginning to expanding on subjects that are important, like inventing the first printing press, which may or may not interest your children.

2. HANDS-ON HISTORY.

My second must-have or must-do when studying time periods that are difficult to understand is to add hands-on projects. Hands-on history hooks a kid on a topic they’ll remember on into adulthood.

They not only make a subject come to life, but motivate a kid to keep digging into deeper topics. Take a look at 10 Ways to Hook Homeschooled Kids On History.

3. VOCABULARY WORDS DEFINED.

Vocabulary words are normally better understood and defined when they are read in a book because it helps your kids to understand their relevance.

That is still important when studying the ancients or medieval, but because of how archaic the language can be, I find that defining vocabulary words separately too is absolutely necessary to making the meaning clear.

I don’t believe in a long drawn out process that takes away from whatever it is your kids are learning at the moment. Narration is a perfect tool to incorporate at this point.

Writing them down helps to reinforce them too so that your kids don’t get lost in the out of date language.

4. MAPPING AND GEOGRAPHY.

Lastly, geography is important to visualizing the medieval world.

Then, a connection can be made to the modern world.

Geographical boundaries and names can change, but land forms can stand the test of time for a much longer period.

When a child sees where events take place at, then maps become not just a boring paper with names to memorize, but a picture from that time period.

It’s easier to understand how the environment affected the way people thought and felt at that time.

Living books, hands-on history, out of date words defined and geography are four surefire ways to beat a boring study about medieval history.

You’ll love the literature lists put together by Beautiful Feet. They are my go to place for guides and literature.

I can’t wait to get started with our unit study.

What do you like to include in your study of medieval history?

Hugs and love ya,

Also, look at how we used Beautiful Feet before in When We Used Beautiful Feet Books as our History Spine and also look at How to Use a History Spine to Build Your Study of History.

medieval homeschool history

23 DIY: free History Guides – Ancient Civilizations to Modern History

23 DIY: History Guides

How to Teach History in 14 Lessons (From Daunting to Doable)

Teach History in 14 Lessons

History in a Nutshell

Learn Major History Periods First

Value of History Broad Strokes

Fast History Approach

Medieval History for Homeschool Middle School

Living Literature Bringing Medieval History Alive

How to Make Learning About Medieval Geography Stick

Does Teaching History Develop Essential Thinking Skills?

Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity

The Forerunner of Chemistry in the Middle Ages

Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History

Medieval Homeschool History – 4 Surefire Ways to Beat a Boring Study

Medieval Homeschool History