History Units

Homeschool History Units

I wanted to make a page that will make it easier to see what history resources we have available on our blog. These are some of the history units we have covered so far in our homeschool and the posts I’ve written related to each unit. As many of you know, we *love* hands-on activities and have done lots of creative activities along the way. 🙂

You will find these in Our Store, but you can also view the post to find out more details! Just so you know, the history units come after the science units in our store.

A quick note (summer 2020)… I know this page is *really* out of date now! It’s so hard to keep up with all the pages here on the blog.  We have a ton of new history resources and I’ll try to update page more thoroughly when I can. Let me leave you with a few units just from this past year or so… I’m sure I’m missing a lot (but have to make dinner! You know how that goes!)…

You’ll also find these history and geography units in our store.

If you have younger student/s, you might want to start with basic world geography.  This is material we covered when the kids were 4-7 years old or so:  Where I Live & World Map Activities

Our most popular History Packets at the moment include our World Facts Packet — Do your kids know the largest countries? the countries with the most people? The tallest mountains and/or longest rivers?  the deserts of the world? Basic geography terms from peninsula to atoll and archipelago? This is a unit we often start with at the beginning of the year or at the start of the new semester… World Facts Packet

Civics and Government – We have gone over the basics about the American Government & Civics most every year (at least a little bit!). The packet covers the how the government is set up, three branches of government, some of the responsibilities of each branch, the different cabinet members, the difference between federal, state and local governments,  and more. It includes notebook pages (with answers provided), a lapbook/interactive notebook activity, basic civic questions (with QR Code answers), sorting cards, and more.

And, we have units from Ancient to Modern History!

Here’s a chatty post about what we did for Ancient History (at least at the beginning of the year that year).

Ancient Egypt

Ancient China Packet

Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses Packet

Middle Ages Unit

USA States and Capitals

Age of Exploration Packet

13 Colonies Packet

American Revolution Packet

Oregon Trail Packet

Slavery and the Civil War Packet (This recently got a huge update!). This unit includes material on Territorial Expansion and Manifest Destiny

World War I Packet (and the Russian Revolution)

Modern Art Packet

World War II

World War II

Cold War Packet – This unit is currently $9.99 $4.99. This unit is currently 50% off because it still is being proofed, but I know a number of you have been waiting for this unit! I have not yet written the post (or shared the purchase link publicly), so if you have any questions or are interested in this unit please email me! ~Liesl

The Cold War Unit is currently 90-pages and covers (right click on the screenshots below to enlarge)

• Origins of the Cold War

• Occupation of Germany
• The Cold War Begins (Containment, Truman Doctrine, Berlin Airlift)

• US Foreign Policy and the Cold War

• The Cold War Turns Hot
• Korean War

• The Cold War during the Eisenhower and Kennedy Administrations

Vietnam War Packet – Coming Soon!

Geography of Europe Packet: Countries, Capitals, and Flags of Europe (50 pages)

Other history materials…

Here’s how the chart below is organized:

• World and U.S. Geography and Landmarks
• U.S. Civics and Government Unit
• Native American Studies
• Causes of the American Revolution
• Slavery
• Civil Rights Movement
• Africa Unit (World Religions Topics: Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, Islam)
• India and China Units (World Religions Topic: Hinduism, Buddhism)
• Middle Ages Unit
• Renaissance and Reformation Unit (What we’re studying Spring 2016)
• I need to add Ancient Greece to the chart, but in the meantime you can click here!

As always, let me know if you have any questions! You can always email me! ~Liesl

History Topics We Have Covered in our Homeschool

World and U.S. Geography and Landmarks	World and U.S. Geography and Landmarks World Facts Packet – We often started out the semester going over some basic information such as: *What are the 4 largest countries in the world? What countries have the largest population? Then we went over some basic facts about world geographical features (the longest river, tallest mountains, largest cities, etc.) and more. Free World Map Printables, World at Night Images, Outline Maps, etc. – A free printable with really nice quality world maps. Famous World Landmarks – Free Montessori 3-Part Cards U.S. Landmarks and Symbols: Free Montessori 3-Part Cards Famous Rocks around the World Wonderful Geography Games for Kids (ages 8-12) Ages 3-6: Montessori Geography Activities (Free Montessori World Map Printable) Hands-On Geography for 4-10 yr olds (or so) Preschool Geography: Activities for learning about where we live in the world, Montessori world map work and more Preschool Geography: Maps and More PreK: The Seven Continents and World Landmarks Activity
U.S. Civics and Government Unit	U.S. Civics and Government Unit U.S. Civics and Government Unit (3 Branches of Government and More!)
Native American Studies The American West	Native Americans Unit Native Americans of the Northeast Unit (Part I, Algonquian Indians) – free notebook pages Native Americans of the Northeast Unit (Part II, Iroquois Indians) 6 Native American Picture Books for Kids Native Americans of the Southeast: Cherokee, Seminole Indians, Trail of Tears A Visit with Pocahontas’ Great (x12) Granddaughter Navajo Indians The American West: (the kids were quite young for this unit): American West Unit: Forts Lewis and Clark, Fruit Leather and More American West Geography and the Louisiana Purchase The Oregon Trail Ancient Aztecs, Mayans and Incas (We did a lot of fun, color crafts for this unit. The kids were fairly young at the time.) Ancient Mayan Civilization Unit History of Chocolate from the Mayans to Today Ancient Mayan Indian Unit: Rugs Ancient Mayan Indian Unit: Wood Animalitos – Oaxacan (Mexican) Folk Art Ancient Mayan Indian Unit: God’s Eye Yarn Craft Aztecs and Incas
Causes of the American Revolution	Causes of the American Revolution American Revolution Unit: Books, Movies and Resources for Kids Causes of and Events Leading to the American Revolution (30-Page Packet) American Revolution Play (For 3 or More Actors)
Slavery and the Civil War	Slavery and the Civil War 75+page Packet Slavery Worksheets, Notebook Pages, Review Cards Territorial Growth Civil War Worksheets and ActivitiesOur Slavery and the Civil War Packet covers the three topics above: We talked about slavery here: Free Civil Rights Packet: Timeline of Events Leading to the Civil Rights Movement — This packet covers the 350 year history prior to the Civil Rights Era.  It also includes several pages of photos so kids can make their own timeline.
Civil Rights Movement	Civil Rights Movement Civil Rights Movement Lessons (Free Packet) – In some ways this is the core of what I want the kids to learn from this unit… what are rights? What is the difference between someone’s rights and a privilege? What is it like to be a part of a group? When can it be hard/painful to be left out? Judging people by what they look like. The power of speeches. This is a 13 page packet of discussion questions and lesson ideas on all that and terms like prejudice, bias, racism, etc. Civil Rights Books for Elementary Free Civil Rights Packet: Timeline of Events Leading to the Civil Rights Movement — This packet covers the 350 year history prior to the Civil Rights Era.  It also includes several pages of photos so kids can make their own timeline. Key Events of the Civil Rights Movement (free packet) Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott Civil Rights Movement: School Integration, Sit-Ins and Selma – books and movies my kids loved  Gandhi – free worksheets/notebook pages
Africa Unit	Africa Unit Africa: Overview of our Unit: One year we did a huge unit on Africa. We started with basic facts about the countries of North Africa. Spent some time studying Ancient Egypt (and modern Egypt), before then moving to West Africa. We studied Islam and the spread of Islam across North and West Africa. We learned about the empires of Ghana and Mali and spent time learning about Mansa Musa, emperor of Mali from 1312-1337.   Geography of Africa — The Countries and Physical Features – We started our Africa Unit learning some basic facts about Africa… some of the countries and capitals, the size (compared to the U.S.) and more. See the picture of the free Africa Learning Packet to the below: These posts on Ancient Egypt which also includes a free notebook page about the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses worksheets Ancient Egypt Death Mask Craft Ancient Egypt Hieroglyphic Generator Ancient Egypt Project: Creating the Nile River Valley Learning about Islam — Free Worksheets and Resources for Kids (We learned the religion of Islam and then learned about the spread of Islam across North Africa and down into West Africa.) West African History — Free Notebook Pages, African Picture Books – which includes these free pages West African Art Projects: Morrocan Tiles, African Masks, African Music Learning about West Africa: Children’s Games and more Cooking with Kids: A Taste of Africa and the Middle East The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery in the New World   World Facts Packet – Do your kids know the 4 largest countries? Which countries have the most people? The longest river? This packet covers basic world and U.S. facts. We often start out the semester going over some basic information such as: *What are the 4 largest countries in the world? What countries have the largest population? Then we went over some basic facts about world geographical features (the longest river, tallest mountains, largest cities, etc.) and more.
India and China Units	India and China Units One year, we spent a semester studying India and then the second semester studying China. Here are some of those posts: India Unit Free India Learning Packet Learning about Hinduism: The Hindu Gods and Goddesses Buddhism Learning Pack Gandhi – free worksheets/notebook pages China Unit China Fact Sheet China Unit: A Huge List of Children’s Books Ancient China Packet (the early dynasties: Shang, Zhou, Qin) Chinese Brush Painting Lesson Free Confucianism Notebook Pages Buddhism Learning Pack Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan — Free Notebook Pages, Books, and Resources Marco Polo – Free Notebook Pages, Books and Resources China for Ages 3-6: China Lapbook, Chinese New Year Activities
Middle Ages Unit	Middle Ages Unit Feudalism and Medieval Life Packet Middle Ages Unit: The Medieval Church and Monasteries Worksheets Middle Ages: King Arthur, Charlemagne Middle Ages Projects and Books Middle Ages – Notebook Pages on England and France (800-1200) Crusades Notebook Pages (Middle Ages Unit) The Four Alls (Learning about Feudalism in the Middle Ages) – a project we did when the kids were younger Middle Ages in the 1300s: Hundred Years’ War, Crusades, Black Plague, Black Plague Simulation
Renaissance and Reformation	Renaissance and Reformation Early Renaissance: The Medici Family and Early Renaissance Art Notebook Pages Renaissance Artists Worksheets on Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael and their Patrons Renaissance Worksheets: Holy Roman Empire, Albrecht Durer Reformation Worksheets and Lapbook Pieces – Martin Luther Music Appreciation: Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary Composers
U.S. Presidents	U.S. Presidents U.S. Presidents Notebook Pages – Songs we sing to learn the U.S. Presidents in order… and notebook pages to help the kids learn who was president during some major world events. Ronald Reagan Notebook Pages

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Happy Homeschooling!

~Liesl