History Curriculum for Teens

Exploring World History is a full year-long high school history course by Notgrass History. This course can be counted as credit on your teen's high school transcript for Bible, English, and History. This quality course takes your student on a deep-dive into the history of our world beginning with focusing on worldview. Many Christian curriculum companies begin world history with Creation—which I respect and look for in a homeschool history class—but Notgrass goes the extra mile to lay a biblical foundation first. Even before discussing the Creation of the world, hard questions are addressed for an entire chapter such as understanding God, our world, and our place in the world.

Once a biblical framework is established—the text dives not only into historical facts and landmarks but discusses creation, sin, and questions from Genesis. I love how each chapter of this curriculum concludes with a Bible study from Eternity Before Creation to Eternity After This World.

With 150 lessons, unit projects, student review, and literature options, Exploring World History has plenty of variety to keep your teen engaged. Two of my teen sons completed this course in the same year. One son has since graduated from high school and the other one has another year to go. What I loved about this curriculum was that even though one was a senior in high school and the other was only in tenth grade at the time, they were still able to work through it at the same time for the same amount of high school credit. Every state is different when it comes to homeschool requirements for graduation but our state (and I believe many others) require that certain requirements are met before graduation and not in a specific order. Of course some disciplines build on one another but history is pretty flexible. Both of my boys, close in age, were able to work through this with ease during the same year—which was great because of many of the discussions that it sparked.

Some people are concerned about homeschooling being isolating but I can assure you that is not the case. When I am able to have some of my kids work together on a subject I often hear laughter, debating, and sometimes in depth conversations about a topic coming from the other room. Homeschooling in high school looks different for everyone but my kids are extremely independent, and I often miss the days of snuggling on the couch reading a living history book with them. Right now I am able to do that with my younger kids but one day they will be in high school and reaching those milestones of independent learning, too. Having each other is a blessing and teaching them the same subjects at the same time so they can engage in discussion about the topics together not only helps to solidify what they are learning but prepares them for higher education (if that is their goal) or life in general. I highly recommend this course for it's biblical content and context that it provides for historical events.

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Notgrass History for sponsoring this post.

Original 13 Colonies Fact Cards (Free Printable)

These Thirteen Colonies Fact Cards were created for my kids as we studied early American history. What a pivotal time in our history! Puritans seeking religious freedom, adventurers setting out for a new land, and those in debt hoping for a fresh start—a new life. From the first colony in Virginia, until all thirteen stars on the first American flag were represented, these cards are a perfect review for your homeschoolers. Use them to drill the first thirteen colonies so your child can recite them with ease, and have them dictate the information on the cards to help them remember a small fact about each colony. Feel free to print these out and have your children write facts that they learn about each colony on the back. Go ahead and laminate them, too! Simply right-click, save, and print to use this resource in your homeschool as you study about the original thirteen colonies in America. Use the facts for dictation, copy work, or discussion in your home. Disclaimer: All co...

Truck-Themed Homeschool Chore Chart

Use this truck-themed homeschool chore chart to keep your kids on track throughout the school week. With lessons, field trips, meals, and unexpected errands filling up your week, even the simplest chore chart can help your home run more smoothly. At times, kids are excited for the new opportunity to help out around the house and do it with joy. Other times they stomp toward the trash can with anything but a good attitude. Help keep attitudes in check by using stickers, smiley faces, or positive verbal reinforcement as your child completes each task on the chart. For the child who loves lists (and the mom) this is the perfect free printable to have on hand! (Simply right-click, save, and print)

The Pencil Grip Inc. {Review}

We have found what we have been looking for in The Pencil Grip Inc .'s 24 pack of Magic Stix Washable Markers . These markers are the perfect fit for a homeschooling family such as ours. I am thrilled to tell you about our experience with them! Normally, I do not have a favorable impression of markers for several reasons. For one, as a kid, I remember markers having such a strong smell that it would give me a headache. I know some kids enjoyed the scents but it certainly was not for me. And to be honest, if I had markers like that in my house today, my kids would probably stick them up their nose or something. Another reason I have a distaste for markers is the drying out factor. As a parent of many children this is super frustrating. I finally teach the older ones to put the caps back on when they are done using their markers but then a younger one comes along and just doesn't understand. This then leads to the undue frustration of your child sitting down to...

Thrift Schooling

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