Free Early American History Curriculum
Free Early American History Curriculum
– Columbus Through The Civil War –
Welcome to the first post in the Free American History Curriculum!
If you’ve been following along with our Free Ancient History Plans, WELCOME BACK!
*Is this ENTIRE History Curriculum REALLY free?
YES!
The entire curriculum is FREE online… just keep on scrolling down past all the details, extra resources, ideas on how to use it, etc…
You’ll see “Curriculum Starts Here” in red!
I PROMISE IT’S THERE ! 🙂
Below you will also find some of the questions I get asked the most, and the companion PRINTABLE resources (and some posts) that go along with this curriculum.
We now have posted FREE History Curriculum from Ancient Civilizations to Modern American History!
A Few Q&A’s About Using The FREE American History Curriculum
**Question #1- What Do I Need For This Study?**
All you really need to get started with this free early American history curriculum is an internet connection—and that’s it!
This curriculum was originally created out of necessity when I was homeschooling my kids after a MAJOR move. We had just landed in Lima, Peru with only seven duffle bags to our name. Let’s just say the suitcase math didn’t add up so well:
2 adults + 3 kids + clothes + toys + cans of cranberry sauce (yes, really!) + all our homeschool books = way too heavy.
Back home, I was the kind of homeschool mom who believed you could never have too many books on your shelves or too many trips to the library. But living in a new country taught me to get creative. If you’re a family homeschooling overseas, if you don’t have easy access to a library, or if you’re simply on a tight budget—this online American history curriculum is designed to work perfectly with just the basics.
It’s simple, flexible, and 100% free.
That said—if you do have access to extra books, even better!
Since I’ll never stop loving good books, I’ve put together optional Early American History Books & Resources List to help bring this time period to life. You’ll find recommendations for read-alouds, activity guides, and even movie suggestions to go along with your lessons.
What is the “Core Reading”?
Each daily lesson plan in this history curriculum includes a “Core Reading” section. For the spine of the entire series, I’ve used two history books that many homeschool families already own. You do not have to have these to use the curriculum, but if you do, I’ve included page references to make it easy to follow along. Choose one of these books, both of them, a different history text you already own—or none at all!
Each lesson includes online readings, suggested hands-on projects, and various ways to dig deeper into the topic, no matter what kinds of materials and books you have access to. This approach makes it simple for homeschooling families with multiple ages and grade levels to learn history together. Whether you’re diving into the story of the Pilgrims, exploring the Revolutionary War, or discovering what daily life was like in the 1700s, this curriculum is flexible enough to adapt to your family’s needs.
–>“The Story of the World” by Susan Wise Bauer (noted as “SOTW”).
–>“A Child’s History of the World” by Virgil Hillyer (marked as “CHOW” in the lessons)
*Early American History Companion Resources and Posts From Fields of Daisies-
*Printable PDF Version of the Early American History curriculum!
* Printable Early American History Cards
These are a great way to add FUN to this study, review, and more. Ideas for use included and explained below!
*Early American History Books & Resources List !
*TOP 10 History Helps Posts-
These posts are packed with ideas to keep history FUN for the whole family—think podcasts that make car rides educational, catchy songs for learning American history and ancient history facts, movies the whole family can curl up and enjoy together, audiobooks for quiet times or bedtime, plus DIY history games you can whip up with things you already have at home (and a few awesome ones worth buying).
These Top 10 homeschool history ideas are designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and connection while you explore the past together.
+Top 10 History PODCASTS
+Top 10 History SONGS
+Top 10 History TIMELINES
+Top 10 History AUDIOBOOKS
+Top 10 History MOVIES
+Top 10 History BOOKS (This is the ULTIMATE History Book List!)
+Top 10 History GAMES
+Top 10 HANDS-ON History Projects
+Top 10 AMAZING Homeschooling Resources At The Library
**Question #2- WHAT is a history binder/notebook?**
You’ll notice that I mention a history binder a lot. Week 9 is all about this! So, what do I mean?
–>How To Make A History Binder (Watch this quick video showing what I mean- much faster!)
Do you have to use a history binder?
Nope! This curriculum is an outline and you get to tailor it just for YOUR family!
Have a great wall just begging for a timeline ? Do that! Or have your kids create a very simple notebook with tabs for vocabulary, important people and places, etc… OR try my FAVORITE, the History Timeline Binders that I mention ad nauseam ! lol
Add to or take out whatever you want, to make this a perfect fit for YOUR family!
Check out the post below that is full of creative ways to make History Timelines ! Ever heard of box timelines? SO MUCH FUN!
**Question #3- How Do I Use This Curriculum To Teach ALL My Children Together?**
The lessons in this Early American History curriculum are designed to be self-directed for middle school students, but they can easily be adapted for the whole family. When I was teaching multiple ages at once, here’s what worked for us:
+I read aloud from The Story of the World or A Child’s History of the World. We often paired that with a fun historical fiction read-aloud set in Early America, added in our related Bible study, and of course—lots of hands-on projects that everyone could enjoy together.
+The rest of the work—like independent reading, notebooking, watching videos (though this can usually be done together too), or digging deeper into specific topics—was done on their own at each child’s level.
But what about the younger kids?
I’ve got you covered there too! At the bottom of this page (and in the full Early American History Books & Resources List), you’ll find extra recommendations just for little learners. Each lesson also includes age-appropriate YouTube video suggestions, and the hands-on activities are perfect for kids of all ages. One of my favorite resources for younger children is Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes—which can be easily simplified or leveled up so everyone gets involved.
My youngest loved coloring pages to add to her own history timeline binder while I read aloud. Honestly, I was always surprised by how much she picked up just by listening in. And yes—the “big kids” liked those coloring pages too!
More Ideas for Teaching Early American History with Multiple Ages
+Choose a read-aloud book that works for everyone.
Pick a book that lands somewhere between your youngest and oldest student and make it your “core reading” for history. This read-aloud time often became one of the sweetest parts of our day—everyone cozy, listening, and sharing a great book together. While I read, my youngest loved coloring to add to her own history timeline binder. I think the visual of what the story was about and the activity keeping little hands busy was a win!
(Dover Exploration of North America Coloring Book or Free USA Printables online or Dover Indian Tribes of North America Coloring Book)
+Blend history with other subjects.
Early American history naturally connects with so many areas of learning. For us, Bible study fit seamlessly into our history lessons, and we often used classic historical fiction as part of our language arts reading too. The Colonial and Revolutionary War periods are also a great launchpad for science and math connections—think navigation, farming practices, early inventions, and more!
+Keep history alive in daily life.
This idea comes straight out of Charlotte Mason’s playbook, and it works beautifully. I kept a basket of books on the coffee table—mixing picture books, chapter books, and even a few adult-level reads on Early America. It was amazing to watch the kids pick them up on their own—without any prompting. The younger kids would explore books meant for “big kids,” and the older ones often breezed through picture books, which just meant more layers of learning for everyone. You can do the same with crafts, models, or history projects by leaving them on display for everyone to revisit and enjoy each day. This is also a great opportunity for the kids to explain what they’ve been learning when guests and family stop by!
+Add hands-on activities.
History comes alive when kids can do something with it! From cooking colonial recipes, to writing with quills, to reenacting Revolutionary War skirmishes in the backyard—hands-on projects help every child connect with the time period. I’ve pulled together my favorite resources and project books for Early American history activities in the Book List section to make this super simple for you.
Here’s just a few ideas of what this could look like-
+As you start this study, create your own giant wall map, noting explorers and how far they sailed
+As you begin learning about the different tribes inhabiting North America, add them to the map, and choose one tribe to build a model village diorama
+After reading about some of the way the Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to farm in the “new world”, see how green your thumb is by planting corn the way the Native Americans taught the Pilgrims.
+Learning about the Underground Railroad? Sew a Story Quilt, or if your family prefers the outdoors, spend an evening in your backyard charting as many constellations as you can find…do you see the drinking gourd?
**Note: The 21 History Activities Series is my favorite for short bites of information that is paired with really creative hands-on learning ideas. These activities can easily be leveled up or made a bit more simple, but enjoyed by everyone !! There are so many choices that would be good for this unit… here are just a few to give you an idea. Click on the picture to check them out.
**Question #4- How often should we “do” history?**
The Early American History curriculum is designed with a three-day-a-week schedule in mind, but here’s the best part—you get to decide how it works for your family. You definitely don’t need to complete all of the suggested readings or activities. I’ve included plenty of options each week so you can pick and choose what fits your kids’ ages, interests, and attention spans.
If your family loves history (or if your state requires more hours), it’s super easy to stretch this into a five-day schedule.
You might spend extra time on timeline notebooks, dive into more of the reading, or add in more hands-on Early American activities. Think about using those extra days for art projects, cooking colonial recipes, candle-making, or even holding your own “Boston Tea Party” with hot tea and cookies.
The possibilities are endless—and they make for the kind of memories your kids will be talking about for years to come!
We even did history as a co-op one year, meeting twice a week with a few other families. It worked beautifully!
—> Homeschool-Early American History Pinterest Board !
Another option if you’re a history loving family, is to stretch each DAY into a WEEK! There are more than enough ideas suggested for each day to easily do this…..especially if you add in some good historical fiction reading, a field trip or two, some movies, and lots of creative projects!!
This curriculum, (Part 1: Early American History) would then last about 21 weeks, or more.
The main thing is: just be creative! Homeschooling lets you weave learning into your everyday life.
Print or make history cards with facts from Early American history, keep them at the kitchen table, and turn them into simple games. I like to laminate ours and jot a few trivia questions on the back. At lunch, a kid could pull a card, answer correctly, and win a small prize. Suddenly history feels less like “school” and more like family fun—and that’s when the best learning sticks.
**Do You Have Other QUESTIONS?**
I’d love to hear from you !
You can either comment at the bottom of this post or you can email me at
ch*****@*************es.com
–> This post does contain affiliate links.
There will NOT be any additional charge to you if you click to Amazon through these links, but I will make a small commission if you do! So thanks ahead for supporting my work ! 🙂
**–> CURRICULUM STARTS HERE <–**
Early American History Timeline:
Vikings through the Civil War
1. Leif Ericsson and the Vikings (1000)
2. Columbus (1492)
3. The Virginia Company/Jamestown (1607)
4. The Pilgrims (1620)
5. The French & Indian Wars (1689)
6. Colonial Period (1620-1776)
7. The Boston Tea Party (1773)
8. The American Revolution (1775-1783)
9. The “United States” of America (1776-1800)
10. Westward Expansion (1783)
11. Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-1806)
12. The Trail of Tears (1838)
13. The Transcontinental Railroad (1840’s)
14. The Civil War (1861-1863)
15. Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
*Overview of Lessons for this section:
*Week 1– Explorers and North “America”
*Week 2- Native “Americans” and the First Colonists
*Week 3- Colonial America
*Week 4- The American Revolution
*Week 5- The United States of America
*Week 6- Westward Expansion
*Week 7- The “Civil” War
*Week 8- Explore It More! Week
(or you could add these ideas weekly)
*Week 9- History Museum OR Notebook It! Week
(*Explanation at beginning of plans for this week)
The Early American History Curriculum begins with an optional study/review of the Vikings.
There is reading listed in both ‘A Child’s History of the World’ and ‘The Story of the World’ (Vol. 2). It isn’t a huge part of this study, so if you don’t already have a copy of Volume 2 (or can’t borrow or find it at your library, just use some online resources and continue)… no need to purchase this entire Volume for sure !! I have written the reading plans for each day to include both of those books. You can use one, both, or even none of them and use what you have ! 🙂 I have included lots of corresponding reading online, so you could essentially do this unit and add in your own reading.
You can also find some more resources on the Vikings in the Free Middle Ages History Curriculum post!
*Early American History Learning Objectives:
+ Be able to sequence the Early American History cards
+ Be able to tell at least 3 facts about each card
+ Be able to tell what “The Americas” means.
+ Be able to tell what a “Native American” is…and why Columbus called the
people he found on his first voyage, “Indians”
+ Be able to explain what colonization is and who the Colonists were.
+ Be able to locate Greenland, Spain, India, and the continents of
North and South America on a map, as well as any other land areas as noted
in our studies each week.
+ Be able to define/describe what it was like to live in America during this time for:
-a Native American
-a Pilgrim (earliest colonists)
-a Colonist (in one of the 13 colonies)
-a Loyalist/Patriot
-a soldier in the Revolutionary War (on either side)
-a Slave during the Civil War (in the south & the north)
-a soldier in the Union Army/Confederate Army
-a person at the Battle of the Alamo
-a Homesteader
+Be able to name some of the Native American Tribes that the early Colonists
encountered. And be able to discuss their relationship.
+Be able to explain what the Trail of Tears was.
+Tell about the Homestead Act.
+Be able to recall some of the achievements in exploration, invention and/or
sciences that occurred during this time.
+Be able to name at least one notable artist, one inventor, one leader of the people, and one scientist of the time.
+ Add at least one page per event (see list) to your binder
(be sure you are including some important people and places!)
*American History Vocabulary-
This is just a short list…add as you go if you’d like or make your own list
-saga -voyage -navigator
-settlement -native -port
-colonize -pilgrim -continental
-persecution -colony -colonist
-congress -conquest -transcontinental
– revolution -representation -union
-confederate -emancipation -proclamation
-cavalry -declaration -amend
-united -militia -governor
-plantation -compass -expansion
-treaty -reservation
Early American History: The People, Places, and Events!
*The Events-
+These are essentially the same as the weekly topics of studies, and what I use on our History Cards.
You could add to these for older students (or make subcategories for details)…or choose less for younger students.
-Vikings Discover Greenland/North America
-Christopher Columbus Discovers “America”…or not
-First Colonists Arrive in America
-Colonists and Native Americans
-13 Colonies Established
-The Boston Tea Party
-The Shot Heard Around the World
-The American Revolution
-Government and the United States
-Westward Expansion
-Spanish American War
-The Civil War
*The People- Try matching the people, places, & events !
-Leif Ericson -Erik the Red -Christopher Columbus -Sir Walter Raleigh
-Virginia Dare -John Smith -William Bradford -Powhatan
-Pocahontas -Squanto -King George III -Patriots
-Loyalists -George Washington -Thomas Jefferson -Paul Revere
-Benjamin Franklin -Lewis and Clark -Sacagawea
-Shoshone -Davy Crockett -Andrew Jackson -Abraham Lincoln
-Harriet Tubman -Frederick Douglass
*The Places-
-Greenland -Scandinavia -Italy -Spain -England
-Roanoke -Virginia -Plymoth -Jamestown -Philadelphia
-North Carolina -Boston -New York -Missouri -Oregon
-The Alamo -Texas -Oklahoma -Bahamas
#1- The internet is constantly changing… literally from second to second.
Though I try to keep up with changing them, you WILL come across some broken links in these units.
Either do a quick search for the same words, or send me an email, and I’ll be happy to find you some working links!
#2- Abbreviations you’ll see a lot-
+CHOW- ‘A Child’s History Of The World’
+SOTW- ‘The Story Of The World’
*WEEK 1 : Explorers and North America
+Suggested Supplemental Reading:
–Voyage With the Vikings
–The Lost Colony of Roanoke (by Jean Fritz)
–The Lost Colony of Roanoke
*Day 1- Leif Ericson and the Vikings
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW (A Child’s History of the World)- Chapter 47: Two Empires, Two Emperors
-Chapter 48: Getting a Start (p. 287-302)
*SOTW (A Story of the World) Vol.2 – Chapter 14: The Arrival of the Norsemen (p. 115-128)
*Online Reading-
* What Was The Viking Age?
*Who Were The Vikings?
*The Vikings (Mr. Donn)
*What Was It Like To Be A Viking Child?
*A Day In The Life Of A Viking
* Who Was Leif Ericson ?
+Explore-
* 10 Facts About the Vikings (NatGeo for Kids)
* Viking FUN!
*Map of the Viking World & Viking People Craft
*Viking Runes
*Explore the Viking Alphabet!
*The Vikings & Leif Ericson
*Geography of Scandinavia
-What is Scandinavia ?
–Map of Scandinavia
+Color and Label this map of Scandinavia
–OR one of these Free PDF maps of Scandinavia
+Watch-
* A Kid Explains History : The Vikings
* Listen to some Viking Sagas !!
* An Incredible Viking Voyage (National Geographic- about 4 minutes)
*The Vikings in One Take (from History Bombs, about 5 minutes)
* Eric the Red and Leif Ericson (PBS video- about 5 minutes)
*You can listen to a longer version here- ‘Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky’
(About 17 minutes)
*Listen to Norse Greetings!
(Can you recognize some of the words from another very similar language?)
+Timeline/Notebook Pages:
*Coloring Page 1 / Coloring Page 2
*Leif Erikson Coloring Page
*Color and Assemble a Viking Ship
*Lots of Vikings Coloring Pages
*Story of the Vikings Coloring Pages from Dover
I will include ideas for the Hands-On Activities and projects for each lesson in a separate week below. You could also choose one to do each day with the corresponding topic of study.
*Day 2- Christopher Columbus
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- Chapter 62: A Sailor Who Found A New World (p. 378-387)
*SOTW (Vol 3)- Chapter 1: A World of Empires
– Chapter 2: Protestant Rebellions (p. 15-24)
(In some editions, this Chapter is entitled- ’The Riches of Spain’)
*Online Reading-
*American Stories- Volume 1 (by Mara L. Pratt)
(You may also enjoy reading this old children’s book! You can download it as a PDF, or click each topic in the index on the lefthand side of the page! What a super fun read aloud!)
*Columbus: A Short Biography (and some activities too!)
*Who Was Christopher Columbus ?
*Christopher Columbus and the Age of Exploration
*Columbus’ Ships
*What is Columbus Day ?
*What Are the Columbus Doors ?
+Explore-
*Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan
*Play Columbus’ Walk the Plank Game
*Christopher Columbus from Bite Size
*Explore Columbus’ Discoveries on this interactive map
*Columbus Pages Online Coloring Activities
*Fun Explorer/Columbus Activities
(Scroll past the Games (sadly not working anymore), to the list of activities!)
*Try turning this into a Columbus MATH Challenge too!
*Explore Christopher Columbus’ Maps
*Test your knowledge of Columbus!
+Watch-
*Meet Christopher Columbus (about 6 minutes)
*The Story of Christopher Columbus (Nest Video- about 28 minutes)
*Christopher Columbus : PBS World Explorers (about 5 minutes)
*Short Christopher Columbus Drive Thru History clip (about 3 minutes)
*The Christopher Columbus Song ! (It WILL get stuck in your head lol!)
*Expedition Unknown Season 2, Episodes 9 and 10
(This is a link to Amazon Prime, for which I am an affiliate. These are super fun
episodes and will get your older kids’ curiosity piqued! As of writing, there is a 7 Day free trial, or you can rent the season for just under $3.)
+ Write-
* Start adding this section’s vocabulary words to your history notebook
(in vocabulary section)
*Explore this Timeline of Christopher Columbus and add some of these dates to your History Timeline or History Binder!
+Coloring/Notebooking-
* Lots of Columbus (& his ships and maps) Coloring Pages
* Columbus Notebooking Pages (from Notebooking Fairy)
* Map of the Caribbean , Map of the Dominican, and Map of Haiti
(Color & add to your binder!)
*Map of Columbus’ First Voyage
*Day 3- The Lost Colony !
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- “The Age of Elizabeth” (p. 431-434)
*Online Reading-
*The Lost Colony of Roanoke
*Intro to the Lost Colony at Roanoke
* The Lost Colony of Roanoke (from NPS)
* The Lumbee Tribe
* New Clues to the Mystery (What do you think ?)
* The Lost Colony (Printable Booklet)
+Watch-
*The Roanoke Colony Song
*Roanoke! Song
*Sir Walter Raleigh and John White (from PBS- about 5 minutes)
* The Lost Colony of Roanoke (about 4 minutes- no audio)
* What REALLY Happened to the Roanoke Colony?
(Short video of 3 theories in a nutshell- about 2 minutes)
*Roanoke, The Lost Colony, An Unsolved Mystery From History
*The Lost Roanoke Colony (about 3 minutes)
*Who Was Virginia Dare? (about 3 minutes)
+Explore-
*CSI: The Lost Colony of Roanoke (Explore Quest !)
*Investigate! The Lost Colony of Roanoke
*Lost Colony WebQuest !
*Read & Decide- 3 More Theories
+ Write-
*Finish this section’s vocabulary words
*Roanoke Island – the Anatomy of a Mystery Writing Activity
*What do YOU think happened to the Roanoke Colony?
Write a short paper with your theory! Share your essay with someone.
Can you convince them you’re right?
+Coloring/Notebooking-
*Maps of Roanoke and the First Settlements in North America
*Map of Roanoke Island Colonies
*Sir Walter Raleigh
*Raleigh’s Ship
*WEEK 2 : Native Americans and the First Colonists
+Suggested Supplemental Reading:
-“Shadows at Jamestown”
-“Our Strange New Land”
-“Squanto: Friend of the Pilgrims“
#1- The “Shadows at Jamestown” and “Our Strange New Land” are both part of a series !
A good book should leave you disappointed that it has ended when you finish reading it. 🙂
You may choose to spend a bit more time in supplemental reading (books or online sources included below) this week, as there is not as much textbook reading.
#2- I have written a much more detailed FREE unit study for Native America.
*FREE Native American Unit Study (American Girl Kaya)
***Don’t worrythe boys in your family will love this one too!
You may also enjoy the companion FREE Native America Printable Power Pack !
*Day 1- Jamestown
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- Chapter 70: James the Servant or What’s In a Name? (p. 437-442)
*SOTW 3- Chapter 4: Searching For the Northwest Passage (p. 35-42)
(In some editions- “King James’ Town”)
*Online Reading-
*The Jamestown Settlement
*At Jamestown!
(Be sure to scroll to the bottom to choose from lots of other topics to explore!)
*A Jamestown Adventure With Capt. John Smith
*Who Was John Smith?
*Early Life in the Jamestown Colony
*Who Was Chief Powhatan?
*Who Was John Rolfe?
*Who Was Pocahontas?
+Explore-
*Take a virtual field trip to James Fort (Really interesting!)
*TONS of Jamestown Activities For Kids
(Be sure to click the arrows next to each category as you scroll down!!)
*Learn all about Jamestown with this Interactive Map
*A Journey to Jamestown (LOTS of guided printables/worksheets)
*Jamestown Mapping
*How Much Do You Know About Jamestown?
*Explore the Ships of the Jamestown Settlement
*How Did the People of Jamestown Dress?
*Read a list of the First Settlers at Jamestown
*Take the Quiz! A Day in the Life of a Powhatan Woman
*Interactive Map of Discoveries
and Videos of Archaeological Discoveries at Jamestown
*Jr. Ranger – What Is An Archeologist Printable Book
+Watch-
*Discover Jamestown (Drive Thru History – about 10 minutes)
*Who Were The Powhatan? (More on Day 2!)
*Anna’s Adventures at Jamestown
(8 Videos in all! Be sure to print out the PRINTABLES for the videos too! They’d be great to add to your History Binders!! Also, these videos won’t play on Vimeo, but you can watch them here, just enlarge to fullscreen and enjoy!)
*Navigation In The Age of Exploration
*Jamestown Settlement (short video for younger students- about 4 minutes)
+Coloring/Notebooking-
*Jamestown
*Jamestown Settlement
*Jamestown Mini-Book
*Captain John Smith
*Jamestown Historical Coloring Pages
*Day 2- Native American Friends and Foes
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW3- Chapter 21- “Fighting Over North America” (p. 141-154)
*Online Reading-
*An Introduction to Native Americans
*Native Americans (includes a good visual)
*Why Are Native Americans Called Indians?
*Timeline of Native Americans in North America
*The Powhatan Indians
*The Powhatan and Jamestown
*Pocahontas and the Powhatan
*First People of Maryland
*The Algonquin and Daily Life of Algonquin Tribe
*The Iroquois Tribe
+Watch-
*Native Americans of North America
(Be aware that this video presents the beginning of civilizations in NA began millions of years ago)
*The Virginia Indians: Meet the Tribes
*People of the River: Powhatan Indians (about 16 minutes)
*The Powhatan in Jamestown (about 1 minute)
*Powhatan Village (about 7 minutes)
*Native Americans in Virginia (about 25 minutes)
*Eat Like a Powhatan (about 3 minutes)
*How Did The Powhatan’s Build Canoes? (Living History Museum)
*Powhatan Feather Weaving
*The Iroquois (about 3 minutes)
*The Iroquois and the Algonquin (Made by kids! About 9 minutes)
+Explore-
*You’re the Historian: Plymouth Feast 1621 (Fun interactive game!)
*Explore Daily Life of Eastern Woodlands Tribes
*Explore the Powhatan artifacts found at Jamestown!
(Scroll down to artifacts section and open the tab)
*Eat Like a Powhatan Printable Activity
*Werowocomoco
+Coloring/Notebook
*Chief Powhatan
*Trading with the Colonists
*Packing for Jamestown (lesson) and Printable
*Powhatan from John Smith’s Map
*Real Portrait of Pocahontas
*Pocahontas Coloring Page and Pocahontas 2
*Day 3- Plimoth Plantation, Pilgrims, and the Wampanoag
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW3- Chapter 6: New Colonies in the New World (p. 61-70)
*Online Reading-
*Who Were the Pilgrims and Where Did They Come From ?
*The Pilgrims
*What Was Plymouth Colony?
*Who Were the Puritans?
*The Puritans & The Massachusetts Bay Colony
*What Is the Difference Between the Pilgrims and the Puritans?
*What Was the Mayflower?
*Journey On The Mayflower
*Who Was William Bradford?
*Who Were the Wampanoag ?
*All About the Wampanoag (from The Mini Page 🙂 )
*Wampanoag Children and Pilgrim Children
*Who Was Squanto?
*The True Story of Thanksgiving
*You can read more details about Thanksgiving in this post on the History of Thanksgiving , including more about the Wampanoag. You might be really surprised when and where the actual FIRST Thanksgiving took place!
*Best read during week 2 or week 3, you may like to read this short article, Christian Foundations of America, yourself or together with your children, before beginning this section ! This is written obviously on a Christian based website, but the original text of the Mayflower Compact is included, along with a more modern spelled translation. This is a great discussion starter for older students especially, about what the true foundations for government and society were like from the earliest days of our Republic. While there is some debate as to the desire of our nation’s founders to create a Christian country, or simply build the country on Christian principles of government and honor, there is no doubt whatsoever that the foundations of the United States of America were solidly laid upon God and His Word.
As someone who is constantly looking for quality history resources for children, I am shocked at the changes being made in new edits of books, textbooks, online government websites, etc. While there has always been bias in writing, we have moved past seeing through an author’s bias and reading as noted… to full out PROPAGANDA!
Whether or not YOU are a Christian isn’t in question… but it is paramount the parents and educators READ the original documents of our country, and teach them to your children BEFORE you teach anybody else’s commentary on them!
*What Was the Mayflower Compact?
(Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to read the original words of this very
important document!! PS… it is very short! 🙂 )
+Watch-
*Listen to the story of the Voyage of the Mayflower (or read along!)
*Celebrating the History & Traditions: Thanksgiving (Drive Thru History- 55 minutes)
*Plymouth Rock (about 3 minutes)
*A Virtual Trip to Plymouth Rock (Fun for your younger crew!! About 14 minutes)
*Plymouth Colony and The Pilgrims ( about 5 minutes)
*Pilgrim Life In Plymouth (about 6 minutes)
*Daily Life for a Pilgrim Child
*Virtual Field Trip to Plimoth Plantation (The Pilgrims, the Wampanoag, and Thanksgiving)
*The Wompanoag Way (about 8 minutes)
*Who Was Squanto ? (about 12 minutes…from CBN, the beginning is an intro)
*Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving (read aloud, about 15 minutes)
*What Was the Mayflower Compact?
+Explore-
*You Are the Historian: The First Thanksgiving (if you didn’t do this earlier!)
*Try Talking Like a Pilgrim
*Pilgrim Riddles To Solve
*Pilgrims (Interactive story- click on images to hear the story)
*Colonial House Interactive
*The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple
(You can enjoy this interactive without purchasing the accompanying book. If you’d like to buy the book, you can find it in the Early American History Book & Resources List)
*Pilgrim Children’s Games
(Read about some of the games Pilgrim children played and try a few yourself!)
*How much do you know about The Pilgrims & The Mayflower (online quiz!)
*Mayflower Crossword Puzzle
*Mayflower Quiz!
*Early Colonial American Printable Activity Sheets
+Coloring/Notebook-
*Mayflower Notebooking Pages and Mayflower Coloring Page
*The Mayflower Compact
*Plimoth Coloring Pages (Click “next” to see more!)
*The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Coloring Page
*Squanto Coloring Pages
*William Bradford Coloring Book
(this is from the Nest Video series…click the image below to see the DVD that goes with the coloring book)
*WEEK 3 : Colonial America
+Suggested Supplemental Reading:
*Colonial America: An Interactive History Adventure
*Meet Felicity
*Standing In the Light
#1- If your family is loving this topic and you’d like to dig deeper, you may also enjoy checking out my FREE Colonial America Unit Study and the FREE Colonial America Printable Power Pack !
And if you’d like to know how the Colonists celebrated Christmas, check out this FREE Hands-On Unit Study on ‘A Colonial Christmas‘ !
#2- If you didn’t read this in week 2, you may like to read this short article, Christian Foundations of America, yourself or together with your children, before beginning this section ! This is written obviously on a Christian based website, but the original text of the Mayflower Compact is included, along with a more modern spelled translation. This is a great discussion starter for older students especially, about what the true foundations for government and society were like from the earliest days of our Republic. While there is some debate as to the desire of our nation’s founders to create a Christian country, or simply build the country on Christian principles of government and honor, there is no doubt whatsoever that the foundations of the United States of America were solidly laid upon God and His Word.
As someone who is constantly looking for quality history resources for children, I am shocked at the changes being made in new edits of books, textbooks, online government websites, etc. While there has always been bias in writing, we have moved past seeing through an author’s bias and reading as noted… to full out PROPAGANDA!
Whether or not YOU are a Christian isn’t in question… but it is paramount the parents and educators READ the original documents of our country, and teach them to your children BEFORE you teach anybody else’s commentary on them!
*Day 1- The 13 Colonies
+Read-
*Core Reading- none
*Online Reading-
*Colonial America- The 13 Colonies
*The Colonial Period of America
*Colonies One by One
*The New England Colonies
*The Middle Colonies
*The Southern Colonies
*Government In The 13 Colonies
*Quick Chart of the Original 13 Colonies
*The Importance of Tobacco in the Colonies
(Remember John Rolfe ?)
*A Colonial “City”
*How Did the Colonies Become States?
(We will talk about this a lot more in Week 4)
+Watch-
*The Original 13 Colonies (An basic introduction…about 4 minutes)
* Stories of the New England Colonies
* Stories of the Middle Colonies
* Stories of the Southern Colonies
(a bit more advanced…each about 14 minutes)
*13 Colonies Song (watch this ONLY if you have a sense of humor 😀 )
*The 13 Colonies Song (just to learn the 13 colonies… nicer music :D)
*Early America Song (fun song to remember history, sung by kids)
*What Were the Differences Between the Colonies?
+Explore-
*Map of 13 Colonies (Click each area for lots of interesting facts!)
*Succeeding In the New World- Colonial America Think Quest
*Quiz Yourself- 13 Colonies
*Scavenger Hunt (Printable clue cards)
*Interactive Map of 13 Colonies
*13 Colonies Interactive Online Game
+Coloring/Notebook-
*Original 13 Colonies Coloring Page
*First Flags Coloring Pages
*13 Colonies Map With Cities Coloring Page
*Colonial America Worksheets from Education.com
*Colonial America (Freebie from TPT)
*Mayflower Compact Worksheet
*Day 2- Who’s Who in Colonial America
There are many, many names that are important to the study of Colonial America. Thankfully, we don’t have to memorize all of them. Today, I have included the stories of a few men and women who lived during this time that I found exciting and inspiring. My goal is that you would remember much more than a list of names. I hope you will remember the bravery, character, passion, and strength of the people who laid the foundation of life as we know it in the United States of America. You could also keep a “People To Know” page in your History Binder stuck in the Colonial America section. Just add names to a running list, and even a note or two about each person!
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW- Chapter 15: “A New World In Conflict” (p. 141-154)
(Not a perfect fit for today’s study, but may pull some things together!)
*Online Reading-
*Stories of Great Americans For Little Americans
(This is such a treasure! You can download the entire PDF, or click on each chapter in the index on the lefthand side of the margin!) By Edward Eggleston)
*William Penn and the Quakers
*William Penn and the Indians
(From Stories About Great Americans for Little Americans)
*The Story of William Penn
*Governor Winthrop and the Puritans
*Henry Hudson
*James Oglethorpe
*Meet the People of Colonial Williamsburg
*Benjamin Franklin
*10 Reasons Why Benjamin Franklin Was An Actual Superhero !
*Franklin, His Own Teacher
(From Stories About Great Americans for Little Americans)
*Jonathan Edwards
It was difficult to find a biography written for young people online. If you’d like to read more about Jonathan Edwards check out this book- Jonathan Edwards: Christian Biographies for Young Readers. Beautiful illustrations!
+Watch-
*William Penn and Pennsylvania
(About 4 minutes…. Penn + sylvania, which means large forest! )
*The Story of William Penn
(This is an old black & white movie, but if your kiddos can get past that…and the funny costuming, it’s really quite informative! Notice the “thees and thous” ? One of the marks of Quaker practice. About 20 minutes)
*The Children’s Book of American Biography- William Penn (about 9 minutes)
*Benjamin Franklin (about 11 minutes)
*Henry Hudson (about 2 minutes)
*Get to Know James Oglethorpe
-These are audio…would make great bedtime stories or car school listening !
*Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin (about 9 minutes)
*Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening (about 5 minutes…best for older students)
+Explore-
*13 Colonies Review Game
*William Penn’s Guide to Pennsylvania
*Ben Franklin Inventor for Kids
*The Electric Ben Franklin (be sure to check out the games tab!)
* Ben Franklin’s Magic Squares
–> PLAY it online!
*Original Founders Matching Game
*First Founders of the Colonies Wordsearch
* Colony Founders Concentration Game
* Colonial America Jeopardy Game
+Write-
*People & Places Vocabulary in your Notebook (see list at top of unit)
+Coloring/Notebook-
*William Penn Notebooking Paper (from Homeschool Helper Online)
*William Penn Coloring Page
*Ben Franklin Lap Book (from Homeschool Share)
*Benjamin Franklin
*Henry Hudson Coloring Page
*Image of Jonathan Edwards (You could try printing this one from Project Gutenberg)
*Day 3- Life In the Colonies
+Read-
*Core Reading- none
*Online Reading-
*Daily Life in a Colonial City
*The First 13 Colonies (reading for all your questions !)
*Daily Colonial Life in the Country
*Life in the Southern Colonies
*Colonial Trades
*A Colonial Town
*Scroll down to read about Colonial Table Manners!
(What was the funniest one? Do you think these are still good to practice?)
*Daily Life in Colonial Williamsburg
(This is a large amount of informative reading- primarily addressed to the teacher…but with some excellent printouts and activities! This asks for a password, but they show a “guest” visitor one if you don’t want to make an account )
*Stories of Colonial Children
(This is a series of stories about the daily lives of fictional children in America’s first colonies!)
+Watch-
*Colonial Life
(about 25 minutes…good representation of the many peoples that came to find freedom in the United States)
*Life As a Child In Colonial America
*If You Lived In Colonial Times
*Felicity: An American Girl Adventure
(Watch this above on YouTube, watch the Felicity movie on Amazon Prime, OR you can buy the Felicity Movie on DVD. )
*Colonial Times For Kids: A Day In the Life
*Daily Life In Colonial Williamsburg Video Playlist
*A Day in the Life of a Colonial Kid (Part 1- Life at Home)
*A Day in the Life of a Colonial Kid (Part 2- Jobs)
*A Day in the Life of a Colonial Kid (Part 3- Fun!)
(This covers some fun Colonial kids games you could try today!)
—->Download the A Day in the Life of a Colonial Kid PDF Booklet too !
+Explore-
*Colonial House Interactive History
*Would You Have Survived Colonial Life ? (Interactive)
*Make a Colonial Doll
*Make & play your own Colonial Games
*Colonial Trades
*For Crown or Colony Game
*Trades of Colonial Williamsburg
*A Walk In a Colonial Garden
(Be sure to scroll all the way down for a video and other activities!)
-Take a virtual trip through the Colonial Williamsburg Museum!
*Colonial House Interactive History
+Coloring/Notebook-
*Early American Life
(TONS of Coloring Pages covering all aspects of Colonial American life !)
*Life in the Southern Colonies Printable
*Colonial America Paper Doll
(This is from education.com . It will ask for you to sign in, but it’s FREE)
*Colonial America Coloring Pages
(There are LOTS to choose from here!)
*WEEK 4 : The American Revolution
*Suggested supplemental reading-
–I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 or
–Spies of the Revolution (A Choose Your Own Adventure Interactive History)
–Susanna’s Midnight Ride
*Day 1- The Boston Tea Party
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW3- Chapter 19: The English In India
*Online Reading-
*What Was the 7 Years War (The French and Indian War)?
(This war, also called the French and Indian War, was a major factor leading to the Boston Tea Party. Wars are expensive, this one was long. Britain needed to recoup some revenue and taxing the colonies was the method they chose. Britain thought it reasonable since part of this war occurred in the new world… the Colonists thought it unfair mostly since they were being taxed without any representation in the British government. It is MUCH more complex than this explanation, but just so your student gets the general idea of what led up to the Boston Tea Party.)
*The Stamp Act
*The Tea Act
*Who Were The Sons of Liberty?
(Note their names! You will see many of them again!)
*The Boston Tea Party
*The Boston Tea Party History and Printable Worksheets
*The Story of the Boston Tea Party
or try this version for younger readers- Young Children’s Story of the Boston Tea Party
*The Boston Tea Party
*The Intolerable Acts
+Watch-
*No More King ! (SchoolHouse Rocks! 3 minutes )
*Dump It Off !
*The Boston Tea Party Song (You’re welcome 😀 )
*The Boston Tea Party (Liberty’s Kids- about 23 minutes)
*The Intolerable Acts (Liberty’s Kids- about 21 minutes)
*Here is the link to the full chronological playlist of the LIBERTY KID’S SERIES
You may prefer to choose one or several episodes to cover this week’s topics.
*The Boston Tea Party In 3 Minutes
*Why Was the Tea Party In Boston? (about 4 minutes)
+Explore-
*Boston Tea Party Fun Facts
(Do you know who offered to PAY for the tea that was dumped? FIND OUT!!)
*For Crown or Colony ? (Interactive Game!!)
*Virtual Field Trip
*Learn this song- “Revolutionary Tea”
(You can watch the video of the“Revolutionary Tea” song complete with tune and lyrics)
*Interactive Timeline To Revolution 1765-1775)
(Includes the Intolerable Acts)
*Ducksters Boston Tea Party- Quiz Yourself!
*Virtual Video Field Trip to Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*Boston Tea Party Lapbook
*Boston Tea Party Coloring Page
*Day 2- Who’s Who of the American Revolution
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- Chapter 75: America Gets Rid of Her King (p.466-469)
*Online Reading-
*The Patriots and Loyalists
*The Sons of Liberty
*King George III
*George Washington (we will study him more in depth next week)
*John Adams
*The Story of John and Abigail Adams
(There is a Printable PDF about the Adams you can use if you’d like as well)
*Samuel Adams
*Paul Revere
*Molly Pitcher
*Benjamin Franklin
*Stories of Great Americans For Little Americans
(There are 5 pages that tell the story of Benjamin Franklin here)
*Patrick Henry
*Thomas Jefferson
+Explore-
*Explore the Museum of the Revolution (interactive virtual field trip !)
*Name That Founding Father ! (Online interactive game)
*The Noble Train- A Revolutionary War Interactive Game
*Not Boring Jeopardy – Founding Fathers Edition
*American Revolution Timeline Challenge
(This took me a moment to figure out… click on the events and arrange them on the timeline in the correct order to win!)
*Tic-Tac-DOUGH- American Revolution Version
*Hear From the People of 1776 (interactive)
*Explore This Timeline of the American Revolution
*Founding Fathers Guess Who Game
+Watch-
*People of the American Revolution (A great overview- about 3 minutes!)
*Give Us Liberty! Samuel and John Adams (Liberty Kids- about 24 minutes)
*Postmaster General Franklin (Liberty Kids- about 20 minutes)
*Liberty Or Death! Patrick Henry (Liberty Kids- about 24 minutes)
*Thomas Paine (Liberty Kids- about 22 minutes)
*King George III vs. President George
(Rap battle? Creative way to see both sides of this war!)
*George Washington Childhood (about 4 minutes)
*Sybil Ludington (about 22 minutes)
*Who Was Phyllis Wheatley?
*Benjamin Franklin– Bedtime History series (about 9 minutes)
+Coloring and Notebooking Pages-
* Paul Revere’s Ride Coloring Page
*Minute Men Coloring Page
*Thomas Paine
*Sybil Ludington
*Benjamin Franklin Lap Book
*American Revolution Lap Book
*Day 3- The Revolutionary War
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- “America Gets Rid Of Her King” (p. 470-474)
*SOTW- Chapter 22: Revolution! (p. 209-218)
*Online Reading-
*The Revolutionary War (In a Nutshell)
*Revolutionary War Timeline
*The Story of Paul Revere’s Ride
*American History Stories- The Battle of Lexington
(You may choose to read as far in the story as you’d like!)
*The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
*The Story of Bunker Hill
*What Was the Second Continental Congress?
(More on this on Week 5, Day 1)
*Battle at Lexington & Concord
*What Happened at Valley Forge ?
*The Battle of Yorktown
*A Turning Point
*The Treaty of Paris
+Watch-
*How Did the Revolutionary War Start ? (Touches on the 7 Year War too!)
*The Midnight Ride and The Shot (Paul Revere- both about 21 minutes)
*The Shot Heard Around the World (School House Rocks! about 3 minutes)
*The Green Mountain Boys (Liberty’s Kids- about 23 minutes)
*The Second Continental Congress
(Liberty’s Kids- about 24 minutes. We will discuss this more in Week 5, Day 1 if you want to save it till then!)
*Bunker Hill (Liberty’s Kids- about 23 minutes)
*Washington Takes Command (Liberty’s Kids- about 23 minutes)
*Across the Delaware (Liberty’s Kids- about 21 minutes)
*Revolutionary War Rap! (History Teachers Sing)
*Valley Forge
*Battle at Yorktown
+Explore-
*Revolutionary Choices Game
*Revolutionary War Battle of the Brain- Who Am I?
*Revolutionary War Battles Interactive Map
*Explore the REAL Letters From Revolutionary War Soldiers
(Click the blue dots on the original letters for little insights, and be sure to click on and read the transcriptions of these letters. PARENTS! Please as always preview the material first to make sure it is suitable for your children!)
*Not Boring Jeopardy – American Revolution Edition
*American Revolution Trivia- Hang Man Game Online
*3 Revolutionary War Battles Games
*Christmas, 1776
(Read aloud by the author- forward to 4:00 mark to skip intro)
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*The First Continental Congress Coloring Page
*The Battle of Lexington
*The Minute Men of Concord
*Paul Revere’s Ride
*The Shot Heard Around the World
*Battle of Bunker Hill
*The Bunker Hill Flag
*George Washington Coloring Page
*General Washington and the Continental Army
*Washington Crosses the Delaware
*The Surrender of Cornwallis
*Surrender at Yorktown !
* Revolutionary War- Dover Coloring Page
*Week 5: The United States of America
*Suggested supplemental reading-
*George Washington’s Socks (Choose Your Own History Adventure)
*Eighteen Roses Red
*Spies at Mount Vernon
*Day 1- We The People
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW3- Chapter 23: “The New Country” (p. 219-228)
*Online Reading-
*Creating a New Nation
*The Second Continental Congress
*American History Stories- The Nation
*American History Stories- The First President
(We will talk more about him in Day 2)
*The Flag of the United States
*Declaration of Independence
*Read the Declaration of Independence
*List of People Who Signed The Declaration of Independence
(Do you recognize some of the names from our reading?)
*Independence Day
*What Were the Articles of Confederation?
*The Constitution
*The Bill of Rights
–>There is a good series of books that take the most well known documents of our country and “translate” them into more simple terms (ex. terms like, four score and seven ). I used a similar set of books to cover Shakespeare and my kids really benefitted from reading the text first in plain modern English, and then reading the original text with that foundation.
+Watch–
*The Birth of the American Republic
(Good for older students- you may also want to save this video for Day 3)
*The Second Continental Congress (Liberty’s Kids- about 21 minutes)
*We The People (Liberty’s Kids- 23 minutes)
*Honor & Compromise (The Articles of Confederation- about 21 minutes)
*Declaration of Independence Song (History Teachers Sing)
*The Constitution
(I LOVE this song for memory work- School House Rocks !)
*The Constitution For Kids
(Nice emphasis on the IMPORTANCE of this document!! About 6 minutes)
*The Constitution: Why a Republic?
(This is a REALLY good explanation if you have curious younger kids or older students!
5 minutes… You could also watch this on Day 3)
*The First Fourth of July (Liberty Kids)
*What Is Independence Day?
*The Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the American Flag (about 7 minutes)
+Explore-
*The Constitution Interactive
*Preamble Game
*Preamble Scramble
*Constitution Challenge!
*Which Founding Father Are YOU?
*Real Or Fake?
*8 Constitution Crossword Puzzles!
*5 US Constitution Word Finds
*That’s Your Right!
*Do I Have a Right?
*US Constitution Treasure Hunts
*Declaration of Independence Quiz
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*The First Continental Congress
*The Declaration of Independence
*Signing the Constitution
*Constitution Coloring Page
*Independence Hall Coloring Page
*The Constitution
*The Bill of Rights Song
*Betsy Ross and the American Flag
*Day 2- George Washington- Our First President
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- “America Gets Rid Of Her King” (p. 466-474)
*SOTW3- Chapter 21: “Fighting Over North America” (p. 204 (bottom) -208)
**You may have already read these entire chapters earlier. Mentioning them here for review.
*Online Reading-
*George Washington
*Washington Facts and Fiction
*Who Was George Washington?
*George Washington in Williamsburg
+Watch-
*George Washington- The Father of Our Country (about 13 minutes)
*George Washington- Meet the President (Free School- about 5 minutes)
*Washington Takes Command (about 21 minutes)
*George Washington Song
*Animated Hero Classics- George Washington (about 23 minutes)
*What is the Washington Monument ? (about 5 minutes)
*What’s Inside the Washington Monument? (about 25 minutes)
(Did you know there’s a mystery behind this question?)
*How To Draw George Washington- Step by Step
+Explore-
*Interactive Portrait of George Washington
*Be Washington Game
*Take a Virtual Tour of Mount Vernon
*Lots of George Washington Games and Interactive Fun (from Mount Vernon)
*Interactive Online Coloring Pages
*George Washington Portrait Interactive Mystery Game
+Timeline of Washington’s Life and Printable Pack from NPS
*Color Washington’s Family Portrait online
*George’s Rules of Civility
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*16 George Washington Coloring Pages
*Life George Washington (LOTS of printables !)
*George Washington Rules of Civility Copywork Booklet
*Learn How to Draw George Washington
*Crossing the Delaware Coloring Page
*Washington at Princeton Coloring Page
*Day 3- Government in the United States
+Read-
*Core Reading- none
*Online Reading-
*The New Republic
*America’s Government After the War
*US Government
*What is a Democracy/ Is the United States a Democracy ?
*What Does a President Do?
*Checks & Balances
*Independence Hall and The Liberty Bell
*All About the White House (Enchanted Learning- includes printables)
*The Washington Monument (also from Enchanted Learning)
*Explore the US Capitol (reading and activities)
*The Bald Eagle and the US
+Watch-
*Fireworks ! (School House Rocks ! About 3 mins)
*The Constitution: Why a Republic?
(This is a REALLY good explanation if you have curious younger kids or older students!
5 minutes)
*The Difference Between a Republic and a Democracy
(Good for older students, about 6 minutes)
*What is Democracy ? (About 3 minutes- less detailed)
*The Constitutional Convention DK Kids
*All About the White House (Best for younger kids- about 5 minutes)
*The American Flag (about 13 minutes)
*We The People (The Constitutional Convention- about 30 minutes)
*Symbols of America (about 16 minutes)
+Explore-
*Win the Whitehouse
(Super fun game to teach kids about elections, and the road to becoming President. This game lets you choose which party to belong to, and seems balanced as far as I played into the game at least. You are prompted to choose important voter issues (CURRENT ones!!) and answer questions about the issues, and what you do about them, in a debate style part of the game. This would be especially good if you are working on this section during any election.)
*Do I Have A Right?
(I played through a good part of the “Bill of Rights Edition” of this game, and did not register. I highly suggest doing the “Rights Review” [inside the law office, bottom left corner]
before you start playing. This is a fun way to learn a topic that isn’t that
interesting to a lot of kids, but is REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT!!)
*Branches of Government Game
(This site has some information and games that teach the theory of evolution as fact, so be aware!)
*Explore US Government Interactive
*Create Your Own Country Challenge
*Interactive – Click and Learn About US Government
*US Government Online Word Game
*Online Government Crossword Puzzle ! (also printable )
*US Government Online Word Search (also printable)
*Bill of Rights Quiz
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*Branches of Government Coloring Pages (LOVE these ! from Classroom Doodles)
*US Government Coloring Pages
*Great Seal of the United States
*Symbols of the USA (LOTS of pages to choose from!)
*How to Draw the American Flag
*How to Draw the Liberty Bell
*American Government Folder/Lapbook
*Uncle Sam Coloring Page
*US Capitol Building Coloring Page
*Patriotic Bald Eagle Coloring Page
*I did not include the War of 1812 in this unit.
Here is a unit on the War of 1812 Unit from DIY Homeschooler!
*Week 6 – Westward Expansion
*Suggested supplemental reading-
+Captive Treasure
+Soft Rain
+Davy Crockett
+Westward Expansion (Choose Your Own Adventure!)
–> I have a ever growing book list for this time period HERE if you’d like some more ideas !
If your family is loving this topic and you’d like to dig deeper, you may also enjoy checking out my FREE Pioneer America Unit Study and the Pioneer Printable Power Pack !
*Day 1- Lewis and Clark’s Adventure
+Read-
*Core Reading-
* SOTW3- Chapter 32: The Opened West (p. 297-308)
*Online Reading-
*Who Was the 2nd President of the United States?
*”Adams’ Administration”
*Thomas Jefferson, President #3
*”The United States Buys Land”
*What Is the Louisiana Purchase?
*The Louisiana Purchase (Good for your younger students)
*Who Were Lewis and Clark ?
*Listen to this story about Lewis & Clark & Sacagawea
(Real Cool History For Kids Podcast)
*Lewis & Clark’s Expedition
*On the Trail With Lewis & Clark
*Who Was Sacagawea ?
*What Did Lewis & Clark Bring With Them ?
*Listen or Read Actual Excerpts From Lewis & Clark’s Journals
*Native Encounters Printable
(As you read, keep track of the Native American Tribes that Lewis & Clark encountered on their travels!)
*Lewis and Clark At the Pacific Ocean
+Watch-
*Elbow Room (School House Rocks!)
*The Louisiana Purchase Song
*Lewis & Clark Expedition Song
*What Was the Louisiana Purchase? (About 4 minutes)
*First Expedition- Lewis and Clark (PBS- 3 minute Introduction)
*Who Were Lewis & Clark? (about 4 minutes)
*1804-1806 Lewis and Clark (from National Geographic- 42 minutes)
*Who Was Sacagawea?
*Take a quick tour of Fort Clatsop
+Explore-
*On the Trail With Lewis & Clark (Online Adventure Game!)
*Lewis & Clark Expedition Interactive
*Explore Artifacts from the Expedition !
*Lewis & Clark Interactive Timeline
*Lewis & Clark’s “Discoveries” (Click each blue link to learn more !)
*Choose Your Own Adventure with Lewis & Clark
*Interactive Map of Lewis & Clark Trail
*Louisiana Purchase Label Me Quiz
*Explore Lewis and Clark
(Printable learning book from the NPS)
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*Lewis and Clark Coloring Pages and Worksheets
*Lewis & Clark Dover Coloring Pages (There are 3 pages to choose from here!)
*Lewis and Clark Notebooking Page
*Meriwether Lewis Coloring Page
*William Clark Coloring Page
*Sacagawea Coloring Page
*Sacagawea Stamp Coloring Page
*Lewis and Clark Lapbook
*Blank US Map (Great to map out their journey !)
*Day 2- Davy Crockett and the Alamo
#1- Though not included in today’s lesson, this would be a great time to take a day or two extra and study the Wild West, the Oregon Trail, and the California Gold Rush! This could EASILY be worked in by reading a few short books! See ?!?! I told you that it was really hard to narrow down this section of study! Reading- Story Of The World Volume 3- p. 381-386
#2- You can also find LOTS of fun resources for this in the America’s Southwestern Frontier Unit Study (also *FREE*).
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW3- Chapter 42: The World of Forty-Nine (p. 369-374)
*Online Reading-
*Timeline of Westward Expansion
*What Was Manifest Destiny?
* What Was Westward Expansion?
* The Old West
*The Oregon Trail
*What is the Wild West?
*The West is Wild!
*Who Was Davy Crockett ?
*David Crockett !
*The Life & Adventures of David Crockett
(Audiobook- Great for Car-schooling or quiet time! )
*Who Was Sam Houston?
–The Mexican American War
*Listen to the podcast “Remember the Alamo!”
*The Battle of the Alamo
* “Remember the Alamo” (for middle school ages)
*Alamo Teaching PDF (for older students)
(There are pages of printables, information, maps, etc…from the official Alamo website )
*The Alamo and Texas Independence From Mexico
*The Adventures of Buffalo Bill
+Watch-
*If You Were A Kid In the Wild West
*5 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Wild West
*Old photos from the Wild West
(Good for seeing a bit more of the whole picture!)
* What was it like to be a sheriff in the Wild West?!
*All About Cowboys (Horrible Histories)
*‘Travel in America in the 1840’s‘
(About 12 minutes…”The film follows a young man as he travels from New York State to Illinois, showing him as he journeys by stagecoach, works as a mule driver on the Erie Canal, travels by lake steamer, and rides the new steam train!” by Periscope Film)
*Wagon Trails West
*The Transcontinental Railroad Begins!
*Wagon Trails West (about 9 minutes)
*The US Mexico War In Song 🙂
*What Happened At the Alamo?! (about 4 minutes)
*The Alamo (Travel Through History- about 4 minutes)
*Ballad of the Alamo
*Davy Crockett
(History and virtual tour of his childhood home! About 7 minutes)
*You may also like to watch one of the MANY movies made about Davy Crockett/The Battle of the Alamo. My top pick for families is this Disney (not animated) version –> Davy Crockett
+Explore-
*Interactive Battles of the Alamo
*Remember the Alamo Crossword Puzzle
*Virtual Tour of the Alamo
*Alamo Jeopardy Game
*Defend the Alamo Game (loads a bit slow, but fun!)
*Webquest– Westward Ho!
(Be sure to read through the lesson plans under the scouts/teachers tab)
*Westward Trail’ online interactive map and game
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*Davy Crockett Notebooking Page
*Davy Crockett Coloring Pages, Diagrams, etc. (LOTS of good printables!)
*Davy Crocket Info Print & Color Page
*Davy Crockett Coloring Page
*The Alamo Coloring Page
*The Alamo Info Print & Coloring Page
*Oregon Trail
*Life on the Trail
*Buffalo
*Children on the trail
*Life on the Trail
+EXTRA books to extend study !
* Ghost Town at Sundown / The Wild West ! (Companion)
*The Oregon Trail (Can You Survive ?)
*Seeds of Hope ( Gold Rush)
*The Great Horn Spoon (Gold Rush)
*American Tall Tales
*Day 3- The Trail of Tears and the Great Land Rush
*I included The Homestead Act (1862) and “The Great Land Rush” at the end of the Trail of Tears section.
It seemed a natural progression after that period, though chronologically the Great Land Rush would fall near the end of the Civil War. Add it in wherever you think best 🙂
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW3- Chapter 38: American Tragedies (p. 351-360)
*Online Reading-
*Who Was Andrew Jackson? (1829)
*From Horseshoe Bend To The Trail of Tears
*What Was The Indian Removal Act? (1830)
*What Was the Trail of Tears ? (1830-1850)
*Southwestern Tribes (Read more about the Native Americans who walked this trail)
*Who Are the Cherokee?
*Who Was Sequoyah?
*The California Gold Rush (~1848- This added to the push for expanding West!)
*The Homestead Act (1862)
*What Was the Homestead Act & The Great Land Rush ?
*The Great Land Run (Oklahoma- 1889)
+Watch-
*Brief Intro to the Trail of Tears (about 3 minutes)
*What Caused the Trail of Tears? (about 5 minutes)
*Who Was Andrew Jackson ?
*Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (about 26 minutes )
*How the Brutal Trail of Tears Got It’s Name (about 3 minutes)
*The California Gold Rush (about 10 minutes)
*The Homestead Act (about 4 minutes- Intro with real photos !)
*Westward Expansion and The Homestead Act (about 5 minutes)
+Explore-
*Tracking the Buffalo Interactive
*Trail of Tears/Indian Removal Act Printable (from the NPS)
*Explore Art History and The Trail of Tears
*Interactive Map of the Trail
*Another Interactive Map of the Trail
(Click anywhere on the trail to read more)
*Cherokee Alphabet Activity
*Learn some phrases in Cherokee
*Explore North American Native Tribes
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*Trail of Tears/Indian Removal Act Printable Booklet
*Trail of Tears Notebooking Pages and Lapbook
(From Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus)
*Trail of Tears Coloring Page
*Dover Trail of Tears Coloring Page
*Andrew Jackson Coloring Page
*Week 7 – The “Civil” War
*Suggested supplemental reading for Civil War-
+The Civil War : An Interactive History (Choose Your Own Adventure)
+I Thought My Should Would Rise and Fly
+Meet Addy (I highly recommend the whole series! —> Meet Addy Book Set )
+Two Miserable Presidents
*As with the Colonial America section, and the Pioneer section, I have also written a complete FREE Civil War Unit Study …there are TONS of ideas there to extend or supplement this section if your family is interested. It is without a doubt one of the most difficult and sad parts of our country’s history. While I definitely didn’t sugar coat it, I did try to balance it with true stories of perseverance, bravery, and compassion. Please click on the link above or the image below to read more. I include daily plans for related language arts, science, geography, art, music, and Bible studies as well.
This is an especially good resource if you are teaching this section to your Littles!
*Day 1- Abraham Lincoln
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*CHOW- p. 513-520 (or if you only want to read about Lincoln, p. 518-520)
*Online Reading-
*Abraham Lincoln Biography
*Lincoln’s Biography (You can listen to this one read aloud)
*Abraham Lincoln’s Childhood: Growing Up To Be President
(The small details here are so interesting! )
*Abraham Lincoln: Leader Extraordinaire
*The Lincoln Family
*Abraham Lincoln Before 1861
*Lincoln Legends
*President Lincoln And The Civil War
*Lincoln and the Civil War
*Events Leading Up to the Civil War
*A New President and the Southern States
*His Name Was Mudd – Part 1 and Part 2
(2 part story to listen to from Real Cool History For Kids Podcast)
*Lincoln’s Assassination Interactive Learning
(Best for older students!)
+Watch-
*Abraham Lincoln (full movie from Nest Videos- about 30 minutes)
—-> Also, you can find the FULL printable coloring story book HERE
*Everybody Loves Abraham Lincoln Song (about 3 minutes)
*Meet Abraham Lincoln (about 4 minutes)
*Disney’s American Presidents- Lincoln (4 minutes)
*Childhood of Abraham Lincoln – Part 1 (about 7 minutes)
*Presidency of Abraham Lincoln – Part 2 (about 7 minutes)
*Abraham Lincoln: A Journey To Greatness (about 25 minutes)
*What Did Abraham Lincoln Believe? (about 6 minutes)
*A Video Tour of Lincoln’s Home (about 7 minutes)
*Cool Facts About The Lincoln Memorial (about 3 minutes)
+Explore-
*NPS Junior Ranger- Abraham Lincoln Printable Book
*Abraham Lincoln Interactive Map
*Take a Virtual Tour of Lincoln’s Home
*Slavery in the United States (Interactive Map of Slavery / Civil War)
*Decode This Lincoln Quote
*Online Abraham Lincoln Jigsaw Puzzles
*Abraham Lincoln Wordsearch (Try this online or print it out!)
*Online Abe Lincoln Crossword Puzzle
*Quiz Yourself – President Lincoln
*Abraham Lincoln Jeopardy Game
*Abraham Lincoln Online ESCAPE Room!
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
* Abraham Lincoln Printables (from Enchanted Learning)
*Super cute Lincoln Coloring Pages (for the Littles)
*21 Life of Lincoln Coloring Pages !!
*Color Lincoln’s Log Cabin Online
*Free Abe Lincoln Lapbook
*Day 2- Slavery and the Underground Railroad
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW- Vol. 3-Chapter 36: The Slave Trade Ends (p. 337-342)
*Online Reading-
*What is Slavery?
*How Did Slavery Begin?
*History of Slavery in the United States
*What is an Abolitionist ?
*What was the Underground Railroad ?
*What is the Underground Railroad?
*The Underground Railroad For Kids
*Secrets & codes of the Underground Railroad
*Pathways to Freedom : The Underground Railroad
(activities, reading, and more…interactive site)
*Who was Harriet Tubman ?
*A Chariot and a Woman Named Moses (podcast story)
*Who was Frederick Douglass ?
*Frederick Douglass Mini-Page Story
*Harriet Beecher Stowe- Author and Abolitionist (podcast story)
*Uncle Tom’s Cabin Told to Children
(This is the full text of this book- but you can also listen to it chapter by chapter with the audio. Great for car school or rest times!)
*Events Leading Up to the Civil War
+Watch-
*All Night Forever (about 4 minutes)
*Slavery in America (about 11 minutes)
*Life on a Southern Plantation (about 17 minutes)
*The Underground Railroad (about 4 minutes)
*Follow the Drinking Gourd (about 5 minutes)
*Harriet Tubman Movie (Nest Movies – about 28 minutes)
—>Be sure to print this Harriet Tubman companion book too!
*Secret Life of the American Teenager- Slavery in 1800’s
(A short narrative from the perspective of a young brother & sister…with beautiful historical photos. About 6 minutes)
*Slavery Explained- Reading Rainbow
(Episode about slavery beginning with the passage from Africa… be sure to click on the icon for full screen)
*Torchlighters: The Harriet Tubman Story
(The beginning of this animated video may be intense for your Littles, so as always preview! Be sure to check out the super fun Harriet Tubman Activity Book that goes along with this video!)
*Harriet Tubman Biography
*Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
*Henry’s Freedom Box
+Explore-
*The Underground Railroad- Escape from Slavery (Interactive Activity)
*Following the Footsteps (Interactive- What if you were a Maryland slave?)
*Compare Lives (Slave Trade interactive learning activity)
*Explore the Underground Railroad (National Geographic Interactive)
*Quiz Yourself! Harriet Tubman
*Explore a Day In The Life Of An Enslaved Fieldworker
*Frederick Douglass
(Scroll to the bottom to find LOTS of activities)
*Frederick Douglass Virtual Museum Exhibit (from the National Park Service)
–>360* Virtual Tour of Frederick Douglass Home
*Frederick Douglass’ Secret (The Mini-Page…printable)
*Abolitionists Activity Book
(Scroll down to find the pages that correspond to today’s reading, or use the entire book!)
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
*Underground Railroad Printable Activity Book (National Park Service)
*Harriet Tubman Coloring Page
*The Story of the Underground Railroad (Dover Coloring Book Sample Pages)
*Leaders of the Underground Railroad Printable Worksheet
*Frederick Douglass Coloring Book
*Day 3- The “Civil” War
+Read-
*Core Reading-
*SOTW4–Chapter 5: The American Civil War (p. 49-58)
(Just if you happen to have this volume already! Otherwise, just skip this. )
*Online Reading-
*Our Country Divided: The Beginning of the Civil War
*The War Begins
*What Did States Rights Have to Do With the Civil War ?
*The Battle at Fort Sumter
*What Was Life Like During the Civil War ? (At home & on the battlefield)
(If you’d like this info all in one page –> Civil War Daily Life
*Do You Hear the Drums? The Civil War’s Youngest Soldiers (Podcast story)
*We Fought Too! Girls of the Civil War (Podcast story)
*The Battle at Gettysburg
*Clara Barton- Angel of the Civil War (Podcast story)
*Stonewall Jackson & William T. Sherman (Podcast story)
*Robert E. Lee: The (Real) Man Without a Country (Podcast story)
*Civil War Outlaws (Podcast story)
*What Was the Gettysburg Address ?
*The Civil War Ends- A Child’s Eyewitness Account and Lee Surrenders !
*The Emancipation Proclamation
*Civil War Timeline
+Watch-
*The Civil War- A Kid Explains History
(note: though he begins by saying the war was caused by a disagreement about slavery, he does continue on to explain more about some of the deeper causes. A place to start.)
*North vs. South (Song- about 3 minutes)
*Civil War Facts for Kids (about 10 minutes and a good overview for all ages )
*How Did the Civil War Begin? (about 5 minutes)
*Who Is To Blame For The Civil War? (about 7 minutes)
*Emancipation Proclamation Song (about 3 minutes- this one is rough, but….lol)
*Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Song (about 3 minutes)
*Reconstruction Song (about 4 minutes)
*What Was the Reconstruction Era? (about 7 minutes)
*Who Was President After The Civil War? (about 3 minutes)
+Explore-
*Interactive Civil War Map
*Would You Have Survived the Battle Of Gettysburg?
(Choose your own adventure type game!!)
*Explore the Battles of the Civil War
*Civil War Challenge
*Memorize the Gettysburg Address with this song !!
*Can You Put This Gettysburg Address Puzzle Together ?
*Explore Artifacts from Gettysburg Soldiers
*Online Civil War Crossword Puzzle
*Civil War Jeopardy
*Online Civil War Word Find
*Civil War Containers Game
*Civil War Timeline Puzzle
+Coloring/Notebooking Pages-
* 28 Civil War Coloring Pages !!
*American Civil War Soldiers Coloring Page
*Civil War Soldiers Paper Dolls
*Antebellum Paper Dolls
*Emancipation Proclamation Coloring Page
*Week 8 Early American History EXPLORE IT MORE! Week
This week is all about HANDS ON HISTORY FUN !
If you’ve got kids who love to build things, kids that like to cook, or craft loving kids, —ok really, any kids—this is the part of our Early American History study they’ll be waiting for the whole time you’re doing this unit!
“Explore It More Week” is a whole week dedicated to hands-on projects that bring history to life. It’s the time when reading turns into doing—and trust me, it’s always a hit.
You can choose from the project ideas listed below, grab a hands-on activity from the Early American Books & Resources List, or come up with your own creations. And if a whole week feels overwhelming, no worries—you can simply sprinkle smaller activities into your regular lessons. But you may want to consider going all-in on “Explore It More Week”… because of Week 9!
So, what’s so great about Week 9?
That’s when it’s time to SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW! One of our favorite traditions was hosting a History Museum Day.
Set up a space where kids can display their Early American crafts, maps, inventions, or Revolutionary War projects. Serve snacks inspired by the era (think cornbread, apple cider, beef jerky, or Johnnycakes). Build model log cabins or toy muskets out of cardboard, or perform short skits featuring Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin, or the Boston Tea Party.
Invite friends and family to come “tour the museum,” with your kids as the guides—explaining what life was really like in Early America.It’s the perfect way to let your kids show off what they’ve learned, have a blast, and make history truly unforgettable—Early American style!
I have the full explanation and ideas under Week 9 lessons.
*Here are just a few ideas to get you started-
+Hands-On Activities for Vikings
*Print out a GIANT world map (from your own PC!!) and trace the route the Vikings took to Greenland
[You could use this map for tracing the route of Columbus (and other explorers), the Pilgrims and first colonists, the Trail of Tears, label the Alamo, etc… This would make a great visual reminder/review to see every day! Be creative! Think colored yarn sailing routes, colored figures of people and places you’re studying glued in place, etc…]
*Build a Viking Longboat
*Viking Bread Recipe
*Make a Viking Brooch
*Viking Shields (Get as creative as you are !)
*Cook a Viking Feast (including homemade cheese !)
*15 Hands-On Viking Activities
*Backyard Viking Tent (if you’re feeling very enthusiastic !!)
+Hands-On Activities for Columbus & Early Explorers
*Create Your Own Explorer Treasure Chest (This idea is written for classroom use, but would be super fun in homeschools too ! The sky is the limit on all the things you could include and skills learned in the process. Think aging paper for maps; making navigational tools, compasses, and spyglasses; coins; a Captains journal or a ship’s log etc…)
*How Big Were Columbus’ Ships?
(and other Columbus activities from from Adventures in Mommydom !)
*Make Columbus’ Ships ! or These Wooden Stick Ships
*Build a Boat That Floats
*Globe and Continents Activity or Paper Mache Globes
*Voyage in a Bottle
*Try Orienteering
*Mapping Fun ! or this Columbus Map Project
*Make a Spyglass
*Create Your Own Explorers Trading Cards….. HERE are some templates you can use !
+Hands-On Activities for Native Americans
*Create a Diorama representing one or more of the Tribes you’ve learned about
*Make a Quill Box
*Seed Mosaic Pictures
*Plant a Three Sisters Garden !
*Read this short Introduction to Native American Storytelling Stones and then try making some of your own with this PROJECT
*Make & Play Native American Children’s Games , Stick Game Instructions
*Build a Wigwam
*Try Making Wojapi or Kaya’s Pumpkin Cookies or Indian Fry Bread
*Learn a few words in Wampanoag & some words for animals
*Easy Cardboard Weaving or Popsicle Stick Weaving
*Indian Chief Headress or A Colorful Beaded Bracelet
*Make a Rainstick
—> For more ideas, check out my Native America Pinterest Board
—> For extra resources, book ideas, etc … Native America Extras Board
+Hands-On Activities for Pilgrims & Early Colonists
*Pilgrim Recipes
(Or try cooking what would’ve been on the Menu at ‘The First Thanksgiving’ )
*Pilgrim Handsewing Activity
*Colonial Paper Quilling
*Try Cooking A Colonial Recipe !
(Or cook a whole dinner ! Indian Pudding, Barley Soup, and more!)
*Colonial Williamsburg 12 Night Cake
*Colonial Child’s Handkerchief Doll
*Host a Tea Party
*Make & Play Colonial Children’s Games
*For more FREE Colonial America Activities, check out my
Colonial America Pinterest Board … for Extra Colonial America Ideas, Resources, Books, etc… check out Colonial America EXTRAS Board
and if you are studying this during the holidays, you will find even MORE ideas on my Colonial America Christmas Board !
+Hands-On Activities for The American Revolution
*Invisible Ink & Secret Codes or these Spy Codes of the Revolutionary War!
OR try this Cipher Wheel
*Valley Forge Cold Feet Experiment
*Benjamin Franklin Science !
*Read about (& cook!) some Revolutionary War Era Recipes
(It might make a fun activity to create your very own cookbook with all kinds of recipes from this period! You could make historical notes- famous people, date on recipe, region where recipe was cooked, unique ingredients, etc…) on each recipe page. You can find a cookbook page template HERE or you could create you own ! )
*Protesting Colonists Activity
*Create a Facebook Profile page for figures from the Revolutionary War (the template is included !)
*Smarties Taxation (Swap out smarties for m&ms or whatever your kiddos crave…Though created for a classroom, will work with a small group with a bit of creativity!)
*American Revolution Role Playing
*Bill of Rights Bingo Game or make a First 10 Amendments Cootie Catcher
OR make this Preamble Scramble Puzzle
+Hands-On Activities for The Pioneers & The Wild West
*Build Your Own Covered Wagon (Complete with Goods !)
*Pioneer Recipes (Pioneer Dinner Night !!)
*Make Some Prairie Maple Candy or Have a Pioneer Taffy Pull
*Make and Play Pioneer Children’s Games or This Button Whirlygig
*Beeswax Candles
*Homemade Butter (My kids LOVED this and still remember it to this day!)
*Try Dying Your Own Cloth
*Daniel Boone Frontiersman Tracking Activity
*Build an Alamo Model !
*Make Your Own Davy Crockett Costume
*Learn How to Tie a Lasso (and how to throw it !)
*Western Painted Rocks
*Try some of these Games from the Wild West !
*For more FREE Pioneer America Activities, check out my
Pioneer America Pinterest Board … for Extra Colonial America Ideas, Resources, Books, etc… check out Pioneer America EXTRAS Board
and if you are studying this during the holidays, you will find even MORE ideas on my Pioneer America Christmas Board !
+Hands-On Activities for Lewis & Clark Expedition
*Create Your Own Lewis & Clark Animal Discovery Journal
*Make a Specimen Box
*Read about Lewis’ quest for learning about nature HERE . One way he studied more was by collecting and observing plants and leaves very carefully.
Try using some of his techniques yourself, like these Leaf Rubbings or Pressing Plants activity ! I have to say this was one of our FAVORITE activities ! You can save these dried flowers or plants and decoupage them onto a special box or make bookmarks out of them. We went all out with this idea and made them into Christmas gifts one year. You definitely can use books to press the flowers (as directed in the activity above, but if you’re going to do a lot of pressing, this flower press is really nice !
*Make Your Own Herbalist Notebook– supervision required of course !
You could also use these beautiful (and free) wildflower coloring pages
from the NPS to illustrate your notebook.
*Read the Lewis & Clark’s Packing List. Make a list of what YOU would have packed ! Do you think they left out anything important ? What modern items would have made their travels easier ?
*Try your hand at carving ! Soap Carving at least ! Lewis and Clark as well as many of the Native Americans they encountered spent time carving intricate details of the animals they observed. Give it a try !
*Lewis & Clark Expedition Activities
+Hands-On Activities for The Land Rush and Gold Rush
*Play the Gold Rush! Game
*Read the history of Sourdough Bread and try making the starter and your own loaf !
*Ideas for an entire Gold Rush Day !
*Make Your Own Gold Rush Business Plan
*Build your own Prospector diorama like the one shown HERE
*Create a map of the first Transcontinental Railroad Route. Include names of towns and sites the railroad would have passed along the way. You can use THIS MAP to get started!
*The Pony Express- Activities
*Try one of several fun Hands-On Activities from Oklahoma Land Rush– including making your own Water Compass !
*Stake Your Claim ! (Activity from the NPS) or try
The Oklahoma Land Rush Simulation
+Hands-On Activities for Slavery and the Civil War
*Reliving the Underground Railroad Activity
*Print, Put Together, and Play this Underground Railroad Game
*Make Underground Railroad Lanterns …. then try using them at night !
*Follow the Drinking Gourd- make these Constellation Tubes !
*What Would You Pack ?
*Try Sending Secret Messages with a Flashlight
*Make a DIY Lincoln’s Top Hat and try reciting the Gettysburg address!
*Make Your Own Civil War Soldier Uniform
*Whip up some delicious Hardtack or try these other Civil War Era Foods You Can Still Make Today
*DIY Civil War Handkerchief Doll
*Discuss Eli Whitney’s invention of the Cotton Gin and maybe try making one of your own! (Directions and background in link above!) If you can find a few pieces of cotton with the seeds still inside and have your children try to remove them, this will really help them understand this lesson. Imagine how painful the hands of the slaves on cotton plantations were !
—> For LOTS more ideas, check out my Civil War Pinterest Board
—> For extra resources, book ideas, etc … Civil War Extras Board
and if you are studying this during the holidays, you will find even MORE ideas on my Civil War Christmas Board !
*TONS of Creative Hands-On History Projects in this post!
*Week 9 – Early American History Museum
Or Notebook It! Week
*OPTION #1- History Museum *
What Is History Museum Week?
History Museum Week might just be the most exciting part of your Early American History study! It’s a special opportunity for your kids to showcase everything they’ve been learning—hands-on projects, crafts, artwork, maps, timelines, and more—by turning it all into a mini museum experience right at home.
Think of History Museum Night as a homeschool twist on a science fair — but instead of experiments, it’s all about colonial life, the Revolutionary War, Native American history, and early inventions. Whether it’s hand-dipped candles, quill-written letters, model log cabins, dioramas of Jamestown or Plymouth, a recitation from the Declaration of Independence, or even recipes from the 1700s, this is the moment for your kids’ work to shine.
Know other homeschool families who might love this too?
Turn it into a group event! No stress and no fancy venue needed—just set up displays at your home, co-op, community center, or church. Invite grandparents, neighbors, and friends to walk through the “museum” and celebrate your kids’ creativity and hard work.
Bonus tip: Serve up some Early American–inspired snacks like cornbread, apple cider, beef jerky, or Johnnycakes, and play period music in the background to set the colonial mood!
How-To for History Museum Night
+Introduce the Idea
Kick things off by talking with your kids about what History Museum Night is all about! Explain that it’s their chance to shine and share everything they’ve discovered about life in Early America— vikings, explorers, daily life, the first Thanksgiving, and more. The goal? To turn their hard work into something fun, creative, and worth showing off!
Brainstorm Project Ideas
Set aside some time to dream up all the possibilities for museum displays. Encourage your kids to think hands-on and interactive. They might want to design colonial flags, copy passages from famous early American documents, cook up simple colonial-era snacks, demonstrate how pioneers churned butter or made candles, teach a colonial game, recite a famous speech or quote, or even put on a short skit about life in early America.
Make a Plan
Once the ideas are flowing, help your kids map it out! Decide what supplies are needed, which projects to tackle, and how they’ll set up their “museum displays” during the big event.
Invite an Audience
Every museum needs visitors! Invite grandparents, neighbors, friends, or your homeschool group. Whether you host it in the living room, backyard, or at co-op, having an audience makes History Museum Night feel even more special.
Why Take the Time for History Museum Week?
Creating your own history museum has so many benefits—even if it’s just for your family!
It brings Early American History to life in a hands-on, tangible way, encourages organization and public speaking skills, and boosts confidence and pride as your kids share everything they’ve learned. Honestly, this kind of interactive experience is far more meaningful and memorable than any end-of-unit test!
*OPTION #2- History Binders/Notebook It! Week *
Early American History Timeline:
Columbus through the Civil War
1. Leif Ericsson and the Vikings (1000)
2. Columbus (1492)
3. The Virginia Company/Jamestown (1607)
4. The Pilgrims (1620)
5. The French & Indian Wars (1689)
6. Colonial Period (1620-1776)
7. The Boston Tea Party (1773)
8. The American Revolution (1775-1783)
9. The “United States” of America (1776-1800)
10. Westward Expansion (1783)
11. Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-1806)
12. The Trail of Tears (1838)
13. The Transcontinental Railroad (1840’s)
14. The Civil War (1861-1863)
15. Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
If you have been note booking throughout this entire unit, then you can use this week to fill in any empty spots, add in some pages, watch some related movies, and review ! My kids really enjoyed showing off their notebooks after finishing a section ! You could really take a whole day for them to display all they’ve worked on, including their hands-on projects and these notebooks !
*Day 1-
+Make a Cover Page for this section “Early American History- Vikings through the Civil War”, to add to your history binder.
Be sure to put a line across the bottom of the page and note our “beginning date”, .
+If you haven’t already, make a History Notebook Page for each of the 15 sections (see below).
This can be print outs, coloring sheets, or hand written pages. BE CREATIVE!
Just the heading and the line need to be done for each page today.
(Again, be sure to add the timeline date line at the bottom of each page)
*Day 2-
+Add a bit of information for each of the 15 pages you made on Day 1.
You may write things you can remember…quotes…draw pictures, etc.
Add in any of the activities you tried on the proper page :
Recipes, pictures, or description of any food you cooked, drawings of any inventions you made,etc.
You also could use main ideas from the reading (cut & paste pictures, bubble notes, or bullet points…).
*Day 3:
+ Review the 15 index cards—> NEW!!! Printable Early American History Cards !!
+Try seeing how fast you can put the cards in order !
+ Do a Candy Quiz on these today !
You did it !
Hope you and your family enjoyed this study !
*COMING UP NEXT:
*Free Modern American History Curriculum
(Turn of the Century to Turn of the Millennium) !
If you’re just finding these free history resources, you may also like to check out the Free Ancient World History Curriculum series as well. It makes a great starting point !
For an explanation and to check out the curriculum, just click
–> “Free Chronological World History Plan” .
You can find the daily plans for the following studies as well-
*Section 1: Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament
+FREE History of Ancient Civilizations/Old Testament Curriculum Lesson Plans
+Ancient Civilizations & Old Testament Printable POWER Pack **NEW**
+FREE Ancient Civilizations / Old Testament Printable History Cards
+Ancient Civilizations/OT Printable PDF Version
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Civilizations
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Civilizations Printable PDF
+Ancient Civilizations/OT Great Books Reading List
+Ancient Civilizations/OT History BUNDLE
*Section 2: Ancient Egypt (includes Ancient China)
+FREE History of Ancient Egypt/China Curriculum Lesson Plans
+Ancient Egypt/China Printable POWER Pack **NEW**
+Ancient Egypt/China Curriculum Printable PDF Version
+Ancient Egypt Printable History Cards
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Egypt
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Egypt Printable PDF Version
+Ancient Egypt/China Great Books List !
+Ancient Egypt History Bundle
*Section 3: Ancient Greece
+FREE History of Ancient Greece Curriculum Lesson Plans
*Ancient Greece Printable POWER Pack Companion **NEW**
+ Ancient Greece History Curriculum- Printable PDF
+ Printable Ancient Greece History Cards
+ Ancient Greece Books and Resources List
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Greece- History Starters
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Greece- PDF Version
*Ancient Greece History BUNDLE
*Section 4: Ancient Rome
+FREE History of Ancient Rome Curriculum Lesson Plans
+ Ancient Rome History Curriculum- Printable PDF
+ Ancient Rome Books and Resources List
+Printable Ancient Rome History Cards
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Rome- History Starters
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Rome- PDF Version
*Ancient Rome History BUNDLE
*Section 5: Middle Ages & the Renaissance
+ FREE History of the Middle Ages Lessons Plans
+ Middle Ages History Curriculum- Printable PDF
+ Books and Resources List
+ Printable Middle Ages History Cards
+ FREE 21 30 Fascinating Facts About the Middle Ages
+ 21 30 Fascinating Facts About the Middle Ages- Printable PDF Version
+Middle Ages History BUNDLE
You may also enjoy these other FREE American History Unit Studies !
*Overview of All American Girl Unit Studies
(An outline of the scope and sequence covered in each of the AG Units)
*FREE Native America Unit Study- AG Kaya
+Kaya Printable Power Pack (Free!)
+Native America (Kaya) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Native America (Kaya) Printable HISTORY Cards and Bingo Game
+Kaya Native America Pinterest Board
*FREE Colonial America Unit Study – AG Felicity
+Felicity Printable Power Pack
+Colonial America (Felicity) Unit Study- PDF Version
+A Colonial America Christmas- Hands-On History (Free)
+A Colonial America Christmas- Printable Power Pack
+Felicity- Colonial America Pinterest Board
+Colonial America (Felicity) Christmas Pinterest Board
*FREE Southwest Frontier America Unit Study – AG Josefina
+Josefina Printable Power Pack
+Southwest Frontier (Josefina) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Christmas Southwestern Frontier- Hands-On History (Free)
+Josefina- Frontier America Pinterest Board
+Southwestern Frontier (Josefina) Christmas Pinterest Board
*FREE Pioneer America Unit Study – AG Kirsten
+Kirsten Printable Power Pack
+Pioneer America (Kirsten) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Kirsten- Pioneer America Pinterest Board
+Pioneer America (Kirsten) Christmas Pinterest Board
*FREE Civil War America Unit Study – AG Addy
+Addy Printable Power Pack
+Civil War (Addy) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Addy- Civil War America Pinterest Board
+Civil War (Addy) Christmas Pinterest Board
*FREE 1900 Turn of the Century America Unit Study – AG Samantha
+Samantha Printable Power Pack (My FAVORITE yet!!!)
+Turn of the Century (Samantha) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Samantha- Turn of the Century Pinterest Board
+Turn of the Century (Samantha) Christmas Pinterest Board
*FREE The Great Depression Unit Study- AG Kit
+The Great Depression (Kit) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Kit Printable Power Pack
+Kit- The Great Depression Pinterest Board
*FREE World War 2 Unit Study- AG Molly
+World War 2 (Molly) Unit Study- PDF Version
+World War 2 (Molly) Unit Printable POWER Pack!
+WW2 File Folder Game
+World War 2 Unit Study Printables BUNDLE! (*NEW!)
+Molly- World War 2 Pinterest Board
If you have ANY QUESTIONS at all, I’d love to hear from you !
You can either comment at the bottom of this post or you can email me at
ch*****@*************es.com
Enjoy !
40 Comments
diemalen
this is amazing content! greetings from germany
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pankaj
thank you so much very much appreciate this .
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Skye
I’m having trouble with purchasing the American History bundle thru paypal. Can I pay with my visa?
Thank you
willowchenoah
I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble! You should definitely be able to use your Visa. There should be a prompt that asks if you want to pay through PayPal or with another credit card. Keep scrolling down after you see pay with “Pay Pal” (don’t click that) and there should be another option to pay with another credit card. If you are still having trouble, just send me an email or a message on FB messenger, and I’ll see what we can do 🙂
Jacks RG
Wow, wow, WOW!!! Your unit studies are amazing!!! Thank you so much for all your work in putting these together! Such a blessing to other learning Home School moms :o)
willowchenoah
Aw thank you! 😊. I’m working on organizing them a bit better, adding extra projects, and making some more printables too! Thank you again for the encouragement! Happy learning!
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Tiana
I’m not sure the discrepancy, but I am trying to follow along in the A Child’s History of the World Book, but the pages are wildly off! For example, you list The Lost Colony (of Roanoke) as pages 431-434. Those pages are the index in my book. My book only has 439 pages. Roanoke was covered on pages 301-303 in mine. My Copyright is 2012. Please advise!
My family is absolutely loving the lesson plan thus far and I am so excited to merge this with the American Girl doll Kaya lesson and the Homeschooling through the Holidays set! =)
willowchenoah
Hi Tiana!
I’m so glad your family is enjoying the units! That is always an encouragement to me to hear that. I’m sorry however, about the page number discrepancies. I hoped that wouldn’t be much of an issue (I thought maybe different editions would only be a few pages off), but you figured it out. I just checked and the copyright on my copy is 2005. 😕 I’m not sure of a good remedy for that problem either. I apologize for the inconvenience. Hoping the units will still work for you & help everyone enjoy History anyway. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Wish I could’ve solved the problem.
~Chenoah
Hollie
I have a 2014 edition of CHOW and I’m having trouble finding the correct chapters. I don’t know if the chapter names are the same through the different editions but the page numbers are way off. Could you post the chapter name of the section that your page numbers refer to?
willowchenoah
Hi Hollie!
Thank you for your comment! I think you have a great idea! I have a 1997 edition of CHOW, so that would explain the issue.
Could you tell me if you have a chapter entitled “The Age of Elizabeth” in your edition? I’d love to know if this idea would work 🙂
This is the section that covers Queen Elizabeth, Sir Walter Raleigh, the Virginia Company, and Roanoke (p.431-434/Chapter 69 in my edition).
I’d love to find a solution to help us all get on the same page- literally 😀
Hollie
Yes I have a chapter titled “The Age of Elizabeth” chapter 69 (same) but pages 293-296. Chapter 68 is titled “Queen Elizabeth”.
Maybe Chapter numbers are the way to go? My book has 91 chapters and is 411 pages long minus the index.
willowchenoah
I think you’ve solved the issue! I also have 91 Chapters (but 603 pages, not including the index). I’ll put the update on my to-do list! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and help me figure out the problem😊 Wishing your family a happy Thanksgiving!
willowchenoah
Hi Tiana!
I hope you see this reply! I don’t know where my brain was, but I was confused and was answering your question thinking you meant “The Story of the World” page discrepancies. I’m not sure this will help, but the “A Child’s History of the World” copyright that I used is 1997. As per another comment, I may go into the curriculum and write the TITLE of the chapter that each page listing goes with. For example, The Lost Colony of Roanoke reading is found on pages 431-434 of the chapter entitled, “The Age of Elizabeth” (which is chapter 69 in my copy). I’d love to know if you have a similarly titled chapter in your edition! Thank you!
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Meg Canfield
Wow. That’s all I can say. I don’t even know how I found this site. I don’t even care because this has saved our year! We have been STRUGGLING to do history right now. I have no idea why. My kids LOVE history. They LOVE listening to books. But we could not get our curriculum to mesh with us this year for some reason. So I have been putting it off, rather than gritting our teeth and bearing it. I wanted them to LOVE it again! And we have found IT! So, Thank you!!!!!!! Especially being free! I cannot believe all this work put into this and you are giving it away but I am forever grateful 🙂 Can’t wait to get to the hands on activities! They also LOVE that kind of stuff…. haha 🙂
willowchenoah
Hi Meg! Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave a comment ♥️ You can’t imagine how much it encourages me to hear that your family is able to ENJOY learning history together again. When you get to the hands on projects, I’d love to see what you picked to try! Wishing you a wonderful year!
~Chenoah
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dez
thank you so much very much appreciate this .
willowchenoah
Hope you will enjoy it and have fun learning together !
willowchenoah
Hi Dez~
Hope you will enjoy it ! If you plan to continue on, the next part of the Free American History series is up . It covers the Turn of the Century to the Turn of the Millennium. Happy learning !
Maria
Wow this was a lot of really helpful and detailed content! Thank you so much!
willowchenoah
Thank you for taking the time to comment Maria ! 😊