Lesson Plans

In my humble opinion, the best way to learn with young children is through reading (if you've visited the math page, you've already gathered that).  The great thing about using picture books for curriculum is that you can often cover multiple subjects in one lesson, from art, music and language to history and science, which is what I attempt to do with my lesson plans.  Unlike the curriculum in public schools, children can go back and read these books over and over (even if they have to check them out from the library) and reinforce what they've learned, instead of having to move on to the next topic, often not having access to the materials they were introduced to.  When a particular topic really grabs your child and they want to read the books again or explore it further, go for it!  Repetition is how we really learn something.

From our experience with K12 Virtual School, I learned that I really like learning History chronologically - it just makes sense.  Though many public schools don't start history classes until middle or even high school, it is really a perfect subject to introduce to young children because young children are in the process of discovering their world, so introducing them to how we came to be where we all are now is just plain logical.  Also, history encompasses so many other subjects (particularly geography, art, language and music), so most of my lesson plans are based in history lessons, though I will list separate subjects, as well.  This is an ongoing project that I will constantly be adding to, so check in periodically.  Recommended for ages 5-12, but use your own judgement based on what your child is into and can handle.

Ancient Cultures

Egypt
The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses by Henry Barker and Jeff Crosby
Seeker of Knowledge:  The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Heiroglyphs by James Rumford
Mummy Math:  An Adventure in Geometry by Cindy Neuschwander and Bryan Langdo
Egyptian Diary:  The Journal of Nakht by Richard Platt
The 5,000-Year-Old Puzzle:  Solving a Mystery of Ancient Egypt by Claudia Logan
The Star-Bearer:  A Creation Myth from Ancient Egypt by Dianne Hofmeyr
Cry of the Benu Bird: An Egyptian Creation Story by C. Shana Greger
Bastet by Linda Talley
Secrets of the Sphinx by James Cross Giblin
Pharaoh's Boat by David L. Weitzman
A Place in the Sun by Jill Rubalcaba
*For Older Kids (10+) Horrible Histories Series:  The Awful Egyptians by Terry Deary
Film:  The Prince of Egypt by Dreamworks

Greece
Pompei...Buried Alive by Edith Kunhart Davis
The Trojan Horse:  How the Greeks Won the War by Emily Little


American History

French & Indian War/Revolutionary War
George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comoro
George:  George Washington, Our Founding Father by Frank Keating
Rules of Civility by George Washington
Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Paul Revere's Midnight Ride by Stephen Krensky
Henry Knox:  Bookseller, Soldier, Patriot by Anita Silvey
Now & Ben:  The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta

Lewis & Clarke
The Crossing:  Lewis & Clark's Historic Journey Seen Through a Brand-New Pair of Eyes by Donna Jo Napoli
The Great Expedition of Lewis & Clark by Private Reubin Field, Member of the Corps of Discovery by Judith Edwards
American Slave, American Hero: York of the Lewis & Clark Expedition by Lawrence Pringle
Immigrants and the Westward Expansion by Tracee Sioux

War of 1812
The Flag Maker by Susan Campell Bartoletti
Jean La Fitte:  The Pirate Who Saved America by Susan Goldman Rubin
*Learn to sing the Star Spangled Banner
*Watch this ridiculously funny Lego video to the tune of the Battle of New Orleans

Texas Revolution/The Alamo  (1835-1836)
A Picture Book of Sam Houston by David A. Adler
Sam Houston by Jan Gleiter & Kathleen Thompson
Davy Crockett:  The Legendary Frontiersman by James Howard Kunstler
Susana of the Alamo by John Jakes
Voices of the Alamo:  A True Story by Sherry Garland
A Day That Changed America:  The Alamo by Shelley Tanaka

Gold Rush/Westward Expansion/Pony Express/Transcontinental Railroad
Gold Fever:  Tales from the California Gold Rush by Rosalyn Schanzer
The Way West:  Journal of a Pioneer Woman by Amelia Stewart Knight
How To Get Rich on the Oregon Trail by William Reed
Aunt Clara Brown, Official Pioneer by Linda Lowery
They're Off!  The Story of the Pony Express by Cheryl Harness
Ten Mile Day and the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad by Mary Ann Fraser
The Story of the Golden Spike by Conrad R. Stein
The Transcontinental Railroad by Marilyn Miller

Abolition  (1800's - prior and post Civil War)
Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter
Henry's Freedom Box, A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine
Freedom Song, The Story of Henry "Box" Brown by Sally M. Walker
Words Set Met Free, The Story of Young Frederick Douglass by Lesa Cline-Ransome
The Price of Freedom - How One Town Stood Up To Slavery by Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin
Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Harriet and the Promised Land by Jacob Lawrence
Louisa:  The Life of Louisa May Alcott by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Suffrage (1800's - 1920)
America in the Time of Susan B. Anthony by Sally Senzell Isaacs
Marching With Aunt Susan by Claire Rudolf Murphy
Susan B. Anthony by Suzanne Slade
Heart on Fire:  Susan B. Anthony votes for President by Ann Malaspina
Elizabeth Leads the Way:  Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote by
I Could Do That:  Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White
When Esther Morris Headed West:  Women, Wyoming and the Right to Vote by Connie Nordhielm Woodridge

Statue of Liberty (1875-1903)
Liberty Rising:  The Story of the Statue of Liberty by Pegi Deitz Shea
Liberty's Voice:  The Story of Emma Lazarus by Erica Silverman
The Story of the Statue of Liberty by Betsy and Giolio Maestro
Lady Liberty:  A Biography by Doreen Rappaport
A Picnic in October by Eve Bunting