Looking for a Secular World History Curriculum for Elementary Grades?
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BookShark. I received compensation in exchange for my time and an honest review of Reading with History C, Intro to World History Year 2.
With eyes wide with excitement my daughter giddily pulled out every book she gets to read this year as part of her world history curriculum. The Penderwicks, The Children of Noisy Village, Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great–she couldn’t wait! She sat down and read through You Wouldn’t Want to be Sick in the 16th Century right away.
Next, she shuffled through the Hands-on History: World History II kit to see all the fun things she gets to create. Her excitement built with each one.
History doesn’t have to be boring. It can be fun and exciting and something your child looks forward to. When you combine great books with a hands-on component to teach world history, you have a recipe for an engaged learner.
BookShark Intro to World History, Year 2 (Reading with History C)
This year my fourth grader, Olivia, is studying Intro to World History, Year 2 of 2 from BookShark. The first week is a review of what was covered in Intro to World History, Year 1 of 2 (Reading with History B). And then, we jumped right into Vikings!
During the course of our homeschool year, BookShark Intro to World History, Year 2 will take us through:
- Vikings
- Knights & Castles
- The Middle Ages
- Renaissance
- Peter the Great
- The Age of Elizabeth
- European Life
- Industrial Revolution
- American Civil War
- & much more!
She’ll be adding to her Timeline Notebook as she moves through the curriculum. There is also plenty of map work to give her a good sense of geography, as well.
I confess I’m just as excited as she is.
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A Secular World History Homeschool Curriculum
BookShark is a secular curriculum that uses literature as a base for teaching. It also employs hands-on activities to keep kids engaged and make learning fun. Everything you’ll need for the year is included for you, making it a one-stop shop for curriculum. You save time upfront by not having to search all over for books and materials and in the long run by having lesson plans done for the year.
Why Choose a Secular World History Curriculum for Elementary Grades?
There are many reasons to choose a secular curriculum for teaching world history in your homeschool. Here are a few:
- You are not religious
- You are religious, but not Christian
- You are Christian, but have differing viewpoints (ie, young earth vs. old earth)
- You want to have the flexibility to teach from your own personal or religious point of view without conflicting information
- You want an amazing curriculum and don’t care if it’s secular or religious
For us personally, we believe in and teach a providential worldview. That is–God’s hand influences and directs history. And we teach our kids to look for God’s hand throughout the history of the world and in their daily lives. However, while we are religious, sometimes I prefer a secular version of history so I don’t have to be concerned about conflicting doctrinal viewpoints. Because she is still young, I don’t want to be confusing her with different doctrinal perspectives. Especially while she is working more independently. We’ve had a few cringe-worthy experiences with some Christian history curricula. With BookShark, my daughter gets a great overview of world history and I can add material that supports our beliefs where necessary.
My Favorite Things About BookShark Hands-On World History Curriculum
There are several reasons why I like and use BookShark for our world history curriculum.
First, I love the open-and-go nature of it. Having everything planned out for the year, not just in terms of what books to read and when, but also discussion points and vocabulary is extremely helpful. And even though it is all planned out, I can still adjust it for my daughter.
Second, I love all the books. I’m a huge advocate for teaching through literature. Historical fiction has a way of making a time and place in the past come alive. Kids are better able to envision what life might have been like for someone living in that time period when they explore it through a good book. And there is a great selection of books that appeal to both girls and boys, so kids are sure to find ones they love.
Third, hands-on history! How much more exciting is history when you get to make your own Viking runes or Letterpress? Young kids, especially, tend to be kinesthetic learners. Providing a hands-on learning element creates a physical memory that helps kids encode the information they’ve been learning. Not to mention, fun!
Olivia’s Favorite Part of her World History II Curriculum
Olivia loves all the books she gets to read. They are fascinating and engaging and she enjoys what she is learning from them. Her next favorite part is all the hands-on opportunities. From coloring and placing timeline figures, to marking on maps, to recreating historical items from the World History II kit there is plenty to keep her hands busy and her interest engaged.
BookShark Virtual Seat for World History II
Olivia is also enrolled in the virtual portion of BookShark Reading with History C. The virtual seat allows students to complete the history portion of World History II online.
This allowed Olivia to work independently answering discussion questions online. With younger siblings who need moms help, this meant she didn’t have to wait for me to be available. She just jumped online and did her discussion questions and map work.
I especially liked it for the map work. I liked having her answer the map questions online.
If you want your child to be more independent in their studies, then consider adding the virtual seat.
Stellar Secular World History Homeschool Curriculum for Elementary Grades
If you are looking for a stellar secular world history curriculum for your homeschool that is both literature-based and filled with hands-on activities, then give BookShark World History a try. We enjoy using it in our homeschool.
