U.S. History

     My son decided to tackle U.S. History this year. History honestly isn't one of his "favorite" subjects, yet he is considering the possibility of earning college credits while he is working on his high school  courses. So I found myself facing a dilemma; what available resources would be interesting enough to keep my child interested and strong enough to prepare him for the CLEP or AP exam?

     Well, this all lead to several weeks of research. We needed a curriculum that was thorough and also engaging. My son loves to read but not really into typical textbooks. He does well with audiovisual resources and hands-on activities. First stop, the college board for resources for the U.S. history CLEP or AP exam. After noting a few of the recommended textbooks, I took some time to research homeschool curriculum for U.S. History. There were so many choices. After considering the options and reviewing the available resources for all, I finally decided upon The Enduring Vison: A History of the American People.

     The text was one of the recommended text on the college board. There were also tons of resources online, including audiovisual resources! Jackpot!

     After deciding on the text, it was time to make the course as enjoyable and interactive as possible. We also decided to use this year's reading material to focus on U.S. History.  He enjoys notebooking so we incorporated that into the course as well.  His notebook has been divided into sections. Section one is for his notes. Section two is for a timeline. Since he will need to be proficient in outlining and writing essays, he will practice by outlining and writing essays pertaining to each chapter. Another section has been set aside for geographical studies and the final section of his notebook is for his tests and quizzes.

     As we go through this year, I will be sharing resources as we go through this year. I am hoping the curriculum will keep my son engaged over this year and provide him with the knowledge he needs. He completed chapter 1, a few days ago and enjoyed the resources. He also feels the reading was better than previous history options. I'll take that as our first win!

Peace and blessings,
D.T.