Subtitled "From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor," this volume covers early writing and farming, ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, the Hebrew people, Babylonians, Assyrians, ancient India, ancient China, ancient Africa, Phoenicians, Ancient Greeks, Persia, the Roman empire, the collapse of the Roman empire, early Christianity, Attila the Hun and other barbarians. Volume One was revised in 2006 and now features more illustrations, maps, several timelines and additional parent/teacher notes. The text is paperback, and the Curriculum Guide/Activity Book is a bound paperback.

Customer Reviews

 
Kelly L. from NY wrote the following on 10/05/2006:
The SOTW history program delivers! My dd LOVES history and, because of Story Of The World, wants to be an archaeologist when she grows up. SOTW is a wonderful history program to use and would be SO EASY to use with multiple students at once. Because it reads like a story, it keeps kids interested every step of the way. Even my 2 yo will climb up on the couch and listen to the story. The activity book is wonderful for my 1st grader. She enjoys the coloring and other activities. This is also a curriculum guide which is a must as it has lists of additional books to pick up from the library. The library books are a huge help in cementing what you've learned. The additional activities listed in the guide are a lot of fun, too. No prep time is required by you unless you want to get the supplemental books from the library. This curriculum would be SO EASY to use with multiple students at once. No one can believe how much my dd knows about Ancient Egypt ... she stumped adults with her trivia questions! The SOTW text and curriculum/activity book are my favorite purchases of the year! I feel this is the best history program out there.

 
Cathy W. from Camas, WA wrote the following on 08/29/2007:
This is the most incredible history program I have seen. It makes me wish I was in 1st grade again. I have 3 boys ages 2, 4, and 6 - one is auditory, one is visual and one is a hands-on learner. I use the book and activity notebook for all three of them at once. Today we did the archaeological dig. Donned with shovels, screens, and buckets, they all fell in love with history and school (they were in awe of the fact that mom actually told them to dig in the dirt and it was school work). They all learned more than I hoped for - not that many 2 year olds can successfully pronounce the word archaeologist and know what it means. I love that you can do as little or as much as you want with these books without feeling like you are going to miss something you will need to know for later on. I decided to choose one project per week and decided those ahead of time. I pulled all the supplies needed for the entire year and boxed it up. It is so clear what we will need that this completely stream-lined my year, making it a joy. Every week I cannot wait until Activity Day and that excitement gets my boys excited about school. I am getting more than my money's worth on this one!

 
Teresa D. from Round Rock, Texas wrote the following on 10/25/2007:
I absolutely love this activity book! I think it is brilliant for my daughter to color a picture of exactly what I am reading about, keeping her hands busy and her mind from wandering while I read each day's text. The grandparents are in awe of her simple mapwork, and I am pleased that it reinforces the reading. We haven't done a single activity yet-- but I don't feel like we're missing anything either. The activities offered range from very detailed with lots of materials, to more basic arts and crafts and also cooking. The teacher/parents guide is scripted and very encouraging, with various "right" answers. I really appreciate that it shows the topic-matching page numbers for Kingfisher and Usborne suggested resources. Also this is reproducible within families.

 
Suzannah F. from Northern Virginia wrote the following on 02/27/2008:
We are using the Story of the World Volume 1 Activity book again this year. We thoroughly enjoyed it when my son was in first grade. We did all of the maps and review questions, chose some of the suggested supplemental readings from the library and did the activities that caught our fancy. Now that my son is in fifth grade we are able to enjoy some of the more advanced books and activities while still using the maps and easier book suggestions with my kindergartener. There's something for everyone! While my son puts together a model, my daughter colors and cuts out paper dolls.

 
Joanna R. from WV wrote the following on 06/02/2008:
My kids, 1st & 2nd grade LOVED this program! Their favorite thing we did in school this year was study the Ancient Greeks! It was fun to be able to study history/geography together with different age groups- especially with one reading well and one just starting to read. I found the activity book very helpful. The kids loved the craft suggestions and books. They loved to hear the narration. The coloring pages/ fun pages were also a great activity, though I found some things like crossword puzzles didn't really appeal to my 1st grader yet. I found that we did history about 2-3 times a week and that was enough to get our book done. I also supplemented with some videos/documentaries and kid-friendly websites, such a a Jim Henson's Muppet Theater of Greek Myths & Legends from Netflix. How awesome was it the night we started watching a PBS documentary about the demise of the Ancient Minoans and my kids knew all about the geography of Crete and Greece. My husband was stunned that they knew the subject so well. And imagine my delight when my 2nd grader asked if I thought Hammurabi or Alexander the Great were the greater influence on the world. I wish I could find more of the literature recommended in my public library, but it's not a very big library. Also, my 1st grader has a very short attention span with a low level of frustration when it comes to concentration. My 2nd gr. son is a quick, self-guided learner. They both loved this series and comprehended it well. We didn't even use the tests though we may as they get older. We also set up some of their projects for grandparents to see as they were very proud of their work and loved to talk about everything they learned. As a history lover myself, I found that it was very good not just at the boring dates and facts, but it showing how one civilization or event or person influenced or paved the way for others, which is such an important part of understanding history. And it is easy to teach. Read the narration, which is divided into short sections, pick which activities and literature you want to do, color the pages, and supplement with a few good resources, and your kids can really understand history, even if it wasn't your favorite subject. Highly recommended!

 
Maureen M. from Montana wrote the following on 03/10/2009:
I used this program with my 7 year old daughter. She has thoroughly enjoyed it and shares her knowledge of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Roman Empire with all our dinner guests. During free time, she often incorporates her new knowledge into her pretend play with her younger brother as they sail down the Nile River (our hallway) or dress up as Spartan warriors. The SOTW activity book is easy to use. Information is laid out for well for ease of use during a lesson. We found the maps and coloring pages to be beneficial in solidifying the lesson in my daughter's mind. Most of the activities did not seem, to me, to be beneficial in proportion to their time and effort. Of the ones we did try, the directions were not very clear. The library in our area is not worth mentioning, so the supplemental book list included was not helpful to me. Susan Wise Bauer calls this text a spine that is meant to be supplemented. We have very easily incorporated Bible and Church history into this course with the use of a children's Bible and "Peril and Peace" of the History Lives series. We are very much looking forward to volume 2.

 
Teri A. from North Carolina wrote the following on 08/02/2009:
We used Activity Book #1 along with Story of the World Vol. 1. You'll notice the Activity Book is about twice the price of the Story of the World text. But it is loaded with hands-on ideas for bringing the historical material from the textbook alive. You will find narration questions, supplementary literature and history book recommendations for each chapter studied, recipes, games, coloring pages, and the maps that you'll need for studying the geography presented in each lesson. My son loved the archeology dig and cuneiform writing in clay. There are more activities listed in the Activity Book than most people can probably use, but it's nice to have choices. You could certainly use Story of the World alone, but I consider the Activity Book a vital supplement that cuts down on a great deal of the teacher prep.

 
Brittney S. from IOlive Branch, Mississippi wrote the following on 03/10/2004:
This is an excellent history text. It reads like a story book (as the title suggests) with appropriate language for first grade children. The author uses a mix of historical information and legends from the time and region being studied as well as fictional stories that allow the child to envision themselves in that time and place. Although pertinent information is covered, the chapters' size and content never allow for boredom. Each chapter of the book has a number of corresponding activities in the guide (#010993). The activities for every chapter range from highly involved (embalming a chicken) to simple (coloring a page). With each chapter, the author includes black line maps, coloring pages, even cartoons to color, craft projects, suggestions for further reading, both historical and literature. Last year I put together my own unit studies. I will never use another history program. Other than doing a craft project, or choosing a suggested book at the library for further reading, no prep time is needed. Highly recommended and cost effective.

 
Kelly L. from NY wrote the following on 10/05/2006:
The SOTW history program delivers! My dd LOVES history and, because of Story Of The World, wants to be an archaeologist when she grows up. SOTW is a wonderful history program to use and would be SO EASY to use with multiple students at once. Because it reads like a story, it keeps kids interested every step of the way. Even my 2 yo will climb up on the couch and listen to the story. The activity book is wonderful for my 1st grader. She enjoys the coloring and other activities. This is also a curriculum guide which is a must as it has lists of additional books to pick up from the library. The library books are a huge help in cementing what you've learned. The additional activities listed in the guide are a lot of fun, too. No prep time is required by you unless you want to get the supplemental books from the library. This curriculum would be SO EASY to use with multiple students at once. No one can believe how much my dd knows about Ancient Egypt ... she stumped adults with her trivia questions! The SOTW text and curriculum/activity book are my favorite purchases of the year! I feel this is the best history program out there.

 
Angie P. from Fredericktown, Ohio wrote the following on 04/01/2007:
This history curriculum was suggested last year during our end of the year assessment. I purchased it from Rainbow Resource Center last year for the 2006-2007 school year. At first, I wasn't sure it was the curriculum for us - the kids weren't too excited about the material, although they did seem to pay attention. I decided to stick with it and found that the issue was really that "Ancient Times" just wasn't as exciting to learn as Christopher Columbus, the Underground Railroad, and other history topics that we had previously studied. I am really glad I stuck with it! We are enjoying this history curriculum and it is easy to use. We have the text book and the activities book; we read aloud the portion of the chapter (already marked in the book) and orally answer the review questions in the activities book. The kids draw and narrate what they have learned that day on a sheet of paper which goes in their history notebooks. We do all of the suggested map work and coloring pages which also get added to their history notebooks. Sometimes we read some of the recommended literature (listed in the activity book) to add to our knowledge and ocassionally we also complete a suggested craft activity. Sometimes the kids are so enjoying the story that we read two or three days worth of material. We include history in our schedule two days a week and will complete about 2/3 of Volume 1 in this school year. I\'m excited about the idea of each kid having a history book of their own making that begins with the nomads in Ancient Times and will continue clear through history. The kids often get out their notebooks and look through them on their own - they enjoy looking at their work and they get a wonderful review in the process. Going through history chronologically is helpful to put it all in order in our brains and having Biblical stories/characters included help my children to understand that the Bible is a true historical record and it strongly reinforces our Bible studies as well. Are they retaining the information? The other evening we were watching an educational show on PBS when the Sahara Desert was shown and mentioned - the kids (grades 1st and 3rd) started yelling out to their dad, "Did you know that the Sahara Desert used to be full of trees and plants and many people used to live there?" Then, as they showed pictures on the show, my 3rd grade daughter started yelling, "Look it's a shaduf! That was the first farm machinery ever used!" Yes - they are retaining this information - that information was discussed in a history lesson 5 months ago! It's refreshing to have a curriculum that all of the family can do together (multi-age) and it's a relief off of my shoulders not to have to plan/create/gather any more than I desire!

 
Chalee G. from Jerome, ID wrote the following on 05/21/2007:
This history program is great. I used this with my 1st and 3rd grader. They both loved it. It reads just like a story which keeps their interest. The activity book is a great teacher help. Loads of hands on activities and map work, plus additional reading you can choose from, (which is completely optional). Plus there are coloring sheets which my girls love to do while I am reading. We will definitely use Volume 2 for next year.

 
Kim H. from Nazareth, PA wrote the following on 08/03/2007:
My daughter used to complain about history until we got this book. She is really interested in the stories (and so am I!) and doesn't complain about history any more. We used the activity book the 1st year, but didn't do everything. Mostly, we read some of the suggested books in there. This year I am only getting the test book to use as review of what she reads. She was 10 when she did this book, and we did the 2nd also, and now will be doing the 3rd this year. My daughter is very visual, but even though this doesn't have many pictures it didn't matter, since the stories are so interesting. She comes back to tell me things she read in the book, so I know she's retaining the information and understanding it, which she didn't in the more traditional history textbooks we used to do.

 
Teresa D. from Round Rock, Texas wrote the following on 10/25/2007:
The story format of this history text is interesting and short enough for my first grader, but I could see that an older child would get a lot deeper with the same material. I would strongly suggest the activity book to go with the history text if only for the matching maps and coloring sheets. I think that as my daughter colors a picture of what I am reading about-- while I read it-- that she is paying attention on multiple levels instead of her mind wandering. The texts are short enough for a single session, with each chapter broken into manageable chunks. As an adult I really appreciate the worldwide take on history-- not just Europe in here!

 
Linda R. from Indiana wrote the following on 02/26/2008:
We have thoroughly enjoyed this history program! ALL of my children have been able to participate on some level...They LOVE listening to the chapters being read and I especially like the activity guide with the coloring pages, narration questions, activities, and additional book lists...the children have enjoyed the maps and coloring pages. They have learned SO much this year about ancient history and it amazes me how much they remember! My kids are ages 2, 4, 6, and 8--there is SO much you can add to this curriculum if you wish, but if you choose to use it just as it is without anything extra then that is totally fine and so much more enriching than doing nothing at all...I also like the ease of using this program! It is pick up and go every time we are ready to do history!

 
Darlene H. from New Albany, IN wrote the following on 02/20/2009:
I have used this series with three of my children and am about to start it up all over again with my youngest. You would think I'd be bored having to read it ALL over again with another child. Wrong! I can't wait to share this wonderful series with my daughter. Susan has such a way of making history come alive right before our eyes! My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the books, but my favorite was Book 4. It was not only interesting to read, but I learned many facts I didn't learn in all my years of school! Not even in my high school years! I especially like the activity book that goes along with this volume. It gently taught my kids how to write an outline and then gradually transitioned them into writing from an outline. These are valuable skills for kids to learn before they are expected to write essays in the high school years. I can't say enough about this series and heartily recommend it to anyone who will listen to me!

 
Kathy A. from Southeast Wisconsin wrote the following on 10/23/2009:
Story of the World is authored by homeschooling graduate/homeschooling mother, Susan Wise Bauer. The series consists of a four volume set of "storybooks" which tell the history of the world from the earliest nomads to the events of the late 20th century. The series is written in a narrative tone, reminiscent of the late V.M. Hillyer's style of writing. Volume 1 covers the time period of the earliest nomads to the last Roman emperor. Volume 2 covers the time period fall of Rome to the rise of the Renaissance. Volume 3 covers the time period from Elizabeth I to the Forty Niners. Volume 4 covers the time period from Victoria's empire to the end of the USSR. To round out your history curriculum I would highly recommend purchasing the activity books which accompany each volume. The activity books correspond with the chapters in each of the four volumes. For each chapter there are review questions, narration exercise, additional history reading, writing/craft/art projects, and an activity. In the back of each activity book there is a section titled student pages which consists of maps, coloring pages and review cards to create a world history notebook. Science is not included in this study, but you can use Jim Wiese's book "Ancient Science" as a starting point. Based on our experience with this series and the content of the curriculum I would recommend it for Grades 5-8. Overall I am pleased with Ms. Bauer's approach to world history and look forward to using this as a unit study in our homeschool.