History & Social Studies

July 4th celebrates the revolutionary ideas that all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—and that the government exists for the people with power given to them by the people. Two hundred and fifty years later, these ideas remain revolutionary! As parents, it is our responsibility to pass on these ideas to the next generation, teaching them what it means to be a responsible and engaged citizen. For America’s 250th birthday, a simple Google search reveals an overwhelming number of free resources available to teach children our American values. My goal today is to share a list of “Rainbow favorites.” This list includes free and affordable resources that help you bring history alive to children, teaching them what it cost to establish and protect these ideas, in the past and for the future.

In my previous artilcle, we considered the benefits—both practical and experiential—that cooking together as a family offers. Let’s take this a step further and consider how we, as parents, can breathe life into our history and science lessons using the power of food!

Election year gives you a special opportunity to teach your student the process America goes through to pick a president and other elected officials. There are many ways to help students learn about state, local, and federal election processes, understand the power of their voice and the vote, and become engaged participants in our nation’s constitutional republic. Discover how to incorporate the topic of elections into your school year!

Something we often hear from parents is how much they are learning about history when homeschooling their children. We offer some amazing options for history in a variety of formats. But is that the difference? Is that what is speaking to you? Or is it that you have more life experience and are applying your context to the content being taught. I would argue the latter. So, how do you make history relatable for your students?

Much has been written to teach children the legacy of African American men and women. Today, however, we want to honor those whose impact was greatest during the tumultuous American Civil War. Often called the "War Between the States," the Civil War lasted 4 years, from 1861-1865. Surprisingly, the effects of this war may still be felt today. Follow the included links to child friendly videos and web sites to learn more.