American Civics K-5 From Classical Historian

Description

An American civics course for young children? Yes, please! This new series of 7 “open-and-go” workbooks covers a broad range of topics, providing kids with a solid foundation of American citizenship. Author John Degree seeks to instill an understanding and appreciation of civics in students, as well as a patriotic love for our country. Books are as user-friendly as you can get! Each workbook includes lessons with detailed “Ideas for Instruction” and easy steps for use with lower, middle, and upper elementary students (whether at home or in a class/co-op setting). Workbooks progress in difficulty a bit as you move up through them.

Engaging lessons teach America’s heritage, the story of its founding, the Constitution, the basics of how American government functions, and more! Lessons typically feature a two-page spread, with a page of text to be read aloud followed by comprehension questions (children unable to write answer orally), detailed coloring pages with a lesson summary at the bottom, key words for learning to paraphrase, timeline cards (Book 6), and an oral presentation for 3rd-5th graders. Multiple-choice quizzes spread throughout the book help to gauge a student’s understanding, while the answer key for questions and quizzes is found at the back. Animated videos, which will provide reinforcement of lessons, are still in production at www.classicalhistorian.com.

Two scope and sequence options are provided in each workbook: one for teaching grade-level students in a class setting sing one lesson per week and two books per year, and one for using all 7 books in a 9-month school year, doing 2-3 lessons per week. Since the books are consumable, you will want one for each student in your family. There are so many ways you could use these workbooks, so find what works best for you. The content is fantastic, no matter how you do it!

Note: Book 7, filled with patriotic songs, is recommended for use alongside each of the workbooks for every age level, so that students are singing them throughout the year.

Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.