Ancient Civilizations: History Starts Here

By Maggie Hogan

History: an orderly and systematic study of humans’ activities in the past.

One Possible Schedule
 

This schedule might work for a family with younger students
 

Goals

• Ignite interest in history & to develop a life-long love of learning


• Develop research and critical thinking skills


• Learn and understand basic facts


• Grasp a basic timeline of ancient civilizations


• Long-term retention of core information


• Recognize where event happened, why events happened, when events happened

Resources and References

• The Bible


• The Mystery of History Volume 1 by Linda Hobar (Creation through Christ)

This exciting book makes teaching the ancients fun and pain free! Great for all ages – a busy mom’s dream course.

• Guides to History Plus - Design-a-Study


• A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays or Celebrate the Feasts


• Creation resources from Institute for Creation Research


• That the World May Know - video series from Focus on the Family


• Student Bible Atlas by Tim Dowley


• Rand McNally Historical Atlas


• Usborne Book of World History Dates


• DK History of the World

Tip: Buy core materials you’ll draw from heavily: reference books, maps & atlases, audio tapes, high quality games, posters, “pretend” toys that will be enjoyed for years to come and items that hold special appeal to one or more of your children.


Web sites

www.hyperhistory.com
www.thehistorynet.com
www.thehistoryplace.com
www.paulasarchives.com
Mystery of History Yahoogroup

Tie in with Literature

It would seem that there are fictional books available for every time period imaginable. Be discerning, look for recommendations from sources you trust and don’t try to read it all! Choose high quality - avoid “junk food” fiction.


Look for

• Appropriate reading level


• Appropriate interest level


• Appropriate thematic level


• World View


• Accuracy

Goals for choosing historical fiction

• Flavor of a period or place


• Gripping account of a specific event


• Opportunity to put oneself into a time period


• Exposure to Godly heroes and role models--inspiration

Everything Happened Sometime - Timelines

Ruth Beechik, in her excellent book You Can Teach Your Child Successfully says:

"For children, timelines are not for pulling together the scattered pieces of knowledge, as they do so well for adults; children haven’t yet collected enough pieces to pull together. What timelines can do for children is to provide a framework into which they can put pieces of knowledge as they learn them. For this framework purpose, timelines should be very simple –
so simple that children can memorize them."

• Information versus activity


• Strands ~ series of spirals


• Maximize your timeline - use in conjunction with maps

Everything Happened Somewhere - Maps

• Information versus activity


• Outline maps


• Atlases


• Research


• Communicate

Projects & Field Trips

Don’t do every project you come across. Be choosy!

Choose projects and field trips that are:

• Appealing


• Illustrative


• Within budget


• Age appropriate


• Timely


• Fun & memorable