As promised, I’m continuing with my detailed record of what resources we’re using for history. Sometimes we may simply read about a topic, and other times we may go on field trips and do activities. Over time, we may add more to our studies, so I may come back and add more resources to these lists in the future. These logs are a work-in-progress.

My husband is a history professor, so we’re fortunate that many of these lessons, documentaries and books are supplemented with conversations with him. We also have the benefit of using his college history lectures too. See this post for access to all of those. And this post will explain our choice of textbooks.

The Hebrews

Sources I’ve used for this topic:

Web

My husband’s lecture and screencast titled “The Hebrews”

Home Library

 The Kingfisher History of Encycolpedia, pages 24-25

The Usborne Encylcopedia of World History, pages 142-143

Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, pages 35-45

One World Many Religions: The Ways We Worship by Mary Pope Osbourne, chapter on Christianity, p. 13

 

Ancient India

Sources I’ve used for this topic:

Web

My husband’s lecture and screencast titled “India”

 Home Library

The Kingfisher History of Encycolpedia, pages 33, 78-79

The Usborne Encylcopedia of World History, pages 174-175

Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, pages 59-65

The Kids Books of World Religions by Jennifer Glossop, chapters on Hinduism (p. 12) and Buddhism (p. 18)

From the Local Library

The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India by Marcia Williams

 Children Just Like Me: Celebrations by DK Publishing, pp. p. 18, 34, 50 (We read about three yearly celebrations that take place in India: Holi, Raksha Bandhan, and Diwali. It’s also a fun book to read about celebrations around the world.)

Documentaries

Michael Woods’ “The Story of India” – Love this documentary. It was the second time we watched it.

Activities

I’ve shown the boys photographs from my own trip to India.

Field Trips

The Art Institute of Chicago – collection from India (We visited the Art Institute on our most recent trip to Chicago to visit relatives over Thanksgiving.)

 

Ancient China

Sources I’ve used for this topic:

Web

My husband’s lecture and screencast titled “Ancient China”

 Home Library

The Kingfisher History of Encycolpedia, pages 18, 39, 58, 70

The Usborne Encylcopedia of World History, pages 268-269

Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, pages 66-75

The Kids Books of World Religions by Jennifer Glossop, chapters on Taoism (p. 52) and Confucianism (p. 54)

From the Local Library

If I were a kid in ancient China by Cobblestone Publishing

Where is the Great Wall? by Patricia Demuth

Ancient China by Arthur Cotterell

Documentaries

PBS NOVA’s Secrets of the Forbidden City

PBS NOVA’s Chinese Chariot Revealed

We are also planning to watch Michael Wood’s Story of China.

Field Trips

Genghis Khan exhibit at Field Museum (We actually visited this a long time ago, so I’m not sure the boys will remember it. I include it here because it’s a good web resource, and I’m sure we’ll visit the exhibit again on another trip to Chicago.)