We switched up our history curriculum this year, and I am so glad that we did! Last year’s curriculum choice wasn’t bad, but I realized about halfway through that I needed something with more day-by-day guidance. Writing curriculum from scratch when you are teaching full-time is one thing, but doing it with a newborn is the very definition of insanity!
Road Trip U.S.A. has been a great fit. There are lots of hands-on activities, coloring pages (which my boys really love), and a food or recipe for each state. History is intertwined into the study, as well as an introduction to a variety of important Americans. We’ve read about life during Colonial times, the American Revolution, and the signing of the Constitution. These biographies of Harriet Tubman, Johnny Appleseed, Albert Einstein, and Helen Keller were surprisingly well-received by both boys.
To even further immerse ourselves in all things U.S.A., we have been listening to Wee Sing America, a great compilation of patriotic songs. I bought a large floor puzzle for Miles, and Draw the U.S.A. for Ryan. Perhaps the best addition of all is a learning app called Stack the States. I am an admitted skeptic of apps actually providing any real educational benefit, but this one actually teaches the names and locations of the states incredibly well. The boys can identify all 50 states and can even identify each state’s shape out of context. I am not sure I could do that!
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies (New Jersey)
Authentic New York style pizza (New York)
We also learned that we love clam chowder (Connecticut) and Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream (Thanks, Vermont!). The crab cakes were roundly rejected, and the kids repeatedly expressed relief that they were not born in Connecticut!
Now we’re already 5 states into the Southeast. We are all learning (and eating!) so much!
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