Living books is a buzzword in the Christian homeschool community, and for a good reason! A living book is a book that is full of life. Stuffy textbooks don’t fit the bill! Living books contain inspiring stories, beautiful pictures, well-written words, and ideas. History is a subject that many students find dull, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Curating a living books history curriculum can inspire a love for history in your child. Here’s how to incorporate this type of study into your homeschool.
1. Determine a Topic
The first step to curating any curriculum is determining your topic. Maybe your child loves watching the Little House on the Prairie show and pretending to be a Native American. A study of pioneer times would be perfect for them! Or maybe you have a student who is obsessed with toy soldiers. Try studying WWII or the Civil War. The options are endless! You can also center your living books history curriculum around other studies too, such as the Bible. Bible stories come to life when you learn about the Roman culture that surrounded Jesus and his disciples.
2. Plan Your Reading Material
Next, plan what you’re going to read. As you search for reading material, be sure to choose the best books you can. Markers of a great living book include engaging stories, character quality lessons, bright illustrations, and relatable main characters. With so many options out there, it can be hard to filter great content from mere “twaddle,” as Charlotte Mason would say. LightSail has a fantastic content filter that allows you to filter books to fit historical categories, such as U.S. history.
3. Add Additional Resources as Needed
Additional resources can enhance your curriculum and make certain concepts stand out to your student. Charlotte Mason spoke of the importance of handicrafts, which help a child develop motor skills and a sense of creativity. These handicrafts can be customized to fit whatever you’re learning about at the time, such as dried flowers for a pioneer study or togas to fit a survey of Greece. And if you’re not a crafty family, no worries! LightSail has TED Talks, videos, games, and audiobooks to round out your studies. Or create your own Unit Studies from the tens of thousands of resources in LightSail, or use one already curated and created by our expert homeschooling team!
Your living books history curriculum will make your homeschool year fun and memorable! With over 15,000 booksbooks and countless other resources, LightSail is the perfect tool to keep your customized syllabus in one place.
Posted on 8.Aug.21 in Homeschool Tips
