No matter the method of instruction that you are using in your homeschool - traditional textbook, Charlotte Mason method, unit study or the Classical approach - there is something for everyone in All American History, published by Bright Ideas Press. This first volume covers the following time periods in four units: European Exploration, Colonization, Revolution, and Establishment and Expansion. This curriculum, geared towards grades 5-8 but adaptable for younger and older students, covers a full year of material in 32 weekly lessons and four review tests.

Both parent and student will get the most out of the study by purchasing all three essential books: The Student Reader (textbook), Teacher's Guide with Answer Key and the Student Activity Book. The Student Reader is over 400 pages and each lesson is laid out in the same way for continuity of study. The lesson begins by discussing the Atmosphere in which an event took place. The next section discusses the Event itself and is then followed by a summary of items that show the Impact that the event left on America and/or the rest of the world. Numerous black and white illustrations, maps and pictures accentuate the material in each lesson.

Although a child could read through the textbook and learn the information presented, the Student Activity Book adds A LOT to the study and I would consider it a "must-have" due to all of the wonderful activities that are inside it. These include maps to fill out, prompts for locating key information in the text, review questions, hands-on activities and suggestions for further study. Everything needed to complete the lessons is included in the Activity Book. Reproducible forms and images are also in the back of the book.

The Teacher's Guide is a gem! It is divided into four sections. Section 1 begins by explaining to the parent or teacher how to get the most out of the curriculum, giving suggestions for homeschoolers, co-ops, and private schools. It also discusses how to adapt the curriculum for younger and older students so that the entire family can use this ONE curriculum! This not only saves prep time for mom, but money too! After this introductory information, there are Resource sections for each Unit. These Resource sections are incredible! They list activity ideas, timeline dates, mapwork suggestions, ideas for review games and book lists by grade level. Other important resources included in Section 1 are: answers to the Further Study questions in each lesson, lists of Adaptions for Younger Students, Family Activity ideas, and checklists for completing each lesson. Section 2 includes the complete Answer Key for the Activity Book. Section 3 contains optional forms for further study and Section 4 contains the images to be used with the forms. Also included is a bibliography list for each unit; these books could be used for further reading, too.

I have been looking for a good American History textbook curriculum for my children; All American History isn't good - IT'S GREAT! What I love most is the mapwork included in each lesson because that means there is no longer a need to teach geography separate from history. The Teacher's Guide is so comprehensive and full of such wonderful suggestions for further study that I am planning on using this curriculum in high school using the suggestions in the Teacher's Guide. A second volume is planned to cover the rest of American History after 1840. Many people think that textbooks can be dry and boring, but I found All American History interesting reading due to the "Atmosphere - Event - Impact" layout of each lesson; it just tied everything all together for me. To borrow a phrase from a popular television commercial, "Try it, you'll like it!"

-- Reviewed by Kris Price, Assistant to the Publishers of TOS