Veritas Press History and Age Recommendations

 

As no two finger prints are the same, no two families will educate their children in the same way.  That is the beauty of home school!  We each need to look to the Lord for His direction for our family.

 

Following the plan of Veritas Press History in the recommended grade levels works quite well for many families.

 

I am using the TruthQuest History Guides and Veritas Press History with my family this year and I would like to explain some reasons why I have chosen to delay using the Veritas Press History curriculum  (designated to start at 2^nd grade) until my children reach 5^th or 6^th grade.

 

I prefer to start Veritas Press History when my children are ready to handle the rigorous load of reading and writing found in the curriculum.  I also believe that by tackling Veritas Press history at an older age, a child will better grapple with the complex nature of  issues like the Reformation.  Also, since I love the TruthQuest History guides and want to line them up with Veritas Press History, delaying Veritas Press History works best.  Michelle Miller, author of TruthQuest, wrote the Middle Ages Guide for an audience of 5^th – 12^th graders, and Veritas Press covers this during the 4^th grade year.  I will better be able to use the wealth of books that Michelle suggests during this time period when my children are older.

 

Instead, I have chosen to study American History in depth using TruthQuest History guides for 3 years with my elementary age children. There are so many excellent books written for this age period.  One of our favorite series is the Childhood of Famous Americans (CFA’s).  These books average about 180 pages and are filled with engaging stories and charming black and white illustrations.  I am collecting these books (there are around 247), many of which are out of print because my boys simply love reading them.  There are Childhood of Famous American books written about Paul Revere, George Washington, Myles Standish, James Fennimore Cooper, and Abraham Lincoln to name a few.

 

 The author of TruthQuest, Michelle Miller, has written an excellent one page statement on her reasons for recommending the study of American History in the primary years. Perhaps I can post this statement at a later date.

 

I am using the TruthQuest: American History For Young Students I guide to teach my primary aged boys who are 7 and 8 years old. I assign one book on each topic for the 7 and 8 year old to read independently.  I have made a list of 40 to 50 books from this guide that my 7 and 8 year old will read on their own. By the end of the year they will have read a large amount of American history!

 

 The boys are also making a history notebook with a picture to color and a few sentences they have written on each book they read.  They read through their notebooks and are remembering the books they have read and the general flow and chronology of history.  If you would like my complete review of TruthQuest history I can either e-mail it to you privately or post it on this list. 

 

http://www.truthquesthistory.com

 

 

I love TruthQuest History and I love Veritas Press History.  I am combining these two meaty programs for my older boys who are in grades 7^th and 9^th.  TruthQuest History provides me with much needed insight and gems of books that correspond with various periods of history.

 

 Veritas Press History provides me with another type of insight as well as the accountability that I am looking for.  There are thirty two beautiful flash cards with a fine art reproduction as the front that go with Veritas Press History.  Each card covers one week of history and correlates with the worksheet and test your child do for that week.  On the back of the card is a summary of the topic for the week along with possible resources where you can find more information. I also write on the back of the Veritas Card the page numbers of the TruthQuest History guide that my children should read as well as the novel length book that I have chosen for them to read that week.  The novel length book corresponds with the topic of history that they are studying.  I sometimes choose a book that is listed in Veritas Press Omnibus section, thus combining what I see as the best of both reading lists.

 

Your children fill out the Veritas Press worksheet using complete sentences and paragraphs.  Through the week you quiz them on the various facts on the worksheet.  Test day is on Thursday for me and Veritas Press provides a nicely written test that requires writing in complete sentences and complete paragraphs. 

 

I am holding my boys to a high standard of writing on these tests.  I feel that this level of writing and memorizing of dates would be too difficult for my elementary aged children and could result in frustration and lack of retention.  I know some people cover this material with elementary aged children by quizzing orally and I’m sure this could work too.  But I really like the writing aspect of the Veritas Press History materials and want to wait to use them when my children can write well.

 

For my 7^th grade son, I am using the TruthQuest History Guides (Ancient Egypt/Greece and Ancient Rome) that line up with Veritas Press New Testament Ancient Greece/ Rome (which is designated as 3^rd grade for Veritas Press).  Both he and I have been plenty challenged by this study of history and learned a lot.

 

 For my 9^th grade son I line up the TruthQuest History Guides (Middle Ages and Renaissance, Reformation, and Age of Exploration) with the Veritas Press Renaissance/Reformation (which is designated as 4^th grade for Veritas Press).  Again, both my son and I have been challenged and learned a lot by this study of history.

 

 

Truly,

 

Britta McColl, Morning Star Learning

 

To purchase Veritas Press Hitory or TruthQuest History using PayPal as a payment, go to  http://www.morningstarlearning.com