Early American History: A Literature Approach

Geographic knowledge is incorporated through map work and visual materials. Students engage with maps and geographical concepts as part of their notebook activities.

Students do map work with downloadable packets, use large outline maps of North America for drawing and writing, and work with maps and images in their notebooks

The curriculum lacks engagement with actual primary source documents. Instead, it relies on secondary literature and historical fiction to convey historical content.

Required books include historical fiction like 'Thee, Hannah!' and biographies like 'Lincoln: A Photobiography,' but no mention of using actual historical documents, letters, or speeches

The curriculum emphasizes Charlotte Mason narration and discussion over direct instruction. Teacher guidance is provided, but the approach favors student-led discovery.

The guide suggests parents 'might take a Charlotte Mason approach by having children narrate (orally or in writing) their own thoughts' rather than using specific guided questions

Limited evidence of systematic retrieval practice or spaced review. The curriculum focuses more on ongoing discussion and notebook work than deliberate review of previously learned content.

Activities include discussion, drawing, and timeline work, but no mention of regular review sessions or cumulative assessments to ensure retention

The curriculum provides detailed lesson plans and suggested answers for younger grades. However, professional development or content knowledge support for teachers appears minimal.

Detailed lesson plans are provided with 'suggested answers for discussion questions' in the first two guides, but the review mentions no background content knowledge or pedagogical training materials

Some vocabulary instruction is included through discussion questions and activities. However, explicit social studies vocabulary instruction appears limited compared to the literature focus.

Lessons include 'working on vocabulary words' as one of the activities, but the emphasis is on literature comprehension rather than systematic historical terminology

The curriculum builds chronological understanding through themed units and timeline work. However, the literature-based approach may create gaps in systematic historical sequence.

Units are organized by themes like 'Indigenous Peoples of North America' and 'The Golden Age of Discovery,' and timeline activities are included, particularly at the intermediate level with the Early American History Timeline