This Planning Guide will take your child through every history topic that is covered from Grade 1 - 6. The "Year" suggestions are just that, suggestions. I put the topics according to time period, covering some world history and some U.S. history each year.

You can do any of these topics any year. I recommend doing history two days per week for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or more per day, with Friday set aside to cover current events and mapping skills if not done during the week. See Sample Curriculum Plan for a sample schedule. Use my History & Science Unit Planning Form (pdf document) to help you plan your year.

For suggestions of activities to do while teaching these topics, check out How Do I Teach . . . ?, History Resources on the Web and Project Ideas for Unit Studies.

The goal in elementary school is to give your child a simple introduction to each topic. Have fun and don't require your child to memorize a lot of details and facts. (You'll be surprised at how much they do learn just from listening to books read out loud, doing hands-on projects, and going on field trips related to the topic.) Your child will study all these topics again in much more detail during his secondary school years.

For record keeping, check off each topic as your child completes it in the The Checklist.

For suggestions of history resources to use, check my History Curriculum Recommendations.

History/Geography-Year 1
Ancient World History: Creation, Ancient Middle East, Ancient China, Mayas, Incas
(9 wks)
Ancient World History: Egypt (9 wks)
US History: Early Settlements, Pilgrims (9 wks)
US History: Colonial Days (9 wks)
Beginning Mapping Skills & Current Events

History/Geography-Year 2
Ancient World History: Greece (9 wks)
Ancient World History: Rome (9 wks)
US History: American Revolution (9 wks)
US Government: Presidents, Government, Elections (9 wks)
Mapping Skills & Current Events

History/Geography-Year 3
World History: Middle Ages (12 wks)
World History: Renaissance, Reformation (12 wks)
US & World History: Explorers (12 wks)
Mapping Skills & Current Events

History/Geography-Year 4
World History: 1700-1800 (6 wks)
US History: Westward Expansion & Frontier (6 wks)
Oklahoma History (18 wks)
US Geography (6 wks)
Mapping Skills & Current Events

History/GeographyYear 5
World History: 1800 - 1900 (6 wks)
World Geography—Eastern Hemisphere (6 wks)
US History: Civil War & Reconstruction (12 wks)
US & World History - Industrial Revolution, Prohibition, Labor Unions (12 wks)
Mapping Skills & Current Events

History/Geography-Year 6
US & World History - World War I (3 wks)
US & World History - Stock Market Crash, World War II, Depression, New Deal (6 wks)
US & World History - Korean War, Cold War, Civil Rights, 1950-1960’s (3 wks)
US & World History - Vietnam War, 1960-1970’s (3 wks)
US & World History - Space Race, 1970’s-1980’s (3 wks)
US & World History - Middle East Conflict, 1990's - current (6 wks)
World Geography—Western Hemisphere (6 wks)
Mapping Skills & Current Events

Here's how I would document this work: (Note: 1 unit = 1 year of work, If you do 1/2 year, then call it .5 unit)

• 1 unit of Ancient World History

• 1 unit of World and European History

• 1 unit of American History to Civil War

• 1 unit of American History, 1860 to present

• 1 unit of World Geography

• 1 unit of US Geography

• 1 unit of US Government

• 1/2 - 1 unit of Oklahoma history (depending on if you did it for one year or 1/2 year)
  

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