History has gotten a bad reputation because of boring textbooks, but I've put together some hands-on ways to make history come alive! Don't get stuck just reading about the days past, experience the past!
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There are so many amazing homeschool history programs to choose from nowadays. Many have ways to incorporate hands-on activities so that you can experience the time period. And that is awesome because you need to experience history in order to understand it!Hands-On History Activities
Here are some more ways to make history come alive in your homeschool!
Build It!:
Calling all LEGO
fans! Learn about history by BUILDING it! After reading The Giraffe that Walked to Paris, my son son and I read some books about the pyramids and the Eiffel Tower and built both with LEGOS!Audiobooks:
Sometimes listening to someone else read history that has a passion for it makes the events come to life. Audiobooks are great for auditory learners! Often mom and dad just cannot give enough emphasis to certain words or parts like an audiobook can.
Make a Dish:
Don't just read about history, but experience it by eating foods that were popular during that time. What was meal time like in Ancient Eygpt, the Great Depression, and every moment in history in between?
Lapbooks:
If your student loves to create then he/she may like to use their creative energy to learn about history through lapbooks. Lapbooks are filled with all sorts of information and create a wonderful keepsake or use them for review!
Read Beyond the Textbook:
Don't just read your textbook, but dig into actual historical documents, read some historical fiction, or biographies to get a well-rounded feel for that time in history.
Unit Studies:
Incorporate history throughout every other subject. Unit Studies are a great way to connect all your subjects together. Unit Studies really allow you to dig deep into a subject as you integrate math, language arts, science, etc. into one topic-- in this case, a time in history. I love the Unit Study approach, but often found myself un-prepared.
Crafts:
Don't just read about the secret codes of the Underground Railroad--make them yourself! Learning about Ancient Egypt? Make a gold-leaf crown! Make a Viking Shield. Build a Totem Pole. Make a Catapult... you get the idea!
And finally, Take a Trip!
Write out what you'll be focusing on in your history studies and plan a trip to a nearby museum to check out all the artifacts and pictures!
Will you be focusing on a certain period of History this year? How will you make it more hands-on and memorable for your student?
And if you are looking for a complete History Program still, you might want to check out MasterBooks Elementary World History: You Report Curriculum Set