Product Feature: The Revised and Expanded Early American History for Grades K-3

We are really excited about the changes in this study guide. A long-time best seller and many people's introduction to teaching history using literature, Early American History, A Literature Approach for grades K-3 was one of our very first study guides! In this new edition we have added two wonderful books, cut out a resource, expanded the lesson content, added helpful and fun links to websites, and more! The guide is also now in full-color with informational pictures, diagrams, poems, historic artwork and illustrations.

Three major changes were the elimination of America's Providential History, a costly resource that many parents did not use and of which only twenty pages were referred to in the study guide. By cutting this out, we simplified the program and ensured that all books were age-appropriate. We were able to add two titles, recently republished by BFB: Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry and The Year of the Horseless Carriage 1801 by Genevieve Foster. We believe the addition of these two titles adds a further richness to the study as well as fills some gaps that existed in the previous version. 

Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin tells the inspiring story of America's first great artist, a young Quaker who comes of age with the young country. As a Quaker youth, Benjamin was prohibited from painting but his parents eventually saw that his talents were a gift. As a painter, West had a unique vantage point from which to record the history of his lifetime. The most powerful people in the world sat and had their portraits done by him. It is from his portraits that we know what Paul Revere, King George, and others looked like. We're sure your children will enjoy the story of West's childhood adventures with Grimalkin!

We have been Genevieve Foster fans for a long time and are thrilled to be able to bring back into print one of her lesser-known titles. The Year of the Horseless Carriage 1801 explores the dynamic events at the turn of the 19th century. Students will read about Napoleon's march across Europe, Jefferson's many pursuits, Dr. Livingston's explorations of Africa, Sacajawea and Lewis and Clark pushing past the known frontiers of the American West, Dolley Madison's feisty personality as she carved a place for herself in the White House. Complete with Foster's lovely illustrations, this book expands the historical and geographical reaches of the previous edition of the study guide. 

With 107 lessons, this guide may be completed in one year if three lessons are completed each week. This is usually appropriate for students in 2nd and 3rd grade but we recommend taking it a bit more slowly with younger students. Feel free to stretch it out and make it last for two years if you have a kindergartener or 1st grader, or are working with students at multiple levels. There are lessons with discussion topics, writing assignments, activity ideas, and much more. As with all of our guides, they're set up to be just that, guides! We know that each family has a different academic approach and each child learns at a different pace and in diverse ways. This information is there for your use, to best serve your students and family. The hardcopy version is available for $17.95 and the instant download is available for $15.95.

Please feel free to leave comments or questions. We'd love to hear from you if you've done the study. What are your thoughts? And if you're enjoying these entries, please share them with your friends. Thanks for reading!