American and World History Curriculum written like a STORY
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My Favorite History Professor
I love learning about history. But I never loved my history textbooks. Instead I prefer to learn about history through reading historical fiction books and then finding out how much of each book is actually based on real experiences.
But in school we usually hand kids a dry, dull text full of dates and random facts that don’t draw the reader in or help them connect to the subject beyond preparing for a test.
However…true story…in college one of my world history professors was SO incredible that I literally felt like I was going to “story time” every.single.day. I am not joking - that is how I described it to my friends back then. Over twenty years later I still remember how much I loved his class and that I never wanted to miss a session.
He brought the history of the French Revolution to life in a way that almost 20 years later, I remember details and some of the ideas that led up to it. Through his storytelling, I could visualize the real people who lived it - and connect the ideas together into a cohesive STORY.
What’s so funny to me about this is that the word HISTORY has the word STORY in it. And considering it is the STORY of people in the past - why isn’t it told as a story more often?
Since we can’t all go back in time to sit through the amazing lectures by my history professor, how can we inspire our children to enjoy learning about history? I mean, as far as I can tell, every state requires history as a core subject.
And of course we all have heard the expression, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” So how can we teach our kids without boring them to tears?
American History & Economics
Meet the Tuttle Twins
The Tuttle Twins company publishes resources that teach kids the fundamental principles of liberty - through storybooks, novels, movies, and history curriculum.
“When your child grasps the principles of freedom, entrepreneurship, and personal responsibility, they become unstoppable forces for good.”
For those who are wondering, I would call the Tuttle Twins company “secular.” They do not promote any specific religion. Although I think they are Mormon-owned, I have not seen any of their religious teachings coming out in their books.
Even as a Christian, I feel comfortable promoting and using their books for what they are - an engaging way for children to learn about law, liberty, and government. Again, I am using their resources for a specific purpose - not to teach my children about the Bible.
Tuttle Twins Stories
Through the adventures of the Tuttle twins, Emily and Ethan Tuttle, we have learned about many aspects of government and economics.
In The Miraculous Pencil the twins learn how a simple pencil in their hand is the result of a network of people working all sorts of jobs to grow, gather, create, package, and sell a tiny writing utensil.
Not only are these book well-written with engaging pictures and characters, they each teach economic or civic principles in a way that even elementary kids can understand.
Here’s my caveat - although they can be read aloud to younger kids, I think the target age for these books starts around age 7-8. So, if you have a kindergartener you might want to just wait a year or two before getting them. But, if you oldest is able to appreciate them, I think your younger ones will be able to listen to them and enjoy as well (they just might not “get it” till later on).
Tuttle Twins American History
After reading and loving the picture books about Ethan and Emily, I was so excited to discover their 2-volume American History curriculum. It actually is written in much the same fashion as the story books.
Although the cover looks like a typical history textbook, the inside is one big “story.” As we read about the Tuttle twins and their adventures, we learn alongside them about the principles that the United States were founded upon. These two books tell the story of the founding of the United States from 1215-1791 - including all of the IDEAS that preceded the American Revolution.
Through their adventures the twins’ friend, Mr. Fred, shares the stories of America’s history with them. Although the text does include some dates and facts, it is the most engaging “history book” I’ve ever seen!
We own both of these books, and I’ve read a good bit of the first one to my kiddos, while my oldest has actually read the entire first book and much of the second just for fun at night. In other words, it is good enough for a kid to enjoy reading by themselves!
World History
The Story of the World
Here is another story-time style history curriculum. This series has FOUR volumes and covers from ancient to modern times. I am using the first volume, “The Story of the Ancient World” with my kids this year, and we are really enjoying it. I even bought the audio CD (and a portable CD player*) for us to be able to listen to this history book in the car!
Susan Bauer writes the stories of world history from a very engaging third-person perspective. With imagined anecdotes and folk tales sprinkled throughout, kids will learn the stories rather than just focusing on facts and dates.
Bauer has also written additional resources to supplement these books in your school room. This series can be purchased from lots of different sites including Christianbook.com, RainbowResource.com, Amazon, etc.
Other Story of the World resources:
Volume 1 complete set (A set is available for each volume)
Coloring book for the series (I haven’t used this, but just added it to my wishlist)
Conclusion
History doesn’t have to be a dull list of dates and facts—it should be an adventure! When we teach history through stories, we give our kids the chance to connect with the past in a way that feels interesting and worthwhile. Whether it’s through engaging books like The Tuttle Twins or The Story of the World, or simply by sharing historical narratives with enthusiasm, we can make learning history something our kids look forward to.
If you’ve been struggling to make history exciting in your homeschool, I hope these resources inspire you to bring the past to life in a way that sparks curiosity and a love for learning. Because in the end, history is a story—let’s make it one our kids will never forget!
Looking for More Curriculum?
Check out my Math and Reading curriculum reviews below…
Here’s my Reading Phonics curriculum choice for the younger grades
This is the Math program my kids and I love - is that too much of a stretch to say my kids “love” it? Maybe, but for a math curriculum they like it. :-)
