Level: Form II (4th–6th grades)
Description:
Ancient History & Geography will combine living books, narration, timeline, and maps to help students create connections between ancient history and the world around them.
Students will read, narrate, and discuss passages from The Story of the World Vol. 1 & 2 as well as various passages from the Bible. There will be weekly at-home reading assignments given so the students have the best possible opportunity to participate in class discussion and extend their learning to maximize the value of class time.
In addition, each week students will spend some time observing and tracing world maps relevant to the course material. Students will have the opportunity to understand how specific nations’ borders changed as they journey through history, as well as identifying major features on a map. Students will have the opportunity to research and present one person from Ancient History in a year-end “Who’s Who of History.”
Bluebonnet Scholars offers history on a rotating three-year cycle with studies synchronized across Forms 1 through 4 (grades K through 12th) so that all students are studying the same time period together. Spine texts for Form 2 (grades 4–6) History are included below:
- Cycle Year 1: (2023–24) Ancient through Early Medieval History (creation to c. 860 AD)—The Story of the World, all of Vol. 1 & part of Vol. 2
- Cycle Year 2: (2024–25) Medieval through Early Modern History (c. 860 AD to 1797)—The Story of the World, part of Vol. 2 & part of Vol. 3
- Cycle Year 3: (2025–26) Modern History (c. 1797 to today)—The Story of the World, part of Vol. 3 & all of Vol. 4
Materials:
Families purchase the following required supplies:
- Story of the World, Vol. 1, soft-cover book , hard-cover book, and/or audiobook
- Story of the World, Vol. 2, soft-cover book, hard-cover book, and/or audiobook
- Copy of the Bible in the translation of your choice (Note: There are translations that are thought-for-thought translations, not paraphrase, at varying reading levels if student reading fluency is a factor. NIrV and ERV are both at approximately a 3rd grade reading level. NIV is at approximately a 7th grade reading level and will most often be used in class.)
- Optional/Recommended for Bible history extension: The Great Adventure Kids Bible Timeline Chart
- Bachmore Translucent Vellum Paper, 8.5×11″ Tracing Pad, 56 LB
- Record of Time Timeline Notebook—landscape layout—with blank timeline pages—Note: This item has been discontinued except as digital download; BHSC has purchased printing rights, and printed timelines in binders are available for purchase from BHSC, price TBD. Enrolled families will be contacted with additional information. Returning students will use the same binder as in previous terms.
- Recommended: Printable Suggested Timeline Placement Guide
- Three-ring binder with dividers, lined paper, pencils, colored pencils, and erasers in a pencil pouch
- The instructor will provide a book list from which students and parents can select for supplemental reading assignments; these books can either be acquired from the library or purchased by the parent.
