Bring history to life with this 163-page literature-rich, hands-on Early American History Curriculum, designed for grades 3–5! Students journey from the time of the Native Peoples of North America through exploration, colonization, revolution, westward expansion, and the Civil War, discovering the stories that shaped America from 1400–1877 A.D.

This flexible, family-style course is perfect for homeschool families or classrooms looking for a complete, open-and-go history program filled with living books, interactive projects, and meaningful activities.

Students will:
✅ Learn key events and figures in U.S. history from Native Peoples through Reconstruction.
✅ Read engaging picture books, biographies, and historical fiction.
✅ Explore geography, government, and culture through hands-on learning.
✅ Create projects such as maps, crafts, journals, and even games like Race to the New World!
✅ Build critical thinking and historical literacy through comprehension questions and unit quizzes.

Includes:

• 8 Thematic Units:

1. Native Peoples of North America
2. Age of Exploration
3. Colonial America
4. Road to Revolution
5. The American Revolution
6. Forming a New Nation
7. The New Republic & Westward Expansion
8. Civil War & Reconstruction

• Unit Introduction Cards (student-friendly overviews)
• Step-by-step “How to Teach a Unit” guide
• Reading lists (picture books & chapter books)
• Quizzes, crafts, games, and writing activities
• Answer keys included

Estimated Schedule:
🕓 4–6 lessons per unit (32 weeks total)
📚 Lesson Time: 30–45 minutes
👧 Ages: 8–11 (Grades 3–5), adaptable for family learning
Open and Go (no prep needed)

Minimal supplies required

📏 Standards Alignment:

This curriculum aligns with both national and state-level social studies standards for grades 3–5, including:

C3 Framework for Social Studies (Grades 3–5):

• Geography, History, Civics, and Economics inquiry practices
• Understanding chronology, cause and effect, and perspectives

Common Core Connections:

• Reading Informational Text (RI.3–5)
• Writing (W.3–5)
• Speaking & Listening (SL.3–5)
• Vocabulary (L.3–5)

State Standards Covered:

• 3rd Grade: Geography, Native American cultures, community life, symbols of democracy, Constitution
• 4th Grade: California and early U.S. settlement connections
• 5th Grade: Pre-Columbian settlements, exploration, colonial life, independence, U.S. Constitution, westward expansion, Civil War & Reconstruction

For full standards alignment, visit our website here.

FORMAT: DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

This course is also available PRINTED on our website here.