Homeschool Curriculum Review: Beautiful Feet Books {Early American History}

WHO SHOULD USE BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS: Early American History?

This particular study was designed for the Middle School crowd (Grades 7th-9th) and would be a good fit for students who need American History beyond what they learned in the younger years. It would work especially well for students who love to read and/or who need to spend more time diving into literature.

WHO SHOULD NOT USE BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS: Early American History?

If you have a student who is very reticent to read, this may not be the best option as this study does involve a lot of reading.

Or if your student appreciates a concrete timeline and a textbook that explains each point on that timeline, this probably won’t be a good fit.

This curriculum also won’t likely work well for a student who prefers to work in a vacuum instead of taking time to partake in discussions with other students, parents or siblings.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS: Early American History?

There are 16 high-quality pieces of literature included.

Titles include:

• Peacemaker by Joseph Bruchac
• The World Made New by Marc Aronsen & John Glenn
• The World of Capt. John Smith by Genevieve Foster
• Pocahontas by Joseph Bruchac
• Almost Home by Wendy Lawton
• The Kidnapped Prince by Ann Cameron
• Poor Richard by James Daugherty
• George Washington’s World by Genevieve Foster
• Sophia’s War by Avi
• Black Heroes of the American Revolution by Burke Davis
• Fever 1793 by Laurie Anderson
• Carry on, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Latham
• Of Courage Undaunted by James Daugherty
• Abraham Lincoln’s World by Genevieve Foster
• Mary and the Trail of Tears by Andrea L. Rogers
• Sojourner Truth: Aint I a Woman? by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack

There is also a map and Teacher Guide included as well.

The Teacher Guide is beautifully done, highly organized and clearly laid-out. It was very easy to follow, left no glaring questions in my mind and made perfect sense to me. My only issue, and it’s a small one (literally, ha ha) is the font size. It’s just a wee bit too small for my old eyeballs, but I am sure most people wouldn’t see that as an issue (another pun, ha!) and would likely appreciate the savings created by not having a huge font and double the amount of pages.

The map measures 2′ x 3′ and is printed on both sides. It is thick, foldable and designed to be marked up throughout the year.

CAN BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS: Early American History BE MODIFIED?

Absolutely!

First off, right in the Teacher Guide, it says, “this is a tool, not a taskmaster.”

You do not need to read every book included, complete every activity suggested or follow every link provided.

Isn’t that beauty of homeschooling? We get to teach what we want, when we want and how we want!

So, if you find yourself short on time for the year or you’re just not feeling the need to have your student copy “Pestilence” in his notebook, skip it.

Or, if your teen was thoroughly engrossed in the idea of the Trail of Tears, consider adding another more-mature literacy option after reading Mary and the Trail of Tears.

There are even directions included if you want to expand this Early American History curriculum to include world history.

Not only do we get to teach what we want, when we want and how we want, we also get to teach to whom we want. So, if you want to take this Early American History study that was designed for 7th-9th graders and adapt it to include your younger crew, go for it. Or if you want to beef it up more to build out a full credit for your high schooler, you can do that too. Just be extra cautious when using this material for younger kids. Some of the topics are, of course, pretty intense and you’ll want to be sure you verify that the details in this level of books is appropriate for your students.

HOW CAN YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS: Early American History?

Click here or the image below for more information about Beautiful Feet Books: Early American History for 7th-9th grades.

DOES BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS OFFER OTHER STUDIES?

YES! Beautiful Feet Books offers a wide variety of studies for all ages, K-12th including:

• Early American History
  • K-3
  • 4-6
  • 7-9
• Teaching Around the World
  • K-3
• U.S. Geography
  • K-3
  • 4-6
• Seasons Afield (Science)
  • K-3
• Teaching Character
  • K-6
• Around California
  • 4-6
• History of Science
  • 4-7
• Medieval History
  • 5-8
  • 9-12
• Ancient History
  • 5-8
  • 9-12
• Modern American and World History
  • 5-8
  • 9-12
• Government and Economics
  • 9-12
• History of Classical Music
  • 4-8
• History of the Horse
  • 3-6