This blog is my attempt to document our busy but BLESSED lives raising and educating our children for His glory. A child of God, wife to one, and mom to 6 fabulous kids. We are in our 16th year of homeschooling using a Classical ~ Literature based approach.

Come along for the good, the bad & the ugly.



Thursday, May 15, 2014

Golden Prairie Press: American History Curriculum ~ a TOS review

Golden Prairie Press Review
Our history train was derailed at the end of last year when we decided to make a switch {again} in programs. Luckily, I had the curriculum and resources I needed for the oldest two and just needed to find something for Mikayla (5th) and Montana (1st) for the rest of the year. We dabbled here and there with different resources as I knew that a couple of History programs were scheduled in the Crew run. The last several weeks we have had the opportunity to work through the Golden Prairie Press history curriculum called Digital Heroes & Heroines of the Past: American History Curriculum.
Golden Prairie Press is the brainchild of Amy Peutz, who  is a homeschool graduate and a self-taught historian. History has always been a passion of hers since childhood and because of that she publishes books that show history at it’s best.
Golden Prairie Press Review
We received the digital edition of the Heroes & Heroines of the Past: American History Curriculum to review which is best for children in grades 1st – 6th. However, it can be adapted for older children.  It is a 30 week history curriculum and once purchased you have immediate access to the entire curriculum which includes:
~ Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History Part 1
~ Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History Part 2
~ Additional Materials CD
~ Historical Skits
~ Sing Some History CD
~ Listen to Some U.S. History MP3 CD
The curriculum is available as a physical printed edition or a digital edition and are both priced the same at $98.99. Both editions are the same and available for purchase online here. You will just need to pay shipping charges for the printed edition.
Golden Prairie Press Review
To facilitate the broad age of the curriculum, each of the 30 history lessons are divided into two sections. The first page of the lesson includes words with a larger font and a basic introductory overview for 1st & 2nd graders. The following section, written towards the 3rd – 6th graders, includes the same information just more in depth. Periodically throughout the lessons are writing topics, maps, timeline activities,and geography questions. Each lesson also includes comprehension questions with answers for the teacher in the back of the book.
Each week a memory verse is also suggested. I chose to write our memory verse on the whiteboard in our schoolroom so that both girls could see it daily. The memory verse for each section is to be recited on the fifth lesson.  Also included within the lesson pages are the stories of heroes or heroines of the past with some reprints of old stories and some by modern authors and are designed for all ages. These stories allow the student to experience living history through stories.  Additional recommended resources are given at the end of each unit to help expand the lessons even further.
To fully appreciate the hands-on component of history, you have to go beyond the words on a page by playing games, cooking recipes of the past and completing arts and crafts. Each day there is an activity that brings history to life for your students.  I must say though, do not succumb to the pressure of thinking that each activity must be completed. You will not be able to do them all. {I write this more for myself than you :)} They are merely given as suggestions and you will have days when something must be skipped. The beautiful thing is that maybe you can come back to it on the weekend.
Some of the activities in this book include: 
~ Examining Historical Art
~ Games of the Past
~ Cook Up Some History
~ Sing Some History
~ Listen to Some History
~ Crafts
~ Experiments
For the older students, 5th and 6th graders literature selections are included. These books also could be used as a read aloud for the younger students as well. The books do not come with the curriculum so you will have to purchase them separately.
They include:
  • Ten Great Adventurers by Kate Dickinson Sweetser
  • Ten Girls from History by Kate Dickinson Sweetser
  • Heroines of the Past: Bible Study by Amy Puetz
  • Two Little Americans in Spanish California by Frances Margaret Fox
  • Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott


  • We school 4 days a week in our homeschool so I didn’t exactly follow the lesson plan how it is written out. We also did not start at the beginning of Vol 1, but towards the end of Vol 2 in the United States a World Power, section 24, as that was where we were in our time period. I will say we were truly blessed to have received this curriculum when we did. It helped get us through the modern stage of late American History and has lined us up perfectly to start back at Ancients in the fall. I love the way the curriculum was designed and set up and Mikayla and Montana enjoyed the hands on part of learning about history.
    The attention to detail that Amy has put into her curriculum shows and we definitely give Digital Heroes & Heroines of the Past: American History Curriculum two thumbs up from our family! Once we roll back around to American History, McKenzie, (currently 4.5 years old) will be able to benefit from this amazing hands on curriculum and that excites me that we get another round of it. Be sure to check out what my Crewmates thought of this American History curriculum by clicking on the banner below.
    Click to read Crew Reviews
  • Price ~ $98.99 printed or digital edition
    Ages ~ 1st- 6th graders recommend
     Golden Prairie Press Review
  • Disclaimer Tag

  • blog comments powered by Disqus