Dive into the world of Charlotte Mason homeschooling with Beautiful Feet Books’ homeschool history curriculum. Discover how their engaging approach, centered around learning through stories, brings history to life.
Read our comprehensive review of the Beautiful Feet Books homeschool history curriculum to uncover what makes this the best way to teach history in your homeschool.
*I did receive a complementary copy of Beautiful Feet Books’ Early American History for Intermediate Grades curriculum to facilitate this review. This post does contain affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own.
A homeschool mom I follow shared a TikTok video about the Beautiful Feet Books homeschool history curriculum a few months ago, which is how I first became aware of it. The eye-catching images and intriguing stories immediately drew me in.
So when I received the opportunity to review one of their homeschool history curriculums first hand, I jumped at the opportunity!
A Homeschool History Curriculum That’s NOT Boring!
I’ll be completely honest: I’ve never enjoyed teaching history. I have always thought it was dry and boring due to the numerous dates and wars that have been fought.
That’s where Beautiful Feet Books stands out as unique.
The emphasis of this curriculum is on the narratives and distinctive characters that make history interesting, rather than on memorizing dates and battles.
Each lesson focuses on learning through stories to foster a lifelong love of reading, education, and respect for the rich tapestry of human history.
Embracing The Charlotte Mason Method
Beautiful Feet Books wholeheartedly embraces the Charlotte Mason Method when it comes to homeschool history education.
Here are some key ways in which this curriculum embraces the Charlotte Mason Method:
- Living Books and Historical Fiction:
- Beautiful Feet Books utilizes living books as the primary resource for teaching history and historical fiction to connect with students on a deeper level.
- These books are carefully selected based on their literary quality and their ability to engage students. Living books present history in a narrative format, while historical fictions brings the past to life through engaging storytelling.
- By immersing students in well-written and thought-provoking literature, Beautiful Feet Books cultivates a love for history and encourages a personal connection with the subject matter.
- Narration and Discussion:
- The Charlotte Mason Method places a strong emphasis on narration, where students orally or in writing, retell what they have learned.
- Beautiful Feet Books incorporates narration as an integral part of their curriculum, encouraging students to express their understanding and thoughts about the historical events and figures they have encountered in their reading.
- These narrations then become the basis for meaningful discussions, allowing students to engage in thought-provoking conversations and deepen their comprehension of history.
- Emphasis on Quality and Depth:
- Charlotte Mason advocated for a “few but living” books, promoting deep exploration of topics rather than superficial coverage.
- Beautiful Feet Books shares this philosophy, carefully selecting high-quality literature that provides rich and detailed accounts of historical events, cultures, and individuals.
- By focusing on a select number of books and diving deeply into their content, Beautiful Feet Books allows students to learn through stories and encourages a more meaningful connection with the subject matter.
- Appreciation for the Humanities:
- Charlotte Mason believed in the importance of exposing children to the arts and humanities to nurture their moral and intellectual development.
- Beautiful Feet Books integrates elements of the humanities, such as art, music, and poetry, into their history curriculum.
- Through the exploration of primary sources, cultural expressions, and artistic representations of the time period, students gain a holistic understanding of history and its interconnectedness with other disciplines.
- Nature Study and Field Trips:
- Charlotte Mason advocated for hands-on experiences in nature and encouraged field trips to enhance education.
- While Beautiful Feet Books primarily focuses on history, their curriculum can be complemented by Charlotte Mason-inspired nature study and field trips, allowing students to connect with the natural world and gain a broader perspective on historical contexts.
- Check out my post on Free Things to Do With Kids in The Outer Banks North Carolina to learn more about how we incorporated a field trip into this homeschool history curriculum.
By embracing the Charlotte Mason Homeschool Method, Beautiful Feet Books offers a homeschool history curriculum that aligns with the principles of engaging literature, narration and discussion, depth of study, humanities integration, learning through stories, and a multi-faceted approach to education.
A Multi-Faceted Approach to Homeschool History
Beautiful Feet Books’ Early American History curriculum goes beyond the use of living books and historical fiction to create an immersive and engaging learning experience for students.
While these literary elements bring history to life, the curriculum encompasses a broader range of mediums to foster a deep understanding of the early American period.
Beautiful Feet Books embraces multimedia resources to enhance the learning experience. Students are directed towards educational YouTube videos and documentaries that provide visual and auditory reinforcement of historical concepts.
These resources offer a dynamic and engaging way to explore the subject matter, further solidifying students’ understanding and fostering a sense of historical context.
Furthermore, the curriculum encourages hands-on activities and projects. Students engage in notebooking, creating personalized records of their historical studies that showcase their reflections, summaries, and observations.
Timeline creations help students visualize the chronological order of events, strengthening their understanding of historical sequencing and connections.
Incorporating a multi-faceted range of mediums, such as living books, historical fiction, articles, YouTube videos, documentaries, notebooking, timelines, report writing, and hands-on projects, Beautiful Feet Books ensures a comprehensive and engaging homeschooling experience for students.
Check out the Beautiful Feet Books website and see all of the different homeschool history curricula they offer!
