Woven History Series: American History Year 1 (Early Exploration - Constitution)

Woven History & Geography Year One History Curriculum: A year long hands-on history curriculum for older elementary students.
 
Step into the past with Cottage Schoolhouse’s Woven History & Geography Series. Discover the great tapestry of history through rich, story-based learning. Designed especially for upper elementary learners, this guide brings history and geography to life through engaging lessons filled with meaningful connections, creative projects, and hands-on exploration.
 
The lessons are organized into the following key categories:
• Geography: We begin each lesson with a focus on geography by exploring maps, landforms, navigation and key historic places. Students will engage in hands-on mapwork to better understand the physical world, setting the stage for deeper learning. Additionally, we will incorporate the artwork to enrich our study of geographic tools.
• Living Literature: Throughout the journey, students will engage with a blend of compelling nonfiction and high-quality storytelling. The carefully curated book selection is engaging, well-written narratives that spark curiosity and imagination.
• Timeline: To help students visualize historical context, each lesson includes a timeline card (Threads of History) focused on key events leading up to and during the Age of Exploration. Your child will illustrate each card and add it to a growing timeline, creating a beautiful, chronological display.
• Explore and Connect: This journey is full of hands-on adventures that make learning come alive. From nature study, to creative STEM projects, and science experiments, each activity is designed to spark curiosity, ignite wonder, and help your child connect deeply with history and geography.
• Create: Encourage creativity with integrated art, crafts, creative writing, cooking, and imaginative play. These activities are designed to deepen understanding and make learning fun and memorable.
 
Units Included:
Unit 1: Life in the Americas Before Exploration - Meet the first peoples of the Americas and learn how archaeologists uncover stories from the past.
Unit 2: Early Exploration - Discover early explorers and their influence on the Age of Exploration, plus dive into ships and sea navigation.
Unit 3: The Voyages of Columbus - Follow Columbus across the Atlantic, explore life aboard his ships, and consider the perspectives of the native peoples he met.
Unit 4: Explorers of the Age - Meet daring explorers and trace their global journeys as you embark on your own around-the-world adventure.
Unit 5: Indigenous Peoples of North America - Explore Native American life and culture through The Song of Hiawatha and the Great Law of Peace.
Unit 6: The Powhatan & Jamestown - Meet Pocahontas, explore Jamestown, and learn how the Powhatan people helped settlers survive in a new land.
Unit 7. Patuxet and Plymouth - Meet the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims.
Unit 8. Colonial Times – Step into Colonial America as we explore daily life in the 13 colonies and discover how families lived, worked, and built new communities.
Unit 9: Tensions with Great Britain – Examine new laws, taxes, and the presence of British soldiers as tensions rise and colonists begin to question British rule and dream of independence.
Unit 10: The American Revolution Begins – Follow the gathering of the Continental Congress as the colonies unite, prepare for conflict, and take their first steps toward revolution.
Unit 11: Weathering the War – Experience the hardships of war as Patriots endure harsh winters, pivotal battles, and difficult challenges in their fight for freedom.
Unit 12: Turning the Tide – Walk alongside soldiers through the brutal winter at Valley Forge as hope fades, new allies arrive, and key victories begin to change the course of the war.
Unit 13: A New Nation – Witness the end of the war and the British surrender as the United States begins the difficult work of nation-building and confronts the need for a stronger government.
Unit 14: The Blessings of Liberty – Discover how the framers secure the “Blessings of Liberty” by writing the Constitution, forming a new government, and electing the nation’s first president.
 
Scheduling:
This guide includes 14 units with 4 lessons each, for a total of 56 engaging lessons. A suggested daily plan and easy-to-follow unit overview are provided, but the flexible structure allows you to move at your own pace. Some lessons are more in-depth and may work best when spread over two days. We recommend scheduling two lessons per week to provide you with adequate time to fully utilize the activities and suggested reading.
 
What You’ll Receive:
• After Purchase, you will open a PDF that will link you to Google Drive. There you can download:
• Woven History and Geography: American History Year One Guide PDF - The Guide is approximately 280 pages and includes thoughtfully laid out lessons, supply lists, art, and resources.• Threads of History (History Timeline Book) PDF - Your child will illustrate each moment, creating a beautiful and meaningful timeline.
• Beauty of History (Art Book) PDF - If you wish to display art along with your lessons, you can print the entire book ot just the corresponding art you wish to study.
• Printables PDF - Printable pages that correspond with lessons are available in a digital pdf document. Before printing, consider the intended use of the printable page. Most pages are best printed on cardstock, while some resources can be laminated for repeated use.
• Due to file size, I have also included a folder labeled "smaller files" that includes compressed versions of the PDFs for easy home printing
 
A Note from Kessler at The Cottage Schoolhouse:
Thank you for exploring history with us. My hope is that this guide brings beauty, joy, and meaningful connection to your homeschool days, and helps your children fall in love with the stories of the past.