American History

Something I’ve focused on since we made the move to New Zealand is making sure my kids have a halfway decent knowledge of US History. That subject isn’t a big portion of the New Zealand curriculum, and I want them to have some frame of reference and knowledge should they return to the States. When we first arrived, I had a huge stack of the I Can Read Books that were age appropriate for the kids, but now that they’re a bit older (7 and 9) I’ve been expanding our sources.

American History Tellers - Both kids LOVE listening to this podcast on the way to school. It’s engaging and imaginative, but doesn’t sugar coat anything. It is not intended for a young audience, but I haven’t found the content to be anything they couldn’t handle. We’ve just finished The Age of Jackson and The Civil War series, and the kids were completely engrossed and asked so many thoughtful questions.

The History of - To go along with our recent podcasts, I got The History of the Civil War which was a good add-on. There are plenty of illustrations and maps that helped visualize the audio stories we were listening to. There are five more books in this series, and all but one focus on different parts of US history - from the Revolution to the Civil Rights movement.

The Story of - Much along the lines of The History of books, The Story of books going into an age appropriate deep-dive into many historical figures, including Americans. These books are a step up from the I Can Read books and go into more detail and nuance.

Spies in History - I’ve got one kid who is obsessed with codes and ciphers, so when I saw Spies in the Civil War (see a theme?) I knew it would grab his attention. I liked how this book focused on lesser well known aspects of the war. I’ve even learned some new things from this book, like snipits of the life of Allan Pinkerton who seems absolutely fascinating.

Outschool - We did quite a few Outschool classes during covid lockdowns over the past few years, and I’ve discovered a number of US History - themed options that are age appropriate. The hardest part is finding classes that work for New Zealand time as so many US-focused classes are held during hours that don’t work for us.

Virtual Tours - There are so many virtual tour options for places of historical significance. Going back to our Civil War theme, we’ve explored the Ford Theater’s virtual tour which really brought Lincoln’s assassination to life. If there is a particular location you’re interested in sharing with your kids, check their website for this option. It is amazing what people have done over the pandemic to bring their historically significant places to the public. Another option - especially if you have a class that is interested in learning about American history - is to look through the options at CILC. The interactive virtual tours are even better!

We’re contemplating taking a trip back to Texas sometime over the upcoming summer holidays and I’m getting ready for a trip to Dallas by starting on JFK next. We’ve got podcasts to listen to and books to read so they’re all ready to explore The Sixth Floor Museum and see the grassy knoll. I’m cautiously optimistic it will make more of an impression than our trip to the Alamo from our last Texas trip.

Any resources that you’ve found particularly engaging for the under-10 set? I’m always looking for new ideas!