Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

The following question is from Kasey E.

 
“I am a former high school and middle school English teacher and the past two years I have been a substitute elementary school teacher. This year I am going to homeschool my 7 and 10-year-old boys.

When my teacher friends heard I was going to start homeschooling, they gave me math and reading textbooks as well as access to an online curriculum they use for math, ELA and social studies. I have been using these materials and other free online resources to write lesson plans and planned out our year.

I thought I was doing well in my planning, but I have noticed that every homeschool family I know purchases their curriculum. Because I’m no longer working, we don’t have extra money to spend on homeschooling books, workbooks or boxed curriculum. My question is, are there families in the community that make up their own lesson plans and can homeschool by using free or inexpensive materials?

Am I going about homeschooling the right way by writing my own plans or at some point will I need to start purchasing books/curriculum made for homeschooling?”
 

This is one of the most frequent questions I receive as a homeschool blogger. I look forward to your answers.

So, it may not come as much of a surprise when I tell you that I am not only thankful for the two hard-working air conditioning units in our little cabin, but displaying my gratitude by perching in front of them during most of the daylight hours.

As in, all day.

Meredith joins me, but while I work, she’s plugging away at her drivers ed course.

Yes, Meredith is old enough to drive. Even though she was in 3rd-grade yesterday…I swear.

But I’m not here to write about the heat or the fact that Meredith is going to be 30…tomorrow.

Nope, I want to review the Aceable Drivers Ed Course she’s taking.

Because?

It’s cool.

Yes, even in this heat.

And it’s simple for me.

It’s simple for Meredith too, but only because she’s laughing so much, I don’t think she realizes she’s learning.

So, here’s how this post is going to go:

 
1. I am going to introduce you to Aceable, the company behind the course.

2. I’m going to introduce you to the course and show you a few inside sneak peaks.

3. To wrap it all up, Aceable will give away (3) of their drivers ed courses, and (1) lucky winner will also win (1) iPad Mini.

Ready?

Let’s do this.
 

Introducing Aceable.

 
Aceable is all about education, but they refuse to continue with the “stale institutional approach” of our generation and our parent’s generation. Instead, they are intent on driving education forward within organizations (like schools and businesses) and certification programs (like Drivers Ed).

They “put information where it is most effective: at the fingertips of people when they need it.”
 

Introducing the Aceable Parent Taught Drivers Ed Course

 
The Aceable Parent Taught Drivers Ed course is the only state-certified drivers ed course you can take on an iPhone app, Android app, and online.

Currently, the course is only available for those in Texas and Florida with California coming soon.

And here are the highlights:

1. Students take the actual permit “written test” in the course.

2. It offers free in-app study tools to ensure you pass.

3. There are parent monitoring tools to keep you on track.

4. The in-app tools provide behind-the-wheel instruction.

5. It fulfills the DPS drivers ed requirement.

6. It’s fun.

Did you catch that last bit?

Because it’s important.
 

This drivers ed course works well because it’s actually FUN!

“I personally like humorous stuff. Usually I prefer having a textbook to flip through, but I like Aceable better than a textbook because it mixes it up – you aren’t bored because you laugh.” – Meredith

Some of the humor is, in my opinion, random.

But? Random jokes make my teenager laugh.

And that laughter makes the concept stick.

For instance, silly jokes when learning signs – which, by the way, are black and yellow with stripes all over.

It isn’t all jokes, but tossing them in here and there gives just enough of a break that teens don’t get bored.

After completing major topics students get asked a string of questions to make sure they grasp the important details.

Your student will engage with the course by reading text, watching video demonstrations, and answering question.

Meredith likes when one particular woman drops in from time to time to test your knowledge.

“She talks smack, saying things like ‘You can’t do this!’, which makes you want to prove she’s wrong.” – Meredith

After completing Level 1, which includes everything you need to know to take your drivers permit test, Meredith was able to take her test right in the app.

Navigating the DMV is not always a cakewalk, so we appreciated the ease of taking the test at home and then heading down to the DMV for Meredith’s permit.

All the levels following Level 1 teach you HOW to drive, what different symbols mean, and what to do before you actually start driving (like putting on your seat belt).

Meredith likes that the chapters are short so she can knock them out quickly.

Because the entire course is accessible via an app on her iPhone, Meredith has worked on it in the orthodontist’s office, the car (when someone else is driving, of course), and even in the theater while waiting for a movie to begin.

Meredith is currently on Level 3 and there are 12 lessons total.

She has an entire year before she can take her final test for her license, so we’re taking it nice and sloooooow.

We hope she only has to take it once.

Before it’s time to take her final test at the DMV, Meredith will have waaaaaaaaay more than the required 44 hours of driving time in with her daddy.

He’s the parent in charge of teaching driving.

Can I hear an “Amen?”
 

HERE’S THE CHANCE FOR (3) WINNERS TO WIN ONE OF (3) PRIZES!

PRIZES

 
* The first randomly selected commenter will win (1) iPad Mini AND (1) Aceable Parent Taught Drivers Ed Course

* The second and third randomly selected commenters will win (1) each of the Aceable’s Drivers Ed Course.
 

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

 
To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section below:

What was the most memorable part of when you learned to drive?

THE RULES/DETAILS:
» One entry per person, please.
» No entries after 12:00 PM (CST) on Wednesday, August 19, 2015.
» Winners will be selected at random and announced Wednesday after 1:00 PM (CST).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Since 2001, Heather Sanders has worked from home in the following industries: web design and development, branding and consulting, web graphics and social media promotion, and copyediting and freelance blogging. Wanna start a blog? Looking for someone to copyedit or proof your posts? Need some social media graphics? Contact Heather today!

STATS

2,946 players took the quiz.
433 scored 100%
The question most people got right (98%) was…#3!
The question missed the most (only 45% got it right) was…#13.

 
ANSWERS

Q.3
All chemical elements (hydrogen, calcium, silver, etc) are sorted by their Atomic Mass on the ___________ Table of the Elements.

Comprehensive
Standard
***Periodic
Relative

 
 
 
Q.4
The longest bone in the human body is the:

***Femur
Scapula
Radius
Humerus

 
 
 
Q.5
The planet that is closest to the size of earth is:

Uranus
Neptune
Mars
***Venus

 
 
 
Q.6
What is the chemical name for baking soda?

Calcium carbonate
Sodium chloride
Calcium chloride
***Sodium bicarbonate

 
 
 
Q.7
True or False: Oxygen is the largest component of the air we breathe.

True
***False

 
 
 
Q.8
Which of the following is not a primary color?

Blue
Yellow
Red
***Green

 
 
 
Q.9
True or False: The human heart has four chambers and four valves.

***True
False

 
 
 
Q.10
Best answer: Which of these scientific fields is specifically the study of matter and energy.

Chemistry
***Physics
Geology
Anthropology

 
 
 
Q.11
True or False: The part of a flower that is male is the stamen.

***True
False

 
 
 
Q.12
Canis Majoris is:

A dog
A wolf
***A star
A planet

 
 
 
Q.13
The earth’s crust and upper mantle make up the:

***Lithosphere
Exosphere
Ionosphere
Mesosphere

 
 
 
Q.14
Which of the following is NOT a marine mammal?

Dolphin
Porpoise
***Shark
Whale

 
 
 
Q.15
Which of the following nucleotides is NOT one of the four components of DNA?

Thymine
***Glutamine
Adenine
Cytosine

 
 
 
Q.16
What is thought to be at the center of the Milky Way galaxy?

***Supermassive black hole
Quasar
Wormhole
Giant Molecular Cloud

 
 
 
Q.17
The smallest unit of life that can replicate independently is a:

Molecule
***Cell
Atom
Proton

 
 
 
Q.18
Archaeology is generally considered a branch of:

Geology
Physics
***Antrhopology

 
WINNERS

The first place winners is…Andrew S.
The second place winner is…Joe L.
The third place winner is…Danielle P.
The four place winner is…Rosia A.

Congratulations, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your prizes!

Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

The following question is from Bev S.

 
“My 13-year-old son wants to be a film maker when he grows up. What are some creative ways to bring in academic subjects to his hobby? He likes to make stop motion movies with his toys and action figures.

Also, he loves to read fiction but he doesn’t quite have a good conception of the elements of telling a story. Any suggestions would be appreciated.”
 

Do you have any suggestions for integrating a love of film making with academic subjects?

Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

The following question is from Dana P.

 
“We send our girls to a private school. Our high school daughter, who will be a senior in the fall, would like to (voluntarily!) get ahead over the summer in PreCal & Chemistry (our school teaches those in senior year).

What are some good resources for her so she has a “leg up”?

Secondly, our daughter who is going into 8th-grade struggled in Math & English. What would be some great resources for her to review over the summer so she has “shored up the foundation” and can go into 8th-grade feeling a little better about those subjects?

I’ve looked into full blown homeschool curriculum, but I’m not certain that is the best option. Would love to get input and thoughts from the community.”
 

I agree that a full blown homeschooling curriculum would be a bit too much. What are your recommendations for each of Dana’s girls?

I realize it might be asking you to bite off more than you can chew, but can you?

How about your kids?

No?

Folks, that’s simply not going to cut the mustard!

After all, idioms give character to language – using them in our language and writing is like killing two birds with one stone.

Though idioms can’t be explained by assessing the meaning of each of the individual words, they still expand our ability to communicate as clear as a bell.

Unfortunately, idioms are one of the reasons learning a new language can be so difficult.

The idioms you may be most familiar with are often directly related to where you grew up.

For instance, I’ve not once used the English idioms, “Bob’s your uncle” or “Do a Devon Loch.”

But, I regularly use other idioms, like “Man, she’s got a chip on her shoulder” or “Ugh, I’m sick as a dog.”

Sometimes idioms are heard through the grapevine in your specific areas of interest and social groups.

Your guess is as good as mine.

Thankfully, there is a wide array of online resources available for learning the meaning behind certain idioms, as well as learning new ones.

And that’s what we’re doing today.

For many of you, these will be familiar, but are they familiar to your kids?

Can they pick out the idiom’s meaning?

Use it in a sentence?

It’s time to stop sitting on the fence and find out!
 

Read these 25 idioms aloud to your kids and see how many they recognize or can explain.

1. A Hot Potato

Meaning: a situation or issue that is difficult, unpleasant, or risky to deal with.
Example: He dropped that topic like a hot potato.

2. At the drop of a hat

Meaning: without any hesitation, delay or planning; for no obvious reason.
Example: He was always ready to go fishing at the drop of a hat.

3. Bob’s your uncle

Meaning: ironic expression of something easily done, taking little time; there you have it, as if by magic.
Example: Put it in the oven for 20 minutes and Bob’s your uncle, your dinner will be done.

4. Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

Meaning: one born into a wealthy family of high social standing.
Example: She can afford to go to medical school; she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

5. Bought the farm

Meaning: to die, usually in an accident or in military action.
Example: He nearly bought the farm during a frontal assault against the enemy.

6. Burn the midnight oil

Meaning: to work, study, etc., until late into the night.
Example: College students frequently burn the midnight oil while studying for semester exams.

7. Can’t do [something] to save one’s life

Meaning: one is extremely bad at doing [something].
Example: The poor girl couldn’t hold a note to save her life.

8. Chew the fat

Meaning: chat or gossip in a leisurely way, especially at length.
Example: Sit yourself down and let’s chew the fat for a while.

9. Cry over spilled milk

Meaning: to be unhappy about what cannot be undone.
Example: The car is ruined and that’s too bad, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk.

10. Cut the mustard

Meaning: to meet expectations; reach a required standard.
Example: Though I practiced, I couldn’t cut the mustard as a professional hockey player.

11. Do a Devon Loch

Meaning: to fail when one is very close to winning.
Example: Sheila did a Devon Loch in the last minutes of the match.

12. I’ll eat my hat

Meaning: used to indicate that one thinks the specified thing is extremely unlikely to happen.
Example: If she actually marries that guy, I’ll eat my hat.

13. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride

Meaning: if you could achieve your aims simply by wishing for them, life would be very easy.
Example: Wendy would love a brand-new car for her sixteenth birthday but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

14. It takes two to tango

Meaning: both parties involved in a bad situation or argument are responsible for it.
Example: She may want to argue, but it takes two to tango, and I won’t stoop to her level.

15. Keep something or someone at bay

Meaning: prevent someone or something from approaching or having an effect.
Example: He needed to keep the bill collectors at bay until his next paycheck.

16. Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.
Example: The child let the cat out of the bag about the surprise birthday party.

17. A leopard can’t change his spots

Meaning: the idea that a person’s character, especially if it is bad, will not change, even if they feign it will.
Example: I doubt very much that prison time will change Sam for the better. A leopard doesn’t change its spots.

18. Method to my madness

Meaning: a purpose or plan behind a person’s inexplicable behavior.
Example: What I’m doing may look strange, but I assure you there’s a method to my madness.

19. Not a spark of decency

Meaning: one who has no manners; lacks decency.
Example: He is two hours late for dinner. That boy doesn’t have a spark of decency in him.

20. Not playing with a full deck

Meaning: one who is mentally deficient or lacking in intellectual ability.
Example: Ever since she fell and hit her head, Jane’s hasn’t been playing with a full deck.

21. Pot calling the kettle black

Meaning: one should not criticize another person for a fault they have themselves.
Example: Elliot accused me of being selfish. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

22. Steal someone’s thunder

Meaning: to win praise by lessening someone’s recognition, force or authority.
Example: Someone stole my thunder by leaking my announcement to the press.

23. Take with a grain of salt

Meaning: to view something with skepticism, or not to take it literally.
Example: When grandma tells stories about her past, you should take what she says with a grain of salt.

24. Straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning: from an authoritative or dependable source.
Example: I know it’s true! I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth!

25. Turn a blind eye

Meaning: to ignore something and pretend you do not see it.
Example: The usher turned a blind eye to the little boy who sneaked into the theater.

Sources

• Devon Loch
• Dictionary.com
• TheFreeDictionary.com
• Merriam-Webster
• Phrases.org.uk
• StackExchange: English Language & Usage
• Wikipedia

Another reason idioms can be fun (or frustrating, depending on your perspective) is that they often go against the logical rules of grammar.

Personally, I like intentionally breaking the rules on occasion.

And sometimes (okay, fine…regularly), I break them unintentionally.

What are some of your favorite idioms? Use the comments to tell us their meaning or, even better, use them in a sentence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Since 2001, Heather Sanders has worked from home in the following industries: web design and development, branding and consulting, web graphics and social media promotion, and copyediting and freelance blogging. Wanna start a blog? Looking for someone to copyedit or proof your posts? Need some social media graphics? Contact Heather today!

Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

The following question is from Bonnie G

 
“My son just turned 8-years-old. He has struggled with reading and spelling since Kindergarten. Initially, he was taught through a phonics program that honestly was complicated and confusing for him.

Because of this he does not seem to get the concept of “sounding it out” despite knowing all his letter sounds like the back of his hand. When it comes to actually reading a word, he sort of freezes up and does more guessing than actually sounding it out.

He is a whiz at math and science, in fact at least a full year ahead in those subjects except that he cannot read the directions on his own.

In Kindergarten the teacher also said his comprehension skills were at a second grade level when it comes to listening, understanding the concepts, meaning and the underlying themes of stories so we know he is very bright and that he continues to excel in these areas. So much so that we have to watch what comes on TV and what we speak about in front of him.

At this point in the school year, I can say he is reading, but it is at a very beginning level (maybe later Kinder/early first grade). Any ideas we can use to help him? We started Reading Eggs in November, and that has helped him a lot. We do work five days a week on reading and writing. We read a lot of books too. ”
 

Bonnie needs ideas to help with her son’s reading and spelling skills. Have you any additional suggestions outside of what she has already implemented? Any encouragement?

Not ever.

Bulleted lists of names and dates never grasped my attention to the point that I had to force myself to close the book and turn off the lamp.

Not once.

And there are absolutely no history textbooks on my Amazon Wish List, nor will there ever be.

The reason?

In my opinion, history textbooks are static, boring, lifeless wastes of paper full of bolded vocabulary words.

They stir up discontent because states and school districts waste valuable time arguing over their adoption.

They bust our budgets and our backs because they are overpriced, overvalued, and overweight.

As in, heavy.

Lifting, holding and carrying them should double as a P.E. credit.

And I’ve never heard a single student lament turning in their History textbook at the year’s end.
 

Now, don’t take any of that to mean I think History is boring.

 
Never.

I love it.

History is dynamic.

The pendulum of history swings from the horrific to the celebratory.

History is the study of the past. As in, today will soon be history. The first sentence of this post?

History.

Because History is a study of the past, it is full of stories.

STORIES!

Stories have power.

The power to compel people to make decisions, to offer insight where chaos may otherwise reign, and to infuse peace where a solution is possible because hey – someone else managed it under more difficult situations.

That’s why textbooks stink, and I’d use a stronger word if this weren’t a family blog that needs to retain its G-rating.

So what doesn’t stink?

Historical fiction, that’s what.

Breathing life into history can be done in many ways: documentaries, movies, plays, art, and (drumroll please) historical fiction.

This list we built together is important to me and, I hope, important to those of you who have (or will have) Junior High students taking World History.

That’s why I read every single comment and email, wrote down every single recommendation, and then Googled until my eyes dried up and rolled right out of their sockets.

Not really.

So thanks. Whether you commented, emailed or just encouraged, this list of 7th-grade and up World History (to 1650) readers is for you–for us.

There are 80 reasons to love historical fiction included in this FREE pdf download.

Several of your suggestions fell outside of the requested parameters, which were historical fiction readers for ages 12+ and grade level 7th-grade and up.

I did not include any books listed as 3rd-grade and up; although yes, I realize the “and up” means older kids could read them.

There had to be a cut-off somewhere, I suppose.

That said, many books not on this list are still in the comments on the original post for you and future readers to peruse at your leisure.

Unlike before, I did not include a list of the additional books we plan to purchase for Kenny simply because we didn’t get that far in the process. He’s still completing History for THIS year.

Because we faithsized our family in the Fall, our school week began two weeks later than usual and so, we are wrapping up two weeks later.

That’s a bit of family history for you.

heh heh

If after reading my rant, you still aren’t considering abandoning your history textbooks for good old fashioned reading fun, think about when you were in school.

What do you remember from your textbooks?

Anything?

Now, think about the last novel you read. Can you tell me about it?

• Do you remember the main character?
• Do you remember where he lived?
• Do you remember if he had a family? A job? A secret?
• Did she overcome any obstacles?
• Did she have friends? Enemies? Who were they?

You remember those things because stories provide context mixed with “beautiful vocabulary and vibrant sentence structure…to anchor the information.”

History textbooks don’t do that.

If your student falls within the age range of the list created for this post, I encourage you to download it and spend some time with her reading book descriptions and reviews.

Make a list of which books you’ll buy, borrow or download.

If your student doesn’t fall within the age range of this list, make your own!

But before you do, Scholastic offers solid tips for choosing good historical fiction.

As always, feel free to let me know if there are any errors in the PDF and I will make updates.

Here is the list of 7th-grade and up World History (to 1650) readers one more time (y’know, in case you missed it)!

Download it.

Use it.

Love it.

I know you will.
 

If you have additional suggestions, please include them in the comments. It would help others to include links you may have bookmarked to online resources or other review sites for selecting historical fiction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Since 2001, Heather Sanders has worked from home in the following industries: web design and development, branding and consulting, web graphics and social media promotion, and copyediting and freelance blogging. Wanna start a blog? Looking for someone to copyedit or proof your posts? Need some social media graphics? Contact Heather today!

Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

The following question is from Laura H:

 
“I have been a faithful reader of PW’s website for many years now, and within the last year we began homeschooling. I always appreciate the posts and the helpful reader comments that follow.

I have a question for all the homeschool parents out there! Here it is: I have a 2nd grader and a kindergartner (and also a 2-year-old). This year being our first year of homeschool, I’ve tried to focus heavily on the basic core subjects (Reading, Spelling, English, Math, Handwriting) and do some dabbling with the other subjects. We have done some Bible study, History, Geography, and some Science too. My kids love it all!

However, I’m finding a hard time determining how much time to spend on these subjects, as well as determining any new subjects we might add in the coming year (like learning another language). I would LOVE to hear how other families handle this in the elementary years.”
 

What type of time frame or pace do you keep with your elementary-aged students? Any suggestions for additional subjects?

In two weeks, Kenny will complete the History and Geography 700 course available through Alpha Omega Publications’ Monarch curriculum. The course surveyed the social sciences, including history, geography, anthropology, sociology, economics and political science while targeting five major content strands: History, Geography, Government and Citizenship, Economics, and Social Studies Skills.

You may remember that our initial academic plan for the 2014-2015 school year was for Kenny to take Sonlight’s World History, Part 1 of 2. We have really missed the literature-rich approach to History and decided to back up and return to Sonlight this upcoming year. Here’s the problem: he already read a significant number of the readers included in the curriculum during the rainy and melt-your-skin-off days of last summer.

As I’ve done in the past when searching for American History readers, I’m asking you to help me find and decide on some history readers for Kenny. And, same as before, I will create a compilation of this community’s recommendations into a download for everyone.

Previous History Reader Compilation Downloads:

• American History Readers (up to 1850) Part 1 of 2 Middle School Book & Resources Compilation [Download]
• American History Readers (1850s and on) Part 2 of 2 Middle School Cook & Resources Compilation [Download]

Seeking World History Readers (Up to 1650) within the following parameters:

 
GENRE: Historical Fiction

AGE: 12+

GRADE LEVEL: 7th-grade+

Many of the Readers in Sonlight’s World History, Part 1 of 2 curriculum fall within the 5th-grade-and-up reading level and are a bit young for Kenny. The Read Alouds are less of a problem, except that he’s read a good number of them already.

For anyone unfamiliar with Sonlight’s curriculum, the Readers are those books a child can read independently (at level). The Read Alouds are those books that may (or may not) be at a higher reading level and are usually read aloud to/with the student.
 

World History Books Already Read

 
While I plan to include the books already read by Kenny in the compilation I create, I’ve listed them below for your information. You do not need to include them in your recommendations.

• Black Horses for the King (Magic Carpet Books), Anne McCaffrey | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The Bronze Bow, Elizabeth George Speare | Age Level: 11+ | Grade Level: 6th+
• God King: A Story in the Days of King Hezekia (Living History Library), Joanne Williamson, Daria M. Sockey | Age Level: 10+ | Grade Level: 5th+
• The Golden Goblet, Eloise Jarvis McGraw | Age Level: 10+ | Grade Level: 5th+
• Greek Myths, Olivia E. Coolidge | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Hittite Warrior (Living History Library), Joanne Williamson | Age Level: 11+ | Grade Level: 6th+
• Mary, Bloody Mary, Carolyn Meyer | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The Trojan War, Olivia E. Coolidge | Age Level: 10+ | Grade Level: 5th+

My World History, Part 1 of 2 Readers list so far…

 
Over the last few days, I’ve researched and compiled a book list from multiple sources: Amazon, homeschool sites, teacher blogs, the public school suggested readings and grade-level book lists.

The books we own have a **red asterisks preceding them. I would love to get some feedback on the books not marked with an asterisk since I have not purchased any of them yet.

• **Adam of the Road, Elizabeth Janet Gray | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• **The Beduins’ Gazelle, Frances Temple | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• **Beyond the Desert Gate, Mary Ray | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• Anna of Byzantium (Laurel-Leaf Books), Tracy Barrett | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Blood Red Horse, K.M. Grant | Age Level: 11-15 | Grade Level: 6-9
• **Catherine Called Birdy, Karen Cushman | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• The Edge on the Sword, Rebecca Tingle | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• **Flame Over Tara, Madeleine Polland | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• Frontier Wolf, Rosemary Sutcliff | Age Level: 14+ | Grade Level: 9th+
• Goddess of Yesterday, Caroline B. Cooney | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Hostage Lands, Douglas Bond | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter, Lynn Cullen | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• **The Ides of April, Mary Ray | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• Inside the Walls of Troy: A Novel of the Women Who Lived the Trojan War, Clemence McLaren | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Joan of Arc: Heavenly Warrior (Sterling Biographies), Tabatha Yeatts | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• King of Ithaka, Tracy Barrett | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The King’s Shadow, Elizabeth Alder | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Leonardo’s Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci’s Servant, Christopher Grey | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The Leopard Sword (Empire), Michael Cadnum | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• **Mara, Daughter of the Nile (Puffin Story Books), Eloise Jarvis McGraw | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Marathon, Boaz Yakin | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• **Master Cornhill, Eloise Jarvis McGraw | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The Mistletoe and Sword: A Story of Roman Britain (Rediscovered Classics), Anya Seton | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Nobody’s Princess (Princesses of Myth), Esther Friesner | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Peregrine, Joan Elizabeth Goodman | Age Level: 10-14 | Grade Level: 5-9
• Pharoah’s Daughter: A Novel of Ancient Egypt, Julius Lester | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• **A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, E.L. Konigsburg | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• **The Samurai’s Tale, Erik C. Haugaard | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• **The Second Mrs. Gioconda, E.L. Konigsburg | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• **Shadow of a Bull, Maia Wojciechowska | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• **The Shakespeare Stealer, Gary Blackwood | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• **A Single Shard, Linda Sue Park | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• A Sparrow Alone, Alicia Petersen | Age Level: 13+ | Grade Level: 8th+
• Twice Freed, Patricia St. John | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• Voyage with Jason, Ken Catran | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• The Wadjet Eye, Jill Rubalcaba | Age Level: 11-13 | Grade Level: 6-8
• Warrior Scarlet, Rosemary Sutcliff | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The Way of the Warrior, Andrew Matthews | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+
• The White Isle, Caroline Dale Snedeker | Age Level: 12+ | Grade Level: 7th+

While I did include 6th-grade and up books, I did not include any books that were rated at a 5th-grade reading level or younger. If you’d like to see the full listing of Sonlight’s Core G History curriculum, click here, scroll down and select the “What’s Included” tab.

Here is where you come in (if you want):

 
If you have a child (7th grade+) who has read any of the books I listed, please let me know their ages and whether or not they enjoyed the books. Also, if you have new recommendations for World History Readers up to the 1650s, I WOULD LOVE if you could share them in your comment as well.

Once I compile a purchase list from all your suggestions I will share it with everyone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Since 2001, Heather Sanders has worked from home in the following industries: web design and development, branding and consulting, web graphics and social media promotion, and copyediting and freelance blogging. Wanna start a blog? Looking for someone to copyedit or proof your posts? Need some social media graphics? Contact Heather today!