Have you ever wished for a simple and engaging way to embark on a crafty, hands-on history study with elementary-aged children?
Four years ago, our family pieced together a hands-on history unit study covering American events, people, and places of the 20th century. Now that we’re revisiting the 1900s with our memory work again this semester, we’re looking back through our previous work, and… boy! This was such a fun and interactive way to learn American history (and art and science)! We not only learned about historical events related to our history and timeline memory work, but we also learned about medical advancements, sports figures, food, and fashion, just to name a few. It’s one reason our family has so enjoyed Homeschool in the Woods studies – not only have we learned so much, but we’ve also enjoyed revisiting these memories as we look back through the treasures of our past studies!
I was compensated for the time invested in writing this review. We never recommend anything we don’t use and love in our own homeschool. We have thoroughly enjoyed every study we have completed by Homeschool in the Woods. Affiliate links are used in this post. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
The 20th Century Lap Pak unit study / activity packet (downloadable or on CD-ROM) includes reading and activities for…
Historical Events & Movements, such as World Wars, the Great Depression, NATO, the Space Race, National Disasters, and Civil Rights (including Brown vs. Board of Education):
Advancements in Medicine, Transportation, and Science/Technology
Art Movements & Architectural Accomplishments
Fashion & Dining (with recipes to try!)
Modern missionaries, music, 20th-century authors & literature, and sports figures
and summarizes everything with a Timeline of the 20th Century
This hands-on history study includes detailed instructions for printing and assembling each activity…
along with a booklet which includes readings that correspond to each event/activity.
Overall, it’s a fantastic way to get a chronological overview of U.S. events during the 1900s! {Note: For those in Classical Conversations, this project activity pak has several tie-ins to Cycle 3 memory work but is a simpler option than the more in-depth Time Travelers study of the Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression. }
Things we’ve enjoyed about the Homeschool in the Woods project paks:
- Great overview of subject matter
- Creative graphics and papercrafts that encourage retention of the events/people/places
- Detailed instructions (with illustrations) explaining how to cut, fold, and assemble the pieces
- Hands-on method of learning some extra history (and a touch of science and art and music)
- Includes a timeline, and we love timelines around here!
- My children love making the pieces and playing with the pieces long after it is finished (which incorporates a good deal of review)
The suggested grade level for completing this project pak is Grade 3-8, but our younger (Grade K-2) children have also enjoyed participating in these projects. If you’re not sure if you or your children would enjoy a unit study such as this one, visit Homeschool in the Woods to see photos of all the projects and to download the free samples of Timeline Figures, Time Travelers, Project Passports, and Olde World Style Maps by visiting the individual product pages. (In fact, we tried out several of the freebies before we ever purchased a Homeschool in the Woods unit study.)
I totally mean it when I say we love these studies! This has been our favorite way to learn history. Even to this day, we continue to find ways to work them into our schedule – either over breaks, over weekends, or on an occasional afternoon. Here’s a sneak peek at other Homeschool in the Woods Studies we’ve completed thus far:
Timelines: Studying History through the Ages
Using Homeschool in the Woods Timelines for Challenge
Artists Activity Lap Pak
Studying World War II
Composer & Orchestra Study
New World Explorers: Columbus and the Age of Exploration
Colonial Life: Handicrafts in History Studies
American Revolution Study
Early 19th Century Study
Benjamin Franklin Unit Study (for grades K-2)
Renaissance & Reformation by Homeschool in the Woods
Middle Ages Project Passport by Homeschool in the Woods
Homeschool in the Woods New Testament Activity Pak
Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression
If you have questions about any of these studies, be sure to give us a shout!