United Stories: A Journey Through America’s Past, Part 1

Early American History Homeschool Curriculum

Explore Early American history with United Stories, a literature-based, family-style curriculum. Our American history homeschool curriculum allows elementary and middle school students to learn side by side through living books, historical documents, mapwork, short videos, notebooking, and meaningful discussions. Together, you’ll explore the people, places, and events that shaped the United States, starting from its earliest beginnings.

Early American History

$20.00

Inspired by Charlotte Mason principles and aligned with secular, inclusive values, our curriculum is designed to make American history both accessible and enjoyable for everyone in your family. Lay the foundation of American history through the study of early indigenous cultures, colonization, revolution, and the formation of a new nation:

Native American societies pre-European contact
European exploration and colonization
Colonial life and the French and Indian War
The American Revolution
Founding documents and government
Westward expansion and the War of 1812

PLEASE NOTE: United Stories, Part I is built around selected readings from The American Story series by Betsy Maestro (younger learners) and A History of US by Joy Hakim (older learners). You will need access to these books to complete the lessons.

We also recommend the Maps for U.S. History book as a companion for weekly mapwork activities (not included).

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What you get

With your purchase

When you purchase United Stories: A Journey Through America’s Past – Part I, you’ll receive:

A complete PDF curriculum guide with 70 flexible lessons, including suggested readings, activities, and discussion prompts
Curated book lists for both elementary and middle school learners
Suggested learning extensions including notebooking, mapwork, primary source analysis, hands-on activities, and more
Links to multimedia resources, including Liberty’s Kids and PBS Education videos
Access to our optional Notion planning tool, designed to help you stay organized and easily navigate your lessons throughout the year
PLEASE NOTE: Betsy Maestro’s The American Story and Joy Hakim’s A History of US and the Maps for U.S. History workbook are not included.

What’s Inside Each Lesson:

Reading selections for multiple ages: The American Story by Betsy Maestro (younger learners) and A History of US by Joy Hakim (older students)
Mapwork connections: Suggested maps from Maps for U.S. History (Mark Twain Media)
Discussion questions: Use the included prompts to guide narrations or review the lesson if needed
Multimedia enhancements: Curated video clips from PBS Education and Liberty’s Kids
Historical Quests: End-of-unit notebooking and research prompts for project-based learning
Supplemental reading suggestions: A curated list of historical fiction and non-fiction titles to enhance each topic
Timeline activities: Optional timeline cards from Core Knowledge to track events visually
Optional primary source analysis lesson tie-ins: Extend learning with recommended activities from Freedom: A History of US and the Digital Public Library of America

discover a world of learning together

Designed for Multi-Age Learning

Our Early American homeschool curriculum is designed with family-style learning in mind, making it easy to teach multiple ages together. Younger students can enjoy Betsy Maestro’s The American Story series, listen to age-appropriate read-alouds, draw or narrate their learning, and explore maps. Older students can read Joy Hakim’s A History of US, dive into primary source analysis lessons, and undertake the historical quests. The curriculum is flexible, so you can adjust the depth of discussion and activities to suit your children’s ages and abilities.

who we are

At the Global Explorers Club, we believe in an education that respects each child’s unique personhood, fosters a love of learning, and embraces the diversity of the world. Our unit studies are designed with flexibility and freedom in mind, allowing your family to explore each topic at your own pace and according to your interests. Whether you’re completing every activity or selecting just a few, the goal is to inspire a sense of wonder and connection to the world.

Image displaying a collection of living books for history, part of the United Stories curriculum.

Frequently Asked Questions

United Stories is designed for elementary and middle school students, generally grades 2–8. The family-style format makes it easy to adapt lessons for both younger and older learners.

Part I includes 70 lessons, designed to cover one full school year with a flexible weekly rhythm (e.g., 2–3 lessons per week). However, you can easily adjust the pace to fit your family’s schedule.

Yes. Our Early American history homeschool curriculum is based on readings from The American Story series by Betsy Maestro and A History of US by Joy Hakim. These books are not included but are widely available at libraries, bookstores, and audiobook platforms.

We also recommend purchasing Maps for U.S. History for the weekly mapwork activities.

Yes. Historical Quests, our suggested notebooking prompts, are included throughout the curriculum to encourage additional research based on the lessons just completed.

We also include suggested primary source analysis extensions using corresponding lessons from Freedom: A History of US teaching guide and the Digital Public Library of America.

Yes! While it’s designed with homeschool families in mind, the materials and format could also work well for small group or classroom enrichment, especially for mixed-grade learning environments.

No. The Notion planning tool is completely optional. If you prefer planning with pen and paper, the core PDF lessons include everything you need.