Fun Activities for History Class: Homeschool Ideas

Fun Activities for History Class: Homeschool Ideas

Are you looking for fun activities to make your homeschool history class more engaging and meaningful for upper elementary through high school students? Look no further!

Here are some creative ideas to get your kids excited about their studies. You and your family can have a great time exploring and learning about the past!

US State Studies ‘Mini’ Unit Studies

If you’re homeschooling you are probably looking for fun activities to teach history. Incorporating mini-unit studies is a great addition to your curriculum. State study thematic units are designed to provide a detailed study of a particular US state. They include key concepts, and they can be adapted to suit your student’s age and learning style.

One topic that makes for an excellent mini-unit study is the American pioneers. You can explore various aspects of pioneer life, such as clothing, housing, food, and transportation. You can also delve into the role of pioneers in American history. Have fun learning about the impact they had on the country’s development.

One way we’ve made these USA mini-unit studies more usable is by offering digital versions. Each USA State Study offers a wealth of online resources. You’ll find interactive activities, videos, and virtual field trips, that can help bring the material to life for your students.

Overall, the mini-unit studies are a fantastic way to make history come alive for your homeschool students. By choosing engaging resources about your favorite US state and incorporating fun activities and digital resources, you can help your students develop a love for learning and a deeper understanding of our country’s fascinating history.

USA State History the fun way

Anyone studying state history, road schooling, or planning field trips for their homeschool is bound to need a few extra resources to make it exciting engaging, and rich in academics. That might be a tall order, but these curated resources for US State Studies, when combined together, will

• have your homeschool family loving US State history & geography,
• enjoying time together with friends and family on field trips, or
• learning virtually using the world as their classroom.

With each of these US State Study mini-courses you will have more than enough resources to spend an entire week (or even longer) on each of the 50 United States of America.

If you already have a US History & Geography curriculum you love, These US State Study mini-courses will allow you to expand with virtual learning resources that easily turn into exciting field trips that you can do in each state. You can even visit all 50 states virtually to learn about each state’s famous people, landmarks, and history.

But themselves, each mini-course has enough coursework in history, literature, and geography to create the needed requirements for any (or possibly all) of these subjects. Also included are science & fine arts.

the latest US State studies

Tap The Image To See What Is Included In Each State Study Pack or region bundle.

If you are looking for solid, companion homeschool resources to build out your US State Studies curriculum, the various resources listed below are my top picks.

50 States Virtual Learning Resources

Teaching history lessons to high-school students can be a daunting task, but virtual learning resources can make it easier and more engaging. Utilizing these resources for American history studies can bring the time period to life and help students better understand social studies topics. A great way to engage high schoolers is to use primary sources from each state to create a virtual unit study.

Here are some resources and fun activities for history class to get you started:

• USA History & Geography State Studies offers a comprehensive range of resources for each state, including state-specific history, geography, and social studies materials.
• Included are The US National Park resources and website information including educational resources for homeschool families, including virtual tours of historical sites.
• You’ll also want to use The Library of Congress’s American Memory collection has digitized primary sources from each state, including historical maps, photos, and documents.

By utilizing these virtual learning resources and focusing on primary sources, you can create engaging history lessons that allow students to fully immerse themselves in the time period and better understand American history.

• All Ages: “State Songs of the 50 U.S. States” Course is perfect for making the geography study of the states of the United States comprehensive and exciting! Includes state songs, facts, and a 2-minute video tour of the state.
• For Early Learners: Early Learners Introduction to the 50 States
• For K-6th Grade: Across America + 50 States Mandala Coloring Book
• Native American Tribal Chiefs Unit Study
• Native American Coloring Book Series
• Black Inventors Unit Study
• More African-American History Resources

Notebooking Resources

Notebooking resources can be incredibly helpful for middle school students learning about historical figures, important people, current events, and important issues. These resources not only provide a way to keep track of information but also help develop writing skills and an understanding of historical characters. Notebooking is a perfect way to explore a period of history for your home state or a state you are visiting.

Here are some notebooking ideas to make homeschool history class more fun and engaging:

• Create a biographical sketch of a historical figure or important person using timeline notes and illustrations.
• Choose a current event and research its historical context, significance, and impact. Take notes and write a reflection on the lesson learned.
• Write a journal entry from the perspective of a historical character or create a dialogue between two historical figures.
• Select a historical issue and delve deeper into its causes, effects, and resolutions. Make connections between past events and current issues.

These notebooking activities not only provide a fun way to learn about history but also include some of the best ways to develop critical thinking, research, and writing skills.

Grab a few Notebooking Resources

Grab a few Notebooking Resources so you can capture all the interesting facts about Maine. 

• State Study Notebooking Pages 
• USA National Monuments, Memorials & Parks Notebooking pages
• American Presidents Notebooking pages
• Famous People Notebooking Pages 

Fun Activities for History Class: US Literature Resources

As a homeschooling parent or co-op teacher, incorporating fun activities in history class is a great way to engage students and enhance their learning experience. One way to achieve this is through group discussions and the use of primary sources in small groups. For example, exploring the history of the Underground Railroad is a great way to teach historical events through interactive activities.

Here are some fun homeschool ideas for teaching and learning history:

1. Conduct group discussions on historical events and encourage students to share their perspectives.

2. Use primary sources such as letters, diaries, and newspaper articles to bring historical events to life.

3. Assign small groups to research different aspects of the Underground Railroad and have them present their findings to the class.

4. Engage students in role-playing activities that mimic significant events in history, such as the Boston Tea Party or the Constitutional Convention.

1. Explore the historical locations person. A reenactment of the American Revolution or a tour of Pearl Harbor will allow your students to experience history from different perspectives.

By incorporating these fun activities, students can develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for history while also having fun.

An excellent online literature study resource is Literary Adventures for Kids. They have book studies for a broad age range. These book studies are thoroughly enjoyable and will help meet any of your literature requirements for elementary & high school. The American Classics Literature Study for Teens covers many of the books you will want to consider adding to your State Study.

US History Resources

Engaging your kids in learning US history can be challenging, but incorporating fun and interactive activities in your homeschooling routine can make it easier. Here are a few creative ideas to make your history class exciting, covering everything from US history to world history:

– Organize a field trip to a museum or a historical site related to US history or the Civil Rights Movement, like the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta or the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

– Create a timeline of major events in US history, like the California Gold Rush or World War II. Add pictures, historical artifacts, and descriptions to make it fun and informative.

– Celebrate Black History Month by studying prominent African American figures in US history, like Harriet Tubman or Frederick Douglass. You can also incorporate arts and crafts activities, like making collages or painting portraits of these figures.

– Play interactive games and quizzes related to US history, like Jeopardy or Kahoot. This is a fun way to reinforce what your kids have already learned in class.

By incorporating these ideas, you can make your history class more engaging and exciting for your kids while introducing them to important events in US and world history.

From the Revolution through the Civil War, enjoy the history of America the way it was meant to be shared in these stories of history!

Everyone will enjoy learning about American history in a fascinating way with these classic stories Enjoy interesting stories about Americans like George Washington, Davy Crockett, Kit Carson, and many more, This book will help students have fun learning about American history (1492 – 1865) while laying a sound foundation for future study.

Individual & Bundles – US State Studies

Fun Activities for History Class: 50 US State Studies for Virtual Learning & Field Trips

For more details on each state’s travel planning resources, head to the USA Travel Planning section.

Tap The Image Below To See What Is Included In Each State Study Regional Bundle

Or, tap here to see individual US State Studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

use the world as your classroom

Live online classes with Fun activities for History Class

Homeschool, Travel & Learn With The Let’s Study The Americas, the Caribbean, Australia & Oceania Bundle

No more cobbling your curriculum together and hoping it works! Everything you need is included in these World Geography bundles!