Watch and Learn: US History

Description

Watch & Learn: U.S. History helps middle and high school students see the connections between the people, events, conflicts, and ideas that have shaped the United States. Using the Crash Course U.S. History video series as a guide, students journey from Native North American societies and European colonization through the Revolution, westward expansion, Civil War, industrialization, world wars, the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, and modern America.

Videos help bring the personalities and events of history to life, while clear nonfiction readings and focused activities give students a chance to slow down, revisit important ideas, and understand not just what happened, but why it mattered.

An Engaging Approach to U.S. History for Homeschoolers

Each lesson gives your child multiple ways to explore the material. They can read the one-page nonfiction passage before watching to build background knowledge, keep it nearby as a reference during the video, or return to it afterward when they need another explanation. Then vocabulary and comprehension activities help students think through what they’ve learned and remember the ideas that matter most.

Along the way, learners will explore:

• Native North American societies and European colonization
• Jamestown, Plymouth, and life in the American colonies
• The American Revolution and the fight for independence
• The Articles of Confederation, Constitution, and creation of the new government
• The early presidents and growth of the United States
• Westward expansion and the experiences of Native peoples
• Slavery, abolition, and the growing divisions between North and South
• The Civil War and Reconstruction
•  Industrialization, immigration, urbanization, and the Gilded Age
• American imperialism and the Spanish-American War
• World War I and changes on the home front
• The Roaring Twenties, Great Depression, and New Deal
• World War II at home and abroad
• The Cold War and America’s changing role in the world
• The Civil Rights Movement and struggles for greater equality
• Vietnam and social change in the 1960s and 1970s
• The rise of modern conservatism and the Reagan Era

Crash Course US History and The Waldock Way

Each lesson pairs a Crash Course video with a one-page nonfiction reading and activities designed to help students recall, explain, and connect what they’ve learned.

The study includes:

• Crash Course U.S. History videos paired with the lessons
• Clear, approachable nonfiction reading passages
• Vocabulary practice featuring important people, places, events, and historical terms
• Multiple choice, true or false, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer activities
• Practice with reading comprehension, listening, critical thinking, note-taking, and retention
• Supplemental American history book recommendations
• U.S. History-themed games for extending the learning
• A U.S. History Jeopardy review covering Colonies & Revolution, A Growing & Divided Nation, Civil War to Industrial America, Reform, War & Depression, and World War II to Modern America
• A complete teacher answer key for easy grading and discussion

Students can work through the lessons independently, families can watch and discuss together, or the study can be used alongside another U.S. History curriculum for additional explanation and reinforcement. Its flexible format makes it easy to adapt to your homeschool and especially helpful for students who learn best when they can watch it, read it, talk about it, and then put what they’ve learned into practice.