Sonlight Complete Literature-Based American History (Year 1)

I sometimes forget to put Geography studies into my American history, so it is great that Sonlight HBL D has included a number of great write-on (laminated) maps. The foldable, wipe-off America and World map is my new favorite non-book item in our homeschool room! 

The Timeline Book Sonlight provides is a ring-bound book that we can use for all other time periods we study as well, and Sonlight sent the timeline figures that we need for early American history.

Although we have family scripture study every morning, I have never before had a curriculum that had the Bible written right into the schedule for every day. It is a great idea for those who want a ready-at-hand scripture study plan for independent and family study, as well as a weekly memorization assignment. 

By including bible study in the regular schedule, Sonlight makes sure that bible studies remain an important part of a Christian homeschooler's day.

Sonlight HBL D provides so much in the literature department. The long list of books includes the history readers (as mentioned above) as well as living books for both reading aloud together and for my student to read to herself. Living books are books that bring a subject to life, whether or not they are fiction or nonfiction.  

I will admit when I sat and looked at all these books altogether, I began to feel a little bit overwhelmed. There is so much that came with it. That overwhelmed settled when I began looking through schedules for how this curriculum works.

Sonlight provides a detailed day-by-day, week-by-week, four-days-a-week schedule. The weekly schedules tell us just what we need to do each week. I don't have to scramble to plan a week of homeschool. All 36 weeks also have notes for all the books we are reading, so discussions and vocabulary are handy. The schedule puts just the right amount of reading for the age range (9-12).

All those books. Not only am I saving time with the schedules, but I save time in the scrambele to have the materials together. I don't have to worry about library holds to pick up books because they all came with the curriculm.. 

I don't always know the best way to tie in geography to our history. I am not consistent at adding in poetry to our literature program. With Sonlight, these peripheral subjects are tied right in to the schedule. All that a homeschool family needs to add is math and science. The schedule pages even have spots to add in those subjects!

The Sonlight History/Bible/Literature D would be great for someone who really wants a scripted schedule to get through a year. With all the main subjects and materials, it is safe to say Sonlight has what is needed. 

The best part of Sonlight HBL is the rich variety of books for my daughter to enjoy. She loves to learn by reading "living books," and the books in Sonlight HBL certainly meet that description. Sometimes the hardest part of our morning is stopping our read-alouds so we can do the other work we must do. It's safe to say that reading together is her favorite part of her day: whether it's the history book or the living book. to be honest, with Sonlight, the lines blur between those two. Isn't that how learning should feel?