History/Geography

Why History & Geography Play Such an Important Role in Sonlight Curriculum

History is the centerpiece of Sonlight's homeschool curriculum.

We seek to give our homeschool students an overview of key events and people of the past, but, more importantly, we give them every opportunity to study the biographies of people who have made significant contributions to the development of human cultures in general and most especially to the advancement of God's Kingdom. Moreover, we pay special attention to those whose character and achievements we would like to emulate.

From Core D forward, Sonlight® Core programs include Readers (what some call "Read-Alones") and Read-Alouds that coincide with and enhance the books and subjects we are studying in the homeschool History curriculum.

The three subjects together--History, Readers and Read-Alouds--are so intertwined that it is sometimes impossible to tell whether a title belongs in one category or the other. Indeed, we have been known on occasion to schedule under the homeschool History curriculum section of our Core programs a book listed in the catalog as a Reader or vice versa!

What this means to you is that your study of history, for the first time, will be a fascinating, enjoyable endeavor, the highlight of your and your child's day, a subject you can hardly tear yourself away from.

Besides biographies of men and women recognized by the world at large as worthy of note, Sonlight® History includes the stories of key ambassadors of Christ in our Christian homeschool history curriculum.

Our purpose in stressing biography in our homeschool history curriculum? First, to make history "come alive." But second, and perhaps more importantly, to provide students with heroes whose standards they will adopt as their own and whose examples they will desire to follow with all their hearts. We also want them to be fully aware of the villains: those whose accomplishments they may admire but whose career paths they will want to avoid. Or those whose power for evil caused great difficulties for the people of God.

Besides reading, Sonlight® History & Geography A and following includes map work and time lines. From Core D on, written assignments in each year's Language Arts program emphasize some theme from the homeschool History curriculum just about every week. Please check out the Sonlight® Core programs for more information.

If you purchase a History package alone, you will not receive an Instructor's Guide necessary to schedule these items. If you desire both a schedule and any possible Study Guides or notes for this package you will need to purchase the appropriate Core or Instructor's Guide separately.