Year 4 History: 1900-Present Day
It becomes really fascinating when you study world history chronologically and see how interconnected everything is, all the causes and effects.
We use Tapestry of Grace for book lists, but I also peruse Ambleside Online and other lists for a well-rounded history curriculum. I want all sides and perspectives.
We use this history text as a guide: The Story of the World: The Modern Age.
I typically look at the unit overview and make a checklist of books, topics, and movies. We don’t follow the weekly plan exactly.
I go to the library about every week and get what I can.
I shop thrift stores, yard sales, half-price and used bookstores to get books we love to read again and again.
We love poetry and literature, and I’m always adding to our collection. I want to read them all!
Other books we use throughout our history studies – over several years:
- This Country of Ours by HE Marshall
- Our Island Story by HE Marshall
- The Struggle for Sea Power by MB Synge
- The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon
- Magic Treehouse
- If You Grew Up…
- American Girl Collection and Real Stories From My Time
- The Royal Diaries
- Dear America
We love Netflix and Amazon Prime for streaming. We sometimes view YouTube.
See how we do history.
I’ve read these books to help me educate myself:
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Books we read as spines for Year 4:
The Century for Young People by Peter Jennings, Todd Brewster, and Jennifer Armstrong
A History of US by Joy Hakim
I wasn’t thrilled with how the units were divided in our history curriculum for year 4.
It didn’t seem to give us enough time to cover WWII. Korea and Vietnam were skimmed over. Very little discussion about South America or Africa. The last unit was scarce with literature or history selections and I’m sorry but I think lots has happened in the world during my lifetime.
Great literature has been written in the last century. So much history has happened. It’s hard to connect the dots for kids since we have to look at the origins of the conflicts that could be hundreds of years ago. For church history, we discuss harm missionaries often cause to indigenous peoples or misusing the Bible and wrong doctrine. We like to read other accounts and texts from many religions and faiths.
A wonderful thing is we can actually talk to living people about their memories of recent historical events.
I have the freedom to do my own research and take as much time as we want on different topics of interest.
Unit 1: World War I
Literature
The Burgess Bird Book for Children
History
Topics:
Henry Ford
Teddy Roosevelt
Albert Einstein
post-colonial South America
Immigration
Titanic
Jazz music
Temperance Movement in USA
WWI
Russian Revolution
Harlem Renaissance in USA
Books:
Activities
Any museum, site, or exhibit
– See My WWI unit study. We visited Flanders.
Paper Dolls
Music from this period
Art from this period
Church History
Movies
American Experience: America 1900
Unit 2: World War II
Literature
The Red Pony and The Pearl by John Steinbeck
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
History
Topics:
Disney
The Great Depression – see my unit study
Dust Bowl
Prohibition in USA
FDR
Eleanor Roosevelt
Photography
WWII
Stalin
Mao
Communism
Jewish History and Customs
Books:
Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot
Activities
Any museum, site, or exhibit
– See my WWII unit study. We visited Prague, the Anne Frank House, Dachau, and Normandy.
Paper Dolls
Music from this period
Art from this period
Church History
Movies
Unit 3: Civil Rights and Conflicts in Asia
Literature
The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure
Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock
Fahrenheit 451 (see my unit study for this book!)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963
History
Topics:
Civil Rights
Communism
The Cold War
Cuba
Korea
Vietnam
Cambodia
Space Race
Books:
Mission Control, This is Apollo
Activities
Any museum, site, or exhibit
See my units: China, Vietnam, Korea, Diversity here and here
Paper Dolls
Music from this period
Art from this period
Church History
Movies
The Manchurian Candidate original and remake
Unit 4: Cold War, Terrorism, 9/11, Current Events
Literature
James Herriot’s Treasury for Children
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
History
Topics:
The Cold War
Communism
Berlin Wall
Computers and Technology
Internet
The Middle East
Arab Spring
Cambodian Killing Fields
Rwandan Genocide
Yugoslavia
9/11
Rise of Terrorism
Popular Culture
Civil Rights
The Fellowship Foundation
Enron, WorldCom, Lehman Brothers
Central Park Five
Black Lives Matter
#MeToo
Books:
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
Activities
Any museum, site, or exhibit
Paper Dolls
Music from this period
Art from this period
Church History
#ChurchToo
#Exvangelical
Movies
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
I’m still adding to my list. There is still so much being learned about recent events and I love researching and learning with my kids.
See my Pinterest board for Year 4 History:
Great list of resources! We tend to use a wide variety of books, field trips and movies too.
I love history, this list has some great ideas. We are never too young or old to learn.
Wow, this is a mega list of resources and ideas. I don’t even know where to begin but I’d be referencing your site if my kids were older. Still, I love history too and I love your picks of books as well. thank you for linking up with us at #OMHGWW
What a fabulous collection of resources. I’ve pinned this post to my Homeschooling board on Pinterest. I must admit, the literature resources had me wanting to go back a re-read so many titles! Thank you for sharing, Jen, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Hope you have a lovely weekend!
Thanks for sharing these great resources on the #LMMLinkukp. I would love to read many of the books you recommended not for just for history but because they look like great classics.
Wow! I love that you put this all together and share it, Jennifer! I wasn’t a Homeschooling Mama but I can’t imagine how helpful this would be! In fact, I’m following you now because Lil Miss is still tiny – but I’m sure there is a wealth of knowledge from you over on Pinterest as she grows!