History-based Unit Study for Middle School

TRISMS History Makers is a wonderful unit study resource for homeschooling parents, one that is very well organized and user friendly. The study of history is taught through biographies and historical fiction, an approach that is easy to follow and results in the student retaining information much longer than when merely memorizing facts.

This curriculum contains all you need in one easy reference book: lesson plans, quizzes, tests, and reading lists (suggested and optional). The Student Master Pack provides teens with materials for their own course books in addition to quizzes, maps, questionnaires, and worksheets. Subjects cover the areas of reading, science, geography, and vocabulary. Students in Grades 6 through 8 learn history by studying inventors, explorers, and scientists. Lessons can be weekly for a one-year curriculum, or the pace can be slowed to two years (with two weeks being devoted to each lesson).

Teacher Orientation of the TRISMS History Makers is quite thorough and includes lesson plan usage, reading selections, timeline instructions, course book construction and use, culture outlines, quizzes and tests, additional resources, student pack information, biographies, and practical ideas for multi-level teaching.

A complete schedule is provided for daily, weekly, and monthly lessons. The daily course schedule consists of a questionnaire form and maps for each historical figure studied while weekly lessons include world map study, a review of vocabulary words, historical fiction reading (one book), and a written report. Quizzes are administered every 3 (three) weeks, and again at the end of a 9-week session. Monthly lessons include oral readings, by teacher, student, or taking turns (round robin). Tips for constructing the Timelines and Course Book are included, as well as a Supply List, Student Pack Inventory, and examples of how to teach multiple levels.

There is an extensive reading selection of historical fiction and biographies, as well as complete poems. Lesson plans are in a week-at-a-glance format for easy preparation, are well organized, and are easy to follow. Science assignments are clearly labeled by lesson number and include optional assignments. There are ample language arts lessons for poetry, oral book reports, English, newspaper skills, written reports, and grammar. Including the actual poems within the curriculum is a nice timesaving touch that I found quite useful, and answer keys for the worksheets are contained within the teacher's book as well. The Timelines are well done, providing a quick reference tool for both teacher and student. Space vocabulary, culture outlines for additional study, and easy to find answer keys make TRISMS an organized dream.

Although this curriculum is written with a Social Studies emphasis, I found it to be very comprehensive, adequately covering the Language Arts and Science topics with great interest. Integrated learning serves multiple learning styles, as well as those with learning disabilities. Areas of personal interest are included within the studies, which motivates both the unwilling learner and the gifted. Overall, TRISMS History Makers focuses on people, not just events. Math is not included in this curriculum; the authors recommend Saxon math for a complete learning experience.

TRISMS: History Makers 5500 B.C. to the Present sells for $ 150.00 plus shipping. This includes the Teacher's Manual and Master Pack. Additional materials may be purchased: student packs, timeline book, wall maps, various supplemental books and videos