Here are some of the most commonly asked FAQs about the History Revealed Curriculum, which will help you understand the distinctives of this curriculum and why it is beloved of so many families and students. The easy-to-adapt structure and the freedom-to-choose student options we provide, along with the fascinating audio recordings and in-depth articles, are just part of why this curriculum works so well. Feel free to contact us with other questions regarding the curriculum and how it might fit the specific needs of your family!
1. WHAT MAKES HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM DIFFERENT FROM OTHER WORLD HISTORY CURRICULUMS?
First, this curriculum brings a Judeo-Christian, inclusive perspective to the study of world history.
Second, it is designed to welcome all kinds of learners and all kinds of “Smart” (multiple intelligence or 8 Great Smarts), bringing an excitement and enthusiasm to the study of history for EVERY learner.
Third, because we approach history studies from many different subject areas (such as geography, literature, music, art, and architecture), the student will have a much broader grasp of the events and people of history, as well as a far better retention of the material. This approach supports Charlotte Mason families, Unit Study families, Classical families, even unschoolers—anyone who intentionally seeks to provide a rich experience in learning.
Fourth, this curriculum offers an individualized program which welcomes and celebrates the different interests of students. This is not an “everyone must read these two pages and answer these questions” style of curriculum. Instead, after establishing a historic context in the first phase, it invites students to choose in the other phases: a Phase 2 topic to explore, a Phase 3 hands-on cultural project to do, and a Phase 4 creative expression project to finalize their study of the unit. The criteria for how to choose? Whichever one they would most enjoy accomplishing.
Fifth, since history is best understood from a chronological perspective, we start students at the very beginning, Creation, and bring them step by step over a three year period to the 1950’s.
Sixth, many families have reported to us that using our curriculum brought such joy to learning that it transformed their homeschooling entirely. Can you imagine having fun while learning history??? This is the place to start!
2. HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM TAKE?
For the teacher: Approximately 3 hours total prep time per chapter. That’s 3 hours a month! The amount of time spent with your students will vary with each family.
For the students: Minimum of 3-5 hours per week.
3. IS THERE A PLAN TO FOLLOW FOR TEACHING THE HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM?
Yes! The easiest and most thoroughly detailed plan is found in the Lesson Planner for each title (ACB, RRR, WWW). In addition, each Student Manual provides basic structural information for the curriculum: 9 units, 4 phases per unit, 1 week per phase (ACB, RRR, WWW). Bonus: There is freedom to adapt this structure for the needs of your family and your students.
4. WILL THERE BE GAPS IF WE STUDY WORLD HISTORY WITHOUT A TRADITIONAL TEXTBOOK?
Yes and no. Since all students have gaps in some area of their knowledge, it is possible that our students may miss some aspect of history. However, because the History Revealed curriculum encourages a chronological understanding of the flow of history—including the arts and sciences—and historic context for each era we study, students will be better equipped to fill in the gaps!
5. IS YOUR HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM CHRONOLOGICAL?
Yes, History Revealed provides a 3-part, chronological overview of world history from Creation through the Korean War. The complete curriculum is designed to be studied over the course of 3 years, one period per year.
6. IS THE HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM USABLE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY?
Yes! Our world history curriculum is “family friendly” — the entire family can study the same era of history together, but all working at their own levels. Click for an explanation of how this can work (from the Ancient Civilizations & the Bible Lesson Planner).
7. THERE ARE SO MANY IDEAS! HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO THEM ALL?
The History Revealed curriculum is like a buffet. No one would expect to go to a buffet and eat all of the different types of food … you would be sick! A buffet is designed to provide you with the option and choices so that you can select what is best for you.
In the same way, our curriculum is not designed for you to do everything we suggest … if you tried to, you would go crazy! History Revealed is designed to enable you and your students to select the suggestions that work best for you!
8. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY BOOKS? IS THE FAMILY SUPPOSED TO READ THEM ALL?
The curriculum lists many books so that you have options. ANY book that you want to read or can locate will provide valuable information. The books listed are good options if they are accessible in your area because Diana has previewed them for you.
9. WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND THE LIBRARY?
There are fabulous out-of-print books available ONLY through the library.
• It is cheap to use! (Free is a very good price.)
• Books give a better foundational understanding than typical online resources, which gives students a more thorough introduction to the specific topic they are researching.
10. WHY DO YOU INCLUDE ART/ARCHITECTURE, SCIENCE, MUSIC, GEOGRAPHY, AND LITERATURE WITH THE HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM?
First, it allows students to learn in ways that bring history to life for them: seeing, hearing, and physical involvement.
Second, it gives an integrated, fascinating, and engaging “Big Picture” approach to learning, rather than an isolated and dusty history of “names, dates, and places.”
Third, it allows more retention of information.
11. WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO HISTORY TESTS?
A Test Booklet is offered for each title in the History Revealed curriculum. The Test Booklets are designed to be used by older students who are using the Student Guide. They allow evaluation of the students’ grasp of the information in Phase 1 — the audio recordings and the introductory article at the beginning of each unit. An answer key is included with each Test Booklet.
Do you need it? Many homeschool families find that just by listening to their students talk about what they are hearing and reading, they are able to assess the level of the student’s understanding of the material.
If you are wondering how to grade the projects that your students create in Phase 2, 3, and 4, we have created the Rubrics Set. It includes ways to evaluate all of the different kinds of projects and activities students will be doing, and it will provide both you and them a framework for understanding specific and easy-to-understand elements for these evaluations.
With the Test Booklet and the Rubrics Set, you will be equipped to evaluate and grade your students’ work across all four phases. This allows your students the structure of test taking and the freedom of creative work—and it will make grading easy for you!
12. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE THE ANSWERS TO THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK?
A typical textbook that had no answers would be a sad piece. But a non-typical or non-traditional curriculum like ours requires a a different approach.
History Revealed Approach to Questions
When we write a definitive question, such as in the Test Booklet, we offer the answer. In the Student Manual, however, we do not ask students to recite or rehearse answers to somebody else’s questions.
Our DISCUSSION QUESTIONS from Phase One of each unit are meant to involve students more actively in what they have been hearing and reading. This step is normally absent in most curricula!
Asking questions here is NOT for the purpose of identifying how much students memorized from the CD’s or articles! This is NOT a test. This is a strategically placed opportunity for students to say, “Wow, I wonder how that works?” (or something to that effect). Questions are designed to energize students to become actively involved in looking things up, asking their own questions, formulating ideas and opinions.
Example of a Discussion Question
Some of the questions draw students into considering what it would have been like to have lived during that time.
For instance, “The fire that destroyed much of Rome during Nero’s reign caused Nero to need a scapegoat (an innocent substitute to take the blame). Why do you think he picked on the Christians? Would you want someone like Nero to be the ruler in your country? Why or why not?”
This is an open-ended question. Why do YOU think Nero picked on the Christians? Your thoughts on this question might be different than mine, which might be different than my neighbor’s. But if it gets students considering, even passionately defending why they think Nero used Christians as scapegoats, suddenly they have a vested interest in learning MORE about Nero and this time period. THAT is the goal!
Why Not Provide Answers?
If we put answers to these types of questions in the Teacher Guides, it would reduce considerably the “Sherlock Holmes” factor — the desire, the hunger, to discover what they are interested in knowing.
Now, let me hasten to say that students are not supposed to answer EVERY question. The point is not to see how many questions they can answer. The point is to have a rousing discussion time, where even ONE question causes students to want to become excited and eager to learn more. Having the answers in the back of the book would defeat that very purpose!
13. WHAT MATERIALS DO I NEED FOR EACH SECTION OF THE HISTORY REVEALED CURRICULUM?
Ancient Civilizations & The Bible
ESSENTIAL MATERIALS NEEDED
- What in the World? Audio CD, Vol 1
- Ancient Civilizations & The Bible Student Manual
- Ancient Civilizations & The Bible Teacher Guide
The Essentials Pack, which includes all three titles above + Test Booklet, Quick-Start Guide, Rubrics Set for grading/assessing creative work, and Basic Lesson Plan provides the basics of what you need.
See more about Ancient Civilizations Essentials Pack
HELPFUL EXTRAS
- True Tales Volume One
- Digging Deeper Volume One
- Ancient Civilizations & the Bible Lesson Planner (daily activities coordinated for both younger and older students)
- Ancient Civilizations & the Bible Elementary Activity Book (for younger students, approx. grades K-4)
The Premium Pack includes all of these products (along with Test Booklet, Quick-Start Guide, and Rubrics Set), PLUS 8 Kinds of Smart DVD (for the whole family) AND Well-Kept Secrets of a Biblical Education (Mp4 download only).
See more about Ancient Civilizations Premium Pack
Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries
MATERIALS NEEDED
- What in the World? Audio CD, Vol 2
- Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Student Manual
- Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Teacher Guide
- OR, Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Essentials Pack
See more about Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Essentials Pack
HELPFUL EXTRAS
- True Tales Audio CD, Vol 2
- Digging Deeper Audio CD, Vol 2
- Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Lesson Planner (daily activities coordinated for both younger and older students)
- Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Elementary Activity Book (for younger students, approx. grades K-4)
- All Glory, Laud and Honor Audio CD (A Capella hymns — historically arranged)
The Premium Pack includes all of these products (along with Test Booklet, Quick-Start Guide, and Rubrics Set), PLUS 8 Kinds of Smart DVD (for the whole family).
See more about Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Premium Pack
World Empires, World Missions, World Wars
MATERIALS NEEDED
- What in the World? Audio CD, Vol 3
- World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Student Manual
- World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Teacher Guide
- OR, World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Essentials Pack
See more about World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Essentials Pack
HELPFUL EXTRAS
- True Tales Audio CD, Vol 3
- Digging Deeper Audio CD, Vol 3
- Darwin & Scopes Bonus CD
- World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Lesson Planner (daily activities coordinated for both younger and older students)
- World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Elementary Activity Book (for younger students approx. Grades k-4)
The Premium Pack includes all of these products (along with Test Booklet, Quick-Start Guide, and Rubrics Set), PLUS 8 Kinds of Smart DVD (for the whole family).
See more about World Empires, World Mission, World Wars Essentials Pack
14. WHAT IS COVERED ON THE HISTORY REVEALED AUDIO SERIES?
Diana Waring’s History Audio CDs & Mp3s are rich with a variety of information, stories, and investigatory content to accompany each section of the History Revealed world history curriculum or to enjoy simply as interesting information and stories for history lovers of any age.
See more about Diana’s World History Audio
What is Covered in the History Audio CDs/Mp3s
- Volume 1 of each set covers the Ancient Civilizations & the Bible (ancient history) period
- Volume 2 of each set covers the Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries (middle ages history) period
- Volume 3 of each set covers the World Empires, World Missions, World Wars (modern history) period
- What in the World include 4 CDs per volume (or Mp3). These recordings provide foundational material for each period of history. These audio recordings are required for study with each period of the History Revealed curriculum.
- True Tales include 3 CDs per volume (or Mp3). Each set includes captivating stories of events and biographies of key figures from each period of history. These audio recordings are not required for study of the history curriculum but provide fascinating supplementary material.
- Digging Deeper include 3 CDs per volume (or Mp3). Each set includes more in-depth discussion of fascinating facts from each time period. These audio recordings are not required for study of the history curriculum but provide even more fascinating supplementary material.