Audiobooks for World History

Audio books are an excellent way to make historical fiction accessible.  I hear parents talk about lacking confidence in their read-aloud ability, and that's ok!  We all have different talents.  Me...I do the voices.  All of them!  And my kids love being read to...even as teens (though they'd surely deny it if their friends ask).

When we're travelling in the car, one of the boys is reading something he finds difficult, or we just want to break up the monotony, we turn to these historical audio books.  The characters bring the stories to life...and these stories are our boys' favorites (so they're pretty light on the romance).

The list below are our top ten favorite world history audio books - with the stamp of approval from a house full of boys! - but it is not exhaustive. Use these as a jumping off point for finding your family's next listen...

Updated: Trouble in Paradise

When we got a new car, we had instant issues with our audiobooks!  The problem?  No cd player.  It's a bit discriminatory of companies to just assume that everyone has a smartphone and streaming capabilities...   Nevertheless, we wanted to continue listening to the books we owned while driving, so we searched and searched and finally found this integrated vehicle cd player.  It can be mounted vertically or horizontally in your car.

You have to get one that will work with your specific car, so be sure to check the chart online, but this one - in spite of the additional cost - worked well with our car and allowed us to still use the books we had, without having to repurchase them in a different format or subscribe to a cell service for same reason.  If you're in the minority, like we are, I highly recommending checking it out, as it looks like cars aren't going to be going back to CD players, and our manufacturer insisted that they couldn't install one aftermarket....

You may also like American History Audio Books for Boys.

	In Freedom's Cause Setting: AD 1300's  Liberty or death - this was the choice the people of 14th century Scotland faced if they rose up against their English ruler. Most would say it was no choice at all. Many of the Scottish nobles were English supporters. Few could be expected to rise up against the numerically overwhelming English army. The hero of the story, Archibald Forbes, joins the struggle for Scottish freedom led by the valiant Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. The extraordinary valor and personal prowess of these men rival the deeds of the mythical heroes of chivalry. Henty weaves a wonderful story around the actual events of 1314 at Bannockburn.
	Snow Treasure In the bleak winter of 1940, Nazi troops parachuted into Peter Lundstrom's tiny Norwegian village and held it captive. Nobody thought the Nazis could be defeated—until Uncle Victor told Peter how the children could fool the enemy. It was a dangerous plan. They had to slip past Nazi guards with nine million dollars in gold hidden on their sleds. It meant risking their country's treasure—and their lives. This classic story of how a group of children outwitted the Nazis and sent the treasure to America has captivated generations of readers.
	I Pledge Allegiance Morris, Rudi, Ivan, and Beck are best friends for life. So when one of the teens is drafted into the Vietnam War, the others sign up, too. Although they each serve in a different branch, they are fighting the war together - and they pledge to do all they can to come home together.  Haunted by dreams of violence and death, Morris makes it his personal mission to watch over his friends - and the best place to do that is in the US Navy. Stationed off the coast of Vietnam on the USS Boston, Morris and his fellow sailors provide crucial support to the troops on the ground.  But the Boston itself isn't safe from attack. And as Morris finds his courage and resolve tested like never before, he keeps coming back to a single thought.  He made a pledge. He must keep them safe.
	St. Bartholomew's Eve On August 24, 1572, more than 2000 French Huguenots -- men, women, and children -- were massacred for their faith. In St. Bartholomew's Eve, Henty vividly depicts Admiral Coligny's unflinching bravery, Queen Elizabeth's vacillating foreign policy, Catherine de Medici's vindictive scheming, and the Queen of Navarre's inner strength as he recounts the adventures of Phillip Fletcher, son of an Englishman and a Frenchwoman, who journeys to France to take part in the Huguenots' struggle for freedom. He and his band of soldiers see much combat, and Phillip's skill as a swordsman and marksman is required innumerable times before he returns as a hero to England.
	Wulf the Saxon The year is 1065. Edward the Confessor is King of England. Wulf, a teenaged Saxon, is learning to be a respected landowner. But when Wulf and his friend, Earl Harold Hadrada, find themselves shipwrecked on the shores of Normandy, a desperate struggle for the throne of England begins. In a series of events that change the course of history, Wulf finds himself in a bitter war with the Welsh and on a battlefield outside the village of Hastings. Brothers will become enemies. A boy will become a man. A nation will be born.
	Beric the Briton This tale of the Roman invasion of ancient Britannia remains one of G.A. Henty’s most popular novels of all time. Join Beric and his best friend Bodouc as they live the adventure of a lifetime – captured by the Romans, trained as gladiators, and placed in the service of Emperor Nero himself! When the story of a mysterious “Christus” begins to circulate the Roman Empire, Beric and Bodouc are forced to confront their pagan past. Will the two young prisoners be able to overcome their thirst for revenge and discover the source of true forgiveness?
	In the Reign of Terror When 16-year-old Harry visits France, his journey plummets him into one of history’s darkest times—the French Revolution. Chaos challenges Harry’s faith as he struggles not only to survive, but to rescue the family who lovingly took him in as their own and who now face the guillotine for no other “crime” than their noble lineage.
	Cat of Bubastes Amuba, a prince of the Rebu nation on the shores of the Caspian Sea, with his charioteer Jethro, is carried into slavery after losing a battle with the Egyptians. They become servants of the house of Ameres, an Egyptian high priest, and are qutie happy there, until the priest's son accidentally kills the sacred cat of Bubastes. The locals rise up in rage and kill Ameres, and Jethro and Amuba must escape with the high priest's son and daughter. After crossing the desert to the Red Sea, they eventually make their way back to freedom.
	Greek Myths For thousands of years, these tales have thrilled audiences. In this audiobook, master storyteller Jim Weiss makes mighty Hercules, greedy King Midas, beautiful Arachne, brave Perseus, and dangerous Medusa understandable to children, while emphasizing character over violence. Includes the following stories: King Midas and the Golden Touch Adventures of Hercules Perseus and Medusa Arachne
	For the Temple The troubles in the district of Tiberias, the march of the legions, the sieges of Jotapata, of Gamala, and of Jerusalem all come to life. In this impressive and carefully studied historic setting, you will follow a lad, John of Gamala, who passes from the vineyard to the service of Josephus, becomes the leader of a guerrilla band of patriots, fights bravely for the Temple, and after a brief term of slavery at Alexandria, returns to his Galilean home with the favor of Titus. The fall of Jerusalem is brought to life in this classic.

A full, four-year history curriculum, The Story of the World comes in audio book format, which is perfect for the family on the go!  The narrator brings to life history and stories from the Earth's creation all the way through modern day.  The stories are in bite-sized chunks and are perfect for elementary and middle school students, as well as older folks who like a good story!
Story of the World comes in four volumes, ordered chronologically.

Access all of our FREE Novel Studies for both modern and vintage literature here.

Roadschool Trip to Fort Ticonderoga

Take a step back in time at Fort Ticonderoga.  During the American Revolution, it was the scene of America's first major victory, and the northern stronghold protecting New York and New England from British invasion from Canada.  It also played a role in the French & Indian War. 

 

We Were There with Ethan Allen novel study

Fort Ticonderoga unit :

• DIY Revolutionary War-era costumes
• Fort Ticonderoga is featured in the series Liberty's Kids
• We Were There with Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys & Novel Study
• Historic Costumes and How to Make Them
• The Adirondack Kids #11: The Fall of Fort Ticonderoga
• Aaron and the Green Mountain Boys (early reader)
• Fort Ti reading comprehension (Free)
• short Fort Ticonderoga video

I almost titled this "The Long & Winding Road," since you take a four-hour series of winding, two-lane backroads through the Adirondack Mountains to reach the fort.  It was a beautiful day, and a nice drive.  A couple of recommendations though : don't try to read in the car, and there are no bathrooms for very long stretches.  Once you arrive, though, it's worth the ride.

Built on Lake Champlain, the fort was originally controlled by the French, and when the British seized it during the French & Indian War, they also took control of the weaponry.  These cannons have intricate scrollwork that belie their French heritage.  

A soldier guided us around the fort, explaining everyday fort life for both soldiers and officers.  I had the chance to hang out with good ol' Ethan Allen (the subject of our current book), and then several soldiers demonstrated how to load and fire the muskets in formation. 

  

Back inside the fortress walls, we learned how to create scrollwork on a powder horn, and the boys had a chance to practice those Cub Scout knots again.  We watched the cobbler making shoes by hand from leather hides, and saw the tailor cutting out new uniform pieces.  Every 'costume' worn by employees at the fort is made in-house, using raw materials and using the original methods.  How neat is that?

The boys are convinced that they need Revolutionary War costumes now, and have already begun making an itemized list of every piece they will need to create them.  Maybe we'll create a new course once we return home - Costume Design & Sewing. It'll be part of home economics.

Back outside for a walk before getting back in the car, we caught the boys.......being boys.  Yes, they are pretending to shoot each other out of the cannon.

It's always nice to be able to bring history alive.  We have been reading the We Were There book for a couple of days, but now we can visualize it.  This trip, our goal is to bring sites from the Revolutionary War to life for the kids.

Back on the road.....our next stop will be somewhere in Vermont!

Organizing Schoolhouse Teachers with Google Classroom

Homeschoolers have different styles.  Some need structure and rigidity (rather because of personal preferences or a requirement of the state), while others go for a more laid-back approach.  Some need to get everything prepped and ready to go over the weekend - possibly because they're working and teaching - while others go with the flow each day.

You may also be interested in: Tailoring School Boxes to Your Student's Needs

For the families that need more structure, who are trying to juggle working from home and teaching, Google Classroom is a great option for managing assignments with middle and high school students.  These students are capable of more independent work, but still need to be pointed in the right direction.  With Google Classroom, you upload assignments, give due dates, and can record grades after completion. 

Two great benefits of this system are the assignment calendar and the sheer amount of paper saved by completing several assignments online.  It allows you to use any digital curriculum that you have available, in any location with internet access, without having a bunch of books and notebooks....which is a huge plus for roadschooling or travelling families!

Set Up Google Classroom for Homeschool Use

• Register your homeschool for Google Classroom.
• Each student will need his / her own login information (Google account).
• After registering, take a few moments to walk through the introductory tutorials.

In the Member Dashboard of SchoolhouseTeachers, you can bookmark classes that your students are currently working on.  This allows you to easily find the courses and assignments, and once they have completed the class you simply remove the bookmark.

Thanks to the lesson plans that ST provides for each course, you can upload an entire semester or year's worth of assignments in one long weekend prior to the beginning of the school year.

Upload your Course Assignments

With the class in these pics - People and Places of World War II - I uploaded all of the materials at one time, and then have created weekly assignments telling them which pages to read and what to complete.  It took about 45 minutes to upload the assignments and materials for the entire year class.  Yes, that's per class, but then you're done setting up for the year... plus it tells you when they've completed the assignment, creates a portfolio of their work, and stores grades (once you've graded it) for their school record.

• Create one 'class' per course.  Copy the lesson plan from ST, then add or delete instructions as needed.  
• Your student will take notes and answer questions for the lesson.  Answers can be typed into the document or handwritten into a notebook.
• For classes that are video based, simply upload the assignments with the links for them to go directly to the videos.
• Each class session will immediately follow the previous one, so that by the end of the semester, you will have one long document (a string of all the class sessions) for the entire class.
• With the feed feature, you can give your students feedback throughout the course.  This will generate one long conversation that adds to the record.

Need more assistance?  Check out the Google Classroom Cheat Sheets




New to SchoolhouseTeachers? It includes all classes, for all grades...and it's one price for the entire family. There are many different learning styles to select from, so if you have one visual kid who needs a relaxed pace and one aural kid who needs a more stringent pace, there are classes that will fit them each. With over 475 classes available, plus extras for mom and dad, this is my favorite resource to offer new families who are wanting to dip their toe into homeschooling but don't even have an idea of how to answer the above questions! 

Cutting Down on the Cost of College (College Prep)

We began homeschooling because we felt that we could give our kids a better, more individualized, education than the public schools.  Our end goal was graduation from a college with a good job lined up.  After years of homeschooling, this outcome would also provide validation to all those original naysayers...

Look for more in-depth discussion of this topic and more in Through the Door: Homeschool to College Success! This book & worktext set will help you and your high school student breeze through the steps of college and scholarship applications, as well as brushing up on study habits and life skills. The worktext includes activities, worksheets, and planning pages, and accompanies the book.

What I really want for my children is an adjustment into adulthood that allows them to be responsible and happy.  We work on life skills regularly, through our actual daily living.  Filling out paperwork at the doctor, creating a grocery list with the circular, paying bills, making repairs around the house...all of these are teachable moments that help our children to become more prepared for adulthood.  Do they really need the transitional phase of college?

Note - 'College' in this particular article is specified as a traditional, four-year university.

College has Changed....NOT for the Better

For the last few generations, the collegiate years have been a crucial part of the growing up experience.  Do I want my child to miss out on having a roommate, suite life, meeting peers, potentially meeting a spouse, and having that limbo-phase before full adulthood?  Even the partying comes with its own learning opportunities.

The system has changed, however, since my generation attended college, and it's failing.  Inflated costs have driven up student debt so high that many cannot fathom how to escape it upon graduation, even with a good job lined up.  Scholarships, dual enrollment, and credit by exams help to offset the costs, but with an increased rate of nearly 60% over the past ten years, college is simply no longer affordable to many.

Also, because so many students are still being funneled into colleges, even with the prospect of crippling debt, there are too many graduates for the available jobs.  Students are either going on to graduate school, in the hopes of getting a job in their chosen field, or taking whatever job they can find.  Simply put - there are too many professionals being graduated, and not enough professional jobs.  

Graduating with four to six years of college debt, and winding up in a low-paying job that didn't require a college degree, meanwhile trying to pay off loans...that's not how I want my children to start off their adult lives!

Points to Ponder

• Why does your child want to go to college?  (Or why do you want him to go?)
• If the first things that come to mind are: everyone else is doing it, my parents did it, it's just what you do, or I don't know, then maybe you should step back and really evaluate the next few questions.
• Is your child planning to go into a specialized field that requires higher education, such as medicine, law, or STEM?
• If the career plan is to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, a four year degree (and usually more) is definitely required.  Start looking into scholarships!
• If not, will the college experience be worth the cost?
• Consider the type of college, the college itself, and the intended degree.  Do any (or all) of these carry at least some prestige?  
• Will the chosen degree lead to a job in a higher-paying field than without college?
• Are there alumni benefits (such as networking and career placement) at the intended college?  What are the beneficial intangibles?

What Else to Try?

The easiest path is to transition from high school directly into college, but that's not necessarily the most rewarding.  Do any of these ideas appeal to your child?  Would any of them serve as a jumping off point to a more fulfilling future?

• Community College
• Students can take a two-year course of study, resulting in an Associate's Degree or a career certification.  
• There is the option to move forward to a four-year college after finishing these two years.  Going this route will shave quite a bit off tuition as the first two years will have been completed at a very reduced rate (compared to traditional college).
• Vocational School
• Earning a certificate for specialized trades can open doors to well-paying, steady jobs.  Internships and on the job training are often part of this coursework.
• Welding, electrician, automotive repair, and refrigeration are all examples of vocational school certificates.
• Military
• Would you like your child to jump into a career that offers free health care, a competitive salary, free room and board (sometimes), and will cover tuition should s/he decide to attend college later?
• The military can be a good option for many students to obtain free education while committing to serve and protect their country.  Full retirement at only twenty years is also an option, allowing them to begin a whole second career later in life, should they choose!
• On-the-Job Training
• Going straight to work isn't necessarily a one-way ticket to low income life.  There are many jobs that don't require a four year degree (just ask Mike Rowe!) but still pay well.  These jobs often require some on the job training.
• Volunteering / Gap Year
• I'm not a huge fan of the gap year, honestly.  'Finding yourself' on mom and dad's dime?  Nope.  But if it's spent volunteering, it can come with some great rewards, including learning hands-on skills and gaining group leadership and teamwork experience.
• Volunteering can also open doors to opportunities you didn't even know existed and introduce you to career paths that were not of interest before.

Through the Door also includes:

• Eleven Tips for Scoring Scholarships
• Beware these Scholarship Scams!
• and a Guide to Dual Enrollment.

Pick up your copy of Through the Door: Homeschool to College Success!

Roadschool Field Trip to Lake Champlain

Studying the 'Revolutionary War' and 'War of 1812,' we visited the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, VT.  They focus on the historical role that this area played in both conflicts, as well as general maritime history.

Their extensive collection of boats ranges from excavated, millennia-old Native American vessels to modern, unique ice-yachts.  My husband had been quite gung-ho about possibly relocating to this area until he realized that they have an entire season dedicated strictly to ice-based sports...at which point he decided the south was a pretty nice place to be in the winter!

 

There are several outbuildings at the museum, each with a difference focus.  At "The Revolutionary War," we learned about Benedict Arnold's role in the Lake Champlain region, and also about a flag that we had never seen.

 

In the underwater archaeology exhibit, our eldest had a chance to try out a real, antique diving suit.  It was so heavy that it took two adults to get it off his head!  The museum is a living archaeological site, continually excavating area shipwrecks to add to their collection.  We also got a two-fer at the 'Summer Cabin' exhibit, when the boys got a lesson in nautical knot-tying.  They both needed to learn these skills as part of their Cub Scout curriculum.

We approached the lake, where they have boats that are used for field trips and various excursions.  There were no trips running today, but the guy maintaining the lines took some time to demonstrate how the cannons operated on the smaller ship.  Supposedly, this deck would hold 45 men, operating nine cannons, during the War of 1812.  Their interest, though, was how loud and how cool the cannons were!  He also took us on a canal boat, which was a bit like an 18th century big rigs - hauling freight from the lake to the Atlantic coastal cities, and back.

 

We learned about "canal families," who would live full-time on these cargo ships.  The parents made a living transporting goods, and the children homeschooled and helped with the daily chores.  The kitchen / living area looked way too tiny for me to ever consider this lifestyle.  My hat's off to those who endured it! 

Ultimately, canal life ended, because the government declared homeschooling illegal, and forced the families to send their children to public schools.  Let's take a moment, and appreciate the fact that we once again have the freedom to select the best method for our children's education.

Maritime Museum resources :

• Self-guided tour of the Maritime Museum (Free)
• Amazing Impossible Erie Canal
• Erie Canal mini-lapbook (Free)

Younger Kids:

• Sailing Home lapbook (Free)
• Sailing Home
• My Blue Boat lapbook (Free)
• My Blue Boat

Older Kids :

• Underwater Archaeology unit (Free)
• Boats unit (Free)
• Champlain during the American Revolution (Free)
• All Hands on Deck unit study (Free)
• Video on Naval History during 1812 (15 min. - free)

The Champlain Canal is a 60-mile canal that connects the south end of Lake Champlain to the Hudson River in New York. It was simultaneously constructed with the Erie Canal and is now part of the New York State Canal System and the Lakes to Locks Passage.

The canal was proposed in 1812 and construction authorized in 1817. By 1818, 12 miles were completed and in 1819 the canal was opened from Fort Edward to Lake Champlain.  The canal was officially opened on September 10, 1823.  It was an immediate financial success and carried substantial commercial traffic until the 1970s.

Today, the enlarged barge canal provides a convenient route from the Atlantic Ocean and Hudson River to Lake Champlain for recreational boaters. By traveling the length of Lake Champlain, boaters can access the Chambly Canal, which connects Lake Champlain to the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
(from Wikipedia)