Reviews for U.S. History Detective® Book 1

I found plenty of detailed extras that really round out this curriculum, including editorial cartoons that teach the student the cultural mindset of the period they are studying, and help them understand and interpret various historical writings, statements, and events. This book is very thorough, and effectively teaches the highlights of American History that every American high schooler should know before graduating. We found that controversial topics are written in an objective way, for the student to draw their own conclusions. It leaves plenty of room for the teacher/parent to guide the student in the perspective that they would like to emphasize. If a student is studying and preparing to take standardized testing, either AP, SAT Subject, or CLEP, in U.S. History, this book would be a great help in that preparation.

US History Detective Book I presents history lessons (the Colonial Era through Reconstruction), yes, but it incorporates critical thinking skills (imagine that) into the lessons themselves. If your child doesn't cotton to such things - don't worry, it's done so subtly that they won't even realize it's happening! The feature that I love so much about this book is that when it asks students a question, even when the answer is multiple choice, it requires them to identify the sentence or paragraph that supports their answer. Learning that skill is such a valuable one! Also, the full-color graphics are just gorgeous! The format is deceptively simple, but the content is surprisingly deep.

“US History Detective was exactly what my 12 y.o.daughter, who is a prolific reader, needed. Up until now, she's been learning history by reading historical fiction books and biographies, as well as watching documentaries and movies. US History Detective gave her the opportunity to test her knowledge, review dates and learn important facts she had missed. She does not like textbooks but US History Detective is far from being a textbook. Each lesson is short and concise, about 3 pages long filled with graphics, maps and pictures. Once the text is read, there are about 9-10 multiple choice questions ACT/SAT style – this has been great practice for my daughter who had no experience with test taking until now. After each lesson, the student is also required to answer a short essay question and put into writing what they just learned. One feature we really like is the review every 3 lessons. They keep the facts she's learning up front and fresh. Overall, I think this is the perfect curriculum for students who do not like textbooks, or need practice taking ACT/SAT tests or just need a quick review of US History. As an unschooling/ecclectic family, this curriculum was the perfect fit for us. Each lesson takes about 30 minutes to do and is engaging and interesting. I am looking forward to Book 2 and will probably use this curriculum with my other kids as well. "

U.S. History Detective Book I covers American history from the Colonial Era through the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. It works quite well as either a stand-alone textbook, supplemental resource, or as a review. One of several ways this book successfully enhances students' understanding is through a strong emphasis on integrating critical thinking into the learning process. Lessons are concise - a brief passage to read followed by a series of multiple choice, short answer, or short essay questions that ask students to provide evidence to support their answers. Students are engaged by this approach and develop a predisposition towards thinking through how they arrive at their answers, a practice that will do them in good stead for years to come. Fun Fact Features are sprinkled throughout the book in a game-like fashion that piques students' interest and provides an added element of fun to the learning.

This entire book focuses on training a student to think past historical dates and names and to really understand the movements, history, and people who shaped the United States. The information is not too in-depth that it overloads a student's mind, nor is it too little that it skims the surface of our American history.

As a homeschooler, I have always found it difficult to find history curriculum that fit my teaching style and method. In U.S. History Detective there are maps, timelines, and pictures throughout the book give the reader visual understanding. Each lesson includes two or three pages of reading, followed by fill in the blank, multiple choice, and written response questions. For the multiple choice questions, the student is asked to give the sentence in the reading that best supports the answer given. Students must draw inferences and conclusions based on their evaluation of the evidence. They must sort through what is fact verses opinion. By drawing on information in each reading, students will then use evidence to support conclusions in their short essay writing. I would highly recommend this book to fellow homeschoolers and educators. Not only will your child learn history but they will develop great critical thinking skills in the process. Anytime you can 'kill two birds with one stone', that is a plus in my book. The lessons are well written and chock-full of historical information without fluff. If you have been searching for a comprehensive history curriculum, look no further.