Heritage History Curriculums and Libraries (Review & Giveaway)

I was delighted to have the chance to review Heritage History because it’s an incredible product that I’ll be able to easily integrate into the Veritas Press history program we are already using. Heritage History has packaged a plethora of classical history books into an easy-to-store CD (you’d need a few bookcases to store this many books in paper format). This history curriculum can be used on its own, as a living books style of curriculum, or in conjunction with another history program.

Historical Curriculum from Heritage History

This living books curriculum has 5 libraries that are a complete curriculum. The curriculum includes reading lists, study guides, maps, geography terms, teaching aids, and timelines.

• Young Readers
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• British Middle Ages
• British Empire

Historical Libraries from Heritage History

There are 4 more historical libraries that are not complete curriculums. This means they have the reading lists, but none of the other resources. Heritage History does have intentions of upgrading the remainder of these libraries.

• Early America
• Spanish Empire
• Christian Europe
• Modern Europe

Who Should Use Heritage History?

Each of their CDs include a great many books for 3 different age levels: late elementary (readers with at least a 4th grade reading level), middle school, and high school. So you are able to go back through historical periods with greater depth as a child grows.

There were 58 books included on the British Middle Ages Library I was sent. 18 books are geared toward upper elementary, 22 toward middle school, and 18 high school level books. There are also a several genera of books represented including: biography, legend, adapted literature, historical fiction, and episodic history.

Unfortunately, you cannot use this resource for recent history. Most of the 20th century is not covered because only books published prior to 1923 are included.

Benefits of Heritage History

• They have recommended core reading and urge you to encourage students to read more books on topics that interest them.
• The curriculum is flexible. It can be utilized on its own or in conjunction with another history program. If you utilize it on its own there are countless ways you can organize your curriculum.
• They include an electronic text user guide. This is a nice guide for those of us who are a bit technically illiterate. It includes instructions on how to download your ebooks to various eReaders and iPads, along with some other info regarding printing and binding the books if you prefer this option.
• These are good quality living classical books and I don’t have to buy several new bookshelves on which to store them!
• I love the curriculum user guide.
  • It has a recommended reading list for each age group that is divided into core and supplemental reading. The genera and historical era for each book is indicated.
  • Accountability forms are included in the curriculum user guide with a register to record books read and weekly reading registers.
  • Historical and outline maps as well as pertinent geography terms are included in the curriculum user guide.
  • There is a summary of wars and battles of of early Britain that took place between 55 BC and the early 1700′s
  • There is also a brief introduction to each historical era along with a timeline of events and a timeline of characters with a short one sentence biography.

How I’m Using Heritage History

This year, as I’ve mentioned in a prior post, we are using Veritas Press’ self-paced online history course: Middle Ages, Rennisance, and Reformation. I’m looking forward to using the following books from the British Middle Ages curriculum I received:

• Famous Men of the Middle Ages
• Stories from Beowulf
• Stories of King Arthur’s Knights
• Stories of Robin Hood
• And possibly more…

I’m also considering splurging and purchasing the Christian Europe CD so I can incorporate these books:

• Francis of Assisi
• Viking Tales
• Stories from the Crusades
• Story of Joan of Arc

Special Limited Time Offer

Each of these CD’s include 40 – 80+ books, so I think $24.99 for the curriculum and $19.99 for the libraries is quite the bargain! If you’re interested in purchasing one of the Heritage History Curriculums, you’re in luck. We liked this curriculum so much we decided to become an affiliate with Heritage History, so they provided a coupon for our readers.

Here’s what to do:

1. Now through the end of October purchase a curriculum from them.
2. When you purchase this put the Spanish Empire Library in your shopping cart.
3. Enter ‘intoxicated’ into the coupon/promotional code box.

This will get you the Spanish Libraries CD free ($19.99 value)!

Enter our Giveaway!

Heritage History is sponsoring a giveaway on our blog! You have the chance to win a curriculum CD of your choice. For everything you do below, get one entry in our drawing. (You must comment below and let us know what you did to get credit)

• Subscribe to our blog (and if you are already a subscriber, let us know that).
• Like Intoxicated on Life on Facebook (and if you are already a fan, let us know that).
• Follow Intoxicated on Life on Twitter (and if you are already following us, let us know that).
• Follow Heritage History on Facebook.
• Unlimited bonus entries every day! For every blog post from IntoxicatedOnLife.com you SHARE on Facebook, you get an entry into the drawing (post up to 2 per day and leave a comment here telling us what posts you shared).

This giveaway will end on September 8, 2012 and is open to all those residing in the US and Canada.
*Disclaimer: The only compensation I received for writing this review was a Heritage History curriculum CD of my choice. These are my honest to goodness opinions!