I've decided to limit DS5's access to DreamBox, and online math program, because he just spends too much time on it. I'm not taking it away but would like to replace some of the time with something else. When I was rattling off topics he jumped on history. I know he was fascinated by The Star Spangled Banner and the events pertaining to its writing.

Do you have recommendations for apps, computer programs, possibly shows/videos, games that teach as they are played, or engaging books for history? I don't have a specific time period in mind.

Thanks!!

If you are trying to limit computer time, I wouldn't do Brain Pop...it is great, and I use it for when I need to get things done so I won't be interrupted, but you will likely run into the same prob. It is supposed to be used as a guide to HS, a starting point to jump off from to more depth...but left alone, they just watch all the videos. At least they are educational. But it is too easily overdone, IMHO.

DK Readers makes some awesome timelines of history books, very visually engaging. I am also just starting to try to find a history curriculum... (In fact I am trying to find everything right now;)

I am thinking about ordering Susan Wise, (Well Trained Mind) history books. Visually they are bland, but I understand they are great read alouds, that also have tons of refs for further library book getting. This is not a do it on your own curriculum.
It is designed to be done hand in hand with adult. So if you just need free time for yourself, but want to keep 'em engaged, maybe just a great stack of books from the library that are nonfiction will spark his interest.

My DS7 uses Brain Pop and loves taking the quiz after each video. He'll often go back to review the material.

Another option is to consider a full multimedia digital textbook:
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/administrators/curricular-resources/ss-techbook/ss-overview.cfm

Zen Scanner - Thanks for the suggestion, it looks great! Unfortunately it is not available for purchase by individuals.

Sorry, thought it was. Such a good fit to home learning.

When my DD was 6, she was fascinated by a series of books that described what life was like during the childhoods of different historical characters:

http://www.amazon.com/If-You-Grew-George-Washington/dp/0590451553

There are many apps that he might really like- from Stack the States and Presidents vs. Aliens to Oregon Trail and versions of all the main documents.

We are also very partial to icivics.org!

If you're looking for books, check out Horrible Histories, and the "You Wouldn't Want to Be ___" series as well.

Keep an eye on http://homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/ where they often have Discovery Education specials for homeschoolers. I haven't seen that ebook version, but they may have it in the summer for next year.

any book by Jean Fritz:

George Washington's Breakfast (although the version my son read wasn't as cartoony and was more 1950's illustrations style, I wonder if it was an earlier edition)

Can't you make them behave, King George?
Will you sign here, John Handcock?


Lane Smith is one of our favorite authors and we liked this by him



I like picture books with my children when they are young as an introduction and then we get more advanced stuff if they are interested in learning more.

I will second the DK Readers - lots of illustrations together with some illuminating text.

Another one my DD8 really loved at that age was the Magic Treehouse series of books - both audio and the actual books. She was 100% engaged and absorbed an incredible amount of information - to the point where when we were watching 'Ice Age' together at around that age and I pointed out the cave paintings she was quite unfazed, just shrugged and told me that she had already been informed about them by the Magic Treehouse!

The fact tracker books that go with the magic treehouse books are quite good. Try the well trained mind forums. Heritage books have classical historical fiction as e-books. They are supposed to be well formatted and when you buy them you get it in both epub and kindle format.

Joy Hakim's The History of the US was a very popular series in our house!

For that age Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World is great. K12's history courses for grades K-4 are also wonderful (but more expensive).

For kids working at a 4th grade level or so, I'd recommend Joy Hakim's A History of US, but I prefer the *concise* edition (produced by K12).

And for kids working at about a 5th grade level K12's Human Odyssey series (world history) is truly excellent.

(K12 really has done an amazing job with their history program, at least with the input part.)

Joy Hakim's The Story of Science is good too. I'm currently pairing it with the Human Odyssey.

Check out Biblioplan - http://www.biblioplan.net/ - it's for homeschooling, I know the authors, but have never used it - looks great though.