Roman History and Latin Curricula

Ok, slightly obscure.  My son has expressed interest in all things Roman.  He wants to learn Latin, and for history this year he wants to study the ins and outs of Roman History. The beauty of homeschooling is child directed learning. However finding homeschool curricula on this has been challenging.  Here's a list of what I've found to save you some time.  I'm inspired to write a curricula...because there's nothing out there that is the way I want it to be. I don't even know where to begin, but I just might work through it.

Anyway, here are some links to curricula that I am considering until I can space the time away to write my own.

1. Heritage History: Ancient Rome: At $24.99 for a CD of the entire curricula and study guide, this is a bargain and will be a great resource.  It's definitely being purchased.
2. Roman History Pockets: These are great supplement when combined with other forms of study.  They are fun projects that my children have enjoyed in the past.  Last year it was American History, and they just loved them.
3. Literature Pockets: Greek and Roman Myths: Another great project resource.
4. Rome Unit Study: This is a free unit study you can download and print out to use as needed. Free is fabulous...isn't it?
5. If your child learns best through worksheets, then Ancient Rome Thematic Unit may be a good supplement, too.

Latin Resources:

1. Latin: First Year: I was drawn to this one because of it's quizzes and tests book. I am a secular/classical schooler, so this test booklet is super important to me. Before purchasing though, I do suggest reading the comments listed below.  It got some not so great reviews.
2. Beginning Latin for the Homeschooler looks like a strong contender for us. This has great reviews and is very basic.  It seems to me that this book may be used before you begin the first book I linked. 
3. Latin's Not So Tough is a classical curricula with pacing, tests, study guides...it seems to have it all.  It seems difficult to obtain, and I suppose you are lucky if you get your hands on one. It also seems to be geared towards younger learners.  It looks appropriate for 2nd and 3rd graders, or maybe even a gifted 1st grader.

Any resources out there that you think I should add to the list?  Just comment below and I will take a look. 

Guest Hollow -- American History Homeschool Curriculum Review

This school year my son has been working through Guest Hollow's American History curriculum.  I was initially drawn to this curriculum for two reasons.  One it was free, and secondly it appeared to be secular in nature.  The author of Guest Hollow does not hide her faith, but I feel this curriculum is suitable for a family of any faith or none at all.

My son is a gifted fourth grader who easily could have been promoted to fifth grade this year (it doesn't really matter that much when you're homeschooling).  My son loves reading, and this curriculum contains lots of reading. The author's  son was the one she wrote it for, and he also was a strong reader.

When I mentally committed to this curriculum for the year, I had initially decided it would be for both the lego boy, and my butterfly who's in second grade this year.  She states the curriculum is appropriate for grades 2-6. About 8 weeks into the program I found it to be too much to her, so we switched to a different curriculum.  Not much to worry though, when her reading skills are up perhaps in another year or two she'll be going through this curriculum too.

I printed out the curriculum and put it in a binder.  A step that later on I found to be unnecessary.  She has a week by week section online and I refer to that more than I do the notebook.  Online she also has links to print outs and websites with extra reading.  Not all of the print outs work anymore, and I'd love it if she fixed broken links or found replacements.  It's hard to complain though since she's put it out there free.

As far as books or supplies, that's what brings the price back up. I think I spent around $200 in books.  In hindsight I should have checked with the library on many of these.  Kept my purchases limited to History Pockets, and other supplements.

I also have to admit, this is the most time consuming of my curriculums this year to prepare for each week.  For me, it's removing pockets from their books, scanning them in and printing them out. That's the purpose of these books is to reuse the material, and I plan to with my daughter when she's ready for this program.  I also have to look a week or two ahead each weekend and request the books he'll need from the library.  All in all, I likely spend one hour prepping each week.

The best part though is my son loves this curriculum.  He doesn't fight me to do history, and enjoys the hands on projects that happen on an almost weekly basis. The book choices that go along with each week are age appropriate. Between this and the 39 clues series, he's actually become quite the history buff.  He loves it.

I haven't taken a look at her American History 2 curricula just yet, but I hope it's put together similarly and is just as secular as this year's was.