PRODUCT
The Story of Civilization – Volume I – The Ancient World
COMPANY
TAN HOMESCHOOL
OVERVIEW
TAN Homeschool has done it again. If you liked The Story of the Bible, you will instantly recognize the same great format with The Story of Civilization. Slated to be released in four volumes, one each year, with the first being released June 1, 2016, this series is going to be a must-have in your family’s homeschool teaching arsenal. Similar to The Story of the Bible, you will receive a wide range of materials, covering first grade all the way up through eighth grade.
Look, you know your kids best – and TAN Homeschool recognizes that many families need not just affordability, but versatility and the ability to customize the material for each child, making the experience not just unique, but suited for your child’s specific needs. As a homeschooling mom of six, five of whom are still schooling – 9th, 5th, 2nd, kindergarten and preschool, I can’t tell you how excited I am to have this set for my kiddos. What I loved most about the style of writing is the storybook format. The reader is completely engaged by being placed in the midst of the story. The language used is wonderfully descriptive and pulls students in.
You’ll receive the textbook, test book* and a card with a digital code to access the video lectures online. Take note that the this series will not include DVDs shipped to your house, but instead you will be granted access to the lectures online, making it easy to locate. These three items are targeted for middle schoolers.
Similar to The Story of the Bible, the activity book and teacher’s manual** are geared toward elementary students – grades 1-4. Note: the activity book contains oral exercises that are not found in the teacher’s manual. At the time of this review, TAN Homeschool is in pre-order mode ONLY. All products will be available at the beginning of June and available for shipment then.
BONUS: when you order the entire set, you will receive a FREE copy of the Timeline Map. That’s a savings of $14.95!
*textbook and test book are companion pieces
**activity book and teacher’s manual are companion pieces
PRE-ORDER PRICE AT THE TIME OF REVIEW
$12.95-$39.95 for individual items
$154.70** for the complete set*
*When you purchase a complete set, you will receive a free copy of the Timeline Map {$14.95 value}
FEATURES
- suggested age range is 1st-8th grade, or schoolhouse model
- textbook & test book
- test pages are perforated for easy removal, answers are at the back of the test book
- activity book & teacher’s manual
- dramatized audio series {CDs}
- streaming video lecture series
- timeline map
PROMOTIONAL PRODUCT PHOTOS
REASON FOR PRODUCT
TAN Homeschool wanted to create this history series because they saw there was a need for Catholic homeschooling families. So many of them were either using outdated and archaic manuscripts written for children in the 1930’s, or they were using Protestant manuscripts that painted the Catholic Church in a negative light, or at least ignored the Church’s contribution to history. TAN Homeschool set out to make a fun and exciting book that would be faithful to the Church because they knew there were so many families hoping for such a book.
Pulled from the product description page:
Children should not just read about history, they should live it. In The Story of Civilization, the ancient stories that have shaped humanity come alive like never before. Author Phillip Campbell uses his historical expertise and story-telling ability together in tandem to present the content in a fresh and thrilling way.
The Story of Civilization reflects a new emphasis in presenting the history of the world as a thrilling and compelling narrative. Within each chapter, children will encounter short stories that place them directly in the shoes of historical figures, both famous and ordinary, as they live through legendary battles and invasions, philosophical debates, the construction of architectural wonders, the discovery of new inventions and sciences, and the exploration of the world.
Volume I, The Ancient World, begins the journey, covering the time periods from the dawn of history and the early nomads, to the conversion of Emperor Constantine. Children will learn what life was like in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and more, as well as learn the Old Testament stories of the Israelites and the coming of Christ.
The strength of the content lies not only in the storybook delivery of it, but also in the way it presents history through the faithful prism of the Church. Have you always wanted your children to learn about world history from a Catholic perspective? Here, you’ll have the trusted resource you’ve always wanted.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pulled from the product description page:
Phillip Campbell holds a BA in European history from Ave Maria University and a license in secondary education from Madonna University. He teaches middle school history and Sacred Scripture for the St. Augustine Homeschool Enrichment Program as well as high school history for Homeschool Connections. Mr. Campbell is the editor of The Complete Works of St. Cyprian of Carthage (Arx Publishing) and has self-published several books through his website, Cruachan Hill Press.His writings have also appeared in such publications as the St. Austin Review and The Distributist Review.
Mr. Campbell served as the mayor of his hometown of Howell, Michigan, from 2011 to 2015 (the youngest to ever hold the office). Mr. Campbell and his wife reside in southeast Michigan, where they homeschool their five children. He is a regular speaker at homeschool conferences around the United States.
DECLARATIONS
- none reported; however, it was reviewed by a PhD. from Christendom, Dr. Brendan McGuire, who verified the historical accuracies for TAN Homeschool.
THE GOOD
- follows schoolhouse model
- super interactive with various methods to reach students where they are {CDs, streaming video lectures, textbooks, textbook, activity book}
- budget friendly
THE BAD
- none reported
TESTIMONIALS
- yours could be FIRST
- share your experience in the comments
DETAILS AT A GLANCE
Intended for: families, anyone using schoolhouse model
Good for grades: elementary and middle school
Parent/teacher involvement level: moderate to high, depending on needs of student
Prep time: medium when used on your own
Teacher’s manual: available for purchase and used with the activity book
Educational philosophy: schoolhouse model
Catholic: yes
OVERALL RATING
::partial rating based on the text and test book only::
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DISCLOSURE AND ACCURACY OF REVIEW
Catholic Sistas was not paid to do this review – the publisher offered free materials in exchange for an honest review of this product. All reviews are current as of the publish date. If you notice that a review contains information that is no longer accurate, please email us at Homeschool@CatholicSistas.com and we will be happy to amend this review.
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter,
1) share this contest on any social media outlet, email to friends or family, or your local homeschool groups and tell us where in the comments
AND
2) answer the following question in the comments below:
“Why do you want to win the complete set of The Story of Civilization, Volume 1 – The Ancient World?”
OPTIONAL additional question:
For those who have purchased the audio drama CDs in the previous series – The Story of the Bible – what was the primary its purpose? i.e. Did you use it in the car for long road trips? Do you have a child with a learning disability? or a child who just hates or struggles with reading?
THE LOOT
ONE lucky winner will win an ENTIRE set of The Story of Civilization – Volume I – The Ancient World, which includes the textbook, test book, activity book, teacher’s manual, audio drama {CDs}, and the streaming video lecture series, and the timeline map, making this a value of $154!
THE RULES
CONTEST IS CLOSED AND OUR WINNER IS
Jeanie Deters
Congratulations, Jeanie!
