BookShark | Structured 4-day homeschool for flexible families

Reading with History

The Centerpiece of BookShark Curriculum

Through BookShark’s Reading with History program, students learn from multiple perspectives and engage in thought-provoking discussion. Choose BookShark, and your children will have an engaging and complete education through a variety of academic resources including fiction, nonfiction, biographies, and illustrated books.

BookShark Reading with History Level A: Intro to World Cultures
BookShark Reading with History Level B Intro to World History, Year 1 of 2
BookShark Reading with History Level C Intro to World History, Year 2 of 2
BookShark Reading with History Level D Intro to American History, Year 1 of 2
BookShark Reading with History Level E Intro to American History, Year 2 of 2
BookShark Reading with History Level F Eastern Hemisphere
BookShark Reading with History Level G World History, Year 1 of 2
BookShark Reading with History Level H World History, Year 2 of 2
BookShark American History and Literature
BookShark History of Science and Classical Literature

What’s missing from BookShark History?

Well, you won’t find any dry textbooks or meaningless memorization. Instead each package includes 35 to 50 real books that your students will either read or have read aloud to them throughout the year.

Each History Instructor’s Guide includes discussion questions, vocabulary, mapping topics, and timeline suggestions to help you and your child interact with the reading and make lasting connections among the people, places, and events you study. 


BookShark is ...

literature-based
4-day
faith-neutral

structured curriculum for flexible families.

Like you!


The BookShark approach is the truly enjoyable and mentally stimulating way to homeschool! 

We love BookShark! The 4-day week is perfect for taking the pressure off, knowing that you can have a make-up day or plan a fun field trip day. The books and materials provided are high quality, fun, and easy to navigate. 


The concept of learning through literature has ignited a passion for books in our daughter, and she can't get enough reading outside our homeschool work.


I can't say enough great things about BookShark, and I can't wait for the next level for fall!

Beth @aanyasmommy

We’re not religious, and we have found it hard to find a good secular homeschool curriculum that fits our lifestyle. Discovering BookShark was amazing. Other curriculums required us to skip entire sections due to the religious nature.

Dan Dossey

I’m so glad we chose the Bookshark Kindergarten curriculum because it is reinforcing my love for reading and passing the desire to read onto my son. He has even begun choosing books over other forms of entertainment, and my momma heart couldn’t be happier about that.

Stephanie Bishop

My son is 3 books away from finishing his BookShark curriculum, and he has enjoyed EVERY SINGLE BOOK! Amazing for a reluctant teenage reader!!

Icela Castillo

Choose Your Reading with History Program

Note that each program is suitable for an age range of two, three, or even four years. This system of flexible levels (instead of strict grades) gives you the freedom to choose a topic you want to study and to combine multiple children with a single program. 

Levels  instead of Grades

  • Intro to the World: Cultures (Level A) ages 5-7

  • Intro to World History, Year 1 of 2 (Level B) ages 6-8

  • Intro to World History, Year 2 of 2 (Level C) ages 7-9
  • Intro to American History, Year 1 of 2 (Level D) ages 8-11
  • Intro to American History, Year 2 of 2 (Level E) ages 9-12

  • Eastern Hemisphere (Level F) ages 10-13

  • World History, Year 1 of 2 (Level G) ages 11-13

  • World History, Year 2 of 2 (Level H) ages 12-14

  • History of Science and Classical Literature (Level J) ages 14-16

BookShark American History

Starting in Level D, we bring the history content to life by integrating History, Geography, Read-Alouds, and Readers, all of which also coordinate with the same level Language Arts program (purchased separately or included in an All-Subject Package).

image credit: @onehomeschoolingmama on Instagram

Choose the Age of Your
Child to See Your Reading with History Options

Age 4

Age 5

Age 6

Age 7

Age 8

Age 9

Age 10

Age 11

Age 12

Age 13

Age 14

Age 15

Age 16

Reading with History includes History, Read-Alouds, Readers, and Required Resources, all fully outlined in your Instructor’s Guide (also included).

Each day, you simply open your guide to find your daily lesson plan.

Work down the day’s column, reading the assigned pages or chapters with your children, discussing what you read, and doing any map or timeline work.

There is no need for advance preparation, research, or even lesson planning. 


It’s open and go!

BookShark Reading with History


Geography and Mapping are Part Of Reading with History

With BookShark, geography isn’t an extra subject tacked onto everything else; it’s learned naturally in the context of your History studies. Quick mapping assignments in your Instructor’s Guide help you incorporate geography seamlessly into your school day.

Students plot on their Markable Map the countries, cities, landforms, and regions mentioned in the History books, Readers, and Read-Alouds. This painless method of learning geography is so easy! And it really works!

Parent notes provide place names and coordinates so you can easily find and check each map point. Plus parents have full color, hole-punched, laminated maps that fold into the IG binder for easy reference. (Level 100 includes black-and-white maps in the Student Guide, while the Parent Guide has identical maps with answer keys.) 

What You Get in a History Instructor’s Guide

1. Complete, ready-to-use lesson plans
All your books and activities are fully scheduled for the entire year. No need to create your own plans!


4. Timeline and map activities
Put your learning in chronological and geographical context. Timeline activities tell you when to add people, events, and dates to your Timeline Book. Map activities help you plot the places you visit in your reading. Your students plot points on their Markable Map, and you have all the answers in the included map keys.


7. Teaching tips 
See the rationale and educational philosophy behind BookShark’s methods and activities. Get help discussing tricky topics (such as poverty) with your kids. We’ve got you covered, so you can teach with confidence and without surprises.

2. Daily schedules
Daily schedules outline 36 weeks of material for History/Geography, Read-Alouds, and Readers.



5. Vocabulary and cultural literacy notes
Find clear definitions for important vocabulary that appears in your reading. Enjoy useful cultural literacy notes that add depth to your reading and explain things students probably should know but likely don’t know (e.g., what a hoop skirt looks like).




8. An easy record-keeping system 

With space to record completion dates, your children’s initials, extra notes and even extra subjects, all your records are in one place for reporting requirements.


3. Discussion questions
Discussion questions (with answers) for the assigned reading help you track your children’s comprehension.



6. Extensive notes
Train your children to read discerningly. Our notes provide counter-balancing arguments to lopsided readings. These notes help you “listen to the other side” in order to hone understanding. You won’t believe how much you and your student learn!




BookShark binder
BookShark Reading with History Instructor's Guides

Your IG gives you flexibility

  • We schedule 4-day weeks, designed to save one day a week for co-ops, music lessons, sports or other extracurricular activities.
  • You are in the driver’s seat. The IG is a guide, not a taskmaster. As you become comfortable teaching your children, you can skip or alter assignments to fit your family’s unique needs.
  • You have options to work how you want. If you prefer to do a week’s worth of a single subject in one day, work horizontally across your schedule page. If you prefer doing a little bit from every subject each day, work vertically.
  • The day-by-day schedule frees you from a traditional Monday through Friday school calendar. Take breaks when you want and pick up right where you left off.

Hands-on Supplements

Add these extras to your Reading with History program to add a hands-on component and provide physical evidence of learning.  Each kit is consumable; purchase one per student.


Customize your Reading with History curriculum by adding one of these supplements and save 15% off regular price.

LAP BOOK KITS

American History I
Lap Book Kit
American History I – Lap Book Kit
American History II
Lap Book Kit
Zoom American History II - Lap Book Kit
World History I
Lap Book Kit
World History I - Lap Book Kit
World History II
Lap Book Kit
World History II - Lap Book Kit

The kit includes detailed assembly instructions and all necessary printed materials for 25 projects, covering early Native Americans through the 1850s.

Each of the 25 projects is scheduled as an optional activity in the Instructor's Guide of BookShark's Reading with History Level D Intro to American History, Year 1 of 2 (sold separately).

The kit includes detailed assembly instructions and all necessary printed materials for 45 projects, covering the Civil War through the year 2000.

Each of the 45 projects is scheduled as an optional activity in the Instructor's Guide of BookShark's Reading with History Level E Intro to American History, Year 2 of 2 (sold separately).

The kit includes detailed assembly instructions and all necessary printed materials for 30 projects, covering ancient Egypt through the 16th century. 

Each of the 30 projects is scheduled as an optional activity in the Instructor's Guide of BookShark's Reading with History Level G Intro to World History, Year 1 of 2 (sold separately).

The kit includes detailed assembly instructions and all necessary printed materials for 28 projects, covering the 17th through 20th centuries.

Each of the 28 projects is scheduled as an optional activity in the Instructor's Guide of BookShark's Reading with History Level H Intro to World History, Year 2 of 2 (sold separately).

HANDS-ON CRAFT KITS

Each  hands-on kit comes with a guide which offers clear, step-by-step directions as well as history connections for each project. If your kids crave crafty activities, these are the kits for them! 

Hands-on History: World Cultures
Hands-on History: World Cultures
Hands-on History: World History I
Hands-on History: World History I
Hands-on History: World History II
Hands-on History: World History II

This kit includes nearly everything you need to create 9 different projects, tied to BookShark Level A (sold separately). 

This kit includes nearly everything you need to create 9 different projects, tied to BookShark Level B (sold separately). 

This kit includes nearly everything you need to create 9 different projects, tied to BookShark Level C (sold separately). 


Reading with History is included in BookShark’s All-Subject packages or can be purchased separately.

Perks for Each Reading with History Package


History packages are priced at a 15% discount off individual retail price. (Buy an All-Subject Package for an even greater 20% discount.)


History packages are delivered via FedEx shipping, available in the lower 48 states at no extra cost to you. Free media mail is available in Alaska and Hawaii. Call 866-668-0179 for details.

Need Help Choosing?

Email bold@bookshark.com or call 1-866-668-0179.

We are available Mon. - Thurs. 9:00am - 4:00pm MT and Friday 9:00am - 1:00pm MT.

Email bold@bookshark.com or call 1-866-668-0179.

We are available

Mon. - Thurs.  

9:00am - 4:00pm MT and Friday

9:00am - 1:00pm MT.

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