Maine Homeschool History for Grades 1–4: 20 Planned Units
Maine Homeschool History for Grades 1–4: 20 Planned Units
Maine families homeschooling young children can teach a full elementary history strand from one download: the Elementary History Curriculum holds all 20 of our Grades 1–4 history units, from the Stone Age to pioneers, for $169.99. Each lesson is already planned, which helps when you teach several subjects and several ages. Maine history itself is not included.
Browse the 20 history unitsIf you need history for a Maine home instruction program in Grades 1–4, the Elementary History Curriculum ($169.99) gives you 20 complete units: ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and China, the Stone Age, Vikings, knights and medieval towns, Native Americans, explorers, Pilgrims, pioneers, and then-and-now topics. Every unit has an overview and three sub-units with a lesson plan, worksheet, activity, answer key and slides. It supports your social studies teaching; it is not a Maine-approved program.
The resources
Elementary History Curriculum, Grades 1–4
20 resources in one download: $169.99 instead of $499.80 bought separately.
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Elementary History Curriculum | All 20 History Units | Grades 1–4
Early American History Bundle | Native Americans, Explorers, Pilgrims & Pioneers | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Ancient Civilizations Bundle | Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, Vikings & Stone Age | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Complete Learning Books Bundle | 10 Units: Grammar, Math, Science, History, ESL, Art & Music | Grades 3–6
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
What Maine home instruction looks like in practice
Home instruction in Maine rests on 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A(3)(A)(4). Families file an initial notice of intent within 10 calendar days of starting, sent at the same time to the local superintendent and the Commissioner of Education. The notice includes assurances of at least 175 days of instruction in the required subjects and an annual assessment. Social studies is one of those subjects, alongside English and language arts, math, science, physical education, health, library skills and fine arts; Maine studies comes later, in at least one grade from 6 to 12. Each year, by September 1, families send a continuation with an assessment, chosen from a standardized achievement test, a locally agreed test, a review by a Maine-certified teacher, a portfolio review by a homeschool support group that includes a certified Maine teacher or administrator, or a review by a local advisory board. For history in the early grades, the hard part is not the law. It is having a steady supply of lessons that a parent can teach without hours of preparation, and leaving behind work that a reviewer can actually look at.
Why it fits
Why the curriculum works for a Maine home program
The units are general history for young children, organized so a parent can teach straight from the plan.
- Step-by-step lesson plans mean you read the plan and teach, without building lessons yourself.
- Differentiated worksheets with reading passages and word banks suit siblings at different reading levels.
- Finished worksheets and projects give a certified teacher or support group real work to review.
- Twenty units give enough material to spread history across several years of the elementary grades.
- Answer keys let you check work quickly, even when history is not your strongest subject.
- Slides for every sub-unit work on a laptop or TV at the kitchen table.
Getting started
Spreading 20 units over the early grades
Maine does not set the order for you, so here is one family-friendly sequence. Change it to suit your children.
- First year: then and nowBegin with the six then-and-now units on school, family, old trades, inventions, timelines and historical sources. Young children start from their own lives and work backward.
- Second year: the ancient worldTeach the Stone Age, then Egypt with pyramids, mummies and hieroglyphs, followed by Greece, Rome and China. The Egypt units make a good long block for one season.
- Third year: medieval and VikingsCover knights and castles, life in a medieval town and the Vikings. The project activities in these units suit children who would rather make something than read about it.
- Fourth year: early AmericaFinish with Native Americans, explorers, the Pilgrims and pioneers. Read the passages first and talk through the respectful, factual framing with your children before they start the worksheets.
- Keep a history folder every yearFile one or two finished pieces from each unit with dates. By September 1, you have a portfolio sample of social studies work ready for whichever assessment option you use.
What to buy
The full set or a smaller bundle
Choose the Elementary History Curriculum at $169.99 if you plan to teach history through several elementary years or to more than one child; the same 20 units cost $499.80 one at a time. For a single year, a smaller set may do: the Ancient Civilizations Bundle ($99.99, parts $199.92) has the eight ancient units, and the Early American History Bundle ($99.99, parts $199.92) has eight units on early America and sources. The Complete Learning Books Bundle ($99.90) mixes subjects for Grades 3–6. Parents short on planning time might also look at the Teach-Life-Balance course ($89.90).
Honest limits
Limits worth knowing before you buy
Nothing in the curriculum is written for Maine. There is no Maine history, no Maine studies material and no Maine Learning Results codes, and the store makes no judgment about your home instruction plan. Check current law with the Maine Department of Education or a homeschool legal resource; this page is not legal advice. You supply library books, Maine content and any craft supplies for projects. The licence covers your own family. If the curriculum does not suit your children, exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this an approved curriculum for Maine home instruction?
No. It is not approved or endorsed by the Maine Department of Education and does not claim to meet any home instruction requirement. It is history material you can use as part of your social studies teaching. Check the current rules with the Department of Education or a homeschool legal resource, and decide yourself how it fits your plan.
Will a reviewer accept the worksheets in my portfolio?
That depends on your reviewer. Finished worksheets, projects and source activities show what your child did in history, and many families include such pieces in a portfolio. The certified teacher, support group or advisory board doing the review decides what they need, so ask them before September 1.
Does it cover Maine studies?
No. Maine studies is required in at least one grade from 6 to 12, and this curriculum is for Grades 1–4 with no Maine content. You will need separate Maine materials when your child reaches that stage. In the early grades, you can add local history trips or library books alongside these units.
Can I teach two children at once?
Yes. The differentiated worksheets give each child work at their level while you teach one lesson to both. A first grader and a fourth grader can share the reading and discussion, then complete different worksheet levels. The answer keys let you check both children's work in a few minutes after the lesson.
How long does each unit take?
The product does not set a fixed number of days. Each unit has an overview and three sub-units, and families usually adjust the pace to their child. A suggestion: plan one sub-unit per week and stretch it with reading or projects when your child is interested.
How is it delivered?
As a digital download, ready right after purchase. A link comes by email, and the files stay in your customer account under Orders. Print worksheets as needed, or show the slides on any screen you have at home. Nothing is mailed, so you can read the first lesson plan the same day.
History lessons ready for your home school
Open the product page to see all 20 units and what each sub-unit includes.
Browse the 20 history units