Becca's Four-year Rotation in a Nut-shell

By Becca Evenson

This list is by no means exhaustive and can expand as your children get older. Keep studies appropriate for learning levels and maturity.

Ancient World History:
Political geography changes
Life sciences: botany, human anatomy, zoology
Ancient math concepts: Roman numerals, the development of the Arabic numbers now in use, abacus use
Art: ancient architecture, clay sculpture
Literature: Homer, mythology of world, Aesop's fables, Confucius, scriptures, Greek philosophers

Medieval/Renaissance History:
World history from approx. 450 to 1650 A.D.
Political geography changes
Earth sciences and astronomy
Artists and composers of the period
Literature: Arthurian legend, Robin Hood, works by the Reformers,, Shakespeare (plays, ballads and Lamb's Shakespeare as a guide), Saints of the Catholic Church

Early Modern History
World history from 1650 A.D. to 1865 A.D.
Political geography changes
Chemistry and health sciences
Artists and composers of the period
Literature: Dickens, poetry, folk and fairy tales, Early Church History, Jules Vern, Pilgrim's Progress, Mark Twain

Late Modern History
World history from 1865 A.D. to the present
Political geography changes
Artists and composers of the period
Physics, electronics and computers
Literature: Heidi, Conan Doyle, Later Church Literature: Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters; Uncle Tom's Cabin and other books of the Civil War and Abolitionist period; The Hiding Place and other books of WWII;
Animal Farm and other books of the Cold War Era

These are the basic guidelines I use as I plan for the year. Basic math, grammar, geography, current events, and anything else I throw in are included where needed. Please us wisdom in topics studied. Moral tales, inventions, biography and daily life are well-suited for younger children. Save more alarming topics such as the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Holocaust and such atrocities for older children better equipped to handle them Also add games, field trips, videos and other supplemental activities to keep things interesting and varied.