US History
Together, our US History programs present a comprehensive study of the United States. The narrative and curriculum weave geography, civics, economics, culture, and history together to guide students through the interconnected events and circumstances that formed the United States. Each text has been artfully curated using primary sources, maps, timelines, and images that offer multiple perspectives for students to evaluate. Each chapter is designed using inquiry-based practices and promotes literacy for every level of learner.
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Who We Are: A History of the United States
Who We Are presents a comprehensive study of the United States. The narrative and curriculum weave geography, civics, economics, culture, and history together to guide students through the interconnected events and circumstances that formed the United States. The text has been artfully curated using primary sources, maps, timelines, and images that offer multiple perspectives for students to evaluate. Each chapter is designed using inquiry-based practices and promotes literacy for every level of learner.
An American Odyssey
An American Odyssey explores the history of the United States from the convergence of Indigenous people, Europeans, and Africans in North America through the tumultuous Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Gilded Age. The text includes a wealth of maps, charts, photos, and illustrations, and our curriculum spirals social studies skills and scaffolds literacy development. Combined, the materials create opportunities for students to engage with the rich history of the United States through the use of interdisciplinary materials to increase literacy and understanding.
Shaping a Nation: A History of the United States from 1450 to 1865
Shaping a Nation is a comprehensive resource that delves into the remarkable journey of the United States in its formative years. It is enriched with vibrant color maps, captivating charts, stunning photos, and enlightening illustrations, making it an essential companion for students seeking to immerse themselves in the narratives of US History from its earliest beginnings to the tumultuous era of the Civil War.
Building a Promise: A History of the United States from 1865 to Present
Building a Promise is a comprehensive resource that tells the captivating story of America's growth and development spanning more than two centuries. Bursting with vibrant color maps, charts, photos, and illustrations, it serves as an invaluable tool for students to delve into the rich history of the United States, from the years of the Civil War to the present day.
Inquiry Arc, Timelines, and Visual Literacy
Each chapter provides an inquiry-based approach that focuses student learning through a “Big” or “Essential” question. The question is drawn from state-specific standards or standards from the C3 Framework for Social Studies and is supported by Key Ideas, Learning Goals, and Key Terms in each chapter. Activities throughout the text and curriculum are scaffolded and designed to build upon each other and to gain skills, as well as content knowledge. Each chapter opening spread also includes a timeline relevant to the content to be covered and a primary or secondary source image with an accompanying caption to engage students.
Engaging Textbook Design
Every page of the text is designed to engage readers, featuring a variety of maps, images, graphs, charts, primary, and secondary sources that are grade-level appropriate. Many of the features found in the text provide opportunities to examine multiple perspectives for analysis and evaluation throughout, including the ability to express, clarify, justify, interpret, and represent their ideas and to respond to peer and teacher feedback orally and/or in written form. Students frequently engage meaningfully with complex texts and are able to see themselves in the content. Captions included with the visual features in the text include open-ended questions for students to consider, discuss, and debate. Maps, graphics, and sources throughout each chapter support an inquiry arc.
Formative Assessments
After each lesson, students can check their understanding of the content and concepts they have studied. The assessment includes basic recall questions as well as critical thinking questions that are scaffolded to the Chapter Assessments. These checks for understanding allow for students to display a range of depth of knowledge and also include a self-assessment for students to reflect on their own learning and performance.
Social Studies Skills Activities
These activities emphasize the skills historians use to understand and interpret history. Students employ historical-thinking skills to build understanding as well as make connections with historical concepts. They also have the opportunity to use skills like analysis, compare and contrast, contextualization, cause and effect, periodization, forming fact-based opinions, research, defending a position, and accurate chronicling historical events.
Academic and Domain-Specific Vocabulary
The Key Terms within each lesson strengthen understanding of the grade-level content and vocabulary, often include activities to increase comprehension and retention, and feature many terms that can be used by students in other contexts.
Primary Source Analysis
Each chapter includes at least one primary source activity. Questions are scaffolded, allowing students to build confidence and skill as they explore, examine, evaluate, and interpret primary and secondary sources to understand historical concepts and make connections to the world around them.
Engaging and Accessible US History Curriculum
Our US History texbooks will cover 100% of your state-approved social studies standards. Our wrap-around teacher guides will provide your teachers with the tools to effectively use the texbook while helping them teach the critical skills the social studies classroom should include, all while supporting literacy.
Authentic Narratives and Compelling Sources
Every single page of the textbook is designed to engage readers by featuring a variety of maps, images, graphs, charts, primary, and secondary sources that are grade-level appropriate. Many of the features found in the text provide opportunities to examine multiple perspectives for analysis and evaluation throughout, including the ability to express, clarify, justify, interpret, and represent their ideas and to respond to peer and teacher feedback orally and/or in written form. Students will frequently engage meaningfully with complex texts and are able to see themselves in the content. Captions included with the visual features in the text include open-ended questions for students to consider, discuss, and debate. Maps, graphics, and sources throughout each chapter support an inquiry arc.
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