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Freshman Social Studies

What do you cover for social studies?

Ninth grade usually starts with American History. This is because most kids already know about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, so starting in the U.S. builds on what they know.

Tenth grade usually means World History, because by then children know about the Revolutionary War, World War 1, and World War 2, so this history builds on what they know.

Usually American Government and Economics courses come next. These are often half-year classes, and are often taught in 12th grade, when kids are almost 18 years old and ready to vote and pay taxes.

But usual isn't always a good fit for everyone. Which is why homeschooling is awesome!

Many social studies programs love to follow the four year cycle of history. They start from the beginning of history and cover world history in order, from beginning to end. This makes sense, right? Covering history in the order it occurred makes total sense.

The problem is that most ancient history books are harder to read than modern history books about American history. Many of the classical education curriculum available use books that my son read in the honors program at university! For this reason, I worry that 9th graders are facing books too challenging for them to enjoy.

Challenging and not overwhelming is the goal. If the curriculum is too challenging, it puts you at risk of burnout, and can lead to your kid hating school.

In general, it's best to strike while the iron is hot, and cover the history kids are interested in, if they express an interest. If your child has a hankerin' for world history, it's the best history to cover.

What are you teaching for freshman social studies? Please share!