AGS Social StudiesUnited States History | United States Government World History | World Geography and Cultures

Homeschool bundle includes:•StudentEdition•StudentWorkbook•TeacherEdition

P A R E N T G U I D E

ThankyouforchoosingPearsontohelpyouonyourhomeschooljourney.Makingtherightdecisionabouthomeschoolingcansetyourchildonanexcitingpathtoalifetimeoflearningandsuccess.Pearsonmakesiteasyforyoutoinspireajoyoflearningwithflexibleprogramstofityourchild’suniquelearningstyle.Thisbuilt-inflexibilityletsyousetthescheduleandthepacethatworksforyouandyourchild.Asyoureadthroughthisguideandreviewtheincludedmaterials,you’llexperiencehoweasyitistopersonalizethecurriculumtomatchyourchild’slearningstyleandensuresuccesswithourengagingprograms.

Plus,youcanrestassuredthatallofthefundamentalsforsuccessareincluded.Thehomeschoolcurriculumyouhavechosenhasbeenthoughtfullydevelopedandtestedbyseasonedprofessionals,tomakesureyourchildreceivesthefinesteducation.

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WelcometoPearsonHomeschool!

PreparationItisalwaysanexcitingtimewhenyougettoopentheboxwithyournewcurriculum.Allofthebooksandmaterialsarecolorful,thepagesarecrispandtheyarefilledwiththepossibilitiesofthecomingyear.Theanticipationofusingthebooksandteachingyourchildisnewandfresh.Liketheairafteraspringshower,itisinvigorating.Youcan’twaituntilyoucangetstarted.

Openthebundleofmaterials,flipthroughthepagesofeachbook,takeinhowtheylookandfeel.Getfamiliarwithallofthecomponents.Letyourchildshareintheexcitementandcatchtheenthusiasmyouhaveforstartingthisnewadventure.Thesewillbeyourcompanionsoverthecourseofthenextyear.

Onceyougetfamiliarwiththematerial,youmayexperiencetheoverwhelmingfeelingthatiscommontohomeschoolparents:“HowwillIevercoverallofthismaterial?”Youmaybefloodedwithinsecuritiesthatyoudon’tknoworrememberthesubjectorcontent.Allofthesearenormalthoughtsandexperiencesforanyonewhohashomeschooled.

Rememberthevalueofthejourneyyouareon.Focusonthereasonsyouchosetohomeschoolinthefirstplace,thedailyinteractionwithyourchild,andteachingthemhowtolearn.Asthetutor,youastheparentdon’thavetoknowallofthematerial.It’sfinetolearnitwithyourchildasyougothroughthematerialtogether.Youaretheguideforyourchildasyoujourneywiththemthroughthelearningprocess.

AGS United States Historyisorganizedchronologically,bringinghistorytolife.Thiseditionincludesnewdocumentsandappendicesforstudy,suchasWashington’sFarewellAddressandtheEmancipationProclamation.Fascinatingsidebarsmakeimportantconnectionsbetweenhistoricaleventsandcivics,economics,technology,andgeography.

AGS United States Governmentisacomprehensivetextthatexplorestheoriginsanddevelopmentofourgovernment,thehistoryofpoliticalparties,andbranchesofgovernment.Thiscourseisdesignedtoappealtochildrenwithcolorfulgraphics,charts,biographies,vocabulary,andstudytipstomotivatelearning.Throughout,yourchildwillbeencouragedtorelategovernmenttohisorherlife.

AGS World Historycovershumansocietythroughcontemporarytimes.ThisprogramprovidesengagingfeaturessuchasaHistoryinYourLifeandThenandNow,whichmakehistoryrelevanttochildren’slives.Biographies,SpotlightStories,MapSkillsandMapStudies,andDocument-BasedReadingsprovidemultipleperspectivesfromwhichtoviewandlearnabouthistory.

AGS World Geography and Culturescoverstherichvarietyoflifeonearthwithitseasy-to-followformatandillustratedtext.Thiscourseencourageschildrentoreadandgainabetterunderstandingabouttheworldinwhichtheylive.EngagingfeatureslikeGeographyinYourLife,Geographer’sToolkit,andEverydayLifemakelessonsapplicabletochildren’slives.

TheAGS Social Studiesseries-WorldGeographyandCultures,WorldHistory,UnitedStatesHistory,UnitedStatesGovernment-offersaunique,integratedapproachtosocialstudies.Theprogramincludeshigh-interestgraphicsandphotos,aneasy-to-readtextthatenablescomprehension,shortmanageablelessonsthatbreakcontentandskillsintosmallerpieces,andpracticeandreview.Thelessonshelpchildrenexplorethediversephysicalgeography,history,people,environments,cultures,politics,andeconomiesoftheworld,andwithintheUnitedStates.

OverviewTheAGS Social Studies homeschoolbundleincludesthefollowingcomponents: • StudentEdition • StudentWorkbook •TeacherEdition

Using the Student EditionTherearemanyfeaturesbuiltintothedailylessonstohelpyourchildlearntheimportantskillsandconceptsheorshewillneedtobesuccessfulinthiscourse.Thesefeaturesinclude: • Goals For Learning–Keyconceptsandmainideasofeachsection inthechapter. • Key Vocabulary Words–Bold-facetermsdefinedinthemargin, atthetopofpage,foreasyreference. • Maps, Photos, Illustrations, Charts, and Graphs–Visual representationofthecontenttoaidyourchild’sunderstanding. • Lesson Review–Briefquestionsallowyourchildtocheckhisor herunderstandingofthelesson. • Document-Based Readings–Apersonalrecordofeventsinthechapter. • Lesson Reviews–Briefquestionsandreviewofthematerialcoveredtoassessunderstanding. • Summaries–Themainideasofeachchapterforfollow-upreview. • Chapter Reviews–Tocheckforskillmasteryoftheobjectivesofeachchapter.

Using the Teacher EditionEachTeacher’s Editionprovidesinstructionalstrategiesandincludeseverythingfrompreparationguidelinestoteachingtipsinaneasy-to-useformat.EachchapterbeginswiththeChapterAtAGlanceintroduction.Next,thechapterlessonsareprovided,whichhighlighttheobjectivesofthechapter.Lessoninformationispresentedaroundareducedversionofyourchild’stext,annotatedwithanswers.Eachlessonbeginswithwarm-upactivities,providesteachingwalkthroughs,andoffersideastoreinforceandextendthelessons.Manyteachingstrategiesandlearningstylesarelisted,includingsomeforchildrenwithdiverseneeds.

Using the Student WorkbookEachStudent WorkbookalignswiththeStudent Editiontoreinforcetheknowledge,skillsandcomprehensionofthematerialcovered.EachlessonfromtheStudent Workbookhasareviewtohelpyourchildbuildupontheirskills,andassesstheirunderstandingofthelesson.

UsingtheMaterialsPearsoncurriculummaterialsarethoughtfullyplannedtopresentthesubjectinawaythatisengaging.Eachlessonbuildsuponitself,butprovidesflexibilitysoyoucanmakeityourown.

LessonPlansLessonplansareimportanttoasuccessfulhomeschoolenvironment.Theyhelpkeepyouontrack,progressthroughthematerialandprovideasteadystructureforteachingyourchild.Itisimportanttoplanoutyourlessonsbutremember-lessonplansareaguide.Youshouldleaveroomtoadapttoyourchildandadjusttheplantoensureheorsheunderstandsthematerial.Theobjectiveistohaveatoolyoucanusetowatchyourchildprogressandmasterthematerialyoupresentovertheschoolyear.

Beforeyoubeginyourlessonplan,reviewthematerialstoseehowtheyarestructured.Usethisasaguidetohelpyouevaluateandformulateyourlessonplanforthecomingyear.Additionally,thereareanumberofitemstoconsiderwhenpreparingyourplan.Howmanydaysperweekwillyouhaveschool?Doyouplantohaveextendedbreaksfortheholidaysorvacations?Thenumberofchildrenyouhaveandtheirageswillaffecthowandwhatyoucandoaswell.

Lessonplansingeneralshouldhavecertainvitalcomponents.Asuggestedlistwouldincludesomeorallofthefollowing: • theportionoftextcoveredduringthelesson •mainideasofthelesson • keyconcepts • questionstoask • activitiestodo • potentialfieldtripideas • assignmentsgiven •materialsandresourcesneeded

Eachcourseinthisseriesisdesignedtobecoveredover36weeks.DetailedlessonplansarepresentedintheTeacher’s Edition andcoverthefollowingelements:

•Quickoverviewsofchaptersandlessonobjectives. • Backgroundinformationwithinterestingdetailsthatextendsthelessoncontentand furthersdiscussion. • Terminologypronunciationguides. •Career,Community,HomeandGlobalApplicationstorelatehistoryandgeography toeachchild’slife,andmakinglearningmorefunandrelevant. • Studyskills-highlightstrategiestodevelopeffectivestudyhabits. • LearningStyles-teachingstrategiestohelpreachalltypesoflearners.

Afterreviewingthelessonobjectives,startyourlessonwiththeengagingWarm-upActivitythatisidentifiedatthebeginningofthelessonplan.ThencontinuewiththeTeachingTheLessonsection.Thissectionisdesignedtoidentifywhatyourchildalreadyknows,beforepresentingtheconceptsofthelessontoallowyoutotapintoyourchild’spriorknowledgeandbuilduponit.Asyourchildreadsthetext,keeptheobjectivesinmindandposequestionsforthoughtfuldiscussion.Asyoucompletethelesson,usetheReinforceandExtendsection,andaccompanyingactivitiesfromtheStudent Workbook,toreinforcewhatyourchildhaslearned.

Asyouplanyourlessons,besuretobefamiliarizeyourselfwithanylegalrequirementsyoumayhaveinyourlocalareaorstate.ThePearsonHomeschoolwebsite(PearsonHomeschool.com)haslinkstoeachstateDepartmentofEducationsothatyoumayreviewthelawsandhowtocomplywiththem.

AdapttheCurriculumOneofthegreatbenefitsofhomeschoolingisthatyouknowtheinstructionispersonal.Everythingyouteachwillbepersonalizedtofityourchild.Thelessonsprovidedwithineachcourseofthisseriesareeasytopace,andofferenrichmentactivities,andadditionalsupportwhennecessary.PacingAsyouprogressthroughthematerialyouwillfindthatyourchildgraspscertainlessonswitheasewhileneedingmoretimeandpracticeonothersections.Adaptyourpaceaccordingly,toensureyourchildunderstandsthematerial.Refertothelessonplansprovidedforideastoengageyourchildbeyondthelessonbasics,andmeasuretheirunderstanding.Thereisplentyofflexibilitywithinthelessonstoenhancethemwithadditionalchallengingcontent.Thiswillkeepyourchildengagedandinterested.

Teaching is EverywhereAnotherpartofthehomeschoolbenefitisthatteachingcanoccurallofthetime.Youcanincorporatelearningintoeverydaylife.Whenyouareoutsideof“school”askyourchildaboutconceptslearnedinpreviouslessons.Tiethemintolifesituationsandworldevents.Checkyourlocalmuseumsforhistoryandgeographyexhibits,andalignyourlessonplanstoincorporatethoseevents.Checkwithyourlocalgovernmentofficestoplanvisitssoyourchildcanexperiencegovernmentinaction.Useyourownresourcestocomplementthematerial,andtiethelessonsintoyourchild’sinterestsandhobbies.

Conflicting MaterialsLastly,anyhomeschoolparentwillbefacedwiththedilemmaofwhattodowhenyoucomeacrossmaterialinthecurriculumyoudon’tlikeordisagreewith.Whilenocurriculumwilleverbeabletosatisfyallthebeliefs,opinionsorvaluesheldbyeachfamily,thereareseveralapproachesthatyoucantakeinthesesituations.

Oneapproachistojustignoreorskipoverthematerialinquestion.Anothersuggestionwouldbetousethisasanopportunityforaspecialteachablemoment.Reviewthematerialwithyourchild.Checkiftheycandiscernwhatyousee.Discusswhyyoumaytakeexceptiontothematerial,ideaorvaluepresented.Taketheopportunitytosharethediversityofthought/opinionintheworldandtheneedtobediscerningofprinciplesandideasthatmaychallengeyours.

Useitasanopportunitytoaffirmtheideas,principlesandvaluesyoufindimportant,whileatthesametimeprovidinganopportunitytoseehowtodealwithdifferingonesandstillmaintainyourcoreconvictions.Youcanteachthemmuchbyreasonablyconfrontingideasthatdifferfromyours.

Thereisadefinitebalancebetweenhavingthefreedomthathomeschoolbrings,andtheresponsibilityyouassumeineducatingyourchild.Thegoodnewsisthatmostfamiliesfindthatbalanceanditworksforthem.

Asyouprogressalongthejourney,youwillhavemomentsoffrustrationandmomentsthatmakeitallworthwhile.Remembertokeepitinperspective.Homeschoolparentsliveforthosemomentswhentheirchildrenaremostteachable.Youwillknowwhenthosemomentshappenasyoucanseethelightgoon,theyreallygetit.Cherishthosetimesandusethemasthefueltomotivateyouthroughthetoughtimes.

ThankyouforchoosingPearsonasapartnerinyourhomeschooljourney.Weknowtheimportancethatyouplaceintakingthetimetoteachyourchildandweappreciateyourtrustinustohelpyouandyourchildachievethebesteducationpossible.

ISBN-13:ISBN-10:

978-0-768-55789-30-768-55789-5

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Foradditionalprogramstosupportyourchild’ssocialstudiescurriculum,pleasevisitourwebsiteat:

www.PearsonHomeschool.com

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