Secular Homeschool Prehistory Curriculum Ideas and Flip-through: Build your Library & Blossom & Root

I kept saying “area” at the end but I meant “era!” It was a long day!!

[@Michelgia523]

We did BYL but zoomed through it mostly focusing on the Usborne Encyclopedia world history they use. Homeschool Together has excellent book recommendations. B & R was way too much for us unless you want to dive deep. There is an ancient animals documentary show and big history project videos that are free that is perfect to go with the study and even as stand-alones.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for sharing-will check those out!

[@MrsPerdueArt]

So excited to watch your video!! I am also currently planning a prehistory unit study using these curriculums!! We actually combined B&R and the previous version of BYL prehistory a few years back with my oldest and we had a blast!! We ended up using BYL as our base and adding in B&R as resources. B&R is amazing, but it's just too loose for me and I'm not organized enough to make it work in our family! BYL was a great base for us though! My son LOVED the Usborne world history book and the media links! He also really loved the BYL timeline. We taped it together, accordion style and he loved opening it up so it was really long, but then I could store it easily!! But I added in a LOT of B&R prehistory- their books, videos and projects were awesome!! BYL and B&R really complement each other really well!! Now that I'm planning it again for my younger 2 boys, I'm planning on using the same format- BYL as a base and adding in B&R as a resource...so basically combining them!! Because I've done prehistory before and my oldest son was OBSESSED, we have so many books and you have actually highlighted his favorites!! We loved the Life: The First Four Billion Years book, Unstoppable Us, and the Earth Before Us series- we discovered those after we did prehistory, but they would be awesome to use as core materials!! My son was also obsessed with the book, Continental Drift! I also have a lot of picture books that I'm planning to use with my little boys: It Started with a Big Bang: The Origin of Earth, You and Everything Else, Grandmother Fish, Island, The Story of Life: A First Book about Evolution, Annabelle & Aiden: The Story of Life, AND Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story- those were some of our favorites!! Oh and did you know there's a second Unstoppable Us that just came out?!? Also, if you're using Curiosity Chronicles, the first 2 or so chapters covers prehistory, so make sure to check out the instructors manual and use those materials at the same time! I did pick up these nature timeline sticker books to use with my little boys and they look perfect for prehistory!! www.amazon.com/Nature-Timeline-Stickerbook-bacteria-humanity/dp/0995576661/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4P10W59POI7G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mUlPBX5jOhD-LPotYmrM7hFQ5zK5DMC2TqraTWbuKDYbnSBOSjtHH9IGrTACp20ES9IAQTBQ514Z0QzR-MPvkh3Jp-nZnYZp0Mjw26b-gi_FFpWNJByuPRDrdKu52w1IM4YbaycMmRDRcewiXAmgnNvlzKehvb-WYk_FJ8jD4MBLPHbqDGm1GKf53VwlM1Ri2Bx697SVYVgbFRb3Ys2VsFKTCqNFYiaGQu3ilT-ovFk.WVA-i3cjV1uiu6_7l__auIm5dW9fUG_2cN8aOv7K9Hk&dib_tag=se&keywords=nature+sticker+timeline&qid=1713310955&sprefix=nature+sticker+timelin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1 Excited to see what you guys end up doing!!

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

So helpful-thank you for sharing all of that! It’s nice to hear from someone who has used both of them! I’m pretty indecisive about the whole thing right now lol

[@Hot_Springs_Homeschool]

We did the BYL Darwin & Evolution unit, which is very similar. We loved it. The timeline was our favorite part. We taped the pages together accordion style, and my kiddo loved spreading it out down the hallway. She’s not a big fan of coloring, so I let her paint it, or just add her own drawings. We LOVE LOVE LOVE the PBS Eons KZbin channel. We still watch it all the time. Best wishes with your planning! I look forward to seeing what you do for this topic down the line.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thank you so much for sharing what worked for you!!

[@lianna1869]

Thank you for this, it helped me figure out that I will stick with BYL. A lot of Blossom and Root seems "everything AND the kitchen sink", (like why on earth does my child need to spend time learning trivial organisms from a hundred million years ago by name and detail?) Emily seems to be more focused on "this is the important stuff. Dive deeper if you'd like, but I've been sure to only focus on the stuff worthwhile "

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Glad it was helpful!!

[@alenatorres7071]

We're doing a pre-history unit now. Kind of just winging it because I don't like the BYL unit. I tried level 0 too and realized I'm just not a fan of BYL.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Let me know if you come across anything amazing!

[@YasminB-u9d]

What about it don't you like? I was planning on using it in the Fall.

[@alenatorres7071]

@user-fb5ze9fx7e There's not enough structure for me. Also, there is not enough "meat" to it. BYL made me realize we aren't literature based curriculum people. I need a more solid grounding. We do really enjoy the Usborne Encyclopedia book that it uses as a spine, though.

[@YasminB-u9d]

@@alenatorres7071 Is there any other pre-history curriculum that you feel would provide that solid grounding?

[@alenatorres7071]

@user-fb5ze9fx7e Haven't found anything else. We've been reading through the Usborne Encyclopedia book, watched kid videos on evolution, and got a ton of books from the library. Went to a close by nature center that has a fossil dig area. Going to a dinosaur park later. 🤷🏼‍♀️ My boys are 6 and 4, so keeping it pretty basic.

[@emilieelizabeth3831]

I am doing prehistory with my kids also, although mine are younger than your children. I decieded to make my own because I didn't like B&R or BYL units. We have 3 book nat geo kids: When fish got feet, When bugs were big, and when dinos dawned, lots of information and even activity suggestions in the back. I also got It started with a big bang and our family tree an evolution story, both are picture books but have good explanations of big bang and evolution to humans.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thank you for sharing!

[@lizcalandrino3992]

We combined these two like you did 2 summers ago and really enjoyed the blend. I liked how B&R focused more on prehistoric life and BYL had more on human evolution. For me, When We Became Humans was a good buy, it’s a companion to the When Whales Walked (and there is a third called When Plants Took Over the Planet)

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thank you for sharing! I appreciate it!

[@stephroblejo]

This is what we’re doing right now! We’re having so much fun. Homeschool Together Podcast has a series detailing how they merged the two together.

[@kellylotempio5178]

Great review…I think it might help you plan if you define what you mean by prehistory. I would start with hominid evolution week 1, then follow Homo sapiens for the rest. If you want paleontology then that could be a unit before. I agree with jumping between books…I am over it too. I would use Unstoppable Us as a spine and go on rabbit trails from There.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thank you! Yes I definitely need to write down some learning objectives and go from there I think!

[@Michelgia523]

“Life on our Planet” on Netflix is the series

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks-I’ll check it out!