History

How to Organise a Homeschool History Trip the Charlotte Mason Way

10/06/2022

One of the bonus points of a homeschool life is being able to go on field trips during term time when it’s quiet! But what are you supposed to do on a homeschool history trip?

Do you have to take all your books with you?

Do your children have to complete a project?

Do you have to collect “evidence” to prove your visit?

This blog post offers advice for each age group when attending a homeschool history field trip.

Why are homeschool history trips important?

The first piece of advice is the most important – you don’t HAVE to do anything! If all you and your children do is attend a field trip, explore your surroundings, and have a great day, then class that as a successful field trip!

However, as homeschool mothers, we carry a heavy pressure to squeeze every learning opportunity as much as possible. So, how can you make the most of a homeschool history trip?

First, understand why a homeschool history trip is important. The Charlotte Mason philosophy encourages our children to build relationships with the topics they are studying. What better way to build a relationship with the knights of medieval times than exploring the ruins of their once-glorious castle? How better to understand the struggles of Victorian life than to trail through the London dungeons?

By exploring history through trips as well books, children benefit from seeing their studies come to life. It allows them to experience the information first hand!

What should you do before a homeschool history trip?

How do you prepare for a homeschool history trip? This part can create an overwhelming to-do list, if you’re not careful. So, it’s important to remember that we cannot possibly teach our children every single piece of information available. The aim of our homeschool is to create a lifelong love of learning and an appreciation of the journey. We need to spark our children’s interest.

So, before a homeschool history field trip, that is your only goal – spark their interest. Teach them just enough to create a buzz of excitement about your upcoming trip.

Read impressive battle stories from Arthurian legend before visiting a castle.
Discuss the struggles of Abdullah Quilliam before he established the UK’s first mosque.
Try a day living like Tudors before visiting the Tudor houses and museums.

By creating this sense of wonder in your children, you are prepping them to make way for any new experiences the field trip has to offer.

For your older children, encourage them to think about other things they would like to know. If they have their own set of questions they want answering during the trip, they are taking charge of their own learning and being responsible for the satisfaction of having their questions answered.

Maybe they can research the field trip destination beforehand, and they can be the tour guide. Allow them to research what is available, and they can oversee where you go and what you do on the day.

Homeschool History: Level 1 (Under 7s)

If following a Charlotte Mason philosophy, you’ll know the “requirements” for under 7s are minimal. The focus should be on being outside as much as possible, maybe a little arithmetic, and plenty of snuggles with living books!

But this is when a field trip comes in handy. A child under 7 can enjoy a homeschool history trip for exactly what it is – an adventure and a chance for more exploration!

Encourage your child to collect souvenirs, and I don’t mean the expensive ones from the gift shops! Maybe your child finds an interestingly shaped rock or a flower? Maybe they find it thrilling to follow a map of your location in a brochure!

Tip: Remember anything collected can either be sketched or stuck into their Book of Centuries to commemorate their historical trip through time!

Muslim homeschool curriculum book of centuries

To find out more about How to Use a Book of Centuries – CLICK HERE

The idea for this age group is to keep stoking the fire of curiosity and wonder. Children under 7 have a natural inclination to explore and ask questions. Your only job is to not get in the way!

When travelling home, or even the following day, ask your child to orally narrate what they did on their trip. Let them tell you what they understood and the connections they made.

Homeschool History: Level 2 (Ages 7-11)

Once your child hits this age bracket, the intensity of work steps up a little bit.

Please note: this is by no means a hard and fast rule for this age group. Judge your child’s ability based on their progress rather than their age. If your child is still at the freestyle-exploration stage, leave them there! Often, they’ll show YOU signs they are ready to upgrade their learning.

So, what can a child do on their history trip? If their trip includes a destination linked to a current area of study, your child probably already has some questions they need answering. Find out beforehand what they will have access to on your trip and help them come up with a list of questions they’d like answering.

Another hands-on idea for your child is for them to document their trip – whether a video or photo diary, keeping a written journal, or even just collecting memorabilia for a scrapbook!

Tip: Take your Book of Centuries with you! You will probably come across lots of new information and dates on your trip. Let your child check this information against things they have already recorded in their Book of Centuries! [Purchase yours here UK USA ]

Charlotte mason history book of centuries

Homeschool History: Level 3 (Ages 12+)

Now is when we must get serious… right? Well, not necessarily! Once your child hits this age range, a lot of his/her studies may start to take a “serious” turn. Whether you’re thinking about secondary school or GCSEs, children will notice the expectations for their work are increasing.

A history trip is not that time. See your history trip as a blessing and a chance for your pre/teen to get back to enjoying learning and seeing what they can soak up without an official plan. Children absorb a lot more information when they don’t think they HAVE to!

However, if you or your child are eager for more, set a history trip as part of a greater research project.

They don’t just have to visit Stonehenge; they are researching the impact of religion and spirituality in pre-historic Britain!
They’re not just visiting Gettysburg National Military Park; they are creating their own timeline and map of the civil war.
They’re not just visiting Titanic Belfast; they are putting together an engineering report of the safety requirements for a cruise ship.
They’re not just visiting Mesa Verde National Park; they are researching the Native American contribution to civilisation.

Helping your child build connections with what they are seeing on their trip with other areas of study is a guaranteed way to embrace the Charlotte Mason mentality during their older years. Education is a study of relationships, and a history trip is a fantastic way for older children to appreciate how their different areas of study are interconnected.

Once you get home

The days after a homeschool trip are a great time to soak in what you have all experienced and learnt. Whether you have an informal discussion or even go as far as to put on a presentation for family members! Find a way to recap or narrate your experiences and spend time with what you have learnt before moving on to the next topic. And that means you too! Join in with the children and show them that learning truly is a lifelong pursuit.

Keep focused

As you can see, there is no right or wrong way to go on a homeschool history trip. But what is important is that you remember your focus as a Charlotte Mason homeschool:

Discuss how topics are related.
Facilitate your child building their own relationship with their topic.
Remind them of the disciplines and habits required when out of the house.
Narrate back what they have learnt in a range of creative ways.

What do you do on your homeschool history trips? Leave a comment with your history trip recommendations!

[Don’t forget to order your Book of Centuries here UK USA .]

How to Start Homeschooling

Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.

I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources, and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.

I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!

Interested?

Launch Your Homeschool enrolment is currently closed.

Doors open July 2022, insha’Allah.

JOIN THE WAITING LIST HERE:

Peace and love,

The History of Islam in the UK

22/05/2022

One of the main benefits of homeschooling our children is the freedom to teach the subjects we feel are important. One of those subjects is the history of Islam. We want our children to not only learn about their Islamic history but to feel connected to it. A Charlotte Mason education is focused on building connections and relationships with the things our children are learning. Visiting historically significant sites is a key way to bring history alive.

By educating our children at home, we don’t have to abide by the school timings. We can use our days to take our homeschool on the road and explore history in the real world.

History of Islam in Your Homeschool

As Muslim parents we feel pressure to push our children towards Islamic studies like Qur’an and Islamic history. However, like with most subjects under the Charlotte Mason philosophy, our children need to be engaged. We have to spark their interest and ignite their passion for the subject. To do this, sometimes books, crafts and games are enough. But if you have the chance to bring your lesson to life in the big wide world, you should take it.

Tip: Don’t forget to take your Book of Centuries with you and fill it with all the new dates and people you learn about!

The Charlotte Mason philosophy encourages us to nurture relationships with the material and with each other. It encourages us to build connections and appreciate the knowledge we gain. What better way to do that than to take your children on a fun field trip? Field trips allow children to experience history for themselves and create valuable memories.

Does Islam have history in the UK?

When we think about the history of Islam, our mind very rarely considers the British Isles. However, the UK has some of the richest Islamic history in the Western world. Knowing we have such easy access to our own history on this island is exciting – and one way to transfer that excitement to our children is to help them experience it for themselves. Here are some fantastic history trips around the UK to enrich your lessons on the history of Islam.

Cambridge Eco Mosque

The Cambridge Central mosque boasts stunning architecture of both English and Islamic influences. By growing up in the West, your children will feel connected to this combination of cultures. This mosque focuses on connecting the human experience with the natural world. So the building goes beyond stone and marble and integrates nature throughout its design. It’s surrounding Islamic gardens will be a joy for any nature study enthusiasts following the Charlotte Mason philosophy. Children will see the importance of nature in a spiritual sense when exploring the beautiful gardens.

You can visit this mosque as a family or book a guided tour through the grounds and gardens. The mosque even has an interactive exhibition open daily. This exhibition explores the scientific influences in the history of Islam from the 9^th to 16^th centuries.

However, Cambridge Central mosque does not just highlight the history of Islamic civilisation and architecture. It is carving its name in modern history by being one of the first Islamic establishments to embrace an eco-friendly and sustainable existence.

Activity Idea: Take your nature journals! Observe the beautiful gardens and select your favourite parts to sketch and colour in your journal.

Abdullah Quilliam Mosque in Liverpool

You cannot discuss the history of Islam in the UK without mentioning the very first UK mosque. Founded in 1887 by Abdullah Quilliam, a Victorian English convert, this mosque boasts an impressive history. Children will love learning about his life and the trials he went through when establishing this mosque.

Please note: as of the time of writing, the Abdullah Quilliam society is currently working on restoring and expanding the mosque. It is currently open for prayer times, but please check ahead before you travel there.

Activity Idea: Life in Victorian England had its challenges for Muslims. Setting up the first mosque couldn’t have been an easy task. Learn what you can about the trials and triumphs of Abdullah Quilliam. Keep it fun and have your child orally narrate what they learnt on the way home.

The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic world at the British Museum

The British Museum in London has a spectacular collection of galleries covering a wide range of historical periods. Interestingly, the museum has two rooms dedicated to the history of Islam. The display is called The Albukhary Foundation Gallery.

While the website contains extensive videos and images for children to examine, nothing beats experiencing collections in real life. Booking a trip to this museum is enlightening for children. Let your children see how the history of Islam fits in with the rest of the world. Because, the history of Islam is not something separate – it is integrated into other time periods and civilisations.

Activity Idea: When looking at the exhibition, encourage your children to select the piece they like the most. They can either sketch it, write about it, or talk about it with you. Maybe it’s something you can research further at home!

Victoria and Albert Museum – Islamic Art Exhibition

This stunning museum in London holds a magnificent collection of Islamic art. With over 19,000 items from around the world, this exhibition explores the evolution of Islamic artistic influences dating back to the 7th Century.

The similarities of these pieces whilst maintaining some beauty of each culture they originate from truly sets this collection apart. Your children will learn from each collection how Islam does not erase your culture, it simply enhances it with its beauty.

Activity Idea: Don’t forget your sketchbooks! Geometric patterns and calligraphy text are key elements of Islamic art. Allow your children to take their sketchbooks and attempt to replicate some of the beautiful patterns they come across.

Halal Tourism Britain – Guided Tours

Like Cambridge Central Mosque, Halal Tourism Britain is making history by being led by Britain’s first professionally-trained Muslim tour guide. These tours allow you to travel through London and some of the UK’s biggest tourism spots. If you book one of their guided tours, you can see places like Trafalgar Square and Lambeth in new ways. You and your family can learn about Islamic influences dating as far back as the Ottomans.

Activity Idea: Collect memorabilia such as tickets, brochures, and maps on your tour and stick them together in a collage of your trip! You can include diary entries from your children, itineraries, photographs, etc.

Connect to the History of Islam

Above are just a few ideas for trips around the UK for you and your family. The things you will learn on these trips can become stepping stones to other places. The more you learn about the history of Islam in the UK, the more places you will find to visit. You might be surprised how much of our Islamic heritage can be found on this small island in the Western world.

If you would like to start including the history of Islam in your Book of Centuries, sign up for the Our Muslim Homeschool newsletter and receive some free images!

How to Start Homeschooling UK

Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.

I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.

Interested?

Launch Your Homeschool enrolment is currently closed.

Doors open Summer 2022, insha’Allah.

JOIN THE WAITING LIST Here: https://ourmuslimhomeschool.com/courses

Peace and love,

10 Wonderful Art and Craft Ideas for Homeschool History

15/05/2022

As homeschooling mamas, we often have a love-hate relationship with art and crafts. But understanding the value of the activity can help motivate us to not only find more crafts for our children, but to even enjoy them ourselves. When teaching history the Charlotte Mason way, craft activities can be a wonderfully creative way to change up your homeschool history lessons.

(This Blog Post contains affiliate link. Please see Disclaimer for more information.)

Scroll down for 10 crafts for you to use with your children.

Homeschool history and Charlotte Mason

One of the main aims of the Charlotte Mason philosophy is to help children develop relationships – both with the topic they are studying and those around them. Craft activities are an incredible way to achieve this.

By enjoying a hands-on activity in your homeschool history lessons, your children will have something tangible to experiment with and explore. They have a chance to put their own slant on a history project and express their understanding in a fun and practical way. Additionally, children will build their own memories and visualise historical events and figures as they work their way through each project.

Another key aspect of Charlotte Mason philosophy is nurturing children’s ability to express their learning. Whether this is through an oral narration where they repeat back what they have learnt or through a written narration where they summarise the points they felt were important from their reading. But a history craft, and the discussion it inspires, is also a perfect way to have your child narrate what they understand in a natural, organic way.

10 Homeschool History Crafts

1. Timeline

Having a history timeline is an ideal way to visualise the order of historical events. Children can be their own historian as they record the dates and events of different periods.

A fun way to do this is to create a history timeline on the wall or large poster board, like this one. Children add their own items or images to each historical period. They can add whatever they like: paintings, collages, photos, or little facts.

For the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, you can use some free Seerah timeline images by signing up here.

If you are pushed for space or prefer to keep the timeline contained, your children can keep a timeline notebook in a Book of Centuries. Purchase Our Muslim Homeschool’s very own Book of Centuries HERE, complete with an Islamic calendar!

2. Build Al-Aqsa

Masjid al-Aqsa is a place so rich in history that people dedicate their lives to it without ever knowing everything. As Muslims we have a special connection to this place and it makes a valuable addition to any homeschool history curriculum.

Help your children bring the site of al-Aqsa alive by building their own 3D model. Using cereal boxes, plastic bottles and any other junk materials from around the house, children can get hands on with this activity. Use this diagram to get an accurate idea of the layout of the building and its surroundings.

This is a chance to talk about some fantastic moments in Islamic history such as Isra and Miraj, the Crusades and Salahuddin Ayoubi.

3. Who’s Who Game

In history, there are numerous people for children to remember. Turn this challenge into a fun game by making “Who’s Who?” cards.

How to Play:

Firstly, create individual cards for each important person you are studying.
Secondly, include physical descriptions, achievements and general clues explaining who they are.
Then, one person picks a card at random and keeps it hidden.
The other players have to ask questions to guess who is on the card.

The beauty of this game is it can be replicated for any time period, whether the Wars of the Roses during the time of the Tudors, or the Civil Rights Movement in the US.

As an example, take a look at this Who’s Who game of the Battle of Hastings from the English Heritage website.

4. Family History Journal

As mentioned, Charlotte Mason stresses the importance of children building relationships with the information they are learning. What better topic to relate to than that of your own family history. Life has changed so significantly over the past few decades that you wouldn’t have to research that far back to find interesting things for your children.

Use the instructions here to make your very own family history journal. It’s important to allow children the freedom to express what they have learnt in their own way. Over time, let them draw, write, paint, or stick in photos and collages.

5. Shoebox Time Periods

This craft is extremely versatile and can be applied to whichever time period you’re studying. Use materials and items from around your house and grab a shoebox. Inside the shoebox, build a scene that represents a scene or location from your history lesson.

Here are some examples:

If studying Ancient Egypt, you can build a pyramid, add the river Nile, and draw hieroglyphs around the side.
For the Victorians, you could fashion a traditional Victorian street in London, complete with small toy models that children used to play with.
If studying the American Civil War, you can build a depiction of the Battle of Gettysburg from 1863.

Use this link for further instructions and shoebox diorama ideas.

6. Famous Buildings

Using model clay or playdough, you and your children can help each other to recreate famous historical buildings. Look at photos or documentaries, and discuss the history of the buildings as you work. You could build:

The Great Wall of China
The Colosseum in Rome
Pyramids
The Ka’ba
The Lincoln Memorial, etc.

7. Time Travelling Homeschool History Passport

As you go through your various history projects, help children feel connected to and excited by the many different cultures and ways of life you are discovering. A great way to do this is to encourage children to keep their own record.

Using the notebook tutorial for the Family History Journal, create a Time Travelling Passport. Children can draw things they discover about different time periods, stick in images they find during research, or note down their narrations. This craft can go alongside your Book of Centuries [insert purchase link here] and together they will make a wonderful record of your child’s historical discoveries and learning journey.

Another great addition to this activity would be the Magic Treehouse books [insert Amazon link here]. This series features two children who travel back to different time periods in a magical treehouse. Your children can use their passport to document their own time-travelling adventures!

Related: Get FREE Seerah Timeline Images HERE

8. Get Cooking

If there is one thing the internet has an abundance of, it’s recipes! What’s more, some recipes are child-friendly and will make a lovely addition to your homeschool history curriculum. Using different time periods and cultures, you can have themed cooking sessions. Try some of these to start off with:

Viking Bread
Ancient Egyptian Date Balls (I had no idea this tasty snack was so ancient!)
Tudor feast recipes
Pasteli from Ancient Greece

9. Historical DIY

The next time you venture to the park or a local nature walk set your children a DIY tools challenge. During the Stone Age prehistoric people utilised stone, trees and leaves to craft basic tools. See what your children can create and bring home as a prehistoric souvenir. They could even draw their creations in their Time Travelling Passport!

If you need some ideas, check out these engineering challenge ideas!

10. Learn Through Art

Artistic expression has changed significantly. From cave paintings of mammoths to Michelangelo’s depictions of the Book of Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. A great way for children to connect and relate to these works of art is to try and replicate them for themselves.

Because of the wide range of art projects to choose from, this project is perfect for children of different ages. They can pick any image they feel comfortable with, whether it’s a cave sketching, Egyptian drawings from tombs or complete Tudor paintings.

Don’t forget to add the dates of the original works of art in your Book of Centuries!

UK 🇬🇧 | USA 🇺🇸 | CANADA 🇨🇦 | AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺

Creative homeschool history for everyone

As you can see, homeschool history lessons don’t have to mean reading long biographies and composing written narrations. Craft activities are a creative form of narration and an opportunity for your child to spend time with the information they have encountered. Therein lies the beauty of the Charlotte Mason philosophy – you can mould the lessons to suit you and your children!

Teaching Islamic History with Charlotte Mason + Book List

08/05/2022

Charlotte Mason emphasises the importance of well-written and inspiring books, or ‘Living Books’. Parents find themselves scrambling for recommendations and booklists for their children’s subjects. When we get to history, the book search becomes even harder. Not because we can’t find decent books, but there are so many to choose from, it’s difficult to know which books will suit our family values. As Muslim parents, we need books which portray other than the Western world’s view of history.

Scroll down to find the book list of children’s Islamic history books I recommend!

This Blog-post contains affiliate links. For more information, see Disclaimer.

How to read like Charlotte Mason

The Charlotte Mason method places living books as its central focus when educating children. When they cannot read a book for themselves, it should be read aloud to them. In exposing children to a nutritious diet of elegant literature and wholesome prose, they can absorb knowledge and maintain it.

By gradually reading decent books, children develop knowledge and intelligence by making important connections in the material they are exposed to. The beauty of Charlotte Mason’s approach to education lies in its simplicity. Being exposed to a superb selection of books is all your child needs for an enjoyable and successful education.

How to choose Charlotte-Mason-approved books

One of the most common questions when starting the Charlotte Mason method is: “What is a living book?”

A living book is a book which is:

well-written
provides children with new ideas
a book your child finds enjoyable
inspiring and impacts the reader
literary in style, where possible. (However, they do not always have to be stories)

Now, this is why it is often difficult to narrow down a solid list of living books; because it will look different for every child. Where one child may find the ‘Just So Stories’ by Rudyard Kipling delightful and entertaining, another child might find them boring and difficult to understand.

However, well-written books are easier to identify among the bookshelves in a store or library. Finding living books is a skill you develop over time, so try not to get too overwhelmed in the early stages.

Does Charlotte Mason include Islamic history?

When researching the Charlotte Mason book lists, it can be easy to assume the history curriculum doesn’t favour an Islamic look at history. Some of the books appear to favour an Anglo-Saxon version of events, complete with the wonder of the British Empire and the valiant efforts of the crusaders.

However, it is important to remember that the Charlotte Mason approach is an educational philosophy, not a boxed-and-ready curriculum. You don’t have to purchase the book lists from her schools in order to benefit from her teaching advice. There is an entire world of published books to embrace, so feel free to go out for yourself and find books which suit your children and your family.

Living books inspire children, preferably in a literary way. We can easily apply this principle to Islamic books and tailor our history lessons to suit our Islamic values. Remember, we’re not looking for textbooks, and we’re not looking for books which display disjointed facts and condensed learning objectives.

Reading and your Book of Centuries

As well as living books, a Book of Centuries will prove to be an invaluable resource. After reading a passage from a history book, help your children find the correct timeline page. They can write or draw something to represent what they heard when you were reading. Find out more about using a Book of Centuries here:

The Our Muslim Homeschool Book of Centuries comes with the added bonus of extra pages during the timeline of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. This gives you space to dedicate extra details to that important period and dive into the lifetime of the prophet in fun and engaging way. It also includes a timeline featuring some important dates in Islamic history from 570CE – 1924CE. Purchase yours here [link to the Amazon listing].

Like most history lessons, it can be difficult to keep the seerah engaging for your children. By using a Book of Centuries, your child can actively engage with the stories and decide for themselves what to include in their book. For more information and guidance on keeping your seerah lessons fun and engaging, check out this post [insert blog post link here]? the seerah one is not published yet.

Book list of Islamic History Books for Kids

If you need a book list to get you started, check out my list of recommended reading for history:

101 Seerah Stories and Dua by Goodword (Ages 3-8)

Amazon UK | USA

Lore of Light: 1 by Hajjah Amina Adil

Amazon UK | USA

The Muqaddimah – An Introduction to History by Ibn Khaldun (Ages 16+)

Amazon UK | USA

A Journey Through Islamic History: A Timeline of Key Events by Yasminah Hashim (All Ages)

Amazon UK | USA

The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Leila Azzam and Aisha Gouverneur (Primary school)

Amazon UK | USA

The Age of Bliss Series by Tughra Books (Ages 9-12)

Amazon UK | USA

The Leadership and Legacy Curriculum by Rabata (All Ages)

CLICK HERE

Muhammad: His Life Based on Earliest Sources by Martin Lings (Ages 16+)

Amazon UK | USA

Muhammad Messenger to Mankind by Nur al-Din ‘Itr and Usman Ali (Secondary School)

Amazon UK | USA

Muhammad the best of creation: A glimpse of his blessed life by Sayyid Muhammad Ibn al-Alawi al-Maliki and Amjad Mahmood (Ages 16+)

Amazon UK | USA

A Philosophy of Education (The Home Education Series) by Charlotte M Mason (For parents)
Amazon UK | USA

Your ideal homeschool

Home education gives you the freedom to choose the topics important to you and your family. The Charlotte Mason method is particularly useful for this. The focus isn’t on the subjects you study, but how you present them to your children. Using the books above, a Book of Centuries, and a relaxed approach, you can make history lessons meaningful and enjoyable for you AND your children!

Related: Homeschool History Curriculum | Islamic & British CLICK HERE

How to Start Homeschooling UK

Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.

Interested?

Launch Your Homeschool enrolment is currently closed.

Doors open Summer 2022, insha’Allah.

JOIN THE WAITING LIST Here: https://ourmuslimhomeschool.com/courses

Peace and love,

Muslim Homeschool Curriculum: How to Use a Book of Centuries

30/11/2021

What do we need to teach our children? Which books should we buy? What topics must we cover? Teaching history in a Muslim Homeschool can be tricky. How do we teach the whole history of mankind in a way that makes sense to children of different ages? This blog post will show you how a Book of Centuries will completely transform your Muslim Homeschool curriculum.

Muslim homeschool curriculum - Islamic history timeline book of centuries

What should be in a Muslim Homeschool Curriculum for History?

When following a Charlotte Mason philosophy, history allows children to build connections between historical events. Our kids must understand how events relate to each other and be able to discuss the lessons which can be learnt.

To do this, it is essential children learn the order of historical events. Understanding when things happened is just as important as what happened. In a history lesson, your children are probably reading a variety of books covering history from different periods and cultures. But how can we gather this information in a logical way for our kids?

Charlotte Mason recommended children get to know a few particular time periods very well, rather than skimming over a brief outline of everything. Children interested in a certain time period will often find themselves absorbed in a single period of history for longer. However, they need to gather information in a coherent way, while understanding how events relate to each other.

This is where the Book of Centuries comes in.

What is a Book of Centuries?

A Book of Centuries sounds incredibly important, doesn’t it?

And it is.

It is an organised way for your children to process the historical facts learnt during their readings, read alouds, and history lessons. A Book of Centuries is an essential part of any Muslim homeschool curriculum.

The Book of Centuries is set up like a diary and contains blank pages waiting for your child to fill them in. To guide them, dates are written across the top of each page. These dates usually span from around 4000BC (the time of first recorded history) and the present day.

A Book of Centuries becomes a household treasure. You can have one shared between your children or they can have one each for their own personal collection. Over their years of homeschooling, children will continue to add to their Book of Centuries, their book growing and evolving alongside their historical knowledge.

Their Book of Centuries will become a cherished possession which they return to years later and recall the incredible stories. Having a place to record their historical findings encourages children to engage with what they are learning. They practice how to critically decide which pieces of information are important enough to include. Their creativity is sparked as they choose how to display the information in their books. They can choose to either write, draw, or even glue pictures and diagrams!

WATCH THIS VIDEO

How to use a Book of Centuries in a Muslim Homeschool Curriculum

Now for the interesting part.

You know how to approach history, you know how important a Book Centuries is for your child’s Muslim homeschool curriculum, but how do you use a Book of Centuries alongside your history readings?

Charlotte Mason, recommends your children spend at least one lesson per week working on their Book of Centuries and timeline. This means they spend about 20 minutes gathering what they have learnt throughout the week and adding to their book.

To add an entry into their Book of Centuries, children locate the page with the correct year. Then, they add content to those pages to represent what they are learning. This could be done in different ways:

Writing the date of birth and death of famous people throughout history
Small sketches of important relics, events, or locations, such as pyramids or castles
Pictures printed from the internet of famous people or events
Parts of leaflets cut out from history field trips

Is a Book of Centuries just for History?

The Book of Centuries is a versatile resource that can be used in more than just History lessons.

For example, if your child reads about Salahuddin, they will come across dates of important battles and crusades. These dates would be added to their Book of Centuries, along will a small description of what happened. Your child might sketch the armour and weapons used at the time. Some children might include a map of Jerusalem and the grounds of Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock.

This little project may spark an interest in the crusades and the ongoing fight for authority in the Holy Lands. Your child will see how long this fight has been going on. Your child will understand how many time periods have influenced a fight that is still raging today.

As we’re taught by Charlotte Mason herself:

“…it is necessary to know something of what has gone before in order to think justly of what is occurring today.” (A Philosophy of Education, Charlotte Mason)

Charlotte Mason quote - history and book of centuries

In these ways, children are building their own unique record of history in a way that not only makes sense to them but also demonstrates how events and time periods relate to each other. Children develop an intelligent sense of time and the evolution of mankind.

Where to buy your own Book of Centuries

Now, I’ve been where you are before. I completely adored the idea of using a Book of Centuries in my homeschool. I grabbed a blank notebook and started adding dates to the top of each page, each double spread representing 100 years.

However, this is time-consuming, and it was incredibly confusing trying to manage the time span of 6000 years! Plus, as a Muslim homeschool, it was important to me to make acknowledge the Islamic calendar and its place in the history of our world.

Because I know how tricky designing your own Book of Centuries can be, I have developed a book for you with the dates and setup already done.

When you purchase the Our Muslim Homeschool Book of Centuries, you have a blank notebook all ready for your child with:

Islamic dates alongside Gregorian dates at the top of each page
Lists of key Islamic dates
Further reading suggestions
A page of profile cut-outs for you to get started
A page for your chid to record their own family history

Muslim homesschool curriculum Islamic history book of centuries

This Book of Centuries will help your child engage with their Muslim Homeschool curriculum and enjoy History lessons in an exciting way. No matter the age of your children, having a book they can add to themselves, without the work being done for them, will provide a satisfying sense of achievement, inshaAllah.

Purchase your copy straight from Amazon here: Amazon UK | Amazon USA

Muslim book fo centuries homeschool curriculum

Homeschool History Curriculum | Islamic & British

14/09/2018

History is one of my favourite subjects to teach in our homeschool, especially Islamic history! I am very excited to share with you our Living History curriculum choices for the coming homeschool year!

Download our FREE Homeschool History Reading Plan, and you can read these beautiful books along with our family! (More information is at the end of this blog-post.)

Further research of the Charlotte Mason method of education has led me to many delightful discoveries; one of which is her method of teaching history through living books and biographies. This coming school year, I will be using this methodology to teach my two young boys, ages 6 and 8, more about later Medieval times in Britain and the Islamic world. Towards the middle of the year, we hope to start learning about the Tudors.

This blog-post may include affiliate links. Please see Disclaimer for more information.

If you’re interested in learning more about Charlotte Mason’s method of teaching History: CLICK HERE

I have collected together an assortment of beautiful books that we will use this year; some we will read together as a family, and others are independent reading for my eight year-old. This curriculum also incorporates Islamic History.

If you would like to use this curriculum in your homeschool as well, please scroll down to the bottom of this blog post, and you can download our Homeschool History Reading Plan for FREE!

You can also WATCH THIS VIDEO, to get a closer look at all these lovely books!

These are the selection of Living History Books we hope to use this coming year:

Family History Read-alouds

The Story of Britain by Patrick Dillon

UK | USA

People in History by R.J. Unstead

UK | USA

This book is harder to source in USA, and may be cheaper to buy from Amazon UK, and ship over.

Muhammad: His life based on the earliest sources by Martin Lings

UK | USA

Columbus by Ingri & Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

UK | USA

The topic of Columbus, an how to teach it, is a difficult dillema for many parents, as the horrific atrocities committed upon the native people of America are ignored by most historical accounts in children’s books. This is an excellent article to help you navigate this issue with your children.

Independent Reading/ Biographies (Ages 8+)

We hope that my son will read as many of these books as he can over the whole year, reading for only 10 minutes interdependently from them each school day.

Please note: I have not yet pre-read all of these books, but I plan too insha’Allah. I would always advise you to pre-read anything that your child will be reading independently.

This book is harder than the others. We may chose to do this one as a family read-aloud if my son struggles with it.

Saladin: The Muslim Warrior who defended his people

UK | USA

The Emperor’s Winding Sheet by Jill Paton Walsh

UK | USA

Leyla: The Black Tulip by A. Croutier

UK | USA

So this is our plan for the coming year for History, insha’Allah.

History Curriculum: Islamic and European History

If you would like to read along with us, I have planned out the first term (12 weeks) of family reading, which you can DOWNLOAD HERE: Homeschool History Reading Plan.

As I mentioned above, this is a continuation of last year’s study of the medieval times, and so the British history component begins with Henry V (1413).

I do not plan out my son’s independent reading, but instead allow him to select a book from the list above, and read from it for 10 minutes daily. This approach could also work for your family.

To use the reading schedule, simply reading down the list the in order; beginning from the top and working your way down to the bottom. Each square correlates with the number of readings/sittings it will take to complete the chapter; e.g. 2 squares indicates that it will probably take 2 sittings to read through that particular chapter. You can even use this as a checklist if you like, and tick off each reading as you complete it.

The chapter names are written in the left-hand column, and the colour of the box indicates the which book it is from. There is a “key” to help make this clearer. If you need any further help with this reading schedule, please leave me a comment below and I’ll do my best to help insha’Allah.

Download your…

FREE History Reading Schedule:

–>Homeschool History Reading Plan <–

If you do decide to read along with us, please take a photo and share it with the hashtag #OMHHistory. I would love to see how your family are using this curriculum.

What history books have your family enjoyed reading? Do you have any favourites?

Please share with us in the comments below!

Peace and Love,

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Homeschool History | Living Books and Curriculum Options

24/08/2018

Are you struggling to choose a Homeschool History curriculum? There are so many different curricula and living books available, that choosing the right “fit” can become quickly overwhelming!

In this blog-post I’ll be reviewing three of the most popular Homeschool History curricula, that we have personal experience with, to help you decide what would be best for your children. I’ll also be discussing why the study of History is so important in a child’s education.

This blog-post contains affiliate links. See Disclaimer for more information.

Why Study History

In this modern educational culture, we have come to view History as a supplemental subject; a subject that is done merely to enrich the more “important” disciplines. However I would argue, as Charlotte Mason did over a hundred years ago, that history is “vital part of education.” (Vol. 6, p.169).

Understanding the events and people of the past, can help us to understand our own reality, and place in this world. The study of history exposes our children to worthy ideas, foreign worlds, people of noble character, and can act as an antithesis to the misguidance and trappings of modernity. It helps children to see what virtue looks like, through their imagination, and begins to train their powers of reasoning.

“…a subject which should be to the child an inexhaustible storehouse of ideas, should enrich the chambers of his House Beautiful with a thousand tableaux, pathetic and heroic, and should form in him, insensibly, principles where by he will hereafter judge of the behavior of nations, and will rule his own conduct as one of a nation.”

-Vol. 1 p.279

History, when taught by the principles set out by Charlotte Mason, enocurages children to relate to those unlike them; to humanize people from other nations and distant times.

“If he comes to think…that the people of some other land were, at one tome, at any rate, better than we, why, so much the better for him.”

-Vol.1, p.281

History has far more to offer our children that just the memorization of facts and dates. It can help to shape they character and guide the way they think.

Like many, I was taught history using a dry textbook followed by comprehension questions. These questions tested my ability to pick facts out of the text, but did not develop my person in any way. I consider the many years I spent sitting in those history lessons time wasted; little information was retained, no ideas imbued, and any interest I once had for history quashed. The great thoughts and personalities of history remained hidden from me until I began to learn alongside my children using the Charlotte Mason method.

Charlotte Mason History

Charlotte Mason advised us to take our time with history; to dwell on those time and people who inspire our children, instead of rushing through in the effrot to cover “everything”.

“Let him, on the contrary, linger pleasantly over the history of a single man, a short period, until he thinks the thoughts of that man, is at home in the ways of that period.” -Vol. 1, p.280

She also recommend the use of living books to teach history, specifically mentioning “Our Island Story” by H. E. Marshall (Vol. 6, p.169) as the main text in the first two years (Form 1B and 1A), as well as reading well-written biographies of historical figures from Form 1A onwards.

Alternatively, many homeschooling families choose to use The Story of the World, by Susan Wise-Bauer as their main text or sole history curriculum. Another option is A Child’s History of the World by V. M. Hillyer.

Homeschool History Options

The Story of the World, Our Island Story and A Child’s History of the World are the three most popular choices of homeschool history curriculum.

This blog post aims to compare these three popular homeschool history texts, and highlight their strengths, weakness, and differences.

To help you further, I’ve made this Youtube video showing the books themselves, and discussing some of this details further. WATCH THIS VIDEO:

Story of the World

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

The Story of the World, by Susan Wise-Bauer is one of the most popular homeschool history curricula on the market. It was written to follow the classical educational model, however many CM families also use it.

The complete series consists of four volumes, which cover history chronologically from Ancient times through to the Modern age.

In previous years we have worked through Volume 1 (Ancient times), which covers world history from 7000B.C. to the Fall of Rome. However, for reasons I will explain later, we chose not to move onto Volume 2 – Medieval Times.

Each chapter is 3-4 pages long (A5), with plentiful black-and-white illusatrations and maps throughout. It is written in a conversational style, which appeals to many children, as it is easy to understand and is generally very entertaining.

The books do include Biblical stories and mythology. There has also been some concern voiced about the portrayal of Prophet Muhammad in Volume 2. I have not read this volume myself, so I cannot comment on the specifics.

Although the author makes a concerted effort to cover the history of many nations, it is still very much euro-centric world view, and so many families may feel the need to supplement this curriculum.

There are also optional Activity books available to go along with the main text. For every chapter in the main text, the activity book contains cross-references in encyclopedias, additional reading, extensive recommendations for audio-books and literature. The activity books also contain reproducible maps and coloring pages, as well as lists of crafts projects.

Our experience of using The Story of the World Vol. 1 was mixed. The children seemed to enjoy it, and found it fun and easy to understand, which was perfect for our first year homeschooling. It also gave me an idea of how to teach history in a home-setting, which was a very valuable lesson.

Unfortunately, the conversational, modern writing style did not encourage those “juicy” conversations that other living books can encourage.

I also found that the children had retained very little from the text a few days after the lesson. I also found the fast-paced nature of the book very frustrating, as the author has tried to cover so much history in just one book. Whilst I understand the thought-process behind that, I found that my children and I were not given the chance to form connections and relations with the material.

In hind-sight I could have slowed our progress down, and taken two years over the book, instead of one, adding in additional reading and other living books. However, as a new homeschool mum, I lacked the confidence to step away from the authors recommendations.

However, having spoken to many other homeschooling families, it seems that this is exactly what others have done; using The Story of the World as their “spine” and supplementing with their own resources and literature.

I feel that The Story of the World is a fantastic resource for teaching homeschool history. It is ideal for those who are uncomfortable teaching the subject and need some guidance, those new to home-education, or families who feel more confident reading modern English.

Personally, I would not class The Story of the World as a living book, as it did not inspire my children to great ideas, or spark interesting conversations. It is also not a book that I would pick up and read for fun, unlike other some other history books, that I will discuss later in this series.

The Story of the World is the perfect “middle-ground” for those interested in stepping away from the “textbook-workbook model” of teaching, but who are not yet comfortable or interested in using living books.

Our Island Story

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

Our Island Story the primary history text recommended by Charlotte Mason in Volume 1 for forms 1B and 1A (children under 9 years-old).

This beautifully written book tells the story of Britain in chronological order from pre-history through to Queen Victoria. Each chapter is approximately 3-4 pages long and focuses on a historical figure, their story, moral character and contribution to the history of Britain.

The book also contains some poetry and Shakespeare quotes which could be used for further study and memorisation. There are also a few beautifully hand-painted illustrations in some chapters for the reader to enjoy. There is also list of Kings ad Queens at the beginning of the book, which could be useful when constructing your timeline or Book of the Centuries.

Unlike The Story of the World, there are no maps, and no accompanying activity books. If your children enjoys crafts and hands-on activities, you may choose to find these activities yourself.

The book is written in an older English, with richer language than most modern history books. It may take some time for children to get used to this language if the are not already accustomed to it.

It is written from an English (not British) Christian world view, and this should be born in mind when discussing the Crusades and other such conquests within and around the UK.

Due to its world-view, and the fact it only covers the history of Britain, you may wish to supplement this book with additional reading.

We stopped using this book after six months as my son was finding the language difficult to understand and narrate from. However, I feel this book has a lot to offer and I hope to re-introduce it into their homeschool history curriculum sometime in the future.

Overall, I found this book excited the children’s imagination and filled their young minds with worthy ideas and beautiful stories. I would happily read this book myself for enjoyment and my own self-education!

A Child’s History of the World

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

A Child’s History of the World was written by V. M. Hillyer, the late Head Master of the Calvert School, Baltimore. Focusing on the stories of historical figures, it covers World History from pre-history all the way through to the Cold War. Although written in conversational, modern English, the language is rich and engaging.

There are black-and-white illustrations and maps scattered throughout the book. The chapters are approximately 4-5 pages long. There is no accompanying activity book, and so parents may wish to supplement with other material.

We primarily used the Audiobook version from Audible. The narrator was very entertaining and read the book beautifully. I would highly recommend it!

Although the author writes from a Western worldview, I felt that he was respectful to other faiths and people, a fact that may have been noted by the people behind the Ambleside online and Bookshark curriculum who have included it in their elementary years history curricula.

Through his writing, the author also highlights and raising questions about good character and morals throughout.

Please note, this book does contain Biblical stories and mythology. Also, as it is attempting to cover a large period of time in one volume, many important historical events are not included or are skimmed over. As the parent, you may wish to add in additional reading.

The book itself is paperback, self-published and not as attractive as the other homeschool history curricula mentioned. Despite this, A Child’s History of the World is an engaging introduction to world history for children aged 5-9 years old and well worth your consideration.

These are the main three homeschool history curricula that you will see mentioned in literature-based, Classical and Charlotte Mason homeschools.

However, as I have hinted towards, there are many more options! In the next blog post and Youtube video, I will be discussing some alternative books and methods that we use to teach history in our homeschool.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you found these reviews helpful.

Don’t forget to WATCH THE VIDEO, and if you have any questions, please leave them for me in the comments below.

Peace and Love,

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Ancient China: Ming Bowl Craft

17/11/2016

We have been learning about Ancient China in our homeschool. The history of China is so interesting, and the children have really enjoyed learning more about the Chinese culture.

In addition to the history of China, we have learnt more about the physical Geography of China, including map work and read some Ancient Chinese legends.

The idea for this craft came from Story of the World: Activity Book 1.

Both my 6 year-old and 4 year-old boys enjoyed doing this activity, and our Ancient Ming bowls look beautiful displayed in our dining area.

Ancient Chinese Bowl Craft

Craft Supplies:

Air Drying Clay
Cling-film (Plastic wrap)
Small plastic bowl
Rolling Pin
Blunt knife
Blue paint
White glue (optional)
Paint Brush

How to Make your Ming Bowl:

Roll out clay to about 1 cm thick, so that it will cover the entire plastic bowl.
Wrap the plastic bowl in cling-filmand turn upside down. Make sure your surfaces are covered in newspaper or an old table cloth.
Lay the clay over the upturned bowl.
Use your knife to trim away the excess clay and make the edges smooth.
Leave clay to dry over-night.
Once completely dry, use your blu paint to decorate the outside of the bowl. Chinese pottery was typically painted with flowers, birds and outdoor scenery. Leave to dry.
If you would like to give your bowl a gloss finish, mix 2 parts glue with 1 part water to make a glaze. Paint this mixture over the entire bowl, and leave to dry.

Here are my son’s beautiful Ancient Chinese Ming Bowls:

Ancient China Homeschool Craft Art Project

My 6 year-old painted waves onto his bowl, and my younger son (4 years-old) chose to paint trees on his. They were really pleased with the results and have been showing these bowls to anyone who comes to visit!

More Resources for Ancient China Unit Study:

Other Resources we have used for our Ancient China Unit Study include:

Story of the World: Volume 1: Ancient Times

The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History

The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

The Story About Ping (Independent Reader)

This Fun Youtube Video!

We have really enjoyed learning about Ancient China. The only thing left to do now s get some Chinese take-away and watch Kung-fu Panda!

Have you been looking at Ancient China in your homeschool? Have you done any interest Chinese crafts?
I would really love to hear what resources you have been using. Please share with us in the comments below!

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In need of your duaas.

Peace and Love xx

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Once you get home

Keep focused

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1. Timeline

2. Build Al-Aqsa

3. Who’s Who Game

4. Family History Journal

5. Shoebox Time Periods

6. Famous Buildings

7. Time Travelling Homeschool History Passport

8. Get Cooking

9. Historical DIY

10. Learn Through Art

Creative homeschool history for everyone

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Reading and your Book of Centuries

Book list of Islamic History Books for Kids

Your ideal homeschool

How to Start Homeschooling UK

What should be in a Muslim Homeschool Curriculum for History?

What is a Book of Centuries?

How to use a Book of Centuries in a Muslim Homeschool Curriculum

Is a Book of Centuries just for History?

Where to buy your own Book of Centuries

Family History Read-alouds

The Story of Britain by Patrick Dillon

People in History by R.J. Unstead

Muhammad: His life based on the earliest sources by Martin Lings

Columbus by Ingri & Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

Independent Reading/ Biographies (Ages 8+)

Bard of Avon by Diane Stanley

All About Leonardo da Vinci by Emily Hahn

Al Ghazali by Demi

Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta by James Rumford

The Silk Route by John S.Major

Ibn Sina: A Concise History by Edoardo Albert

The Emperor’s Winding Sheet by Jill Paton Walsh

Leyla: The Black Tulip by A. Croutier

History Curriculum: Islamic and European History

FREE History Reading Schedule:

–>Homeschool History Reading Plan <–

What history books have your family enjoyed reading? Do you have any favourites?

Please share with us in the comments below!

Why Study History

Charlotte Mason History

Homeschool History Options

Story of the World

Our Island Story

A Child’s History of the World

Ancient Chinese Bowl Craft

Craft Supplies: