America the Beautiful by Notgrass combines the structure of a traditional textbook with the richness of a unit study approach to U.S. history for grades 5-8, making it ideal for families who want thorough historical coverage without hunting down dozens of supplemental resources. This Christian worldview curriculum integrates American history, geography, literature, and Bible study into 150 daily lessons covering from pre-Columbian times through the present, with each unit featuring varied lesson types including historical events, natural wonders, American landmarks, biographies, and everyday life studies that keep middle schoolers engaged across different learning styles.
The two-volume hardcover set provides independent-friendly lessons for students, and the flexible format lets parents choose from multiple activity options—map work, primary document readings from the included We the People book, creative writing, timeline entries, vocabulary, and optional Student Workbook or Lesson Review questions. Ten assigned literature titles like Amos Fortune: Free Man and Across Five Aprils deepen understanding of each historical period, and weekly family activities include crafts, recipes, and multi-age projects. Parents appreciate the clear instructions and beautiful photographs that don't require extensive prep time, though families teaching multiple children will need separate consumable workbooks for each student.
The curriculum addresses challenging topics like the Trail of Tears and Civil Rights Movement with historical honesty while maintaining a conservative Christian perspective throughout, including "Thinking Biblically" sections that connect Scripture to historical events. Some families note the pace moves quickly through major events—covering topics in one or two lessons that could support weeks of study—and younger fifth graders may need parent support with the reading level and content depth. Browse sample pages on the publisher's website to assess fit for your student's reading ability and your family's worldview preferences.
