IN-DEPTH From Adam to Us Curriculum Review // Notgrass History

The Notgrass History From Adam to Us curriculum is a beautiful history program for grades 5-8 students. We’re currently going through this curriculum as a family and loving. As a mom, I really enjoy and learn a lot from the lessons alongside my children. We love that the history is presented chronologically. It weaves secular (general) history with biblical history. This open-and-go curriculum can be hands-on if you like that, or just a reading book with some quick tests. Or you can do crosswords, color maps, and even make Stone Henge with waffles. 

Before giving you my opinion, I’ll go through what you get and then give you my review before looking at what other From Adam to Us reviews say about it.

There are also plenty of curriculum photos at the end.

I’ve also made a video of the program below, where you can see gorgeous shots of my curriculum below.

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But let’s look at the different stuff you get in the From Adam to Us curriculum.

What is the Notgrass From Adam to Us Curriculum?

Pros and Cons of From Adam to Us

There are several features people will and won’t like about the From Adam to Us Notgrass curriculum.

Let’s take a closer look.

Pros

There are many reasons to love the From Adam to Us curriculum. These include:

1. Integrated Approach: The curriculum seamlessly combines history, literature, and geography, offering a comprehensive understanding of the world’s past.
2. Engaging Content: The textbooks’ narrative style and colorful visuals make learning history and literature engaging for students.
3. Thematic Units: The five themes per unit, such as biographies and landmarks, provide a well-rounded perspective on historical events and cultures.
4. Flexible Learning: The curriculum allows for customization, enabling parents to adapt assignments based on individual student needs.
5. Christian Perspective: The curriculum’s Christian perspective and references to Scripture can be a positive aspect for families seeking faith-based education.
6. Primary Documents: The inclusion of primary documents in “Our Creative World” enriches learning by offering direct connections to historical sources.
7. Supplementary Resources: The Timeline Book and Map Book enhance learning through interactive activities and visual aids.

But this curriculum won’t suit everyone. Let’s take a look at some perceived cons of the program.

Cons

Some reasons people might not be so keen on The Adam to Us literature curriculum include:

1. Limited Depth: The curriculum’s attempt to cover extensive history might result in a more surface-level understanding of some topics.
2. Christian Perspective: While a pro for some, the curriculum’s Christian perspective might not align with the beliefs of all families.
3. Costly: The required textbooks and additional resources can be expensive, especially for families on a tight budget.
4. Limited Literature: While literature is included, the necessity to purchase or borrow the additional ten literary works can be a drawback.
5. Limited Critical Thinking: Some assignments might focus more on memorization rather than fostering critical thinking skills.
6. Parental Preparation: Although the curriculum is well-structured, parents may need to familiarize themselves with the content to facilitate discussions.
7. Lack of Reproducibility: Non-reproducible workbooks may require purchasing multiple copies for families with more than one student.

Remember, the pros and cons may vary depending on each family’s educational preferences and needs.

What You Get: From Adam to Us Curriculum Package

The Notgrass From Adam to Us Notgrass package includes the following:

1. Two-Volume Textbook: The core of the curriculum, these hardcover books cover 30 units with five lessons each, offering a comprehensive exploration of world history, geography, and cultures.
2. Our Creative World: This hardcover companion book contains stories, poems, documents, art, and architecture from world history. It complements the lessons with primary sources and additional context.
3. From Adam to Us Timeline: A consumable softcover book where students engage with timeline-related activities, enhancing their understanding of historical events in chronological order.
4. From Adam to Us Map Book: Another consumable softcover book featuring maps and activities that correspond to lessons, aiding students in understanding the geographical aspects of history.

Also, This Is In the Bundle

The bundle includes workbooks and an answer key.

Here’s a short description of them.

1. Answer Key: A softcover book providing answers to assignments, ensuring students and parents can verify their progress and understanding.
2. Optional Workbooks: The Notgrass From Adam to Us Student Workbook offers various activities such as crossword puzzles, word searches, and drawing tasks. The From Adam to Us Lesson Review is tailored for older students, focusing on more extensive questions.
3. Literature Package: See the extended description below.

From Adam to Us Literature Package

You also need to buy several book titles to go with the curriculum. These come in a complete package and include:

1. The Golden Goblet
2. The Fables of Aesop (edited by Jacobs)
3. The Bronze Bow
4. A Single Shard
5. Otto of the Silver Hand
6. The King’s Fifth
7. Madeleine Takes Command
8. The Switherby Pilgrims
9. The Chestry Oak
10. Children of the Storm

You can buy the whole From Adam to Us Literature Package as a whole bundle here.

From Adam to Us Audio Supplement (Download)

Although this curriculum doesn’t have video lessons, it does offer an audio supplement.

For $25.00, you get MP3 files like companions to the printed From Adam to Us curriculum.

They’re designed to make learning even more engaging.

You know all those fabulous photographs and illustrations in the printed text?

These audio recordings reference them, so it’s like having a guide alongside you.

What’s even better? You’ll get audio recordings for all 150 lessons from Part 1 and Part 2 of the From Adam to Us Curriculum Package.

Keep in mind, though, that these downloads won’t have the lesson assignments, stuff from Our Creative World, or any worksheets.

Also, if you’re wondering about the listening time, it’s about 30 hours and 40 minutes.

Check out the audio supplement of Notgrass From Adam to Us here.

My Personal Review

We’ve been loving this curriculum for the last few months.

I enjoy it because I’m learning so much alongside my children. 

My children love it because they learn from the text but are also particularly excited about the fantastic photographs peppered through it. 

The Adam to Us program teaches narratively.

That means a lot of the text is told as stories.

And that’s appropriate because history is a story.

His-Story.

This reminds me of another reason I love this one.

It’s from a solid biblical worldview. 

Children are taught valuable lessons, reminding me of the adage, ‘Those who have not learned history are doomed to repeat it.’

I’m also a big fan of the maps. (We take our atlas with us and sometimes do the curriculum in a cafe for extra fun!)

And I love that you can use this curriculum with a wide range of ages. My son is almost seven, yet he can understand it. I’m 35, and I enjoy it.

Photos of the Curriculum

You have to see it to understand why this is a great buy.

Colorful Main Textbooks

Here are a few flicks of the leading books you’ll be reading.

There are lots of stories to engage your interest.

There are lots of maps scattered throughout the curriculum.

You can’t help dwelling on the pictures because they’re always so interesting, like this one of the Southeast Asian people and Angkor Wat.

Sometimes, I pick up the books and read with the kids. These two volumes are enormous! They cover almost everything!

Our Creative World

As a supplement, you can also pick up Our Creative World.

See pics below.

Review Books (Student Workbook and Lesson Review)

Notgrass suggests you choose only one review book.

Either the:

• Student Workbook, which has lots of fun games like crosswords, letter finding, etc [FREE PDF of it here] for $14.00 OR
• Lesson Review is just a simple Q and A if you want to get things over and done quickly for $12.00.

Want some pics?

Here are some of my copies.

This is the fun Student workbook:

This is the straightforward Lesson Review book:

Timeline and Map Book

You can get the Map Book if you want to work on geography a bit more. This book gets you to identify and color an area or track a journey, for example. (These are $10 bought separately but cheaper if you get the whole bundle.

Here are some pictures:

And here’s the timeline book if you want to work on timelines.

This is great if you want to think about how biblical and secular history correspond.

Pics here:

Answer Key

And then there’s the Answer Key, but I haven’t got a picture of that one because it’s just a Q and A book. You can take a look at it here.

It’s only $6.00, so pretty affordable.

Other From Adam to Us Reviews

I wouldn’t hesitate to give this curriculum five out of five stars.

That’s also what Christian Books give it.

Amazon gives it a solid 4.7/5 stars, which is pretty positive.

If you love it, buy it here at no extra cost to support my homeschool YouTube channel and website.

I appreciate any help you provide :).

What Other History Programs Does Notgrass Have?

Notgrass also has elementary and high school programs.

Here’s a summary of them:

Elementary Notgrass Curriculum

Notgrass has a couple of elementary curriculum programs.

Our 50 States

For young learners, “Our 50 States” offers an engaging year-long adventure through the United States.

This course guides elementary students on a captivating journey, introducing them to the nation’s natural wonders, intriguing locations, factories, farms, and the diverse people that collectively shape the tapestry of America.

Our Star-Spangled Story

“Our Star-Spangled Story,” designed for elementary students, presents a one-year exploration of American history.

This course uniquely blends narrative lessons featuring children and families from history with interactive elements such as songs, dances, and hands-on activities.

By combining these elements, young learners are immersed in an educational experience that brings the stories of the past to life.

Middle School Notgrass Curriculum

Notgrass also offers a few programs for middle school homeschool students.

From Adam to Us Curriculum

This curriculum has been thoroughly covered in this curriculum.

America the Beautiful

Discover a year-long adventure with “America the Beautiful.”

This curriculum skillfully weaves together a comprehensive exploration of American history, Bible study, geography, literature, vocabulary, creative writing, and hands-on activities, providing a well-rounded educational experience.

Uncle Sam and You

Embark on a captivating journey into civics and government with “Uncle Sam and You.”

Tailored for young learners, this one-year curriculum combines a rich study of civics and government with Bible study, literature, vocabulary, creative writing, and hands-on activities, fostering an engaging and insightful learning experience.

High School Notgrass Curriculum

Then, there are high school history curriculum programs.

Exploring World History Curriculum

Embark on a year-long journey through history, English, and Bible with the “Exploring World History” curriculum.

Delve into rich world history through engaging lessons, primary source documents, classic literature, writing assignments, hands-on projects, and exploring historical insights from the Bible.

Exploring America Curriculum Package

Uncover the story of America with the “Exploring America” curriculum.

Over a year, students delve into American history, English, and Bible studies.

By engaging with historical narratives, primary sources, classic American literature, writing assignments, and hands-on projects, students gain a profound understanding of the nation’s past, complemented by Biblical insights.

Exploring World Geography Curriculum Package

Embark on a comprehensive high school course with “Exploring World Geography.”

This one-year program covers world geography, English, and worldview.

Students explore the interactions between people and geography, analyzing its impact on communities and nations.

Students cultivate a Christian worldview through lessons, diverse literature, writing tasks, hands-on projects, and exploring various religious systems.

Exploring Government

Discover the workings of the United States government with “Exploring Government.”

In this one-semester course focused on government and English, students delve into the history of the U.S. government, emphasizing its Biblical foundation and the significance of the U.S. Constitution.

Exploring Economics

Empower students with economic literacy through “Exploring Economics,” a one-semester course in economics and English.

This program equips students to be responsible stewards of resources, understanding personal, household, local, national, and international economic dynamics while contributing positively to the economy.