Is BookShark a History or a Reading program?

BookShark is both! We are a literature based program that teaches History through reading and listening. In Levels A-C, the focus of our program is on developing and strengthening reading ability. This is why we offer multiple Reader levels for the early packages. Beginning in Level D, however, the focus shifts from strengthening reading ability to building reading comprehension. From Level D up, we integrate the Reading, Read-Alouds, and Language Arts assignments with the History readings. Instead of learning to read, your children will be reading to learn!

I didn‚Äôt do Part 1, can I still use this package?

BookShark‚Äôs Level C Reading with History Package introduces the second half of world history beginning with the fall of Rome and ending in the modern era. The first half of the program ‚Äì Reading with History B: Intro to World History, part 1 of 2 ‚Äì is not required for you to use our Level C curriculum, though it does help provide some context. It is up to you if you want to skip it or step back.

If you have any concerns about skipping content or about the difficulty of the Level C work, please consider starting with Level B. Our Level B package was designed for students age 6-8 and is advanced for a 1st Grade level. If you decide to skip the Level B program, your student(s) will have another chance to cover the first part of world history in our Reading with History G.

Which Readers should I choose?

We offer multiple Readers levels for our Level A-C packages to accommodate advanced and struggling learners. If you are unsure which Readers level would be best for your child, please have them take our Quick Reading Assessment. It is very important to match the Readers level to your child‚Äôs reading ability, and the assessment will help you find the most comfortable fit for them. We encourage you to be sure that they are reading fluidly, not just decoding the words. Our goal is to help you instill a love of reading and learning in your child. If they are working too hard to decode the words, they may not enjoy the stories and the reading may become frustrating.

Do the Readers integrate with the History reading?

We offer multiple Reader levels for our Level A-C programs, so the Readers are not tied with the History reading for this package. In Levels A-C, the focus of our program is on developing and strengthening reading ability. The Readers are integrated with the History program beginning in Level D.

What books are included in the Level 2 Readers?

Level 2 Readers are equivalent to a 2nd Grade reading level and include the following:

Frog and Toad are Friends

Frog and Toad Together

Owl at Home

Hill of Fire

Pompeii: Buried Alive!

Titanic: Lost and Found

Wagon Wheels

The Big Balloon Race

Mouse Tales

Daniel's Duck

Nate the Great

The Fire Cat

Greg's Microscope

Frog and Toad All Year

Amelia Bedelia

The Sword in the Tree

Clara and the Bookwagon

The Long Way to a New Land

The Long Way Westward

Prairie School

Third Grade Detectives #1 and #2

Riding the Pony Express

What books are included in the Level 3 Readers?

Level 3 Readers are equivalent to a 3rd Grade reading level and include the following:

The Chalk Box Kid

The Paint Brush Kid

Third Grade Detectives #4

Cora Frear

Tippy Lemmey

Third Grade Detectives #10

Tornado

Jake Drake: Bully Buster

Secret Valley

The House on Walenska Street

The Littles

The Last Little Cat

Viking Adventure

Marco Polo

Encyclopedia Brown

Lumber Camp Library

What books are included in the Level 4 Readers?

Level 4 Readers are equivalent to a 4th Grade reading level and include the following:

About Average

A Doctor Like Papa

King of the Mound

Henry and Ribsy

The Children of Noisy Village

Misty of Chincoteague

Emily's Runaway Imagination

Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West

The Whipping Boy

Socks

A Llama in the Family

The Toothpaste Millionaire

McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm

Frindle

B is for Betsy

Along Came a Dog

Ralph S. Mouse

Can I use this package with both of my children?

Yes, you can! If your children are within three years of age, they can share the same BookShark Reading with History package ‚Äì including Read-Alouds, history books, the Timeline Book, and Timeline Figures. Please remember, however, that Reading is a skill based subject and it is important to pick a Reader level that matches with each child‚Äôs ability.

If your students have different skill levels for Reading, please consider purchasing an additional Language Arts with Readers package:

If you do not want to use BookShark's Language Arts, you may also add the additional readers individually:

Not sure if this is the right fit? Please review the options below to find a package that will work for both of your children:

Ages 5-7 | Reading with History A
Ages 6-8 | Reading with History B

Ages 8-11 | Reading with History D
Ages 9-12 | Reading with History E

If there is more than a three year age difference between your children, we recommend that you purchase a separate package for each student. Our Reading with History H (12-14) is a nice thematic match to our Level B package since both cover the second part of World History.

Can I purchase the History program without the Readers?

We do not offer a History package without Readers because learning through reading is fundamental to our program. If you are certain that you do not want the Readers, you can add the History books and Read-Alouds to your cart individually. PLease use the "what's included" tab on this package for reference.

Do I need the 1st/2nd Grade World History Resources?

The World History Required Resources includes two books that are included in our Level B History program and reused in Level C History:

The Usborne Time Traveler
The Usborne Book of World History

If you purchased our Level B All-Subject Package or Reading with History Package, you do not need to purchase these books again.

What are the ‚ÄúRequired Resources‚Äù and why are they required?

The Required Resources includes a big binder with 36 week tabs for your Instructor‚Äôs Guides, The Timeline Book, a reusable Markable Map, and a set of wet-erase markers. These resources will be reused in almost every level of our History program and can be shared by multiple students. You will be given the option to purchase these items every time you buy an All-Subject or Reading with History Package, but you only need to buy it once.

For more information on BookShark, please see our FAQs page.

Reading with History

Reading with History C Package