Story of the World is a four-volume world history curriculum by Susan Wise Bauer that presents history chronologically as an engaging narrative, designed primarily for elementary students with accompanying activity books, audiobooks, and hands-on projects.
What is Story of the World?
Story of the World is a four-volume history curriculum published by Well-Trained Mind Press (formerly Peace Hill Press) and written by Susan Wise Bauer, co-author of The Well-Trained Mind. The series presents world history chronologically as one continuous narrative, using a storytelling format that makes historical events engaging and memorable for young learners. Each volume covers a distinct historical period, from ancient civilizations through the modern age, and includes activity books with maps, projects, and supplementary materials. The curriculum has been helping students fall in love with history for over twenty years.
Key Takeaways
- Four volumes covering Ancient Times, Middle Ages, Early Modern Times, and Modern Age
- Designed for grades 1-4 (read-aloud) or grades 2-8 (independent reading)
- Activity books include maps, hands-on projects, review questions, and reading lists
- Professional audiobooks narrated by Jim Weiss available for each volume
- Works for classical, Charlotte Mason, and eclectic homeschool approaches
The Four Volumes
What's Included in the Activity Books
Each volume has a companion activity book that transforms the narrative into a complete curriculum. The instructor section includes activity directions, recommended reading lists, review questions with answers, a pronunciation guide, and narration exercises. The student section contains approximately 150 reproducible pages of maps, puzzles, games, coloring pages, and review cards. Hands-on projects range from building ancient huts and making cuneiform tablets to mummifying a chicken, creating purple dye, and baking cultural feasts. The activity book is what makes SOTW a complete history, geography, and literature program rather than just a read-aloud.
How Families Use Story of the World
Most families teach history two to three times per week, completing one chapter in approximately a week. A typical lesson begins with reading the chapter aloud (or listening to the audio), followed by discussion using the review questions and oral narration. Map work reinforces geography, and families choose from the hands-on projects based on time and interest. There are more chapters than school weeks in a typical year, so some families extend the curriculum or select favorite chapters to cover more thoroughly. Many homeschoolers complete the four-year cycle twice: once in elementary and again in middle school at a deeper level.
Considerations Before You Buy
Story of the World is generally considered faith-friendly and neutral, discussing biblical events as history alongside other religious and cultural narratives. Some Christian families prefer explicitly biblical alternatives like Mystery of History if worldview integration is a priority. Volume 4 (Modern Times) has fewer hands-on activities and covers more mature content including modern wars, so Susan Wise Bauer does not recommend it before fourth grade. Some historians have noted occasional inaccuracies, particularly in British history sections. SOTW works best as a "spine" supplemented with additional living books, videos, and primary sources.
The Bottom Line
Story of the World remains one of the most beloved history curricula in homeschooling for good reason. The narrative approach hooks children who might otherwise find history dry, and the activity books provide enough geography, literature, and hands-on learning to constitute a complete program. The curriculum works well for multi-age families since younger and older students can listen to the same chapters while completing age-appropriate activities. If you value chronological world history presented as an engaging story, SOTW deserves serious consideration for your elementary and middle school years.
