The Story of the World Volume 1 Expanded Edition
A captivating, story-based history curriculum that turns world events into epic adventures—perfect for curious kids who’d rather time travel than memorize dates.
$21.95
Quantity:
2025 First-Grade Curriculum Kit
The Story of the World: Volume 1 – Ancient Times Expanded Edition
Step into a world of pyramids, palaces, sneaky spiders, and six-year-old emperors with The Story of the World Volume 1: Ancient Times Expanded Edition—the unforgettable kickoff to your family's history adventure.
Spanning from 5000 BC to 400 AD, this first volume of Susan Wise Bauer's beloved four-part series takes curious kids (and their equally curious parents) on a globe-trotting journey through the earliest nomads, mighty Egyptian pharaohs, Greek gods, Chinese emperors, and Roman rulers—all told in a way that feels more like a bedtime story than a dusty old textbook.
Whether you're reading it aloud with young learners or handing it off to your middle schooler for independent reading, the Volume 1 text makes history lively, funny, and totally relatable. It's the storybook spine of your ancient history study—and it's anything but boring.
So if you're ready to turn your home into a time machine, The Story of the World Volume 1 is your boarding pass. Whether you're meeting Hammurabi, discovering the secret of Shi Huangdi's tomb, or rooting for Anansi the Spider, this is history with a heartbeat.
Let the ancient adventures begin!
Updates Include:
- Mini-biographies: 10 new profiles of remarkable figures such as Spartacus, Draco and Solon, Zhang Heng, and Shammuramat.
- Fresh visuals: Expanded with many new illustrations.
- New content: Chapters on China, Korea, the Silk Road, King Herod, the siege of Masada, and more.
- Improved clarity: Clearer formatting to distinguish ancient texts, myths, and stories from the historical narrative.
- Read the story aloud (or let your child read it himself).
- Use the student workbook to do map exercises, hands-on crafts, activity pages, and answer questions.
- The new instructor guide has easier planning, parent scripts, suggested memory work and field trip ideas, and updated and expanded reading recommendation lists.
- Prefer to listen? The audio version is perfect for car rides or quiet time.
- Want to quiz your brain? Test books are optional but great for check-ins!
- Chronological structure helps kids make connections and see the big picture
- Multicultural stories from all over the world
Hands-on activities bring history to life (build a Roman road or try Egyptian mummification—no human organs involved) - Flexible format works for different ages and learning styles
- Sparks imagination while building real historical understanding
About The Story of the World Series
History That Reads Like an Adventure Book!
Tired of history that feels more like a list of dates than an epic tale? Then you're ready for The Story of the World—a wildly engaging, story-driven history curriculum that brings the past to life with dragons, emperors, explorers, and the occasional pie fight (seriously).
This four-volume series by Susan Wise Bauer turns world history into a captivating read-aloud (or read-alone!) journey from ancient times to the modern age, all told in a way that actually makes sense to kids. Think of it as your child's personal time machine—minus the jet lag.
What You'll Explore
Volume 1: Ancient Times
From pyramids and pharaohs to the last Roman emperor—travel back to the very beginning!
Volume 2: The Middle Ages
Castles, crusaders, and chocolate (yes, really). From the fall of Rome to the start of the Renaissance.
Volume 3: Early Modern Times
Queen Elizabeth I, samurai battles, and the invention of potato chips (okay, almost). All the excitement from the 1500s to the Gold Rush.
Volume 4: The Modern Age
From railroads to revolutions, you'll tour the globe and wrap up with the 20th century's biggest moments.
Each volume is built to flex with your family—Volume 1 is great for curious kids in grades 1–6, while Volume 4 ramps things up for older students, typically grades 4–8, with topics that carry a little more weight.
The series isn't faith-based, but it does introduce major figures from many world religions. If your family prefers to skip a few activities here and there, no problem—there are more than enough to choose from. And when the biblical details feel a bit light? That's your cue to jump in and share more of God's story, making the lesson even richer and more personal.
How It Works
Whether your child is a castle-loving knight, an explorer in disguise, or just someone who thinks history should be more fun, The Story of the World turns the past into his new favorite subject.
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about this product below:
New Features in The Story of the World: Volume 1 – 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Main Text):
The same engaging storytelling and readability that children loveTwo new chapters on East Asian historyAdditional material in the existing chapters on key historical events, including:The rise of the Roman RepublicThe beginning of the Han dynastyThe Silk RoadThe rule of Herod the Great and the siege of Masada
Ten new biographies of fascinating historical figures (Spartacus, Zhang Heng, and more)Twenty new illustrations and mapsUpdated pronunciation guideNew chapter order for better chronological flowClearer formatting, distinguishing ancient texts, myths, and stories from historical narrative
And for customers who want to turn The Story of the World into a full History & Geography curriculum:
Instructor Guide (formerly the front half of the Activity Book):
Now fully organized into lessons for easier planningParent scripts for narration, review, and mapping exercisesSample answers for narration prompts and review questionsUpdated and expanded reading recommendation lists, combining the best of the classics with the best of what's been published in the past 25 years40+ brand-new activitiesSpecially designed group activitiesCross-curricular challenges connecting history to science, math, writing, and moreSuggested memory work and field trip ideasLow-prep, no-prep, and movement activities
Student Workbook (formerly the back half of the Activity Book):
Dedicated student pagesPuzzles, game boards, craft templates, and other interactive activity pagesSuggested memory work activitiesMap exercises to teach the geography of our worldNew coloring pages
What This Means for You:
We believe the 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition will be a bestseller, just as the classic edition has been. You'll want to plan ahead for stocking it in early 2026.
Please Note:
The new edition is not compatible with the older (2001/2006) editions, or with their activity books or MP3 audiobooks.
