Claritas Cycle 1 Book List

In the fall of 2022, our family will begin Claritas Cycle 1. The history spans creation to the fall of Rome. Science topics include plants, animals, and the human body.

As I’ve planned out our school year, I’ve compiled the following Claritas Cycle 1 book list. Before we begin, I want to give a couple of caveats.

1. We are definitely not going to read every book on this list. This is meant to be used as a menu. Select what works for you and don’t stress about the rest.
2. When we use this list, my children will be in 1st grade and pre-K. Accordingly, my selections are skewed towards a younger demographic. Claritas Cycle 1 can be used with older children as well, and you would want to add some more advanced books in that scenario.
3. Check your library! Ours has many of the books on this list.

With that said, I hope this is helpful to you. There isn’t much on the internet about using Claritas, but it’s a great (and affordable!) program.

Week 1:

• What’s Alive? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
• Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story by Suzanne Slade
• Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature – read section entitled “Actual Facts about the World of Animals”
• Hiking Day by Anne Rockwell
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 1
• One Small Blue Bead by Byrd Baylor
• The First Dog by Jan Brett
• The story of Noah (reference whatever story Bible you have on hand)
• Lugalbanda by Kathy Henderson
• The Magic School Bus Flexes its Muscles (video)

Week 2:

• Karl, Get Out of the Garden! by Anita Sanchez
• What is the Animal Kingdom? by Bobbie Kalman
• The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 2-3
• Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile by Tomie Depaola
• See Inside an Egyptian Town edited by R.J. Unstead
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 12-13
• Ancient Egyptian Jobs by John Malam
• Casting the Gods Adrift by Geraldine McCaughrean
• Science in Ancient Egypt by George Beshore

Week 3:

• Karl, Get Out of the Garden! by Anita Sanchez
• What Makes You Ill?
• Cells for Kids by Nishi Singh
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 26-27
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 4
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 10-11, pg. 14-15
• Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne
• Tut’s Mummy, Lost and Found by Judy Donnelly
• Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki
• Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Mummies and Pyramids by Mary Pope Osborne
• Mummy Math by Cindy Neuschwander
• Who Was King Tut? by Roberta Edwards

Week 4:

• Cells for Kids by Nishi Singh
• The Magic School Bus Goes Cellular (video)
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 5-6
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 6-9
• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (reference whatever story Bibles you have on hand)
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (video)
• Dance, Sing, Remember: A Celebration of Jewish Holidays by Leslie Kimmelman
• The Tower of Babel (reference story Bible)

Week 5:

• A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Alston
• The Magic School Bus Goes to Seed (video)
• Miss Maple’s Seeds by Eliza Wheeler
• Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature, “Actual Facts about the World of Plants”
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 30-31
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 7
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 18-19

Week 6:

• Cellular Biology: Organelles, Structure, Function by April Chloe Terrazas
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 8
• Gilgamesh the King by Ludmila Zeman
• The Revenge of Ishtar by Ludmila Zeman
• The Last Quest of Gilgamesh by Ludmila Zeman

Week 7:

• How a Seed Grows by Helene Jordan
• Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Light by Molly Bang
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 9
• Indian Children’s Favorite Stories by Rosemarie Somaiah
• In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree by Barbara Bash
• The Magic Tree House: Tigers at Twilight by Mary Pope Osborne
• The Little Brown Jay by Elizabeth Claire
• Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown
• Cinnamon by Gaiman

Week 8:

• Tell Me, Tree by Gail Gibbons
• I Can Name 50 Trees Today by Bonnie Worth
• A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 4-5
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 10
• The Lost Horse by Ed Young
• The Empty Pot by Demi
• See Inside an Ancient Chinese Town by Penelope Hughes-Stanton
• DK Eyewitness: Ancient China, pg. 6-11
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 50-53
• A Single Pebble by Bonnie Christensen
• Science in Ancient China by George Beshore
• The Silk Route by John Major

Week 9:

• Apples by Gail Gibbons
• From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 2-3
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 12-13
• Hatshepsut, His Majesty, Herself by Catherine Andronik
• Temple Cat by Andrew Clements
• Rimonah of the Flashing Sword by Eric Kimmel

Week 10:

• The Amazing Life Cycle of Plants by Kay Barnham
• Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 14
• Moses, the Israelites, and Joshua (pull from Story Bibles)
• The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty

Week 11:

• Flowers by Gail Gibbons
• What’s Inside a Flower? by Rachel Ignotofsky
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 34-37
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 15
• In Search of a Homeland: The Story of the Aeneid by Penelope Lively
• See Inside a Roman Town edited by R.J. Unstead
• History Makers: The Romans by Clare Oliver
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 36-37

Week 12:

• The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
• Plants that Never Ever Bloom by Ruth Heller
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 16-17
• Jonah (pull from story Bibles) – Jonah was sent to Nineveh, which was the capital of Assyria.
• The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor retold by Said
• The Legend of the Persian Carpet by Tomie dePaola
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 20-21

Week 13:

• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 18
• The Mystery of Atlantis by Kathryn Walker
• Where Was Atlantis? by Brian Innes
• Monster in the Maze by Stephanie Spinner
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 24-25
• Cupid and Psyche by M. Charlotte Craft
• Atlantis: The Lost City by Andrew Donkin

Week 14:

• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 19
• D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths
• The Trojan Horse by Emily Little
• See Inside an Ancient Greek Town edited by R.J. Unstead
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 28-29

Week 15:

• The Magic School Bus: All Dried Up (video)
• The Magic School Bus Goes Upstream (video)
• Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky
• Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows
• Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration by Marianne Berkes
• Migration by Gail Gibbons
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 23
• D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths
• The Priest with Dirty Clothes by R.C. Sproul

Week 16:

• Christian Liberty Nature Reader 2, ch. 5-6
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 18-19
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 24
• What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras? by Julie Ellis
• Pythagoras and the Ratios by Julie Ellis
• The Parthenon by Elizabeth Mann
• Where is the Parthenon? by Roberta Edwards
• Flying Horse: The Story of Pegasus by Jane B. Mason
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 26-27, pg. 30-31

Week 17:

• Magic School Bus Spins a Web (video)
• Christian Liberty Nature Reader 1, ch. 1
• Buzzing with Questions by Janice Harrington
• Insects by Dr. George McGavin
• Christian Liberty Nature Reader 2, ch. 4-5
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 10-11, pg. 42-43
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 25
• Magic Tree House: Stallion by Starlight by Mary Pope Osborne
• Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Horse Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne
• Alexander the Great by Andrew Langley
• Alexander the Great by Demi
• Solomon and the Ant: And Other Jewish Folktales by Sheldon Oberman
• Who Was Alexander the Great? by Kathryn Waterfield

Week 18:

• Christian Liberty Nature Reader 1, ch. 2
• Magic School Bus Gets Ants in its Pants (video)
• Magic School Bus in a Beehive (video)
• Christian Liberty Nature Reader 2, ch. 2-3
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 26
• Machu Picchu by Eliabeth Mann
• Where is Macchu Picchu? by Megan Stine
• Lost World of the Anasazi: Exploring the Mysteries of the Chaco Canyon by Peter Lourie
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 38-45
• The Magic Tree House: Shadow of the Shark by Mary Pope Osborne

Week 19:

• Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 27-29
• City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay
• Danger in Ancient Rome by Kate Messner
• The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
• Who Were the Romans? by Phil Cox
• Gladiator by Richard Watkins
• Roman Roads and Aqueducts by Don Nardo
• See You Later, Gladiator by Jon Scieszka
• The Roman Army by John Wilkes
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 34-35
• Romulus and Remus by Anne Rockwell

Week 20:

• Magic School Bus: In the Swim (video)
• Christian Liberty Nature Reader K by Florence Lindstrom, A is for Alligator; S is for Snake; T is for Turtle
• Frogs by Laura Driscoll
• An Egg is Quiet by Diana Hutts Aston
• Sharks by Catriona Clarke
• Box Turtle at Long Pond by William George
• A Frog’s Life by Irene Kelly
• On the Nature Trail, pg. 6-7, pg. 22-23
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 30-31
• Buddha by Demi
• Stories from India by Vayu Naidu
• The Monkey and the Crocodile by Joanna Galdone
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 46-49

Week 21:

• The Magic School Bus Claw and Order (video)
• The Boy Who Drew Birds by Jacqueline Davies
• Christian Liberty Nature Reader 1, ch. 8
• The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs by Andrea Pinnington
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 32-33
• Magic Tree House: Day of the Dragon King by Mary Pope Osborne
• Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: China: Land of the Emperor’s Great Wall by Mary Pope Osborne
• Confucius by Demi
• A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman
• DK Eyewitness Ancient China, pg. 12-13
• The Lost Horse by Ed Young
• Ten Suns: A Chinese Legend by Eric Kimmel
• The Great Wall of China by Leonard Fisher
• Who Was Confucius? by Michael Burgan
• The Terracotta Army by William Lindesay
• The Dragon Prince by Laurence Yep
• Lord of the Cranes by Kerstin Chen

Week 22:

• Christian Liberty Nature Reader K, C is for Camel; D is for Dolphin; E is for Elephant
• The Magic School Bus Gets Cold Feet (video)
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 34-35
• A Pirate’s Life for Me by Julie Thompson and Brownie Macintosh
• Julius Caesar by Jayne Parsons
• The Legionary by Peter Connolly
• Famous Men of Rome by John Haaren
• “Julius Caesar” from Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
• Cleopatra by Simonetta Carr
• Who Was Julius Caesar? by Nico Medina

Week 23:

• The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole
• The Magic School Bus: Ralphie Strikes a Nerve (video)
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 36
• The Story of Clocks and Calendars by Betsy Maestro
• Sun-day, Moon-day: How the Week Was Made by Cherry Gilchrist
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 32-33

Week 24:

• The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses by Joanna Cole
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 37-38
• The life of Jesus Christ, birth to resurrection/ascension (pull from story Bibles and Scripture)
• Miriam’s Cup by Fran Manushkin
• Jason’s Miracle by Beryl Lieff Benderly
• Shabbat by Miriam Nerlove
• Dance, Sing, Remember: A Celebration of Jewish Holidays by Leslie Kimmelman
• First I Say the Shema/Hear, O Israel by Molly Cone

Week 25:

• What’s Inside You? by Susan Meredith
• Bones: Skeletons and How They Work by Steve Jenkins
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 39-40
• Magic Tree House: Vacation Under the Volcano by Mary Pope Osborne
• Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Ancient Rome and Pompeii by Mary Pope Osborne
• Magic Tree House: Warriors in Winter by Mary Pope Osborne
• Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Warriors by Mary Pope Osborne
• Pompeii…Buried Alive! by Edith Kunhardt
• I Wonder Why Romans Wore Togas? by Fiona MacDonald
• Beric the Briton by G.A. Henty
• Raiders of the North by Fiona MacDonald and Philip Steele
• The Very First Christians by Paul Maier
• The Ancient Celts by Patricia Calvert
• Celtic Fairy Tales by Neil Philip
• Celtic Memories by Caitlin Matthews
• The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations, pg. 22-23

Week 26:

• The Magic School Bus for Lunch (video)
• Why Do People Eat? by Kate Needham
• The Magic School Bus Waste Not Want Not (video)
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 41
• Why Are You Calling Me a Barbarian? by Birgitta Petren and Elisabetta Puttini

Week 27:

• Itchy, Itchy Chicken Pox by Grace MacCarone
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 42
• Science in Ancient Rome by Jacqueline Harris
• Cattus Petasatus: The Cat in the Hat in Latin by Dr. Seuss
• Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld

Week 28:

• The Magic School Bus Works Out (video)
• Inside Your Outside by Tish Rabe
• Story of the World: Volume 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, ch. 17
• King Nimrod’s Tower by Leon Garfield
• Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran by Aaron Shepard
• Where Were the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? by Yonza McDonough
• The King in the Garden by Leon Garfield