This is an exciting complete year's curriculum from Bright Ideas Press for students in grades 5-8. It is also adaptable for younger and older students (I'll be using it with my 11th grader this year) - another great multi-level product. This first volume covers Exploration through 1840. There are 32 weekly lessons, and each lesson contains three sections examining the atmosphere in which the event occurred, the event itself, and the impact this event had on the future of America. Designed to be engaging and written in a comfortable style, the hard-covered student reader is full of interesting stories and beautiful illustrations. Support materials include a student activity book and a teacher's guide (sold separately or in our 3-piece special). What I like: There's so much to like! The book is thorough, well-written, beautifully illustrated, adaptable for older and younger grades for multi-level teaching, and so easy to use! What I don't like: The student reader is a bit "text-bookish" - not the most interesting of reading, but much better than many textbooks I've seen. This "weakness" is more than compensated for by the great support materials and activities included with the student activity book and the teacher's guide. Regularly priced at $44.95, we're offering the book at a 20% discount - just $35.95.