Designed for parents and elementary-aged students (grades 1-5) to share together, The Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times history set builds historical literacy, improves reading and comprehension skills in both fiction and nonfiction, and increases vocabulary--all in an enjoyable and entertaining story-like format. The Story of the World paperback text offers 42 narrative chapters, told in chronological order and spanning the entire globe, that begin with the earliest nomads and end with the last Roman emperor. Independent readers can easily enjoy the stories on their own, or parents can read aloud to younger students. The Volume 1 Activity Book offers a whole variety of hands-on projects to complement each chapter in the paperback text--map activities, coloring pages, games, cooking experiments, crafts, board games, science experiments, puzzles, and more! Extensive booklists, both fiction and nonfiction, accompany each set of projects and give parents and children the opportunity to read more about the fascinating people and events in each of the 42 chapters. The Volume 1 Test Book & Answer Key rounds out this history resource by providing simple tests and answer keys for each chapter in the text. A combination of multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and short writing samples allow parents to evaluate the child's comprehension, and gives young students a simple, low-pressure way to practice test-taking skills.