Can we get all US History options in one place?

[Susan C.]

Hi,

I am trying to figure out what to do for US/American History next year. It seems that what I like, dd does not......:tongue_smilie:

 

So far: Notgrass, she says it is scattered and had a hard time answering the questions in the sample. (I answered them in five minutes, I can't figure out why she can't.... she is a slower reader....I remember not being able to process my US History text in 11th grade..... hormones???.... brain not done yet????)

 

BJU: I have the T/E. She liked one paragraph she read. But, she didn't like BJU World History at all, and ds didn't like BJU US History, he bailed in 3 weeks and ended up doing BF. I didn't mind BJU when I got it for ds 5 years ago, but hey, I thought Notgrass was ok too...

 

She watched an IEW tape today and loved it. So, she doesn't hate everything. She seems to really like watching way more than reading. She got on Glencoe's website and liked all of the bells and whistles they have to go with their text book, the games to help remember terms, the quizzes, flashcards, etc. (But, we couldn't find a sample of the text). So, I think she may just take things in slowly and need lots of review. This year we did three different texts for World History (while still moving through), you won't believe it, but when we did modern with Story of the World, that is when she got the most out of it. We had good discussions, and she took in and remembered the material. Makes me wonder if it would be better to do history more simply..

 

So anyone have any suggestions? Just watch Teaching Co?? Forget upper level analysis (although she can do it if she is reading an easier text). What about Lifepak? Bright Ideas Press' All American History (says Vol. 1 is grades 5-8, Vol. 2 is Gr. 6-12)? BJU with the dvd teacher (although I think it may be too rigorous for her, she will do it, but it will take HOURS). A Patriots' History? Bring 'em all!! (BTW: She LOVED Hakim, I guess I could do that again, but for high school, I think I would need to add to it, and it has been suggested to add Teaching Co. dvds, this idea is in the running, but I am worried about the time factor of watching 3 dvds a week, and doing all of the reading).

 

Thanks!

[Susan C.]

OK, I just saw that Oak Meadow uses the Glencoe book dd likes. Anyone use the non-enrolled US History class?

[AngieW in Texas]

My 9th grader has been using it this year. She enjoyed the textbook. The syllabus has 3-6 discussion questions for each chapter and then has a list of 3-10 projects (you choose just one). The syllabus assigns one chapter for each week, except for the 18th and 36th weeks which are devoted to the mid-term and final projects. The syllabus has answers for all the discussion questions and rubrics for evaluting the projects.

 

I'm looking forward to repeating it with my youngest in a few years.

 

I bought just the syllabus and teacher manual from Oak Meadow. I bought the text on amazon for around $10.

[Susan C.]

Thank you Angie, would you consider this "rigorous?" Dd is a slower reader. The sample had 25 pages of reading a week, with four questions and a project. And, what about testing? Does that happen once a week? Dd usually needs a day to study, and a day to take the test.... so the 25 pages would have to happen in three days along with questions and project....

[AngieW in Texas]

There aren't any tests for the program. I think you can do a quiz online if you want, but there aren't any tests included.

 

Here's a link to where you can do the quizzes online:

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ushistory/tav2003/

 

My dd finished it early and is now studying for the US History SAT-II test. I have her signed up to take it on June 5th.

[Murphy101]

Do let us know how she does and if you feel this program prepared her well for it!

[Susan C.]

Wow, I would love to know if this prepared her well for the SAT 2 as well.

 

How did your week go? Read this many days, do questions this many days, projects, etc. I'm trying to get a vision for the flow of this. Remember, dd is a slow reader! We would love to ditch the tests.... Also, do you do Oak Meadow's questions and not the questions or review in the text? Did your dd do the online activities?

 

Thanks!

[AngieW in Texas]

My dd just read the text, answered the questions from the syllabus, and did the weekly project. I didn't actually schedule it out for her. The way I set it up on her assignment sheet was to give her something to check off for each thing she did, like this:

13.1____13.2____13.3____13.4____project

I put in the underscores in place of the tabs I use in my word processor. So I just listed the chapter sections she was supposed to read (assumed that she would answer the questions as she got to them in the text) and the project. That gave her something to check off each day.

[JustGin]

This year we went a different route entirely. We used America: Last Best Hope by William Bennett and the companion online resource Roadmap to America.

http://roadmaptolastbesthope.com/

I also added a reading list for her that included some adult level non-ficiton and a series called "American Heritage American Voices" and various other resources.

We are covering American History in two years mainly because this program is so meaty!

 

ETA: My daughter is a good reader, but is very auditory, so we got the text on audio, and her required reading was in audio as well. This worked so well for her!

 

Also ETA: Don't let the title of the text throw you. I have found this text to be very, very balanced, neither America - all good, rah, rah or America - evil empire of the devil, boo hiss. IMHO, this text and the web go-alongs are great!

Edited May 12, 2010 by JustGin

[laughing lioness]

Speaking of which....has anyone used Critical Thinking Co.'s "Critical Thinking in U.S. History?" or "You Decide?"

[Lisaroe]

Hi- my son (17) has reading problems- we use Teaching Company High School Great Courses- These are instructor presentation dvd's. The instructor suggests using Story of America. It has been going very well- This comes with a workbook.

Steck Vaughn also makes a series that has all the information they need but is at an easier reading level. Land of Liberty is the series.

I have not tried the others recommended.

Good Luck. :)

[EKS]

We will be using K12's The American Odyssey (without the online course). I chose it sight unseen because I loved their Human Odyssey series for middle school.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

How do you assign credits to the Roadmap with America; The Last Best Hope? Does each volume equal half credit or a full credit?

[6packofun]

Did you just get their catalog, too? I was coming here to ask about this! LOL

[Jane in NC]

Speaking of which....has anyone used Critical Thinking Co.'s "Critical Thinking in U.S. History?" or "You Decide?"

 

We used two volumes from the Critical Thinking in US History series. This was back in 8th grade, I think. They offer a good introduction to working with primary source documents, comparison of arguments and interpretation. I suspect that they would be a better resource with a small group--I was working with just my son when using these materials. The books provide worksheets but having some small group discussions with peers (beyond one adult/one child) would have been helpful.

[Robin5kids]

Angie, I was just wondering, why do you switch to OM in 9th grade then go back to sonlight? I am still so new to all this and having a hard time figuring out which would be best. Why not do Sonlight for 9th grade us history? Or why not do OM all along?:glare:

[AngieW in Texas]

This is my first year using OM.

 

I will use OM for all my girls for high school history after this except for my oldest. I need to get completely out of the picture for her, so I'll probably have her use Thinkwell for anything she can't take at the community college her senior year.

 

I went back to SL for my oldest this year because they redid Core 300 and supposedly added a strong literature analysis component. I have been very unsatisfied with it and will not use SL for high school again.

 

I even plan to switch to OM for my youngest in the fall. I already own Cores 6 and 7 (what I was going to use with her), but I'm planning on using OM 6 and 7 over the next two years instead. I'll still add in the best of the Core 6 and 7 readers and readalouds.

[JustGin]

How do you assign credits to the Roadmap with America; The Last Best Hope? Does each volume equal half credit or a full credit?

 

I'm giving each volume 1 credit because the way we're using it with the extra reading, it is a complete full year course.

[asta]

Angie, I was just wondering, why do you switch to OM in 9th grade then go back to sonlight? I am still so new to all this and having a hard time figuring out which would be best. Why not do Sonlight for 9th grade us history? Or why not do OM all along?:glare:

 

I don't know why Angie is or is not doing Sonlight, but Sonlight utilizes Hakim's books for Am. History. You can look up reviews on them, but there is a general consensus that she has made some rather glaring errors that cannot be attributed to a simple "this historian has this view of history and this other historian has this other view".

 

I, too, have been curious about Bennett's books. I am glad to hear they offer a relatively balanced approach. I was worried they were too "one sided". So many of the books I have heard about that "sounded great" turned out to be far left, far right or simply vapid.

 

 

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[Robin5kids]

Thank you for the info. I am so confused as to what buy and how to put this all together. I hope everyone will forgive me if I ask dumb questions or repeat myself or someone else.:001_smile:

[HollyDay]

I love the Notgrass approach but dd does not. I love BF literature approach, but dd does not. So, we have decided to use AOPs lifepacs. Not my first choice, but it does fit her learning style. She is a "Just the facts" type of learner and does not particularly like history. She wants a straight forward spine. We considered BJU, Abeka, and others. But, AOPs seems to be what she is looking for.

[EKS]

This year we went a different route entirely. We used America: Last Best Hope by William Bennett and the companion online resource Roadmap to America.

http://roadmaptolastbesthope.com/

I also added a reading list for her that included some adult level non-ficiton and a series called "American Heritage American Voices" and various other resources.

We are covering American History in two years mainly because this program is so meaty!

 

ETA: My daughter is a good reader, but is very auditory, so we got the text on audio, and her required reading was in audio as well. This worked so well for her!

 

Also ETA: Don't let the title of the text throw you. I have found this text to be very, very balanced, neither America - all good, rah, rah or America - evil empire of the devil, boo hiss. IMHO, this text and the web go-alongs are great!

 

 

I was going to try using Bennett's book in combination with the Zinn book. Bennett lost me in the first few pages when he dismissed the horror of the decimation of the native peoples in the Americas by European diseases by pointing out that syphilis likely came from the New World. Of course, he didn't mention what the Europeans had to do to get syphilis in the first place.

[JustGin]

I don't know why Angie is or is not doing Sonlight, but Sonlight utilizes Hakim's books for Am. History. You can look up reviews on them, but there is a general consensus that she has made some rather glaring errors that cannot be attributed to a simple "this historian has this view of history and this other historian has this other view".

 

I, too, have been curious about Bennett's books. I am glad to hear they offer a relatively balanced approach. I was worried they were too "one sided". So many of the books I have heard about that "sounded great" turned out to be far left, far right or simply vapid.

 

 

a

 

I feel the same way and was very glad to find ALBH. I spent a month or two last summer reading everything I could find on this material and as I read through the endorsements on the Roadmaps website I was pleased to see secular professional educators who use and recommend it. I like his narrative style (my dd loves it) and as I said I feel he does a great job of being balanced. 2 states, 1 school district (New York City) and 47 schools across the US are using ALBH and Roadmaps as their chosen curriculum. That says a lot imho. :)

[~blessedmom~]

Could you expand a little bit on the Roadmap? How are you using it/ assigning it?

 

I have been trying to decide between Last Best Hope and Patriot's History for 9th grade next year!:D

[Susan C.]

Also, can Roadmap be done in one year if you just read the text (dd did all of Hakim in one year in 8th grade), a year is all we have, and we just spent a year cramming World History because I am on a traditional schedule.

 

Also, what features are currently available to go with this online, it looks like some are not developed yet, and are there tests? Do you test? I am debating about this.... it makes courses literally take double the time to review and test. When my son did Beautiful Feet, we did the questions in the guide, discussed when I read the books (about half of the time), and no tests.

 

I LOVE all of these ideas, keep them coming!!! Thanks all!!