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What does WTM method history look like in your homeschool?


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I have tried doing history the way that TWTM lays it out, but my children are not the best writers yet. Here is what I think is the way to do it TWTM way:

 

HIstory is to be studied concurrently in same time period as literature. A book is chosen such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. The student uses a "spine history book" to look up information pertaining to the time of the "Epic of Gilgamesh". A good history book such as Speilvogel's Western Civilization book could be used (and there are many other good ones too). The student may draw a map of where the place being studied (Mesopotamia/Sumer area), enter important dates on a timeline, and then pick out a topic he would like to further investigate. For instance with the Epic of Gilgamesh the student might want to look up Sumerian mythology. He checks out a couple of books from the library or finds information in other sources and writes a one to two page paper. All of this is done in a week's time (spread all the activities over a week). My kiddos balk at the writing part. We also tend to be more chronoligical in our reading (want to read the textbook straight through).

 

I'm using SWB's new Ancient History book with my dd. She is reading the book and "suppose" to be outlining chapters and coming up with summaries. This isn't very exciting, but that is where we are at the moment.

 

My now graduated ds wanted the typical true/false and multiple choice type tests. So I had him read the Western Civ. textbook and made up tests for him (I don't have a TE for this book). Yes, I guess I let my standards down, but I was working with a child not wanting to be homeschooled at the time. He was always one that wanted "school" over quick so he could do other things. :( However, he got his due when he took an American Government class at our co-op. His teacher required a paper every week. HEEE! HEEE!

 

Blessings,

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My son would read the spread(s) for the week from Kingfisher and then outline at least one of those.

 

I would have spreads from other history encyclopedias or atlases, etc. (varied depending on the year of study) for him to read and then I would also have the books on topic pulled so he could begin reading from those.

 

I would assign various types of reports that he would be responsible for finishing after his readings were completed. These would vary depending upon the topic under study and might be comparisons, Venn diagrams, book reports, causes and consequences type papers, etc.

 

WTM has various topic outlines for the notebook for this stage that you can also utilize in assigning types of reports to write. Reports included personalities, art and architecture, scientific advancements, etc.

 

We would discuss the things he was reading or listening to/watching on a regular basis, sometimes in great depth and for extended periods, depending upon the topic.

 

By way of example, for early modern history, I used these books as "spines":

 

Kingfisher

McGraw Hill Complete Book of World History

World History Ency., Ganeri

Historical Atlas of the 19th Century, John Haywood (I think all these great books are OOP)

A History of US, Hakim

Eyewitness Russia

McGraw Hill Complete Book of US History

First Facts About American Heroes, David King

Geography workbook: Europe, Evan-Moor

 

Our first topic was Japan in Isolation and he read Japan in the Days of the Samurai. We also watched a video from Columbia U's Project on Asia, entitled Tokugawa Japan 1600-1868, and discussed it.

 

For the Stuarts, he read from Kings and Queens of England and Eyewitness Battle.

 

For our study of Early American Settlers, he read Homes in the Wilderness, William Bradford; The Witchcraft of Salem Village, Shirley Jackson; and The World of Captain John Smith, Genevieve Foster. We also read about colonial glassmakers and tanners and traveled to a glassworks where we could see all three types of glass being made (which was related to what we were studying in chemistry at the time, as well).

 

For The Swedish Empire, he read Swedish History in Outline, Weibull; and First Book of Germany, Usborne.

 

For France and Richelieu, he read Calliope: Huguenots.

 

Our literature and science studies generally also tied in to what was being studied in history. So, for instance, during the same time periods mentioned above, for literature he was reading an unabridged Robinson Crusoe; doing reading of British tales from Best Loved Folk Tales of the World, Joanna Cole; listening to an audio version of The Crucible, Miller; reading German folktales from that same Best Loved Folk Tales; reading Mother Courage and her Children, Bantley; reading Tales from Perrault and an unabridged version of The Three Musketeers, etc. And he was discussing these with me, as well, and also doing some book reports related to these additional readings.

 

Our modern study looked a bit different, in that our literature did not regularly follow along with what we were reading in history (although it sometimes did). Also, I utilized more "spine" type encyclopedias, as opposed to so much other reading, especially as we got into the more current topics.

 

So, for instance, I had four weeks assigned to cover the Civil War at the beginning of the school year, followed by another four weeks covering reconstruction and reform, then four weeks covering an age of extremes (the period encompassing WWI), etc.

 

During this time period, he would have been reading from History of US, probably starting in about volume 6.

 

Later, as we got into the the 20th century, the spines also included:

 

Time-Life Twentieth Century America

Kingfisher for the outlining (which I won't use again for this purpose)

Usborne Atlas of the Twentieth Century

America's Century

Historical Atlas of the Twentieth Century, Haywood

 

And then I have a reading list a mile long for that time period, so I won't write all that down. Again, he would be outlining, reading and doing reports of various sorts on his readings.

 

Literature covered during the same time period included:

The Boy's War, Murphy

Roll of Thunder.... and we did a lit study on it (I don't generally like using these)

He listened to an audio version of Rifles for Watie

The Journal of James Edmond Pease

Freedom's Wings, Corey's Diary

Walt Whitman: Words for America, Kerley

Little House on the Prairie and Little House in the Big Woods

We juxtaposed these against Ingall's later work: Little House in the Ozarks

The Man Without a Country, Hale - with lengthy discussions about the impact of this work

Old Yeller

War of the Worlds - with lengthy discussions and we listened to the original radio broadcast

The Time Machine, H.G. Wells

In Flanders Fields, McCrae

Watched a movie version of All Quiet on the Western Front and discussed its impact

 

Of course, some reports were also prepared regarding some of these books, as well.

 

I really like tying history, lit and science sort of together, as I think it helps reinforce them all.

 

After we went through a round of this type study, I started seeking outside classes so that he could have others with whom to discuss ideas; other instructors to give him feedback, etc. He took college level classes in history, lit, and science and enjoyed those. He really did like being able to microfocus on more specific topics. This older son has returned to private school now and I am tweaking my plans for my next round of logic stage instruction, beginning next year.

 

Regena

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