History Odyssey Placement Question

[rootsnwings]

I'm tryng to figure out what we're going to do for History next year and love the looks of History Odyssey. We've been doing SOTW w/ activity guide since 2nd grade and sometime around March we'll finish up SOTW 2. I am looking at HO-Early Modern & I cant decide between the level 1 course, or the level 2. :confused: We will use this program PRIMARILY for 5th grade. He is not a HUGE cut & paste kinda guy so I think the History pockets in level 1 might be pushing it (& I wanted to do the Caldecott Literature Pockets next year so that may push him over the cut & paste edge!:tongue_smilie:). I love love LOVE the booklist for level 2 & I think he would prefer to read those books as opposed to what looks like biographies only in level 1. I also think he's ready to start outlining next year & the KFE will probably be of more us for him for a longer period of time...BUT--my littles will use the Usborne ILE as well so it's not like that would be a waste of $$....

 

*sigh* !!!!

 

Anyone have any BTDT advice?

 

TIA!!!

[lisabelle]

This is our first year using HO. Ds is 11, 6th grade, and this is his first year homeschooling. It was pretty easy and obvious for us to start with Level 2: Ancients.

 

Take a look at the sample lesson plans for L2 Ancients, v. the sample lesson plans for L2 Early Modern. I was looking at them a few weeks ago, and the work definitely seemed more challenging in L2 Early Modern...stuff that ds will be ready to do in 2 years, but not now.

 

I'd consider going with L1, but enriching it with the L2 texts you think will appeal to your ds.

[kewb]

I am using Early Modern Level 1 with my 5th grader this year. So far, there has not been a lot of cut and paste. A lot of reading, answering questions, and map work. She did do one art project on the sun king. My 7th grader is doing Level 2. A lot of outling and summarizing.

[Jen+4dc]

We have used Early Mod. and now Modern Times level 2. There was a jump in difficulty level. It really doesn't seem multi level to me. Early Modern is written for a 7th grader. If I was going to adjust it for a 5th grader I would print out the guide and pencil in the changes for the year. Also, I would print out the sample from level 2 Ancients and se what the expectations are. You will want to change the depth of the outlines and what is expected from a summery. Depending on the child, you might want to cut some of the lit books out.

 

For me, I think it would be more trouble than it was worth. It is basically a daily WTM plan, written to the student. If you have to rewrite it, what's the point?

 

That said, I don't think that you are going to get much from level one that you couldn't get with SOTW and the AG. IF you used SOTW with all of your kids, implemented Susan's Plan for Writing lectures, and chose a handful of good books from the AG you would get much the same result for a similar amount of work.

:iagree:

[coffeegal]

I'm tryng to figure out what we're going to do for History next year and love the looks of History Odyssey. We've been doing SOTW w/ activity guide since 2nd grade and sometime around March we'll finish up SOTW 2. I am looking at HO-Early Modern & I cant decide between the level 1 course, or the level 2. :confused: We will use this program PRIMARILY for 5th grade. He is not a HUGE cut & paste kinda guy so I think the History pockets in level 1 might be pushing it (& I wanted to do the Caldecott Literature Pockets next year so that may push him over the cut & paste edge!:tongue_smilie:). I love love LOVE the booklist for level 2 & I think he would prefer to read those books as opposed to what looks like biographies only in level 1. I also think he's ready to start outlining next year & the KFE will probably be of more us for him for a longer period of time...BUT--my littles will use the Usborne ILE as well so it's not like that would be a waste of $$....

 

*sigh* !!!!

 

Anyone have any BTDT advice?

 

TIA!!!

 

HO Level 2 Early Modern was perfect for my strong 7th grader last year. It introduced essays, had 3 level outlines, and so on. My dd would have been overwhelmed by it. It was too much. My suggestion is to use HO level 1 Early Modern and add in the level 2 book list. You could also use the book list from TWTM also.

 

I separated the children and put dd into level 2 ancients. It's been a perfect level for her. The level 2 of HO build on each other. It's hard to jump into the middle with a younger child. :001_smile:

[HeidiKC]

We're doing Ancients Level 2, and I just skipped the History Pockets when they were assigned, and substituted a book from the library on the same topic. Seems to have worked so far!

[vettechmomof2]

I only have my daughter do the History pockets if she wants to (mainly that means if she has time to do it with her little brother)

[Blossom'sGirl]

My 7th grader is doing HO Middle Ages. To be honest he is sick of all the written summaries and is starting to despise history. He doesn't complain about the outlining though. I decided against HO for my 5th grader because he is not a strong reader or writer and it would have been too much. Instead he is doing SOTW 2 with his younger brothers but is also doing one written summary per chapter and outlining (1 level) the associated Kingfisher chapters. I add in reading as it comes up.