Need help deciding - A Living History or SCM or Trail Guide?

[mommy5]

I'm having problems deciding on history/geography for next year. I have an upcoming 1st and 3rd grader. We tried to use HOD this year and it isn't working well for us. I started in Bigger (which I did LOVE as did my 8 yr old) but it was too hard in certain skills for my son (too much writing - he struggles with LA). I decided to combine the kids in Beyond and honestly I find it boring. I liked Bigger much better (and my 8 yr old did too) but I couldn't combine in it and it was frustrating both of us with the writing. Don't want to make the same mistakes next year. 8 yr old is great at math, science, and Bible/History - listening to me read and narrating. Needs improvement in Grammar/Spelling/Writing. I need:

• A program that can EASILY combine 2 kids who are 2 years apart (6 & 8 ... 6 year is advanced in reading/writing/spelling skills - might even be same or better than 8 yr old ... not as good at sitting still and listening)
  
• Something simple each day - not tons of books to read ... but we do enjoy read alouds - I prefer to do history one day and science the next
  
• 8 yr old has a good grasp on Old Testament Study, Ancient Egypt, (never did Greece/Rome), explorers up through Pilgrims - we have not study the Revoluionary War or Civil War; 6 yr old has retained much of any history to this point.
  
• Love the idea of a unit study world geography but am not convinced of which one to do (studying maps, cultures, famous people and animals from each continent)
  
• Need something with not a ton of writing maybe some drawings they could do and some copywork
  
• Do not want to be stuck doing pilgrims for any longer than we've done - we all want to move on
  

I'm considering Simply Charlotte Mason #5 which does Early American and World and Geography - looks thorough! A Trail Guide to World Geography and maybe Galloping the Globe or A Living History of the World #4.

[KellieK]

The SCM makes it really easy to use with multiple ages. We have used them with my two oldest before.

[Monarch Room]

I really love SCM :) If I didn't already have a plan I love I would definitely do it. It does make combining kids easy, and the book choices are excellent. I like that module 5 and 6 also cover world history, so that you aren't skipping out on what happened in the rest of the world. I love all the other components of SCM as well. I wish they would make a more all inclusive guide that had a few other SCM components written in as well though. I can't comment on the other 2.

[momaof3]

Looking at SCM I know I would love it. I would want to do many of the living books but don't have them available at my library and with my budget it might not be possible to purchase all the books that I would want. There needs to be a better library here!!!!!!