BiblioPlan new edition... Thoughts?

[H0MEFree]

We are seriously considering the Biblioplan Year 2 "new edition" for my highschool level son. He is younger, 14.

 

 

Pro's, Con's, Mehh's?

[mom@shiloh]

I'm considering Year 3, but I'm disappointed that the new version isn't going to be out in time. So now I'm trying to decide if I should just go with the old version or do something else. Sorry I can't answer your question, but I hope someone does since I'm interested as well. There is another thread on Biblioplan which I've been following. Maybe it will help you as well.

 

 

: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/472591-confused-about-using-biblioplan-with-mohsotw/unread/

[Heathermomster]

I recently purchased year 2 Advanced for use with my rising 8th grader. The Companion text is the spine at the Advanced level. My initial reaction to the material with Companion follows:

 

I like the map work, and the answers are provided in the Companion.

 

The color and highlighting in the Companion border on excessive. The online sample cannot possibly convey the effect of around 700 pages of color..Good grief.

 

The Companion text feels like spoon fed history, requiring little critical thinking. Companion synthesizes all the information with facts, timelines, and summaries. This bothers me somewhat as I'm more accustomed to my DS reading multiple texts and synthesizing and reflecting back what he's just read. The short essay type questions after each chapter may help alleviate my concerns.

 

Basically, Companion reads like an encyclopedia. It's clear the authors have worked very hard to ease the presenting of the material, thereby performing the grunt work that I fully expect my student to perform.

 

At this moment, I'm unclear how I'm going to make Year 2 with the Companion work. I expect to use the map work and Church history portions, while focusing upon supplemental reading from outside sources. It's just too early to tell.

[1Togo]

We used Year 1 for 9th grade and Year 2 for 10th. I agree that some other curriculum might require more in the way of critical thinking, etc., but Biblioplan has been a good fit for us because it is flexible (add or subtract as needed). We added to the Bible reading for Year 1. For Year 2, dd used the Companion, maps, Cool History, and tests. She had a substantial load with other subjects, and we used a separate writing curriculum that requires lots of thinking, so anything more than Biblioplan would have been overwhelming. If the student completes writing assignments or guides for the lit selections and reads/interacts with the supplemental materials, Biblioplan work can be substantial.

[hsmom2011]

n/m

[H0MEFree]

We are using BP for grades 5-8 and do not use the companion, dd found it to be extremely boring. We use the guide and the maps. Dd writes summaries each week of what she has read. When she reaches HS, we will probably go with TRISMS, I really like that it is research based.

 

 

 

I have never seen this program in person, so bear with me.

 

From what I understand, the Companion Guide is supposed to be the really good part about this curriculum. Can you help me understand?

Were you using the new edition?

 

Thanks!

[H0MEFree]

I recently purchased year 2 Advanced for use with my rising 8th grader. The Companion text is the spine at the Advanced level. My initial reaction to the material with Companion follows:

 

I like the map work, and the answers are provided in the Companion.

 

The color and highlighting in the Companion border on excessive. The online sample cannot possibly convey the effect of around 700 pages of color..Good grief.

 

The Companion text feels like spoon fed history, requiring little critical thinking. Companion synthesizes all the information with facts, timelines, and summaries. This bothers me somewhat as I'm more accustomed to my DS reading multiple texts and synthesizing and reflecting back what he's just read. The short essay type questions after each chapter may help alleviate my concerns.

 

Basically, Companion reads like an encyclopedia. It's clear the authors have worked very hard to ease the presenting of the material, thereby performing the grunt work that I fully expect my student to perform.

 

At this moment, I'm unclear how I'm going to make Year 2 with the Companion work. I expect to use the map work and Church history portions, while focusing upon supplemental reading from outside sources. It's just too early to tell.

 

 

Wow. This is fantastic information. Especially the refernce to the online sample compared to actual material.

Thank you!

[brookspr]

I'm so excited to finally find someone that says they will use TRISMS! I am starting the whole homeschooling thing with my DS 10 and DD 13 next year (they will be in 6th and 8th grades, respectively) and my daughter and I decided to start with TRISMS Discovering the Ancient World. My son will do the same time period using Sonlight, and they will both do some of the History Masterminds as they pertain to the time period they are studying.

 

I've looked at so many curricula and keep thinking maybe I should try this one or that one. I've researched Biblioplan, Sonlight, TOG, Great Books, etc...but what I liked about TRISMS is you could pretty much pick from any book or resource material you wanted to as long as you found the information you needed to complete each lesson.

 

I'm sure I'll keep looking at curricula, the thought there is something better out there never completely goes away, I think :)

 

 

 

We are using BP for grades 5-8 and do not use the companion, dd found it to be extremely boring. We use the guide and the maps. Dd writes summaries each week of what she has read. When she reaches HS, we will probably go with TRISMS, I really like that it is research based.

[mom@shiloh]

So.... don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm still on the fence for next year, partly because Biblioplan's Year 3 isn't finished. Want to tell me more about Trisms?

[Holly IN]

bumping for the trisms answers

[mom31257]

I used BP Years 1 and 2 (newest edition) with dd for 9th and 10th. My favorite thing about it was the geography work. She really learned a lot, but I guess any program that has you mapping week after week in the same areas would do that as well. She didn't want to do world history in one year, so I went with BP. I wanted tests for some objective grades. I'm very uncomfortable giving a high school credit grade on something that is totally my opinion. She liked it, honestly, because it was easy. You read the Companion, do the weekly worksheet and map, and study for the tests (which come straight from the weekly work). I didn't have her do the research essay every week. I felt that it was overkill. I had her choose one per unit. I did add in reading Glencoe's World History as an additional spine. I wanted her to see history from a secular perspective as well. I had her do some work from it, and she really liked it better than the BP stuff.

 

I am not going to use it again next year. She wants to study American in one year, and I would like to get her ready for taking notes in classes, being independent in preparing for tests, etc., to get her ready for college. She is going to use BJU's American History on DVD. She had Mrs. Vick for a middle school science class and really liked her. I am going to have her use the Glencoe book again as a spine so that she will read the rest of world history as it happens with American history.

[brookspr]

Trisms, from what I know so far (we haven't used the curriculum yet) is a research based unit study curriculum that includes all subjects except for math. That might be a bit of a stretch in my opinion because, although they do investigate science, art, music, etc...it's all related to the time period they are studying. I don't think there are science experiments and they certainly aren't learning biology, chemistry or physics in the usual manner. The student has assignments and writings (it uses IEW) and they have to research all the information they need to complete each unit. There are no textbooks, but a book and movie list, suggested reference materials, and the student guide that takes them through each assignment. The guide includes all literature materials needed to complete the assignments so there is no need to buy or borrow books.

 

The following are excerpts from www.trisms.com, where you can find much more information, FAQ's and reviews.

 

 

By teaching students to ask questions, find answers, and transfer information from reading to thinking, to writing, and to speaking, TRISMS prepares students for college and for life.

Designed with the busy home school family in mind, TRISMS teaches independent critical thinking and unit study style skills – No More Lesson Plans for Mom – Students are provided with their own lesson plans!

Students will read literature, biographies, historical fiction, cultural studies, and most varieties of reference materials. All literature selections are included in the TRISMS curriculum.

Easily adaptable to a multi-level setting in the home school with all ages of students.

[H0MEFree]

I used BP Years 1 and 2 (newest edition) with dd for 9th and 10th. My favorite thing about it was the geography work. She really learned a lot, but I guess any program that has you mapping week after week in the same areas would do that as well. She didn't want to do world history in one year, so I went with BP. I wanted tests for some objective grades. I'm very uncomfortable giving a high school credit grade on something that is totally my opinion. She liked it, honestly, because it was easy. You read the Companion, do the weekly worksheet and map, and study for the tests (which come straight from the weekly work). I didn't have her do the research essay every week. I felt that it was overkill. I had her choose one per unit. I did add in reading Glencoe's World History as an additional spine. I wanted her to see history from a secular perspective as well. I had her do some work from it, and she really liked it better than the BP stuff.

 

I am not going to use it again next year. She wants to study American in one year, and I would like to get her ready for taking notes in classes, being independent in preparing for tests, etc., to get her ready for college. She is going to use BJU's American History on DVD. She had Mrs. Vick for a middle school science class and really liked her. I am going to have her use the Glencoe book again as a spine so that she will read the rest of world history as it happens with American history.

 

mom31257:

Thank you for the detailed response. You have been very helpful. I also believe that doing a research essay every week is overkill. I do like the idea of doing lots of writing regularly though.