History curriculum with a video component

[bluebonnetgirl]

Does anyone have a curriculum recommendation for a 4th grade level history course that is highly visual, preferably with a video component?

 

Thanks much!

 

Beth

[OneStepAtATime]

I have basically kind of been winging this with my 4th grader this year, so I don't have a specific curriculum to offer.  Do you have a time period in mind?  Or a philosophy?  Goal?  How much time would you like your child to devote to this each day/week/month?  Can it be religious in nature?  The details may help others respond with something more effective.

 

I don't have a strong suggestion here since I haven't actually used a history curriculum that is truly video based and highly visual.  As I mentioned in your other thread, we started our year with Trail Guides to Learning, intending to work on American History starting a bit before the Revolution and carrying to just after the Civil War.  However, Trail Guides, much as I love it, did not work for us.  We struggled a bit, then DS just sort of took off studying WWI and WWII for fun, plus some Ancient History.  I let him run with it.   I found a few mini-unit studies on-line to supplement, rented/streamed/bought DVDs for the visual/auditory component (he also does really well with video) and then we took trips to the library to look up Field Marshal Rommel since he is of specific interest to DS.  DD is just meandering through Art History at the moment, but nothing terribly structured.  Next year we will be changing this up but I am still working out the details.  Both kids do better with a lot of visual, but DS needs auditory and DD does not do as well with auditory.  

 

Honestly, nearly every pre-packaged history curriculum I have found involves a lot of reading and very few visuals except for a few static pictures and some maps, but I haven't had much experience in this area.  I am trying to create my own history curriculum for DD for next year since I don't think anything pre-packaged will spark her interest at all.  She hates history.  Although I have been looking at continuing Trail Guides with DS next year since we own it and our previous issues may not be issues anymore, DS might really like a pre-packaged video based, highly visual history curriculum as his spine.  Maybe someone more knowledgeable will respond with a solid suggestion for you.  I will definitely be listening in.  I know DS will want to explore on his own, too, though and am hoping to help him do a lot of rabbit trails next year since this is one of his favorite subjects.  He actually was talking to me today about how he hopes to meet his future wife in a college history course since she might then share his love of history.   :)

 

Sorry I am not much help.  I will reread through some history threads I have started and see if there is anything there that might help you.  Lots of great responses when I have inquired about history for my two, but I don't recall if anything met your specific requirements...touch base later.  Gotta get some work done right now.   :)

 

Best wishes...

[OneStepAtATime]

Also, have you every done Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World books?  You could do the chapters on audio cd then do something from the Activity book and watch a video on youtube or through some other streaming source plus get the Driving Through History DVDs to provide different video components go with each chapter.  Also, there are a LOT of people using that system that have a ton of great suggestions for additional resources. We read the first book and DS LOVED it.  DD hated it and made DS miserable since he really wanted to do something they both love but she just couldn't get into the material or make any good connections.  We moved to Trail Guides instead but that didn't work either.  Much as DS wants to do history with his big sister, I just cannot teach history to the two of them together.  She quashes his enthusiasm and he makes her feel like there is something wrong with her since she just doesn't seem to get history like he does (although that is not what either one of them intends).

 

I am considering reviewing the first book since we haven't read it consistently in a while, then doing the rest of the Story of the World books/videos/activity guide for fun for DS on Fridays starting this summer, but as long as you are adding to the text with some additional material it is really a full curriculum and one book could take a year to complete.  Just a thought.

[PeterPan]

I forget, are you teaching a boy or girl?  My dd really enjoyed the VP self-paced online history.  That has 5 years worth, so that could keep you busy a while.  

 

Another way to pursue it is in terms of hands-on, so say work through all the enrichment books for the American Girl dolls, doing the crafts, World Of, cooking, etc. books.  We enjoyed looking at those together and many of the projects are doable.  

 

We also enjoyed the TruthQuest guides, which you can use as booklists and a topical outline to select audiobooks.  Not visual, but still good.  Sometimes a VSL will be content with things they can visualize for themselves or the hands-on.  

 

Colonial Williamsburg has released some kind of video series you can subscribe to through HSBC.  I haven't done it, but might be useful to you.  

 

Really though, VP was awesome for us.  It's not secular though.

 

CHOW has a computer version you can get through Calvert, but I'm not sure what it's like.  CHOW is targeted to 4th grade, though it can flex up or down.

[OneStepAtATime]

You might look through this post for my DD and see if anything would work.  She is 13 though, so different age and stage and a different focus by the end of the thread...still, lots of good suggestions...

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/503261-dd-wants-history-with-short-video-lessons/?hl=history+with+video&do=findComment&comment=5506188

[bluebonnetgirl]

I have a son, a teen with autism,; he is very visual and very concrete.  Though not a video course, I think this whole series of picture books by Betsy Maestro are outstanding, starting with Discovering the Americas.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Betsy-Maestro/e/B000APFVQ8/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 

Now that is the kind of visual I'm talking about.

 

Now if I could find a curriculum to go along with it

[PeterPan]

Have you seen the teacher's guides to go with the Maestro books?  The Discovery of the Americas Activities Book   I know the cover amazon shows doesn't look like anything, but I actually own it and checked the isbn.  It looks like the matching name book, but this is activities.  They may or may not fit your student, sorry.  I remember one was something like creating a packing list if you're going on the voyage.  That may or may not work for him?  Anyways, those do exist.

 

You know, just listening to what you're saying, I'm thinking the book list for TOG and just picking the right level of books might work great for him.  Like totally ignore the worksheets, questions, blah blah and just look at the book lists.  If you can get things in order, you can just read and enjoy, kwim?  For instance, try this link and see if it works.  http://bookshelfcentral.com/index.php?main_page=resources&year=2&units=some&U3=on&U4=on&LL=on&LU=on&subjects=some&S1=on&S4=on&type=BSC  What I did here was go to TOG, hit buy books which took me to Bookshelf Central, then selected year 2, units 3 and 4, and punched in some levels (I picked upper and lower grammar, since you want pictures and activities) and then limited the subjects to history and activities.  You can play around with it, but that's one thing I do a LOT to get ideas.  I've been on there incessantly for the last couple days.   :D  With my dd I can't get TOG straight to work for us, but the ideas are still good, kwim?  If those books work for him, they are AWESOME.  Go for it.  He'll know way more history than I know, and I went to college and grad school.  

 

I don't know if he likes hands-on at all, but Enrichment4U has neat projects.  You could make dioramas using supplies from Hobby Lobby.  They have fake grass, mountains, that kind of thing, and then they have bins with all the characters.  

 

 

[bluebonnetgirl]

Has anyone used/tried Switched on Schoolhouse (or Monarch online) history?  Especially for 4th grade? 

 

Looks doable.

[OneStepAtATime]

I looked into it a couple of years back, but apparently there is a lot of reading involved.  That would be sort of an issue, right?  Can't remember exactly where your child is at with reading off the top of my head and I am teaching while I type.  Sorry.  If that is the case, and you can get software to read the material to your child, that might make it more feasible.

[leeannpal]

You can get quite a bit of visual information including videos from the Easy Peasy All In One Homeschool website. I don't use all her materials for history, but we are doing American History, and she has scouted the internet for a number of videos and interactive sites. My daughter is also very visual and loves doing these in addition to some bookwork.

[bluebonnetgirl]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

 

Has anyone used ACE School of Tomorrow for History or Social Studies? Their "paces" look very visual and break everything down into bite size chunks.  The ACE paces supplemented with the Maestro picture books and activity guide look doable.  One could also supplement with Brainpop and Discovery Steaming videos that are on the same subject that you are studying. 

[PeterPan]

Have you seen the Story of the USA workbooks SL sells to go with cores 3 and 4?  They would be similar and are very affordable.

[bluebonnetgirl]

Just checked out Story of the USA workooks-  I did not see any photos or color in the Story of America..unless I am missing something.

 

A bit more research found this:  See Time Fly History by Lindamoodbell.  No video component, but very visual and broken down into nice bite size chunks. 

 

http://www.ganderpublishing.com/Visualizing-and-Verbalizing/See-Time-Fly-History-Series.html

 

At this point ACE, Switched on Schoolhouse and See Time Fly look the most promising for my son.

 

 

[OneStepAtATime]

I haven't had much time to look for you, but I will keep searching as time permits.  If I run across anything I will post it.  If you choose something, would you mind kind of reviewing your first impression once it arrives?  Good luck and best wishes....

[hearts4homeschooling]

You might consider Guest Hollow for history schedules.  They are free and very full with lots of books, videos, and hands-on.

 

http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/curriculum.html

 

Regarding Switched on Schoolhouse, be sure your student goes through the sample videos for several 4th grade classes (more than just the short history one) to get a feel for how they work.  

BJU offers DVD courses.  My 13 y/o daughter prefers them for science and history.  Very visual with an interesting textbook, workbook and tests available.

[OneStepAtATime]

FWIW, DS is REALLY liking Veritas Press Self-Paces history on-line.  Totally pumped and eager to do his lessons.  The reading really hasn't been an issue and the videos just keep him moving from part to part.  Random one word spelling quizzes have been a bit frustrating but we have work arounds for that now.  There is a lot of really helpful review in the VP history stuff, so lots of good reinforcement.

 

We are going to do the recommended (but not required) supplemental readings together, but I think some of these might be available through Immersion with his Kindle so we might go that route if I run out of time.  We do a lot of read alouds already and I actually get dizzy if I have to read aloud for a really extended period of time.  

[bluebonnetgirl]

So thrilled for you that you found something that works. I wish we could use Veritas but we are Catholic and my understanding is that they have a very anti Catholic bent to their materials with a very slanted view that is not balanced. Sigh.

[OneStepAtATime]

Well, since we haven't seen but a few lessons I can't say there is no anti-Catholic bent to it.  So far, though, I have not seen anything like that.  They DID try to point out on more than one occasion that the Greek gods are not real.  So far, though, nothing specifically anti-anything other than that.  But since DS is only on lesson 4 and there are over 160 lessons, we have a looong way to go....  :)

 

I am looking at Coursera and Education Portal again for DD.  I was sure we would use Education Portal but then ran into some areas where there seems to be a lot more reading than I had anticipate.  In a couple of years she may be ready, but I don't think she is now.  

 

I wish there were a more religious neutral and more middle school/high school level on-line video based curriculum like VP self-paced for History that has everything very easily laid out and included.  I see things that are sort of like that, but not really.  DD really doesn't want to do "lessons" in history with me.  She wants to hop on a computer, see a video, some animations, do an on-line activity or two, maybe a rare project or supplemental reading and be done.  She hates this subject.  And reading a textbook, even with me reading it to her, nothing sinks in.  She is just very visually structured and needs lots of pictures.  

 

I am still working on creating a history program for her for high school that would meet state requirements for graduation but also tackle history more from the perspective of art and architecture since those are areas of interest for her.  Hope to have it pulled together by 9th.  In the meantime, though, just a log on and get it done with videos, etc. struture would make her so happy.  DS just doesn't want her doing VP with him so VP isn't something I am pursuing for her right now.

 

Have you looked in any more detail at some of the other suggestions?  Anything that looks promising?

 

What about Time for Learning?  Do they have history for the middle school level?

[bluebonnetgirl]

I have not yet looked into Time for Learning.  I will though.  What about SOS/Monarch? 

[OneStepAtATime]

I have not yet looked into Time for Learning.  I will though.  What about SOS/Monarch? 

SOS/Monarch I have never used but I remember researching them and felt that at the time there was just too much text.  But the kids were just starting reading remediation and nowhere near reading at grade level.  Perhaps now it would be an option.  I just can't recall clearly what the pages looked like that I saw.  I wish I could be of more help.  

 

Perhaps you could post a specific question regarding this curriculum on the Gen Ed or Logic Stage board and ask for specific feedback regarding extent of text-based content and reading level...?