CoffeeMusicLaughs Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Hello all, I'm just starting to get ready for the coming school year, and I read the Foreword for Story of the World 4. Susan Wise Bauer says that she does not recommend using this book for kids below grade 4 because of the serious and violent nature of the history of the 20th century. My oldest is entering 4th grade, and I have a 3rd grader (on the young side, just turned 8) and a 1st grader (6 yrs old). What am I supposed to do? I'm frustrated because I practically killed myself last year doing 2 years of SOTW in one so that my 2nd grader could catch up with his older brother (he was out of sync), and now I'm not supposed to do SOTW 4 with him or his younger sister? I thought I was doing what I was supposed to, keeping kids on the same year of history and letting the oldest determine the time period we study. I know SWB didn't talk a lot about this, but I know I read somewhere that she thought we'd make ourselves crazy if our kids were all in different time periods. So, what should I do? Still do activities but not read the text? SOTW is actually my rising 3rd graders favorite curriculum. Ugh. I'd appreciate any advice you can offer, thanks. Erin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 We skipped SOTW4 the first time around because my older two girls were (dd#2 still is) very sensitive. We did a year of US history instead. However, there are other options. You can cover SOTW4 with your oldest & let the others sit in for the portions they are interested in - leaving if it gets too dark. (You know if they can handle the topics, right?) Then, you can use "gentler" books (biographies meant for kids, for example) to cover those chapter's events/people with all the kids. I think there are some threads on this... Ok, here are some examples (I didn't read any of them before linking): SOTW 4 with younger kiddos??? How did you make SOTW4 work for your younger children? Modern/SOTW4 with youngers SOTW4 - Is it actually a harder text, or is it just the AG differences? SOTW 4 for a 1st grader (along with 4th grade brother) SOTW 4 Activity Guide: Should I buy it or not? changing the 4-year SOTW cycle I think I need a grammar history reboot? Maybe? SOTW scheduling with 2 kids If you use SOTW 4 what do you use with your younger kids? What one-year American History survey instead of SOTW4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I thought we would just go with it until this week. Nothing like changing things up the first week of school to keep me up late! History starts next week here so that I have time to scramble and get my plan written down. I have SOTW 4 and the AG and the VP cards for this era, so I am going to use these as a structure and go from there. We are going to concentrate on U.S. history and geography while including some of the most significant people and events from world history in a lighter, picture book kind of way. Lots of attention to cultural history: music, art, inventions and discoveries etc. So I am hunting lists of picture books and working on what to include. Lots of late 19th century historical places to visit here, which is fun and timely for the fall. When mine are in 8th and 5th, 13 and 11 years old, we will do late modern world history in more depth and address some of the more difficult topics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 If it was me (and actually it WILL be my in a few years, since I'll also have a 4th, a young 3rd, and a 1st, lol) I would go ahead and do SOTW4 with both the 4th and 3rd grader, but let the 1st grader "out" of doing history for the year. Perhaps she can do a year of World or US Geography instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeMusicLaughs Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Thank you thank you. Can you tell me what AG and VP are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Activity Guide (for Story of the World) (plus coloring pages for youngers as they aren't in this level's AG) Veritas Press Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 We did it last year with an 8th grader, 6th grader, and 3rd grader. The 6th/8th graders did the outlining from the Activity Guide as we listened to the CD, and I had the 3rd grader help answer the review questions as we went. I agree with a PP that it's definitely a jump up in difficulty. The sections are longer, some of the topics are much more complex, and the Activity Guide has fewer projects that interest us and fewer lit suggestions appropriate for younger students. However, I do like that it has prepared timeline cards; my 3rd grader helped cut out, color, and put up the timeline cards, particularly the ones that had country flags. They also liked that things were much closer in time to their own experience. If it were me, I'd bring the third grader along for the ride, but find an alternate activity for the 1st grader. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Great ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 We skipped it, too. We took a semester to do more 19th century US history and then a semester to do state history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabug Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I hadn't even considered that, I will have a 4th and 2nd grader when we get to SOTW4. I think we might take a year to do American history and a year to do a semester of state studies and a semester of our state's history. That would get us up to 6th and 4th grade, and we could probably resume SOTW4. Of course, that will throw our 4-year rotation off, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it! Lana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeMusicLaughs Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 Thanks, everyone. I like the idea of doing U.S. history. I already had some materials about the states that I was going to try to incorporate. My rising 3rd grader is definitely on the sensitive side. I think what he liked so much about SOTW was listening to me read the chapters. He liked the story format. Do any of you have recommendations for something that's similar to SOTW 1-3 in story style, but focusing on U.S. history and/or info about the states? Thanks. Erin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SierraNevada Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 I have a very sensitive 6yo child, but also one who loves history. He did SOTW 4 and had no problem with it. Personally, I don't really find volume 4 more violent-- only closer to us. It might be just fine for your younger. I was actually surprised that it didn't bother DS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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