7th and 8th (and 9th) history?

[Sarahtar]

What is everyone doing for middle school history? We're just finishing up book 4 of SOTW this year (6th) and I'm a bit at a loss about what to do for 7th and 8th. Does everyone follow the recommendations in WTM? Or what other options are there for middle school??  I know what we want to do in High School (we're going to follow a more or less "regular" high school course, I think), I'm just more or less uncertain about 7-9.

[fourisenough]

That's a great question. We, too, are just finishing up the SOTW series in 6th-ish grade. (My daughter is a young one and may actually do three more years of middle school before beginning at PS for high school.) Anyway, since we've done a thorough, chronological tour through world history, and since next year is going to be fairly heavy for my DD with high-school level math, science, and French, I'm allowing her to take a very gentle history route: we've decided to use K-12 Human Odyssey Vol. 1 as a read-aloud with discussion only (no outlining, narrations, or written output of any kind required). I'll read while she does something with her hands (knitting, drawing, or sculpting clay). We'll also use the Critical Thinking Company's World History Detective, but I consider this standardized test-prep more than history. I'll make no attempt to align our HO readings and her WHD lessons. I have a stack of books to go along with the history and we may or may not get to many of them based on how intense her year turns out to be. If this history-lite (or history-casual) path works well, we'll continue it through middle school with the other two volumes of HO which are already on my shelf; cheap & easy!

[Peaceful Isle]

I am doing a combo of SOWT 4 along with oak Meadow world history with my upcoming seventh grader.

 

I know it doesn't help much, because you stated you just finished the SOTW series. :/

 

Do you want secular or Christian ?

[Dmmetler]

What I'm doing, at DD's request, is getting books from other countries so she can do some of history from their viewpoint. Even just limiting it to countries where textbooks are published in English, there's quite a range, and some of them are available online.

[kbutton]

We are using Notgrass for middle school. We read SOTW aloud as a family as well.

 

He'll be finished with Notgrass before he's finished with middle school, and we're thinking of using this free text : https://mises.org/library/lessons-young-economist. You can buy hardcopy books as well.

[Alice]

For 7th we have done a year of world geography/cultures and covering some very broad history. 

 

For 8th I think we will do American history mainly because I also will have a 2nd and 5th grader and they haven't covered it much. I am toying with the idea of doing a year of American roughly up to the Twentieth Century and then doing a year of Twentieth Century history or doing a two year American History thing. I will probably have my 8th grader also cover Civics/Government next year in the fall with the election. 

 

I have learned not to plan much more than 1-2 years out because I always change my mind after that. :)

 

 

[ondreeuh]

For 8th we are using the History of Us series by Joy Hakim with the BookShark history guide. The literature from Moving Beyond the Page's 12-14 level dovetails very nicely with this, so I plan on using it again with my younger son. Since you have just completed a round of world history, I would do world geography & cultures in 7th, US history using the Hakim series in 8th, and then civics in 9th.

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited July 12, 2022 by SilverMoon

[Ethel Mertz]

For this year, 7th, we're finishing up SOTW4. 

 

8th - Plans are to do Ancients, History Odyssey, Level 2

 

 

[Ali in OR]

We've found the K12 Human Odyssey series to be perfect after SOTW, especially if you're looking for a 3-year program. We add in read-alouds and I assign dd readers on her own--mostly things I find on our shelves from our years of doing Biblioplan. We do Human Odyssey as a read-aloud--I really like it. I'm learning a lot!

[siloam]

What is everyone doing for middle school history? We're just finishing up book 4 of SOTW this year (6th) and I'm a bit at a loss about what to do for 7th and 8th. Does everyone follow the recommendations in WTM? Or what other options are there for middle school??  I know what we want to do in High School (we're going to follow a more or less "regular" high school course, I think), I'm just more or less uncertain about 7-9.

 

I mostly just do what interests us and works...as in gets done consistently. Most of the time that is MOH (Mystery of History).  Next year I would like to take some time to focus even more on American history but I can't find a good audio to go with.  I might just have them do independent reading for a while.  So many good books from the time, but not many American history spines I enjoy.

 

When I get back to year 1 I want to use Susan's History of the Ancient world as supplement to MOH 1 for high school.  My oldest was middle school last time we covered ancient history so it just didn't work out I could use it then. I'm looking forward to using it soon.

 

Heather

[MinivanMom]

We have been using K12 Human Odyssey which is a 3-year-series. 

[RootAnn]

For this year, 7th, we're finishing up SOTW4. 

 

8th - Plans are to do Ancients, History Odyssey, Level 2

 

This is my plan as well.

[Aurelia]

7th - US history using A History of US (the 4 volume version)

8th - history of science using Build Your Library

9th - probably world geography using either Oak Meadow or Galore Park (I'm leaning towards GP because their materials work really well for us)

[deerforest]

We never did a history cycle in elementary because we did interest-led history. We are huge history and science fans.

 

5th-Ancients with OUP series as basis. We read the entire ancient series and K12 Human Odyssey. OUP was so much more interesting to us. Several Great Courses and additional readings and documentaries. Also Hakim science and OUP technology history series.

 

6th (now)-Middle Ages with OUP. We were using Human Odyssey and I also bought History Odyssey, but we dropped them; we just much prefer OUP. More Great Courses and outside reading and documentaries. OUP technology series too but not much of Hakim science for this period.

 

7th - Renaissance and Early Modern. There are only 2 OUP books for this period so will have to use Human Odyssey again too. Will include US but just in context of world history, not as focus. Hakim science and OUP technology series.

 

8th - Modern, probably using Human Odyssey and Prufrock. Again, will include US but within context of world history. Hakim science again too. OUP technology series.

 

9th - Will switch back to full year focusing on US history. Still gathering resources.

[Kristie in Florida]

We follow the WTM recs now. I even got the second edition from the library cause I prefer it to the third edition.

 

I think we are a lone wolf.

[Sarahtar]

Thanks for all the ideas! I'll be doing some reading up on them all. :)

 

As for Christian/Secular... We lean towards Christian materials, but I'm not opposed to something non religious.

[Ms Brooks]

What we did: SOTW in elementary grades. In middle school, I combined History Odyssey with K12 Human Odyssey texts. The Kingfisher Encyclopedia is weak for outlining, we own it but prefer not to outline from it. Instead, DD outlines from K12's Human Odyssey. History Odyssey makes for a rounder look at history and a varied approach to history than just outlining the Human Odyssey. Extra readings have been a surprising delight. We especially enjoyed reading the Canterbury Tales aloud together. 

[happypamama]

DD did early modern history in 7th, using History Odyssey and Human Odyssey. She's doing modern this year in 8th, using the same programs. She'll do medieval next year in 9th, using HOMW.

 

DS1 will probably do the same for 7th and 8th; he is doing ancients right now in 5th and will do medieval in 6th.

[mom31257]

My original plan was to do BJU for 6th-8th with some added historical fiction. 6th is Ancient, 7th is the rest of world, and 8th is American. 

 

We did 6th and loved it. The student activity manual was great with outlining, maps, graphic organizers, etc. When I previewed the 7th grade materials at a convention, the AM was disappointing being nothing like the 6th or 8th grade books. 

 

I chose to do Biblioplan Year 2 this year because my best friend was doing it. We've planned some fun things together, a trip to a Greek festival, a Japanese tea ceremony, etc. 

 

I am planning to do American history next year. I might be using CLE's new book and light units. I read some really good reviews, including one saying it was the most unbiased textbook she had ever read. I'll compare CLE and BJU at the convention next month.

 

I'm thinking BJU for high school possibly with streaming/dvd. 

 

[Luckymama]

What we did:

 

5th: first volume of K12 Human Odyssey with the corresponding OUP books

6th: second volume of K12 Human Odyssey with the corresponding OUP books

7th: third volume of K12 Human Odyssey; world geography

8th: K12's American Odyssey (some consider this high school level; I feel it flowed nicely from HO 3) plus OUP's US-specific "Pages from History" volumes and other library books

9th: ancient world history based on the Great Courses "History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective"; AP Human Geography

 

And this year she's not doing any history but following her interests:

10th: AP Comparative Government and Politics; AP Psychology

 

Thoughts for next year (graduating early--she wants to study international relations plus critical languages):

12th: AP US Government and Politics (definite); AP US History (maybe); modern world history (maybe)

Edited February 18, 2016 by Luckymama

[deerforest]

What we did:

 

5th: first volume of K12 Human Odyssey with the corresponding OUP books

6th: second volume of K12 Human Odyssey with the corresponding OUP books

7th: third volume of K12 Human Odyssey; world geography

8th: K12's American Odyssey (some consider this high school level; I feel it flowed nicely from HO 3) plus OUP's US-specific "Pages from History" volumes and other library books

9th: ancient world history based on the Great Courses "History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective"; AP Human Geography

 

And this year she's not doing any history but following her interests:

10th: AP Comparative Government and Politics; AP Psychology

 

Thoughts for next year (graduating early--she wants to study international relations plus critical languages):

12th: AP US Government and Politics (definite); AP US History (maybe); modern world history (maybe)

 

This makes me happy to see; it's very similar to the path we've completed and I've planned, and I have my eye on AP Human Geography. Did you teach or did you outsource? I've already started researching syllabus samples and books. It's roughly on my list for 10th. I'd love more info!

[Luckymama]

This makes me happy to see; it's very similar to the path we've completed and I've planned, and I have my eye on AP Human Geography. Did you teach or did you outsource? I've already started researching syllabus samples and books. It's roughly on my list for 10th. I'd love more info!

I plan and teach all but English and foreign language (I know my limits!). HG was so much fun to do with dd :) I'll be happy to share more information when you're ready.

[Momto6inIN]

5th & 6th

They listen in to MOH with the youngers and then read K12 Human Odyssey on their own up through somewhere around the middle of the 2nd book when American History comes in. They read one chapter each week and summarize it. They do Trail Guide to World Geography over these 2 years too.

 

7th

They stop listening in with the youngers and do History of US concise edition on their own over 7th & 8th. They do books A & B in this 1st year. They also do the Hewitt syllabus that goes along with it, but they use the tests as worksheets, not tests per se. They also work on outlining a section of one chapter each week. This is always an election year in our 4 year cycle, so I have them do some civics stuff in 7th. This time around for my to-be 7th grader I'm going to have her do about 8 weeks worth of lessons from https://www.icivics.org/

 

8th

They continue with History of US using books C & D and the Hewitt syllabus and outlining. They also do Trail Guide to US Geography in this year.

 

In high school they move away from the 4 year cycle and do 1 year of world history, 2 years of US History, and 1 year of Government/Economics.

[deerforest]

I plan and teach all but English and foreign language (I know my limits!). HG was so much fun to do with dd :) I'll be happy to share more information when you're ready.

 

Music to my ears! I plan to teach everything too through high school. I get discouraged when I see everyone outsourcing, and I feel like a weirdo! I am going to PM you for more info!

Edited February 18, 2016 by deerforest

[Loesje22000]

BJU Heritage Studies 6 (used in 7)

Term 1+ 2 from SCM Middle Ages / Ren / Ref, using grade 6-9 and 10-12 at the same time

Just started MOH 3 this week as grade 9.

MOH 4 will be 10th.

IB 20th world history grade 11/12

[fastweedpuller]

We've done HO level 2 (ancients/middle ages) through 6th grade but DD wants a change.  We usually used Human Odyssey with HO, worked well as a supplement.

 

So for 7th and 8th we'll do Oak Meadow 7th world history as a spine; it goes from late middle ages to present day.  DD needs more writing, pairing this curriculum with OM English should be helpful...there is a LOT of writing required.  But we'll supplement with lots of other books (Human Odyssey 1 & 2; Guns, Germs & Steel; SOTW3/4; and a pretty ok middle school textbook I found called Understanding Western Thought) and mapwork and lots of novels from the times.  I felt it would be hard to rush through all that history in 7th.

 

9th: the plan is to get Pandia Press' high school American History.  Should be out by then.

[KSinNS]

My plan is to work through Winston Churchill's A History of the English Speaking Peoples over grades 7 and 8. The reading level is a bit of a stretch, but it's gory and chatty, which is always good.

[Classically Minded]

I thought I was the only one still doing SOTW in 6th grade but I see I am not alone! :001_smile: We are going to use K12's Human Odyssey in March when we plan on finishing SOTW 4.  My dd really wants to do Notgrass America the Beautiful too, so I'm thinking of having one day of American history a week and we should hopefully finish it in 2 years.

[RootAnn]

9th: the plan is to get Pandia Press' high school American History.  Should be out by then.

 

:laugh:  :lol:  :smilielol5:

[mom31257]

My original plan was to do BJU for 6th-8th with some added historical fiction. 6th is Ancient, 7th is the rest of world, and 8th is American. 

 

We did 6th and loved it. The student activity manual was great with outlining, maps, graphic organizers, etc. When I previewed the 7th grade materials at a convention, the AM was disappointing being nothing like the 6th or 8th grade books. 

 

I chose to do Biblioplan Year 2 this year because my best friend was doing it. We've planned some fun things together, a trip to a Greek festival, a Japanese tea ceremony, etc. 

 

I am planning to do American history next year. I might be using CLE's new book and light units. I read some really good reviews, including one saying it was the most unbiased textbook she had ever read. I'll compare CLE and BJU at the convention next month.

 

I'm thinking BJU for high school possibly with streaming/dvd. 

 

My plans are changing a bit. I realized that our state now has only 3 social studies requirements for high school: US History, World History, and one elective (most do Government/Econ). That gives me some extra time before those credits have to start hitting the transcript. 

 

There is a lot of historical fiction I would like to do with ds' study of American using CLE's Changing Frontiers. I had also considered Alpha Omega's 7th grade year of social studies because it included topics I hadn't seen elsewhere including sociology, anthropology, etc. Because I went with the same course as my friend for history this year, I didn't use it. 

 

I'm going to spread both courses out over the next two years and include enough geography here and there to award at least 1/2 credit in geography for 9th grade year after next. I'll probably still use some BJU with DVD/online streaming after that as well as possibly a year of dual enrollment. 

[JoJosMom]

We did two years of American History and offshoots (civics, current issues [First Amendment/Free Speech was a big one here], etc.) for 7th and 8th.  We'll be going back to Ancients/Great Books for 9th grade in the fall. It worked very nicely.  I'm going to have DD take the SAT II in June. If the score is high enough, we likely won't do stand-alone US History again; we'll just incorporate it into our period history studies.

[2_girls_mommy]

I have used the Well Trained Mind Logic History instructions of KHE, outlining, timeline books, Geography Coloring book, summaries, and library books and the notebooks with all of the dividers.  We even purchases a Jackdaws this year to start the year which was a big hit. I am surprised more aren't doing it her way.  Its so inexpensive and enjoyable.  We bought a blank timeline book, the KHE, and the Geography book before 5th grade, and that's it for 4 years.  We just flush it out with the library and Netflix.  I love sitting down together every day with our big stack of library books.

[kitten18]

What is OUP?

 

Thanks.

[Targhee]

Oxford University Press

[kitten18]

Oxford University Press

Thanks! I did end finding that on another thread.

 

It's been so long since I saw an abbreviation that I didn't know that I felt like a newbie. Lol

[laughing lioness]

We read Notgrass' American History outloud. We've been watching Old Western Culture with Wes Callihan, published by Roman Roads Media. We also read The History of the Ancient World outloud. 

[StillStanding]

For 7th grade this year we have loved Beautiful Feet's Early American and World History program. We will provably come back to BF in the future.

Next year for 8th we will use the History of Us series by Joy Hakim with Hewitt's schedule.

Edited May 8, 2016 by StillStanding

[laughing lioness]

We have read some of the History of the World series by SWB- my kids are well steeped in STOW and love HOTW as well-  outloud, we read through U.S. History by Notgrass together and we are now focusing on Old Western Culture by Wes Callihan, published by Roman Roads Media- super love. 

Edited May 9, 2016 by laughing lioness

[2_girls_mommy]

We follow the WTM recs now. I even got the second edition from the library cause I prefer it to the third edition.

 

I think we are a lone wolf.

Not a lone wolf! That's what we do.  I prefer 2nd edition for logic stage history, and that's what we use.

[Kareni]

We came to homeschooling late and began in 7th grade.  We allowed my daughter the decision of whether or not to homeschool each year, so we took things on a year by year basis.  I'd describe our homeschooling as WTM inspired; however, I elected to do a three year run through world history.

In 7th grade, my daughter covered Pre-history to about AD500. (I'd be happy to share the myriad resources that we used that year, if you're interested.)

In 8th grade, my daughter studied the time period AD500 to about AD1700. (I'd be happy to share the myriad resources that we used that year, if you're interested.)

In 9th, she did an at home WTM inspired world history study of the time period from 1700 to 2000.  (I'd be happy to share the myriad resources that we used that year, if you're interested.)

 

 

Ninth grade was the last year she did history at home.

 

You didn't ask, but ...

 

In 10th, she took an out of the home AP US History class which used Bailey's American Pageant.

In 11th grade, my daughter had an out of the home AP Comparative Gov't and Politics class.

Her interests in high school led her to emphasize foreign languages at the expense of history; there were only so many hours in a day! Her high school record looked like this:

9th: World History from 1700 to 2000 (at home, the third year of her chronological sweep through history)
10th: AP US History (out of the home class)
11th: AP Comparative Politics and Government (out of the home class)

 

You might not classify it as history, but she also did

12th: Art History (quarter long class at the community college)

 

We had access to excellent AP teachers at a free homeschooling resource center, and that was part of what decided our history choices during the high school years.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[JadeOrchidSong]

We read Notgrass' American History outloud. We've been watching Old Western Culture with Wes Callihan, published by Roman Roads Media. We also read The History of the Ancient World outloud.

When you read Notgrass American history aloud, did you also have dc do the student Review book and We the People Who? Did you give them the quizzes? I have the whole set, but I am still not sure if we will use this or CLE Changing Frontiers.

[eesmom]

Hello all,

 

I have been struggling with trying to find a history curriculum that is not too intense but not too weak either.  I am intrigued by the OUP series.  Just curious as to how you all have put it together?  Do I buy the series of books all at the same time, the 

The Medieval and Early Modern World: Primary Sources and Reference Volume (Medieval & Early Modern World

as well as the Science and Technology one, the voyages, and all of the different continents and work through them?  Is there a guide of some sort that will help bring these books together if I am to use all of them at the same time?  

 

I don't have access to the books so I don't know the content of each book and hence, I am lost as to how these books fit together into a possible curriculum.

 

Thank you in advance!

Sylvia

[deerforest]

For OUP, there are 2 series:

 

Word in Ancient Times -- This link lists all of them included in the entire series. You can purchase as a set or individually, but this is also just a good way to see what books are included. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-world-in-ancient-times-set-9780195222425?q=world%20in%20ancient%20times&lang=en&cc=us

 

Medieval and Early Modern -- Same comment as above. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-medieval-and-early-modern-world-9780195221572?q=Medieval%20&lang=en&cc=us# 

 

They do make student and teaching guides for nearly all of the individual volumes, but we ended up just reading all the books and discussing instead. Here's one so you can see what I mean: https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Guide-Early-Human-Ancient/dp/0195178971/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1503666445&sr=8-7&keywords=world+in+ancient+times

[Roadrunner]

OUP has small chapters, so even though there are many books, you can read and discuss a chapter a day in 15-20 minutes. You can make it more involved if you wish by adding writing and using student pages, but for us it's a break we need from heavy subjects.