My children love history, and I think a lot of this is due in part to SOTW.

I think SOTW gives a good general overview of american history. We just complete our first 4-year cycle with my oldest (starting 5th grade), and the kids got companion books along the way and did some of their own reading as we went along that has given them a good U.S. history baseline. U.S. history is taught in 4th and 5th grade in my state, so we've decided that this year, I will start SOTW over again (ancients) with my rising 2nd grader and her 5th grade sister will listen to the read alouds but will have her own US history readings and will do her writing assignments/narrations based on that. I just ordered the condensed 4-part Joy Hakim History of US books online, and we will use those. So I guess to answer your question: my preference is to complete SOTW and then do a U.S. history focus after the cycle is over. But I like the feeling of "completing" things more than I like "switching things up," so that is what worked for us.

Has anyone used the IEW themed writing books without having gone through the main Structure and Style writing program? I think I've decided to start my 5th grader in Writing with Skill, but I am really drawn to the IEW themed books, and we are going to try to add US history this year, so I think their US history book would fit in well. I'm okay with using it just to give us structured writing assignments related to US history, with the understanding that we may be missing out on pieces of what is intended by the program. Is this doable? Is IEW all or nothing? Should I just teach WWS and do WTM-style history narrations and call it a day (or school year)? This is my 6th year homeschooling but for some reason I'm more lost than ever when it comes to picking curricula this year. Starting the logic stage....

Thanks everyone! The book being open and go is one of the reasons I am getting it, so I will make sure to get the TM.

How important is it to have the instructor manual for Writing with Skill? I am thinking of starting my 5th grader with WWS this fall (this will be our first foray into the Complete Writer), but the sample lessons posted online just appear to show direct copies of the student text which contains already has the instructions for each lesson, so I'm wondering if I can get by just fine with only the student book. I don't mind paying for the extra book, but I operate better with the least amount of moving parts.

It’s something new that will be starting in the fall. But my kids actually won’t be a part. I’m helping some friends new to homeschooling figure out what curricula they should use.

I'm looking for recommendations for a curriculum for grades 4-8 that combines ELA instruction with social studies topics (either history or geography). This would potentially be used in a 4 day/week co-op for a group of kids ranging from 4th to 8th grades. The expectation is that each child can work fairly independently with an academic guide assisting, so it should be pretty easy to implement.

ELTL doesn't really have a "spelling" component, other than dictation. So we add spelling. But my oldest is in fourth grade and has been using ELTL since 1st grade, and it works well for us. Simple, easy to implement. My second DD is going to need a little more hand holding to get through the diagramming when she gets to that point (she's first grade).

We have been using D this year without a workbook. My DD just has a notebook that she does all her exercises and copywork in. I know the older grades are designed for use with a "commonplace book," so making the workbook is probably a low priority. We are still enjoying using ELTL.

I used this for a co-op class for the kids to read at home before our class discussions/activities, and they all really liked it: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Need-American-History-Notebook/dp/0761160833/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519959158&sr=8-1&keywords=everything+you+need+to+ace+american+history My husband is currently reading this book as a read aloud to my kids: https://www.amazon.com/Little-History-United-States-Histories/dp/030022348X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519959237&sr=1-1&keywords=little+history+of+the+united+states

If I have a younger child, am I better off just sticking with SOTW as the primary text and supplementing with additional stuff on specific topics for the older? I'd like to teach history for both kids together. I don't mind reading SOTW out loud to the younger and assigning the older one to read something independently, but I worry about using a different text that doesn't quite match up with SOTW.

My oldest will be in 5th grade next year, and we will be restarting the history cycle with ancients. I will also have a 2nd grader with whom I plan on using SOTW vol. 1, which my oldest read in 1st grade. I would love to hear what everyone else has done/is doing/plans to do with their logic-stage history.

If you wanted a 1-volume non-textbook, you could try Davidson's A Little History of the United States: https://www.amazon.com/Little-History-United-States-Histories/dp/030022348X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518435968&sr=8-1&keywords=a+little+history+of+the+united+states It's a well-written book published by the same folks who published A Little History of the World. You may need to beef it up with some additional picture books on certain topics. We use it as a family read aloud at night and continue using SOTW for our main history spine during "school" time.

Thanks for the helpful info! These books look fun. I wish I had done more stuff like this when I was a kid. I probably would have done better on the LSAT, which actually contains a section of problems similar to the mind benders.

Do the Mind Benders workbooks correspond with grade level? So for a 5th grader, would I get workbook 5, even if she hasn't done any in the past?