[Logic Stage History Spine]

We are using the Dorling Kindersley History of the World (written on a 6th-8th grade level according to SWB)  recommended in TWTM along with the National Geographic Concise History of the World: An Illustrated Time Line.  On p. 273 of the 3rd edition of TWTM she recommends the time line because it "provides additional information on more obscure cultures, times, and people." The overall recommendations for the logic stage are as follows:

 

5th grade - The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History

6th-8th grade - The Dorling Kindersley History of the World

8th grade or higher - National Geographic Almanac of World History("Instead of being organized as a series of short paragraphs, the Almanac ​provides short essays, which is most useful for students reading on a strong 7th-8th level or higher.")

For Advanced Students - History: The Definitive Visual Guide ("reading level is quite difficult; for advanced students only)

 

Hope this helps.

[Structured Reading-Logic Stage]

I need some clarification for the structured reading hour for the logic stage.  Is the student to read a portion of the book and write a narration (3-4 sentences) daily, then write a longer summary that includes a two sentence evaluation once the book is finished?  Or is the student to read the book in its entirety, however long that takes (a few days or a week) and then write the summary that includes a two sentence evaluation?  The recommendations in TWTM I'm referring to are the following (I own the 3rd edition):

 

p. 344, "During the logic stage, plan to spend thirty to sixty mnutes, four days per week, reading and creating narration pages and reports (I'm assuming 'reports' refers to the 1 page summary with the two sentence evaluation... what do you think?)"

 

p. 348-349, "The fifth grader should continue to write one-half-page to one-page summaries of each book read during reading time. As she moves on to longer and more complex books, she may take a week or so to read a single book and write a on-page summary... At the end of the narration (now we're calling it a narration), ask the child to write a one- or two-sentence evaluation of the book that includes specific reasons why she did or didn't like the book."

 

I know that a narration is a type of summary.  We use Writing With Skill as our writing program and in it narrations are defined as "brief summaries of stories and non-fiction narratives." Also, for all of the narrations she was required to write, she is instructed to combine her notes or phrases into four sentences.  Because of this, narrations and summaries seem to me to be two different things (when mentioned in TWTM).

 

I love TWTM and we use it almost exclusively to guide our homeschool. The interchanging of the words "summary, report, and essay" throughout the language arts and history chapters for the logic stage has really been confusing to me.  How do you understand these recommendations?

[Fourth edition of TWTM...here's your chance to weigh in!]

It may me too late to weigh in but here are my thoughts.  I use TWTM almost exclusively to guide our homeschool.  I joke that out homeschool room looks like a mini Peace Hill Press store.  I own the 3rd edition of TWTM and my oldest is in the logic stage.  What I would really appreciate is clarification on the difference between narrations, summaries, reports, and essays.  I thought I knew the difference but when I tried to explain it to my student, my explanations all started to sound the same.  Under History for the Logic stage students are to "prepare summaries of information" (p. 76) but then on p. 363 when discussing schedules, the 6th grade student is to write a history or science "essay". Page 344, when discussing the reading block for the logic stage says that students are too spend the reading block "reading and creating narration pages and reports."  I've read these sections many, many, many times and I have a better understanding than when we first started.  I would still appreciate a clearer explanation on the difference. 

 

One last thought, because I'm a visual person the schedules and tables included in the 3rd edition have been very helpful.  If more detailed tables, charts, and schedules were to be included in the 4th edition, that would being a huge plus for me.