Hello everyone, I'll get to the point and then explain. Have any of you tried doing all or most of TruthQuest in one year? How has it worked? Context: I have a daughter who is a high school senior and we need to change what we've been doing, but I don't know how to fit it all in. I would like to do TQ perhaps alongside Simply Charlotte Mason books with my other children. At the TQ site, there is a one-year schedule for those starting the program in grade 12. (It won't really be a problem if she graduates a semester late. She will probably start CLEPing courses for college late in her senior year or just after.) Backstory: Why am I changing things when she is about to graduate? In a nutshell, because I don't want her to "just graduate." She did AO lifepac US History and Streams of Civilization but we were just trying to finish without supplementing so she doesn't remember much. We've been homeschooling for nearly 20 years but recently we've just been in "get 'er done" mode to meet the requirements and history comprehension is one area that has suffered. I'd rather tailor school to enhance my children's God-given strengths and to improve their weak areas. We did a better job of this with our first two boys. Even though we used textbooks for history to quickly meet the requirements, they did a lot of supplemental reading and they enjoyed learning history so they mastered much more of it. In sum: So, TruthQuest seems to be what we need now and seems like it would be a "fit" for where I’m going with the last ones. I am also hoping that as we discuss it as a family, some of my older daughter's "gaps" will get filled in (not because she needs it for school but for her benefit). I wish I had come across TQ a few years earlier. Any suggestions? I hope so! I've read how TQ can be overwhelming. Thanks in advance!

I am in the process of planning out the last 6 years of my first set of children. I have been researching everywhere for what best fits our family and have a few questions for those who have been there and done it already. I am looking forward with my high school credits and think I may use parts of the TQ MA, Ren to Ref, AOR I, II, & III to teach "worldview" in history for the kids. I am also looking at using it in conjunction with something like Walch's Focus on US History Series or http://www.classicalhistorian.com/ We are eclectic in our HS approach and tend to do a mix of providential/christian viewpoint books with secular and source documents. I am trying to find a balance with our religious beliefs and fact, without going to an extreme in the religious end - as we don't tend to fall into the traditional "providential" catagory. I find much of that material to be "over the top". (I am NOT invoking a discussion on this topic, so please understand that. I am trying to get opinions on types of materials to consider to reach my family's goals for our education) As of right now, they are using HOD- Resurrection to Reformation. we have found it to be a good year and have found some new favorites for the younger set in our home. BUT, I've had to practically redo the whole thing to make it fit our kids. I don't really like the next guide (yes, I own it and have looked thru the first 27 weeks of lesson plans). There's nothing "wrong" with it, but it just doesn't fit where my girls are now and would require a complete overhaul to make it work for next year. Besides that, my kids have NEVER had American history past the settling of the 13 colonies (not intentional) and we would like to do that before they hit High School. They've had extensive history on Ancients/Bible History and Middle Ages. I've tried Sonlight - again a complete rewrite Winterpromise - hated all the crafts and didn't like the flow MFW - really didn't like Tapestry of grace - I cried for 3 months - too overwhelming for some reason. STOW - We used a lot of this over the last several years Just never made it thru the rest of book 3 or 4 So, not interested in the above (other than I tend to use them for various resources). I also have a 3rd, 1st and young PK coming up behind them. So, here's my basic plan - geography, cultural studies will be interwoven throughout: 7th - American History 1 (using Guerber books, Focus on American History (Walch), lots of living books, state study notebook, composer study for music appreciation) 8th - American History 2 (Focus on american History (walch) - I think, president study, not sure what else. 9th - world history- picking up in the early church/late Roman era thru 1600's (creation to Christ being covered in Bible/worldview and we have already studied ancient culture/civilization 3 times pretty extensively) 10th - World and US history 1600-1865 11th - World and US history 1865- 1900's (flexible on the time's here) 12th - World and US history 1900's - current year, including Government and Economics So, any suggestions of books, curriculum, ideas would be helpful and greatly appreciated. I would like to use non-textbooks materials for a majority of my studies but am not opposed to a good text spine. Thanks in advance! Heather

Could former and present Truthquest History users please give me some users' reviews? Pros and cons? Also, do they schedule the optional spines for you? Thanks!

I am considering adding TruthQuest to HOD Bigger, or dropping Bigger history and just doing TruthQuest American History. I love certain aspects of HOD. I think longingly about Preparing; for history, Preparing seems perfect for dd. (In another thread, someone said their ds didn’t like the “pray this prayer†part; I’m certain dd would feel the same). I’m disappointed in the history and Bible aspects of Bigger. Note: for those researching HOD, I should point out that most of our problems with HOD stem from dd being advanced in certain areas. She is such a voracious reader and learner. Dd’s favorite books right now are 4th-7th grade level. We love the poetry and hymns in Bigger. We would probably like DITHOR but haven’t really gotten started with it. Re Bible in Bigger: Dd memorizes easily, so that’s not the problem. I think that dd is getting bored with memorizing from Proverbs. I am going to look for some verses about God’s greatness, His love and grace, heaven, etc. and memorize those either instead of Bigger verses, or in addition to them. Dd has a great interest in the Bible. I regularly find her reading kids’ devo books just because she wants to read them. Lately she’s been reading “Heaven for Kids†(not sure about the title?), so I think she would enjoy verses like John 14: 1-3. Re history in Bigger: Dd would prefer LOTS more reading. I am not fond of the Eggleston books, although I really like most of HOD’s book choices. Sigh. We are using a few of the extension books. Maybe I should get “A Child’s Story of America†and just rip out some of the problem areas toward the end of the book. It would pain me to rip out of a book (dd would be horrified if she saw me doing it!). But I certainly do not want her reading about “alternative†lifestyles, etc. I’ve read reviews, but haven’t seen the actual book. One possible plan is to continue with American history (mainly with TruthQuest) until Thanksgiving 2012, then start HOD Preparing in January of 2013. Dd would be 8.5 years old that January. I plan to start a different thread about another possibility: a local one-day-a-week classical Christian school that uses Veritas Press, Apologia Science, etc. In many ways VP seems like a good fit for dd. But the next few guides in HOD look SO wonderful. I should point out that we are blessed to have an incredible library system here. I do not think I would have any problem finding many of the TruthQuest books. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated! Note: please excuse typos. A cat is often between me and the screen. J ETA: I should have mentioned that we are only in Unit 11 of Bigger (we started late and have been doing about an unit per week).

My boys and I are starting school tomorrow. YAY!!! We are studying Ancient Greece (TruthQuest) and Latin and Greek Roots. We will be watching "Drive Thru History: Greece." I have a couple questions: 1. Do any of you have any ideas for Greek food besides gyros? 2. Do any of you have any good timeline recommendations while we are studying history in general? How do you do your timeline? Thanks! Julie :bigear:

I've read great things about how MFW lines up history & Bible. Are there other programs that do this just as well? I know I need to print off samples of different programs, but I'd like some input from users, too. I've looked at TOG, SCM, Biblioplan, & TruthQuest. I know there are probably others I haven't even considered. I'd really like a chronological history curriculum that integrates biblical history & secular history with as much actual Bible reading as possible. Sounds like this is exactly what MFW does. But I'm not sure it will have enough flexibility, especially with science. I guess I could add or sub science. Anyone use MFW for history & Bible only? I've also thought about combining a couple of the others (SCM/Biblioplan/TruthQuest). And TOG looks great, but I'm not sure it has as much Bible integration throughout all years. But again, I could add in appropriate Bible studies. I don't want to waste time & money on a program then do lots of tweaking. And I'm afraid I'm going to be a tweaker. TIA for any input you can give.

If so, can you share exactly *what* you do, and how you assign credit? I know that TQ has writing assignments in it... do you count those toward history or English? We use MFW and our DESIRE is to stick with it all the way through. However, with dh's unemployment, we may not be able to do that next term. (DD will be ready to start year 2 in Jan/Feb.) So I'm trying to think of inexpensive alternatives, and I know that when we had looked at TQ once before, dd liked the looks of it. So.... any experience to share?

We are using SOTW Vol. 2 this year for history, but I'd like to incorporate more living books into our studies. Have you used Truthquest, and if so, what do you see as the pros and cons to the guide? I'd be ordering the Middle Ages book from Truthquest to supplement our studies this year. Thanks so much! :)

We are currently using SOTW and are happy with it. I supplement with Truthquest and All Through the Ages because we belong to a Living Books Library and use a lot of older, literature based books in our schooling. I have seen threads on Biblioplan and have gone to their website, but still do not really understand. :001_huh: Is this a planner? Schedule based? Or is it is list of literature based books to use as a supplement to SOTW like I am doing now? Those who use it, what do you like about it? Sell me on this if you can. :) Thanks !!!