Which history program would you pick in this situation?

[Annie Laurie]

We're doing Sonlight Core 1. My kids are 8 and 6. They have been tolerant and listen to it but they've never been excited about it. They like history pockets the best of what we're doing. Today they groaned when I got out our Core 1 books and said that they are "SO boring!" I admit myself that this is my least favorite SL core so far, I'm not excited about it either. (I've also done the preK core, K, 3+4, 6, and 7). The read-alouds in this core just have not been what we like.

 

So we're going to finish Core 1 over the summer, and then after that I don't think I want to go on to Core 2. So I'm trying to decide what to do.

 

We can either pick something like SOTW 2, or WP HIH, and wait another year or two to do SL cores 3 and 4. (I want to wait on SL 3 and 4 because from my personal experience, my oldest and I enjoyed the cores when he was on the upper end of the age range and there is just A LOT in an SL core). Or we can go ahead and do WP AS1 and AS2 instead, as soon as we're done with Core 1.

 

WP AS 1 and 2 look more appropriate for their ages and more engaging for my visual 8 yr old and artsy 6 yr old who would like the crafts. It seems so much fun when they're little to do American history and read Little House on the Prairie and dress up and make colonial crafts and so on. I feel pretty confident that they would really enjoy AS1 and 2 and I want history to be fun and easy to do since we're rigorous in our skill subjects and they're little.

 

But then I'm torn because I think SL cores 3 and 4 are some of SL's best cores and that my kids will miss so many great books if I skip those cores. But they would be older if we did those cores, so maybe they wouldn't be as into dressing up and all that other fun stuff anymore.

 

I've been torn about this for awhile. I think American history is fun, but don't want it to be our focus, so whichever program I pick will be it until late middle school or high school and I can't decide which!

[mamato4girls]

This is only my op, but I would go with WP for the fall, and do SL when the kids are a bit older like you mentioned.

I have not used WP, but have just about memorized the catalog, and that 'core' looks so fun. And if your kids are not enjoying Core 1, why drag them through another boring year with Core 2, unless you think it looks much better.

HTH!

Vicki

[Chris in VA]

Actually, WP AS 1 would fit fine into your history rotation, and you could probably add some of the Core 3 books in toward the end. Most of the activities in More Than Moccasins are quite good. I'm not a huge fan of all the paper crafts, but you could trim them down a bit.

 

SOTW 3 would fit, too, and you could add in some of the easier Core 3 books, also. That's what I'm doing for 4th grade (but it's year 3 in the rotation). There are lots of free activities online, or the Activity Guide is a good choice.

 

You can use this time to concentrate on American History and still not ignore the rest of the world.

[SnowWhite]

We LOVE WP American Story here at our house. You can always add some of the Core 3 books if you want. WP's is a 4 day schedule and not super heavy.

[hmschooling]

Have you considered Heart of Dakota? They have a program for combining ages 6-8 or you can do more than one program to fit them individually. We have loved it!

[Lovedtodeath]

Have you considered Heart of Dakota? They have a program for combining ages 6-8 or you can do more than one program to fit them individually. We have loved it!

What are the crafts and activities like for this program? The thing that I think WP AS 1 could probably improve on from what I have heard (I haven't used it yet) is the crafts.

[PeterPan]

You could do SOTW till you get to american, then do WP AC (the one that uses Time Travelers) and integrate your SL3/4 books into that. The SL3/4 books go really well into WP AC, and at that point your kids will be old enough to enjoy them. TT has the papercrafting your kids seem to enjoy. There are History Pockets for other time periods as well, so you could probably find some to use with SOTW.

[Annie Laurie]

You're all supposed to agree on the same choice so I can just go with that! :tongue_smilie:

 

Tonight I was reading our SL read aloud to the kids before bed and ds8 asked for another chapter, so I started thinking "maybe they're enjoying this core more than I realized, yay!" and asked ds if he liked the story. He said "No, I just like listening to your voice while I fall asleep." :lol:

 

There are such great lessons and adventures in the SL books though, and I think most of the cores are better than core 1, so I'm still vacillating. American Story looks well suited to them now, on the other hand...

 

I'll just decide when we're done with Core 1 and then hurry up and buy it so I'll be stuck with whatever I pick.

[Lovedtodeath]

I didn't vote!

 

 

SOTW 2. ;)

[Carol in Cal.]

It's SO good.

Find the specific books (IR and RA) from the AG--they are hands down better than the random library picks. And maybe do some crafts. Integrate Bible into it chronologically, and you'll have a great year to year and a half!

[PeterPan]

Attachedto4, that's the type of thing my dd says, but she's a visual learner. In other words, it all goes in one ear and out the other. If you're sensing that they aren't connecting or learning the material, that might be why. Just a thought. I've let my dd read her own history from about 2nd grade on.

[Donna T.]

If I wanted to continue with World History, I'd go with SOTW 2 with the activity guide. The maps and narration assignments are wonderful. That would buy you some time until you go into Cores 3 and 4, which would be a nice follow-up to the Middle Ages. If you like SOTW, you could continue SOTW 3 and 4 alongside Cores 3 and 4.

 

If it doesn't matter to you if you cover World or American History, I'd highly suggest you consider Heart of Dakota.

 

Personally, if I had it to do all over again, I'd have used Heart of Dakota from the beginning. With HOD, there is plenty of flexibility to add in as many SL books are you desire. The books are the focus of SL and those are easy to add to other curricula. With HOD, you don't read books from just one time period at a time (not so much an issue with Core 1, I know)... there's more flexibility. You have storytime and can choose books from a variety of sources, time-periods, and genres.

 

I love SL but even my strong auditory learners have gotten bored with Core 2. I guess I have, also. A huge surprise to us all as we really do love to read. My little guys need things to do. They are auditory learners and I tend towards the methods of Charlotte Mason, but still... they are young and I wish I had included more fun and light-hearted learning opportunities for them in the earliest years of their educations. I've used My Father's World, WinterPromise, and Sonlight, plus times of piecing things together using TWTM and Ambleside Online. It's all good. But, Heart of Dakota is what I had been looking for all this time. It's FUN and meaty with excellent books and a structured plan.

[mnllj7]

Of all of the above, I love HOD, It is great, and very well rounded. nancyt.