IATeachingMom Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Ok folks...I've heard the good and the bad. I think I've narrowed it down to: History Odyssey K12 History Spielvogel's Human Odyssey Can someone compare and contrast these programs? I'm looking for best, liberal, world perspective approach to history. Need not include religion, I can adapt for that if need be. I'd love to include a hefty dose of Eastern History (Asia....) if possible. Specifically, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each of these programs. Or, if someone LOVES a different program, I'm willing to hear you out! TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Ok folks...I've heard the good and the bad. I think I've narrowed it down to: History Odyssey K12 History Spielvogel's Human Odyssey Can someone compare and contrast these programs? I'm looking for best, liberal, world perspective approach to history. Need not include religion, I can adapt for that if need be. I'd love to include a hefty dose of Eastern History (Asia....) if possible. Specifically, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each of these programs. Or, if someone LOVES a different program, I'm willing to hear you out! TIA I haven't used any of the programs you have listed, but you are talking about 1st grade, correct? Speilvogel's is a high school level text, so you might want to reconsider that option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) I am going to go out on a limb here and try to answer you. I would bet you haven't had many answers because the last two things you are looking at are really not normally intended for 1st graders. I guess it depends on how you are wanting to do history. I am kind of taking for granted that you are interested in a secular, WTM approach, so forgive me if I am assuming too much, and disregard what follows! HO is a great secular program, but at level one, IMO, you could do just as well to just buy SOTW 1 and the activity book and use the book list in WTM to round out your year, if that is the time period you want to cover. HO is fabulous starting in level 2 for the logic stage, if you are trying to follow WTM and want a little more structure. HO has free downloads, and the best way to make your mind up on it is to print those out and really look at what your week would be like with it. If you are wanting a more condensed version than a four-year cycle or just don't like SOTW, you could try Gombrich's "A Little History of the World" or Hillyer's "A Child's History of the World." Neither are completely secular, but both are pretty adaptable to that. If you like CHOW, Sonlight Core 1 uses it as a spine. Most of Sonlight is pretty easy to adapt as secular also. I also LOVE Dorothy Mills' books, and at least the first three are pretty secular, but again, those are really more logic stage recommendations. I am collecting them, and I only have the first four, but they are the best logic stage books I have found. If you could be more specific in what you are trying to do or explain how you are wanting to use the "older" resources, we might be able to help more. Good luck! ETA: I was thinking you meant the K12 Human Odyssey books, which are the older level books. The K12 actual program that you do online and pay the fee for is completely different, so please forgive me for overlooking that. I look at the price of enrolling in K12 and faint, so hopefully someone else can help you with that. Edited June 7, 2009 by Asenik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 I'll put in another plug for SOTW with the (revised) Activity Guide. I looked at History Odyssey level 1 (Middle Ages) for this year for my younger child, since my older one will be doing HO level 2 (MA) this year, and much as I like HO for logic, I wasn't particularly impressed with the elementary level. I decided to stick with SOTW + AG instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IATeachingMom Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 I clearly don't quite have a handle on what I'm doing?:confused: ~lol, oh well. Every time I think I know what I want, the much wiser, seasoned homeschoolers step in to save me. Thanks. So...it looks like HO and SOTW are pretty much the 2 best bets? What is unimpressive in HO at the younger level? Does anyone have any particular areas to heavily supplement in for SOTW? Asenik-you didn't assume too much, thanks for your insight! Thanks for everyone's help so far...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Oh, no, PLEASE do NOT rule out K12....it most certainly IS for 1st grade. As a matter of fact, the 1st grade history IS Ancients, and it continues to follow the four year cycle for the next three years after. We used K12 for 1st-4th, and it follows the four year cycle to a T. You will sit in front of the computer and read the "story" which is very simliar to SOTW to your 1st grader. There will be cute pictures and once in a while a bit of animation. Then it will ask you to either 1. Have your child draw a picture about today's lesson OR 2. write down what your child narrates to you about today's lesson. Put it in a notebook. At the end of each section, there is not a test at this level, but rather questions you can ask the child about that section of lessons for the child to answer verbally. Can it be anymore WTM than that????? Often with lessons, there are worksheets you can print if you want, which might be a coloring page, or a cut-n-paste, like putting pictures in event order. We LOVED K12. Did it for the last four years (History, not the rest) with DS10, and will repeat the cycle this coming fall for DS6. It's economical if you pay by monthly fee, or you can pay all at once. Keep in mind this is doing K12 as a "independent" NOT a virtual school/cyber schooler. You have thirty days to cancel with no fee, so you should really give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) Well, I am a pretty big HO fan, but not so much at level one. To me, it adds in a lot of cut and paste stuff that none of us (me or my DDs) really want to do. I am not a huge fan of busywork, and it seems to me like the History Pockets stuff is just not much fun, and I could do as well just checking out the activity books from the library. The SOTW activity guide does a better job, IMO, of correlating the activities to what you are studying. As far as adding in stuff, it looked like you were interested in more non-Western world history, and that is going to be a weakest area of any of the programs. I think SOTW does a nice job there, but I am sure somebody out there has some good recommendations specifically of what else they use to cover that. World history is hard to teach well in the grammar stage, and there isn't a lot out there that is attempting it, which is why it was one of the first areas SWB chose to focus on, as far as curriculum goes. Once you hit the logic stage, you have a LOT more options! :) Edited June 7, 2009 by Asenik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 For first grade ancients, SOTW + the AG. With lots of emphasis on the activities. Make a mummy, a mosaic, a cave paining, and your own Olympics, learn about bull jumpers, silkworms, and Alexander the Great, read about the adventures of Hercules, the founding of Rome, and ancient Summerian rulers. It is perfect for a first dip in history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) Hmmm.... are you not wanting SOTW as a spine? If SOTW is okay, take a look at my samples. I have tried to improve on what is already available. I noticed that nothing really scheduled out a secular first grade specific history curriculum with reading related to history via TWTM. (Actually, I think it will work with just the Usborne Encyclopedia. DD is not reading SOTW. lol) I have included additional books scheduled in (well, I have books scheduled in for all of it, lol, but I found some good ones and some that are not in the SOTW AG) on Persia, Africa, China, and India. My DD really likes China, and I was fascinated by India. You might want to add in A Little History of the World. I really learned more from his chapters on China and India. Edited June 7, 2009 by Lovedtodeath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winoelle Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 We love History Odyssey and we are doing it right now for first grade. I don't use the CHOTW as I am not real thrilled with the content and accuracy of that book, but we do use SOTW and the Usborne World History. I don't think the History Pockets are all "cut and paste" as some people have said. There is cutting and pasting, but there is also handwriting, spelling, imagination, etc. involved. You can pick and choose which activities to do, my daughter enjoys it so we do most of them. The other projects that are recommended are usually fun and we do a lot of them but not all. I have been really happy with the recommended reading that we check out from the library. Another positive to me is the layout of the program, it is easy to follow and understand, and I feel like it is pretty comprehensive. We will definitely continue with this curriculum as our history choice for the elementary years. Noelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IATeachingMom Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate it. I'm not quite sure which one to go with as of yet, but I at least have SOME clarity about the books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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