Famous Men of Rome Question

[HeatherM]

Has anyone used Famous Men of Rome from Memoria Press? Is it a good read aloud? Is it interesting to children? Is it better saved for Junior High years?

Heather

[abbeyej]

I used *some* of the stories as read-alouds when my kids were younger. As a few stories here and there, it worked well, but not when I (briefly) tried to make it work as a weekly thing. Too many groans. For logic stage though, the Famous Men books (and workbooks) seem to be going great. This year we're doing Middle Ages and I have my 6th grader doing FMMA and the workbook each week. He's really enjoying it. For my 2nd/3rd grader, we're just reading a few selections on the people I consider most important.

[eternalknot]

We used Famous Men (Greece; Rome) for second and the beginning of third grade. My son is a strong reader and had a high interest level in the era. We read the story together (taking turns) and then discussed from the Greenleaf Guide.

 

I also own the Memoria Press workbook, but we both preferred the discussion based format of Greenleaf. While we didn't use the MP workbook, it would have been (more) doable for a younger elementary than would be Greenleaf.

 

We likely won't use Famous Men with my daughter in the elementary years. She is not as passionate about the time period, or about history in general ... so I think it would be less interesting to her, even as a read-aloud, for her first rotation.

[plimsoll]

My son read FMOR and FMOG in 3rd grade. We plan to make a second pass this year, using the Memoria Press study guides. We may well make an additional pass using the Greenleaf guides a few years later, perhaps using some of the discussion points as writing assignments. I think that the books themselves can be read at a number of different ages - what you decide to do with will vary depending upon your childrens' ages and your goals.

[SonshineLearner]

My daughter does read them and answer some questions. I have the Student, Teacher and then the actual Books to read. Of course, I like MP a lot:-) They are suggested somewhere around 4th and up... and she's in 6th

The new ones have beautiful pictures:-)

Carrie

[Sebastian (a lady)]

The actual Famous Men of Rome text is a republished work that you can also find online from the Baldwin Project if you want to give it a test drive.

 

The workbooks and guides are modern and not available to print out. I used Famous Men of the Middle Ages a lot. I am planning on using the Greece and Rome books in a few months when we get started on ancients again. This will be with upper elementary age.

 

Having seen both Greenleaf and Memoria Press versions of the Haaren & Pollard text, I think that I like Memoria better for the color pictures and the maps. I also think it may well be worth buying it rather than trying to print it out. (At least at my cost per page for printing.)