plain jane Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) I know this has been talked about a great deal here, but I would really appreciate some advice. Next fall, I will have a grade four and a grade one to teach. Currently we are just getting into SOTW3 with my oldest and reading CHOW with the younger. I really don't know what to do next year. I'm torn between doing SOTW1 with the grade 1 and SOTW4 with my older and keeping them seperate in their studies so that they will both be on track with their respective history cycles, but I'm not sure if this is an insane idea. I know there are some here who do this because I've read those posts, so I know I'm not completely off my rocker. :tongue_smilie: The other option that I'm tossing around is switching them both to TOG. I'm likely going to switch to TOG for my oldest's Logic rotation of history so next year could be a good introductory year for all of us. I have qualms about adding in my then-6yo into the modern stage of history. Is it going to be too much for her? On the flip-side, I feel like I would be short-changing my older one by moving back to Ancients too soon because I would prefer that she be closer to the Logic stage in development so that she can get the most out of this second go-round in history. Plus, if I do this, she will have missed the entire section of modern history. The other option I have is to keep them seperate for one more year, doing SOWT1 and SOTW4 next year (I feel I am organized enough to do this since I'm already doing SOTW and CHOW seperately) and combining them both into TOG Ancients the year after. This would mean that the younger would get 2 years of Ancients, but I can think of worst things, right? :001_unsure: I really don't know what to do and could really use some advice on what has worked for others. Do I go with my older child's rotation or my younger child's or should I just try to keep them seperate? I don't think I could do seperate TOG rotations and maintain my sanity, so perhaps combining them both into Moderns would be best- but would it be best and "okay" for my 6yo to go through this period of history first? She will have a had a brief overview of everything through everything she's sat through in my oldest's lessons the past couple of years, as well as our read-through of CHOW this year, but I still feel guilty about plucking her into such a somber section of history.- Ancients are so much fun for grade 1. :D HELP!! Edited November 25, 2009 by plain jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Well, I feel you about not wanting to start the younger with SOTW4. It's heavy. As much as I love the idea of repeating world history three times, I've given up with mine because it's just not right with my spacing. I'm doing 2 years of American with my first two right now so my baby will come into Kindergarten when we're studying Ancients. If I were you, I would actually consider not starting history at all with the first grader. Have you done a geography year with the younger? I might stick to the three R's and do a fun geography with an Around the World in 180 Days theme. I would not do two eras at the same time though. I can't even imagine how hard that would be although I know some do it happily. At the very least, I've bumped you. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I know this has been talked about a great deal here, but I would really appreciate some advice. Next fall, I will have a grade four and a grade one to teach. Currently we are just getting into SOTW3 with my oldest and reading CHOW with the younger. I really don't know what to do next year. I'm torn between doing SOTW1 with the grade 1 and SOTW4 with my older and keeping them seperate in their studies so that they will both be on track with their respective history cycles, but I'm not sure if this is an insane idea. I know there are some here who do this because I've read those posts, so I know I'm not completely off my rocker. :tongue_smilie: The other option that I'm tossing around is switching them both to TOG. I'm likely going to switch to TOG for my oldest's Logic rotation of history so next year could be a good introductory year for all of us. I have qualms about adding in my then-6yo into the modern stage of history. Is it going to be too much for her? On the flip-side, I feel like I would be short-changing my older one by moving back to Ancients too soon because I would prefer that she be closer to the Logic stage in development so that she can get the most out of this second go-round in history. Plus, if I do this, she will have missed the entire section of modern history. The other option I have is to keep them seperate for one more year, doing SOWT1 and SOTW4 next year (I feel I am organized enough to do this since I'm already doing SOTW and CHOW seperately) and combining them both into TOG Ancients the year after. This would mean that the younger would get 2 years of Ancients, but I can think of worst things, right? :001_unsure: I really don't know what to do and could really use some advice on what has worked for others. Do I go with my older child's rotation or my younger child's or should I just try to keep them seperate? I don't think I could do seperate TOG rotations and maintain my sanity, so perhaps combining them both into Moderns would be best- but would it be best and "okay" for my 6yo to go through this period of history first? She will have a had a brief overview of everything through everything she's sat through in my oldest's lessons the past couple of years, as well as our read-through of CHOW this year, but I still feel guilty about plucking her into such a somber section of history.- Ancients are so much fun for grade 1. :D HELP!! I've always just folded my guys in. Ancients are fun for grade 2, too :D. Maybe because I've got boys or maybe because dh enjoys watching war documentaries, but none of my guys had problems with SOTW4 last year. We mostly listened to the CDs in the van and discussed it and had some great conversations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Veritaserum is doing SOTW 4 with all of her kids. She may be able to point you in the right direction. You could use her literature curriculum (it is literature to go with SOTW 4) with both of them, and only read selected chapters with the younger one. Then you can do ancients next year. I really want DD to have more maturity for our next go around of ancients (and I plan to take 18 months on it), so I know what you mean. Here is her signature: DD9 MUS, HWT, AAS, FLL, WWE DD7 CLE Math, HWT, AAS, FLL, ETC, WWE, Progressive Phonics DD5 MUS, HWT, FLL, ETC, Progressive Phonics, Hewitt Preschool Plus Plus two littles. All SOTW 4, Classical House of Learning Literature, Elemental Science, Harmony Fine Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 You could use her literature curriculum Ooh-la-la! I'm excited about this! Thanks for mentioning it! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 If I were you, I would actually consider not starting history at all with the first grader. I like this idea too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 If I were you, I would actually consider not starting history at all with the first grader. Have you done a geography year with the younger? I might stick to the three R's and do a fun geography with an Around the World in 180 Days theme. I like this idea too. :) *Gasp* :svengo: ;) No history?? :willy_nilly: I guess I could. I think. We're currently working through GtG and my K'er already knows all the continents and oceans and their locations on a map. GtG is filling in the gaps on the rest. I can't see GtG lasting more than this year so I'm really at a loss for what to do for grade 1. My older is doing Trail Guide and that seems a bit too hard for a grade 1 student. I need history because I don't know what else to do. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Next fall I will also have a grade 1 and a grade 4. I have decided to start the younger in grade 2 with STOW 1 and not doing history with him for grade 1. Believe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Next fall I will also have a grade 1 and a grade 4. I have decided to start the younger in grade 2 with STOW 1 and not doing history with him for grade 1. Believe it. I'm warming up to the idea... slowly. :D I can see how doing so would free up a lot of time for me and perhaps allow me to concentrate more on science experiments. Perhaps a year of State history would be good, but then I'll feel guilty for not covering that with the older. :tongue_smilie::001_huh::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I'm warming up to the idea... slowly. :D I can see how doing so would free up a lot of time for me and perhaps allow me to concentrate more on science experiments. Perhaps a year of State history would be good, but then I'll feel guilty for not covering that with the older. :tongue_smilie::001_huh::lol:We never do science and history at the same time. lol You could just make science really fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 We never do science and history at the same time. lol You could just make science really fun. Are you telling me my science classes aren't really fun right now?? :001_huh: :toetap05: :ohmy:Now you've gone and hurt my feelings. :rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 :lol: Oh, of course science is really fun. Um.. maybe you could do more science. There are many more animals and plants than allowed for in the schedule. Thanks for not calling me out for breaking my board break. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) We combine history and we're doing Modern right now (kids are 9.5, 7.5, and 5). We are using SOTW 4. Some of the topics are sad, but they've been handling it great. We've had lots of discussions about why people chose to act in various ways and whether or not those were wise/kind/good. We also combine science (chemistry right now, with a plan to move to physics next year), art, music, literature, and geography. It simplifies things for me. :) ETA: "You're being like the British!" was an insult my dd hurled at her sister, who was trying to steal a toy. :p Edited November 25, 2009 by Veritaserum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 The last time we did Year 4 my crew were 10th, 8th, 3rd and 1st. I read a lot of biographies to the 1st grader and made sure that I hit a few things with him (Statue of Liberty, Teddy Roosevelt, Wright Brothers, suffragettes, the space race, Nelson Mandela, etc.), skipped all the wars and threw in some geography. I like to keep all the kids in the same era for my own sanity. hth~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I always fold in the youngest where ever we are in the history rotation. When we used WTM history, I just moved the child to the next level, but stayed on the same year. Now we use TOG so it's easier to keep them all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I would just let the younger child join in the history cycle where you are with your oldest. I know Moderns is hard to cover with a young child. I would be very careful about the material - you don't have to go too indepth at that age anyway. I understand your hesitancy. We covered Moderns last year with my 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 9th graders. I almost skipped it because their brother is serving overseas and I thought it would be too much for them. We covered it anyway and had lots of conversations about how war is waged differently now, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryanne Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I had to make the same decision in planning for this current school year. I had a K and 3rd grader last school year and chose to go a little more quickly through year 3 and part of year 4 up to about 1900 using SoTW cds and SL core 3 & some core 4 books for my 3rd grader. Then this year we started back over with the Ancients with a 1st grader and 4th grader in TOG Year 1. When we come around again I will spend less time on the Colonial America and early US History; we did tons of that last year, big field trips, costumes and the works. Next time we get to modern history we will spend more time on the 20th century history and SoTW 4 topics. Just another idea to consider, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 oops... didn't mean to post here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 This is one thing that keeps me up at night. :) I keep going back and forth with just adding them in or letting them do their own year. I think that would kill me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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