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Is SOTW4 really the only Modern spine choice?


Heather in VA
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If I want a story-type book and I really dislike Hakim (getting ready to sell my set - anyone want them) is SOTW4 the only choice?

 

I've been looking at alot of Yesterday's Classics and Guerber books but I guess for obvious reasons they all stop a long time ago. Any other suggestions for these types of books but in the more modern time period?

 

Heather

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If I want a story-type book and I really dislike Hakim (getting ready to sell my set - anyone want them) is SOTW4 the only choice?

 

I've been looking at alot of Yesterday's Classics and Guerber books but I guess for obvious reasons they all stop a long time ago. Any other suggestions for these types of books but in the more modern time period?

 

Heather

 

 

Heather,

 

TOG suggests the use of the DK 20th Century text, though it is OOP. I still picked it up cheap. They also suggest the 20th Century Perspectives series-Amazon carries a few, but not all. The publisher is a more reliable source, and I am told if you e-mail they do sell to hsers. For the D level they use the Idiots Guide to the 20th Century..I think it is called.

 

I own several of the 20th Century Perspective books, and they aren't astounding, but they generally aren't that bad either. I thought they would be worse, so maybe my low expectations has something to do with it? :)

 

Heather

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We're enjoying the Pictorial Encyclopedia of American History, which goes through 1968 (just checked). Maybe there are more I don't have? That's how far the set I have goes. Just the right depth and fodder for discussion at this age. Also The Story of the USA books by Escher that SL4 uses have an excellent coverage of modern. In correlating them to the VP cards, they're much more thorough. There are a couple chapters you might find controversial and want to skip, but other than that they're worthwhile.

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If you're talking for your older kids, you might want to look at K12's Human Odyssey volumes 2 and/or 3 - Volume 2, Our Modern World covers 1400-1914, and Volume 3, From Modern Times to Our Contemporary Era, covers from then to the present.

 

The books are written for the middle-school level and are very engagingly written. I'm going to start using Volume 1 as a spine for Ancient History as soon as we finish the darned Modern Times we're slogging through at the moment! (Can you tell I'm ready to be done?) :) Should clarify - I'm not using K12 (or SOTW for that matter) for the Modern Times slog we're in now - we'll use K12 for the next rotation.

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Thanks Heather and OhE - I've seen those and I'm basically coming to the conclusion that 20th century stuff is more encyclopedia and less story. I really don't like that. UGH. I guess part of it is the dawn of the media/news age so most of our history is now recorded in pictures. I'd really love something more along the lines of This Country of Ours or M.B. Synge's books.

 

Oh well. I think I've tried this search before and been less than successful.

 

Heather

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The K12 books are excellent! Does the format really change after book one? (the one I have). It is similar to SOTW with more of everything and full color pictures and maps.

 

I also found these but I haven't seen/read any of them:

 

http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZgVj&WT.mc_id=DRM-09_Acq_Basal_CoreKnowledge_EM&DCSext.w_campaignplacement=Link7

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If you're talking for your older kids, you might want to look at K12's Human Odyssey volumes 2 and/or 3 - Volume 2, Our Modern World covers 1400-1914, and Volume 3, From Modern Times to Our Contemporary Era, covers from then to the present.

 

The books are written for the middle-school level and are very engagingly written. I'm going to start using Volume 1 as a spine for Ancient History as soon as we finish the darned Modern Times we're slogging through at the moment! (Can you tell I'm ready to be done?) :) Should clarify - I'm not using K12 (or SOTW for that matter) for the Modern Times slog we're in now - we'll use K12 for the next rotation.

 

I'll take a look at these. I'm thinking middle school so that sounds about right. LOL about slogging through the Modern Times. I think its a great time period but I'm finding the resources to be pretty bad so I think that contributes to the feeling of 'slogging'.

 

Heather

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I'll be the first to say that this selection will not be full enough in providing enough detail but you could look at the expanded edition of The Story of Mankind. I plan on using this as a spine and combine it with many supplements. I've just collected some Landmarks and more biographies of people specific to the modern time period to round this out a little better. I know my coverage of this time period is not perfect but I also know that we will cover this again in high school in much more depth so I'm not worried. Also, Memoria Press has a book as part of the Famous Men series for modern times but I'll be honest...it doesn't cover much into the modern times. I had read somewhere once (on their forum maybe?) that they had a Famous Men of the 20th century planned but I don't hear any more about it and it does seem to take them awhile to get their books out so....

We'll be doing Abe Lincoln's World too and combine that with as far as TCOO will go and The Story of Mankind. I will add biographies, historical fiction, etc. and consider it done. I found one old book titled Famous Twentieth Century Leaders with long chapters covering all the major leaders. I think this wil be enough.

 

HTH:001_smile:

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The K12 books are excellent! Does the format really change after book one? (the one I have). It is similar to SOTW with more of everything and full color pictures and maps.

 

 

No, the format appears to be the same - colorful, well-written, good use of layout. The layout is a tiny bit different in the third volume, which I've spent the least time looking at. They all look really good! I own all three volumes now, just haven't had a chance to start using them. :glare:

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No, the format appears to be the same - colorful, well-written, good use of layout. The layout is a tiny bit different in the third volume, which I've spent the least time looking at. They all look really good! I own all three volumes now, just haven't had a chance to start using them. :glare:

 

Is there anywhere I can see a sample of these?

 

Thanks

HEather

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I'll be the first to say that this selection will not be full enough in providing enough detail but you could look at the expanded edition of The Story of Mankind. I plan on using this as a spine and combine it with many supplements. I've just collected some Landmarks and more biographies of people specific to the modern time period to round this out a little better. I know my coverage of this time period is not perfect but I also know that we will cover this again in high school in much more depth so I'm not worried. Also, Memoria Press has a book as part of the Famous Men series for modern times but I'll be honest...it doesn't cover much into the modern times. I had read somewhere once (on their forum maybe?) that they had a Famous Men of the 20th century planned but I don't hear any more about it and it does seem to take them awhile to get their books out so....

We'll be doing Abe Lincoln's World too and combine that with as far as TCOO will go and The Story of Mankind. I will add biographies, historical fiction, etc. and consider it done. I found one old book titled Famous Twentieth Century Leaders with long chapters covering all the major leaders. I think this wil be enough.

 

HTH:001_smile:

 

I didn't realize there was an expanded Story of Mankind. I'll have to check that out. I saw the Famouns men of Modern Times too but I had to laugh at the idea that it was a Modern Times book. It has almost nothing I would consider modern. Doesn't make it a bad book - just mistitled LOL.

 

Thanks for the info on TSOM.

 

Heather

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Is there anywhere I can see a sample of these?

 

 

I bought them used on Amazon, but annoyingly I don't think there's a "look inside" for them, or on the K12 site, where you can see the covers (not very useful, I know)...

 

Used they're not so expensive, so I took the plunge and bought the first one first, then the other two after I decided I liked them.

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We will be hitting modern history in 8th grade. My current plan is to use SOTW 4 as the spine and add in books from lists from the high school board. I don't have the links but there have been some great threads about creating a modern history curriculum without a spine.

 

Currently I'm looking at some books from David Howarth, and Albert Marrin.

 

Sorry I forgot what ages you needed. You might do a search or cross post to the high school board.

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