History for the visual child?

[johnandtinagilbert]

We use TOG. I love it. I do, however, have a child that dislikes reading. I am trying to make some changes and have him read less, but still get enough info.

 

Anyone use a middle or high school program that focuses on the visual learner?

 

He's 14, in 8th grade.

[Ruth in Canada]

We're using Duiker's World History as a 4-year spine--which may or may not help you. (It's a university level book, and was a challenge for dd in grade 9.) But we're adding in as many quality documentaries as I can find. There's a great series by PBS called "Empires" and "Guns, Germs and Steel" is excellent. DS (grade 8) won't start on this part of history until next year, but meanwhile he has watched all of "Canada: A People's History", several films from the Canadian Film Board, and is currently working his way through the "Walking with . . ." series (pre-history). I've also identified a couple of PBS tv series that mix science and history (available on line.) Because he absorbs material this way very easily, I'll probably look for even more documentaries to add to his high school history.

 

(I've found many of these documentaries in our library system, but DS has discovered a lot of stuff on You Tube. He says you have to know what you're looking for--so he studies the PBS website or whatever to get names of videos--then switches to You Tube to watch them.)

[johnandtinagilbert]

We're using Duiker's World History as a 4-year spine--which may or may not help you. (It's a university level book, and was a challenge for dd in grade 9.) But we're adding in as many quality documentaries as I can find. There's a great series by PBS called "Empires" and "Guns, Germs and Steel" is excellent. DS (grade 8) won't start on this part of history until next year, but meanwhile he has watched all of "Canada: A People's History", several films from the Canadian Film Board, and is currently working his way through the "Walking with . . ." series (pre-history). I've also identified a couple of PBS tv series that mix science and history (available on line.) Because he absorbs material this way very easily, I'll probably look for even more documentaries to add to his high school history.

 

(I've found many of these documentaries in our library system, but DS has discovered a lot of stuff on You Tube. He says you have to know what you're looking for--so he studies the PBS website or whatever to get names of videos--then switches to You Tube to watch them.)

Thank you. I'll look into this.

[Guest]

Thought I posted a reply earlier, but it seems to have vanished into cybperspace.

 

NOVA has several good episodes on ancient/medieval history, usually centered around recreating the building techniques for something such as the pyramids, a cathedral, a siege machine.

 

PBS has an entire history program and lots of DVDs on-line, plus a whole lesson-planning section for educators that goes with them.

 

We do not get cable, but I have friends who love The History Channel. I'd look at their website too.

 

Museums often have classes: our local Museum of Man had a whole series of exhibits on pre-history: the copper age, the iron age, etc. There are different sections with exhibits and accompanying lesson plans on various historical cultures (ancient Egypt, etc.). Art museums are good too for a visual record of history.

 

Will try again to post this. Sorry in advance if duplication happens.

[Melissa B]

The Teaching Company DVD High School courses - World History and Early American History can easily be used for junior high and they each come with a workbook. Both workbooks have a one-page worksheet for each lecture. The World History worksheets have ten short answer questions (usually one sentence) and two essay prompts. The Early American History worksheets have three or four definitions, four or five one sentence short answer questions and two or three essay prompts for each lecture. An answer guide for all of the questions is also included with each workbook.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Melissa B

[johnandtinagilbert]

Thank you ;) Keep 'em comin'...

[Nan in Mass]

Kingfisher has a maximum of pictures and a minimum of text. Spielvogul's Human Odyssey does, too. HO has questions, I think. Kingfisher does not. You could use one of those as a spine/timeline to tie together videos. You could even make your son responsible for finding his own youtube or library or netflix (or whatever) videos to watch for each section. The nice thing about doing history this way is that your son will probably keep on doing history for himself for the rest of his life, so you don't have to worry about whether he is covering everything now GRIN. He could write a few reports on whatever he is most interested in during the year as written work.

-Nan

Edited February 12, 2010 by Nan in Mass

[LizzyBee]

My 13 yo has probably learned (retained) more from making her own timeline than from all the reading we've done. She uses the History in the Woods timeline figures, and they each have a bit of text included. It's barebones, but if she's remembering some history and seeing the flow and connectedness of historical events, it's more productive than boring her with lots of reading about which she remembers nothing.

 

She also loves Choosing Your Way Through the Ancient (Medieval, Modern) Past from Walch Publishing. They are available on Amazon. I sometimes catch her looking at the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia without it being assigned, too.

[Corraleno]

Believe it or not, Netflix has a TON of historical documentaries. We've watched at least 40 on Egypt alone ~ some better than others.

 

I also sit down on Sunday evenings and look through all the History Channel programs for the coming week and set the DVR to record the ones that look good. We watched an amazing show on the Hittite Empire a few weeks ago that had far more info in it than all of our books combined. There was also a terrific British-made documentary on everyday life in Ancient Egypt. My son is also very much a visual learner, and he remembers things he's seen far better than anything he's heard or read.

 

Jackie

[AngelBee]

I was going to suggest Netflix as well.

[choirfarm]

Hi I use TOG, but we also watch TONS of Netflix documentaries. We enjoy them. They have that as my favorite genre.;) Also, the Teaching Company courses are a good idea as well.

 

Christine

[johnandtinagilbert]

This may be confirmation for me :)

 

We bought MagicJack today so we can cut back on our cell phone bill. Dh said since we'll be saving nearly $100/month, he'd like to start with Netflix.

 

I am so encouraged. Thank you all so much.

[mominbc]

Are these basically just a lecture, with a teacher speaking or are there video clips etc.

Thanks

[JennW in SoCal]

These were the big hits for my ds for 20th century history:

 

The BBC series on WWI, which netflix has (and check your library, too)

It is called The first World War: The Complete Series -- I just now had a devil of a time finding it on Netflix, so here is the link to it!

 

There are of course many movies on WWII but I think it is extra interesting through the lens of animators. There is a collection called "Disney on the Front Lines", available at Netflix, that has the training, propaganda and educational films Disney produced for the Armed Forces. There are many Warner Brothers cartoons as well, although I don't think there are any specific collections. Search YouTube, as many can be found there such as

featuring Bugs Bunny singing a pitch to buy war bonds. Or this

take off on the Three Little Pigs. I'd better stop looking at YouTube and finish my post, here...

 

The PBS series on the history of Broadway was a great hook for my ds to get an overview of US cultural history (and it explained the phenomena of Black Face performers). I'd imagine Ken Burns series on Baseball would be an excellent history hook for sports fans.

 

Finally, I highly recommend the graphic novel Maus for studying the Holocaust. Written and drawn by the son of a holocaust survivor, Maus is a Pulitzer Prize winning book that features the Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats and the Americans as dogs. It sounds silly, but it is quite powerful.

[MIch elle]

Are these basically just a lecture, with a teacher speaking or are there video clips etc.

Thanks

 

They are mostly a teacher lecturing with some still pictures, maps & quotes.

[MIch elle]

Netflix is good but Discovery Education Streaming is MUCH better! Join Homeschool Co-op and it's $150 -$200/yr and it includes so MUCH more than history! Science, Spanish, Great Books, English, ...