Can you help me decide on which level- History Odyssey?

[3browneyedboys4me]

I have a 12,9,and 7 yr old that will be using this. I just can't decide which might be better- level 1 or 2? We will be studying the middle ages.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Bethany

[Capt_Uhura]

It seems that most do not like HO level 1 as well as SOTW+Ag. Most start at level 2. You can try before you buy - you can download the first 9 weeks and read through it and see what you think and what your kids think.

[Avila]

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't recommend HO Level 2 for any kids not working at a 5th grade level, minimum, and the Middle Ages is really meant as a 6th grade level. If you choose to combine with your kids' ages, you are probably looking at only one of them actually being able to do the program as written. And IMO, it really wouldn't be worth it to try to modify for the others because the heart of HO is written as logic stage work for logic stage kids. And doing Level 1 with your 12 yo would be not nearly challenging enough.

 

If you really want to do HO, I would do Level 2 for your oldest and SOTW 2/AG or something else for the other two. There really are a lot better and more fun options out there for younger kids than essentially dragging them along in HO. You could also do HO Level 1 with them, but Level 1 and Level 2 timelines don't match up at all. Level 1 isn't as popular as Level 2, and most people seem to feel like just doing SOTW with the AG is just as good, if not better. I agree with doing the free download because it really does help in deciding.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Asenik

[yvonne]

Shelly,

 

Did you use HO2 with your 10 year old this year? If so, which year? Ancient? Did you use it pretty much as written? Did you 10 year old like it?

 

(I'm thinking of using HO2 with my boys who will be 5th/10 yo next year, but we'd be in the Early Modern period.)

 

Thanks,

yvonne

[Capt_Uhura]

AHhhhh I missed the ages! :001_huh: My almost 5th grader is starting HO 2 Ancients and my almost 2nd grader is starting STOW+Ag/Ancient Explorations. I'm attempted to force a HO scope and sequence on SOTW to keep them reasonably in the same area so we can do same read alouds, documentaries, etc.

[Avila]

We did Ancients 2 this year, and my DD loved it. She did the work independently, and it has definitely been her favorite year of history so far. I have bought Middle Ages and Early Modern in advance.

 

HO Level 2 really tries to plan out WTM logic stage history for you. What most people complain about with it is the encyclopedia, which is dry. If outlining the encyclopedia isn't your cup of tea, you probably won't like HO. I also feel like it doesn't provide enough reading, but that is easy to fix, and the level of literary analysis is weaker than I would like in Ancients. We did Ancients pretty much as written, except for adding in extra reading and swapping out TSOM for Dorothy Mills books. TSOM is free online, so if you don't want to do it, you can swap it out very easily and still refer back to it if you get stuck. People also complain that there isn't a TM or answer key, which can be aggravating with certain assignments.

 

Its strong points are that it really does the planning for you. I love having the mapwork laid out and provided for me. I also love having the outlining work there and the summaries ready to go. I am a history major, and I still found planning the logic stage a la WTM somewhat intimidating, and HO bridges that gap for me.

 

As far as levels go, HO Level 2 increases in workload and difficulty as the time periods go up. You can do Early Modern with a 5th grader, but it is written for 7th graders, and the skills taught in the other two time periods will be expected to already be in place. You may have to work a little harder in the beginning with the outlining and writing, but it is doable, especially if you have been following WTM history recs and/or doing FLL or R&S grammar.

 

For the OP, if your heart is setting on combining, have you looked at Biblioplan? You could do HO Level 2 with the 12 yo and still have him participate in Biblioplan with the other two. Biblioplan isn't secular like HO, and it definitely has some clear protestant bias, but a lot of it can be done mostly secularly, if that is what you are looking for.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Asenik

[Capt_Uhura]

ASenik - I think I'm having a grey-haired moment but what do you mean by "the level of literary analysis is weaker than I would like in Ancients?"

 

Thanks,

Capt_Uhura

[Avila]

ASenik - I think I'm having a grey-haired moment but what do you mean by "the level of literary analysis is weaker than I would like in Ancients?"

 

Thanks,

Capt_Uhura

 

Honestly, it doesn't have any. It tells you to read the book, period. I would have loved some discussion questions, writing assignments, or basically any kind of interaction with the book besides "just read it." I filled in with some guides from Hillside Education for this year.

[vettechmomof2]

We did Ancients 2 this year, and my DD loved it. She did the work independently, and it has definitely been her favorite year of history so far. I have bought Middle Ages and Early Modern in advance.

 

HO Level 2 really tries to plan out WTM logic stage history for you. What most people complain about with it is the encyclopedia, which is dry. If outlining the encyclopedia isn't your cup of tea, you probably won't like HO. I also feel like it doesn't provide enough reading, but that is easy to fix, and the level of literary analysis is weaker than I would like in Ancients. We did Ancients pretty much as written, except for adding in extra reading and swapping out TSOM for Dorothy Mills books. TSOM is free online, so if you don't want to do it, you can swap it out very easily and still refer back to it if you get stuck. People also complain that there isn't a TM or answer key, which can be aggravating with certain assignments.

 

Its strong points are that it really does the planning for you. I love having the mapwork laid out and provided for me. I also love having the outlining work there and the summaries ready to go. I am a history major, and I still found planning the logic stage a la WTM somewhat intimidating, and HO bridges that gap for me.

 

As far as levels go, HO Level 2 increases in workload and difficulty as the time periods go up. You can do Early Modern with a 5th grader, but it is written for 7th graders, and the skills taught in the other two time periods will be expected to already be in place. You may have to work a little harder in the beginning with the outlining and writing, but it is doable, especially if you have been following WTM history recs and/or doing FLL or R&S grammar.

 

 

 

:iagree:

[Capt_Uhura]

Asenik - thanks for the clarification. I wasn't sure if you meant comprehension questions for the reading or if you meant lit analysis (antagonist, protagonist, theme, climax) etc.

[DarlaS]

There are substantial samples on the site. Easily a couple weeks worth of lessons or more in every level. Download them and look them over well.

 

I agree with previous poster though that this is not a great combining curriculum (for your kid's ages). It's just not as multi-age friendly due to the amount and types of writing in the higher levels.

 

I am doing early modern with a 12 yo and no way would I try it with my (rising) 5th grader unless she was a much stronger writer than she is. I'd use SoTW 3 and if I felt she needed some writing/outlining etc. I'd add it as needed.

 

There is writing daily (in HO level 2 early modern) and we are using a college text, internet and other resources to do a good bit of research for these 1-3 page biographies etc.

[abbeyej]

...

If you really want to do HO, I would do Level 2 for your oldest and SOTW 2/AG or something else for the other two. There really are a lot better and more fun options out there for younger kids than essentially dragging them along in HO. You could also do HO Level 1 with them, but Level 1 and Level 2 timelines don't match up at all. Level 1 isn't as popular as Level 2, and most people seem to feel like just doing SOTW with the AG is just as good, if not better. I agree with doing the free download because it really does help in deciding.

 

I agree completely! :)

[Osmosis Mom]

I can't find the link to the downloads?

[3browneyedboys4me]

I honestly thought this would be great for teaching all of the kids, but now, I can see that many think this is not the best approach!

 

So...as I do NOT want to teach on mulitlevels (I have a new baby and need something simple), I guess I am going back to the drawing board. !!

 

I appreciate the honest replies. I will go back and download the samples and review more indepth, but I am guessing that I will see what many of you are saying- not appropriate for the 'littles'.

 

Any suggestions on something that like this program that might work? I am under the impression that SOTW might be too light for my 6th grader. How about any other suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Bethany

[DarlaS]

I can't find the link to the downloads?

 

Link

 

or:

 

http://www.pandiapress.com/trybeforeyoubuy.html

 

click on the title below the cover image to open the pdf file.

[DarlaS]

I honestly thought this would be great for teaching all of the kids, but now, I can see that many think this is not the best approach!

 

So...as I do NOT want to teach on mulitlevels (I have a new baby and need something simple), I guess I am going back to the drawing board. !!

 

I appreciate the honest replies. I will go back and download the samples and review more indepth, but I am guessing that I will see what many of you are saying- not appropriate for the 'littles'.

 

Any suggestions on something that like this program that might work? I am under the impression that SOTW might be too light for my 6th grader. How about any other suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Bethany

 

Sonlight uses SoTW for Core 6 and 7. If you used it for the little ones and added history resources and readers from Core 6 for your oldest, it could work.

 

Your youngers may even be able to keep up with a surprising amount of the Core 6 materials. It covers ancients through the middle ages so it could theoretically work for two years. It wouldn't be perfect, but history would get done--and they would learn.

[3browneyedboys4me]

I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a look. So- now, I am really wondering if it is possible to teach all the boys w/the same curriculum. MFW isn't looking so bad! :) I just hate to pay for it when I really just need the history program.

 

Head spinning....again!:eek:

Bethany

[abbeyej]

Well, HO2 is written directly to the student and is meant to be done largely independently. You might find it's really *not* that much work to do the SOTW and AG with the younger two and have your oldest do HO2 on his own (with you reviewing his work and discussing with him from time to time).

 

Alternately, I would consider doing SOTW + AG with all three kids and assigning the oldest to outline the Kingfisher pages (referenced in the AG for each SOTW chapter), and do some additional reading and writing assignments throughout the year. Perhaps pull the books to assign him from the Sonlight or HO2 lists (and WTM6)... That really might be the simplest and most effective solution for all of you!

[Brenda in FL]

I'm doing middle Ages with those exact ages right now!

 

I use HO level 2 for my 12 year old (oops - he's 11 not 12!), but the 7 and 9 year old are using SOTW vol 2.

[yvonne]

Brenda,

 

Will you be doing HO2 with your daughter who will be 10 next year? Will she be at a 4th or a 5th grade level?

 

Thanks

yvonne

[Brenda in FL]

Brenda,

 

Will you be doing HO2 with your daughter who will be 10 next year? Will she be at a 4th or a 5th grade level?

 

Thanks

yvonne

 

That's an interesting question . . .:tongue_smilie: . . .

 

She'll be in 5th next year - and off the top of my head, I can't see her working as well independently as her brother, plus the writing and outling prompts may be too difficult for her - but I haven't looked at the samples yet for year three.

 

Our first round through history - we did not go through SOTW vol. 3 and 4 so all my kids will be doing those for the next two years - and I'll be using the AG for the younger two - and just making sure that the 5th grader steps up with her narrations and starts outlining. I may not even get HO for the 7th grader but just use the recommendations in WTM as they correspond with what we are doing in SOTW. Knowing that SOTW is used for Sonlight in the middle school years and that SOTW 4 is for the 4th-8th grade level, satisfies me with using this text for my logic stage children.

[yvonne]

Thanks, Brenda!

[3browneyedboys4me]

I've just started looking through it and it appears that she has designed this to be used for multiple levels. Am I right? How would this compare to HO?

 

I think the more I think and look...the harder this is becoming!:confused: