TeaTotaler Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 We are using History Ody Level 2 Middle Ages this year. This is our first year using HO. While HO has been great for its emphasis on outlining, writing summaries, writing biographies etc it seems to have takien the joy our of history for us. We so enjoyed SOTW (with AHYS TQ added in the last 2 years) for our first rotation of history. HO has helped ds work more independently but this has made me feel more disconnected from the process. I know I should be glad because our family life has been stressful the past 2 years with a cross-country move and extremely difficult job situation for dh. I've also been immersed in keeping up with ds in Latin, Greek and Math so history was not a priority this year. I'm debating whether to continue with HO because I end up tweaking just about every curriculum we own - it's a disease. :) So instead of using the Story of Mankind this year we substituted the K12 Human Odyssey text and also added in the Famous Men series. We used the older edition of Kingfisher instead of the one recommended in HO. I guess I could come up with my own schedule but I do like the map work and other ideas for writing in HO. One other reason for picking HO last year was the integrated timeline work but then Pandia Press decided to discontinue their timeline. Does anybody know if the new one is still coming out this year? I guess I'm looking for feedback from current users of HO level 2 to help me decide if it is worth it to continue with HO or just come up with my own schedule using Human Odyssey as my spine. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy in ME Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 I have decided to just go with a straight WTM history for 8th next year. This will get history done but allow him to have more input into what he digs deeper into. We might even just do the bare minimum for history next year KF outline, map, timeline, and summary) and let him do more science and read history in the evenings. It will be a year for really ramping up for high school and focussing on writing, math, and Latin. That being said, we have really enjoyed HO Early Modern this year so we could change our minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 We are doing Ancients this year but plan to continue with it for all of level 2. However, we do extend some lessons to more than one day for fun AND we still listen to do some activities from SOTW. So yes we plan to continue with HO. My daughter does everything independ. as well but then we review everything daily of what was written, studied,examined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Well, we've also been doing HO2MA this year, and it has been great for us. Yes, the amount of writing and such was hard on ds at first, but I feel like he has really risen to the challenge and learned a lot. That said, we're not doing HO next year. I feel the kids (ds and his friend with whom we school part time) need something "more" than Kingfisher this coming year. They've got a good handle on writing the summaries and outlines from it, but I want something a little more challenging for both of them. I also didn't feel like the reading list for HO was very challenging, and while we added a lot of reading in this year anyway, I just felt like the Early Modern list wasn't even a step up (in challenge) from the MA list. We're going to use some of the other recommendations from WTM for logic stage kiddos who have strong reading and writing skills: the DK Definitive Visual History, the National Geographic Almanac (World/US History), the Critical Thinking in US History books... Basically, I'm going to write out our lessons over the spring and summer, so that it works for us much as HO did -- 'cause in our case, that has been a huge positive. But I'm going to be sticking more closely to WTM recommendations for upper logic resources... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 We are using History Odyssey, Level 2 Early Modern this year. We will definitely be using the Modern History (still at Level 2) next year. It has been the right blend of outlining, researching, reading and writing for my ds. While I agree that the reading level of the books has not been particularly challenging for ds, the exercises that History Odyssey has him do after he reads are either very interesting or just challenging enough for him. We used SL in past years, and I just can't go back to customizing a curriculum and everything else I've seen makes me want to customize it to make it challenging. I am grateful to have found History Odyssey - it's a good match for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 Abbey, Why are you choosing to use both DK Visual AND the National Geog Almanac? I thought WTM recommends doing one or the other. Yes, we added several books to the HO reading list. We haven't read as many books this year compared to previous years but that is more a function of our schedule, more music commitments etc. than HO. What are you planning to use for maps/timeline next year? Thanks for your help. Well, we've also been doing HO2MA this year, and it has been great for us. Yes, the amount of writing and such was hard on ds at first, but I feel like he has really risen to the challenge and learned a lot. That said, we're not doing HO next year. I feel the kids (ds and his friend with whom we school part time) need something "more" than Kingfisher this coming year. They've got a good handle on writing the summaries and outlines from it, but I want something a little more challenging for both of them. I also didn't feel like the reading list for HO was very challenging, and while we added a lot of reading in this year anyway, I just felt like the Early Modern list wasn't even a step up (in challenge) from the MA list. We're going to use some of the other recommendations from WTM for logic stage kiddos who have strong reading and writing skills: the DK Definitive Visual History, the National Geographic Almanac (World/US History), the Critical Thinking in US History books... Basically, I'm going to write out our lessons over the spring and summer, so that it works for us much as HO did -- 'cause in our case, that has been a huge positive. But I'm going to be sticking more closely to WTM recommendations for upper logic resources... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 Thanks for the replies so far. Anybody else? We are using History Ody Level 2 Middle Ages this year. This is our first year using HO. While HO has been great for its emphasis on outlining, writing summaries, writing biographies etc it seems to have takien the joy our of history for us. We so enjoyed SOTW (with AHYS TQ added in the last 2 years) for our first rotation of history. HO has helped ds work more independently but this has made me feel more disconnected from the process. I know I should be glad because our family life has been stressful the past 2 years with a cross-country move and extremely difficult job situation for dh. I've also been immersed in keeping up with ds in Latin, Greek and Math so history was not a priority this year. I'm debating whether to continue with HO because I end up tweaking just about every curriculum we own - it's a disease. :) So instead of using the Story of Mankind this year we substituted the K12 Human Odyssey text and also added in the Famous Men series. We used the older edition of Kingfisher instead of the one recommended in HO. I guess I could come up with my own schedule but I do like the map work and other ideas for writing in HO. One other reason for picking HO last year was the integrated timeline work but then Pandia Press decided to discontinue their timeline. Does anybody know if the new one is still coming out this year? I guess I'm looking for feedback from current users of HO level 2 to help me decide if it is worth it to continue with HO or just come up with my own schedule using Human Odyssey as my spine. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in PA Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 How is it working to use K12's Human Odyssey instead of TSOM? Was it hard to match up with HO? I like the idea of doing that substitution as we like the Human Odyssey books and don't care for TSOM. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 How is it working to use K12's Human Odyssey instead of TSOM? Was it hard to match up with HO? I like the idea of doing that substitution as we like the Human Odyssey books and don't care for TSOM. TIA I'd also like to hear. I have the first volume of the K12 Human Odyssey and would love to find some way to get it scheduled. I have the 1999 version of Kingfisher as well. Any suggestions welcomed <G>. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
branycbur Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 We so enjoyed SOTW (with AHYS TQ added in the last 2 years) for our first rotation of history. I am thinking of going with HO next year, so I am curious about this. But one question...what is AHYS TQ? I still don't have all the abbreviations down! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainforest mama Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 I like the look of HO, but we haven't done so well with it this year. We're doing Level 2 Ancients and DD wasn't impressed with the History Pockets. She already knew all the info in them and thought they were just busywork. I like the outlining and timeline though. We probably will continue with HO though, since I haven't found anything else secular that works better. Lana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 It really wasn't too difficult to line it up. However, it did mean reading a chunk of Human Odyssey every so often and sometimes ds had to read Hum Ody out of order just because of how things were scheduled in HO. It seemed like the readings in TSOM were more frequent and shorter. At this point I have only scheduled the pages in Vol 1 of Human Odyssey that corresponded with HO Middle Ages. I am trying to decide if I should have ds read through Vol 2 in order and maybe insert some of the lessons from the Renaissance section of HO. Now you can see why I am pondering the wisdom of purchasing HO Level 2 Early Modern. I hope I'm not confusing you further :001_smile: How is it working to use K12's Human Odyssey instead of TSOM? Was it hard to match up with HO? I like the idea of doing that substitution as we like the Human Odyssey books and don't care for TSOM. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 Karen, See my post to Paula. Also, I used the 1993 edition of Kingfisher (the one with the white cover that has been OOP for sometime). If you have more questions, I'll try to answer them. I'd also like to hear. I have the first volume of the K12 Human Odyssey and would love to find some way to get it scheduled. I have the 1999 version of Kingfisher as well. Any suggestions welcomed <G>. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 Sorry. I meant the American History for Young Students guides from Truthquest. I am thinking of going with HO next year, so I am curious about this. But one question...what is AHYS TQ? I still don't have all the abbreviations down! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Abbey,Why are you choosing to use both DK Visual AND the National Geog Almanac? I thought WTM recommends doing one or the other. Yes, we added several books to the HO reading list. We haven't read as many books this year compared to previous years but that is more a function of our schedule, more music commitments etc. than HO. What are you planning to use for maps/timeline next year? Thanks for your help. Well, yes, they're mentioned as separate resources, but they're so different, that in looking at them side-by-side, I felt they would complement each other well. DK is still rather like Kingfisher in format (though with a little more challenging text), while the NGA has longer essays that follow the development of specific events or movements, etc. We've actually done quite a bit of assigned reading this year (I posted our schedule this year, including the reading list, on another thread recently)... It worked out better than I expected. :) For maps next year, I'm not sure. I do like the mapwork in HO pretty well. I may ask the kids to do more drawing their own maps though, referring back to our atlases... For the timeline, ds has just been putting all of his timeline assignments this year into our timeline book from Terri at Knowledge-Quest. What is it called? Wonders of Old? I think that's it. So he'll continue adding people and events to that, just as he has this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 We're starting HO Ancients 2 shortly. I hope to use K12 Human Odyssey vol 1 with it. I'm on week 3 of waiting for it to arrive w/ a seller who is not answering emails but my cc has been charged so here's hoping I get it. I also have DK Definitive History Guide and DK Definitive Science Guide, and Nat'l Geo Almanac.....do you think I should stop now or do I need one more history text? :lol: Thank you everyone for posting how it is going for you, very helpful. I ying from wanting to do HO to yanging w/ doing it the WTM way. I think HO is a good way for us to get our feet wet, give DS some independence and increase his writing in content areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karie Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 TeaTotaler You wouldn't happen to have your list available, would you? I'd love to see how you matched up Human Odyssey with HO. We will be doing this in the fall and I also own Human odyssey. If you could post that somehow, that would be awesome!! Karie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Yes, I'd be interested as well! Pretty please? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in PA Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 I ying from wanting to do HO to yanging w/ doing it the WTM way. I think HO is a good way for us to get our feet wet, give DS some independence and increase his writing in content areas. This is how I am, too. Then there's the whole issue of Human Odyssey & History Odyssey using geographical organization as opposed to chronological, which my dh generally prefers. But he likes the Human Od. books we have. :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Then there's the whole issue of Human Odyssey & History Odyssey using geographical organization as opposed to chronological, which my dh generally prefers. But he likes the Human Od. books we have. :willy_nilly: LOL - I was the opposite. I had planned even more geographical organization - I was planning on doing European/Near Eastern history, Asian history, and African history, all as separate chronological threads from ancients-modern. But when I saw the K12 Human Odyssey, I loved it so much I decided just to go with it... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 sure Matryoshka - rub it in that I don't have my Human Odyssey yet when you're the one that turned me on to it. :tongue_smilie: Going on week 3 of stalking the mail person..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 sure Matryoshka - rub it in that I don't have my Human Odyssey yet when you're the one that turned me on to it. :tongue_smilie: Going on week 3 of stalking the mail person..... I'd be stalking the mail person too! In fact, your story scared me so much I went and spent probably more than I had to on the teacher/student guides even though I'm not sure how much I'll use them - I was afraid there'd be a run on them! :ohmy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 I'd be stalking the mail person too! In fact, your story scared me so much I went and spent probably more than I had to on the teacher/student guides even though I'm not sure how much I'll use them - I was afraid there'd be a run on them! :ohmy: Teacher/student guides for Human Odyssey? Where did you get them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 We got them from Amazon. You have to search on the K12 course title. Something like K12 Intermediate History and they should pop up. Matroyshka - I too splurged for the guides b/c I was afraid they would all be gone. :glare: My friend ordered her K12 HO vol1. about 3 days AFTER I ordered mine. THen my order was canceled a day or so after that. She got hers the NEXT WEEK. I ordered a 2nd one the next day after the first ordered was canceled, and I'm still waiting......keep your fingers crossed that today is the day. My friend and I paid full price for K12 HO vol.2 since the used copies were only acceptable and only $10 less than full price through K12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 (edited) Karie and Capt Uhura, I would be happy to share what I have. I need to clean up my Excel schedule a bit and won't get a chance until next week. I will send you a PM when it's done and have you send me an email address to which I can send the file. Yes, I'd be interested as well! Pretty please? :D I forgot to mention that the schedule mostly coordinates Part 4 of Human Ody Vol 1 with HO Middle Ages. Vol 2 of Human Ody starts with the Renaissance and I may just go through it as is instead of following the lessons in HO. Edited March 19, 2010 by TeaTotaler Clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 I did the same thing. In fact I'm waiting to receive the guides so that I can decide if I want to just go through Human Odyssey as is, to finish up this year and not mess with the last section of HO. Decisions, decisions!!! In fact, your story scared me so much I went and spent probably more than I had to on the teacher/student guides even though I'm not sure how much I'll use them - I was afraid there'd be a run on them! :ohmy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 My friend and I paid full price for K12 HO vol.2 since the used copies were only acceptable and only $10 less than full price through K12. Did you see that someone's selling vol 1. K12 HO (in new condition) on the For Sale board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 NO! Off to look. It's so unfair. The mail person dropped off a box that was large enough to fit HO. It turns out it is the Pick Me Up I bought from Amazon Marketplace on MONDAY and shipped Media mail! Got here in less than a week and not inside my state either.8-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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