SOTW4: What to do with my rising 2nd grader?

[Saille]

So, my rising 4th grader will be using SOTW4 next year. SWB doesn't recommend using SOTW4 with children below 4th grade. OTOH, if I skip Modern with my rising 2nd grader, she won't get three full history rotations.

 

If you've had a pre-fourth grader who was previously doing history with your older kids, how did you handle this? Did you gloss over some things, or run a different history sequence for that child? What did you do instead?

[Sara in WA]

Peace Hill Press now has coloring pages for volume 4 and these are an answer to the issue you mention. Check out the Peace Hill Press website or scroll up to the top of this forum and see one of the top "sticky" notes with this topic.

[Arch at Home]

We went ahead and did SOTW4 with my 1st and 3rd graders. It explained for them the background to much of what is going on today. We did not dwell on the really tough information just kept it moving. Mixed in with the historic fiction the kids were already listening to (American Girl and My America) they were able to get much more out of both.

[Haiku]

Even when my kids are in 4th and 3rd, I am thinking of skipping SOTW 4. I've read through parts of it and seen the TOC, and it just looks to dismal for my tastes; too focused on war. I'm thinking of either doing a year of American history or covering modern times through biographies and historical fiction. There's a lot of other interesting stuff going on in that period besides WWI/II.

 

Tara

[Mommyfaithe]

I am watching for replies. I have these same questions. My 2 boys have been on the "ride" with dd since SOTW1. We are almost ready for 4 as I spread 3 out over 2 years waiting for them to get a little oldert (including dd.)

Next year the boys will be 6 & 8 and dd will be 12. I don't know if I should just let her ead and do the activity guide herself....or continue history as a family w/ SOTW together.

 

:lurk5:

 

~~Faithe

[Heather in WI]

I am currently on the second to the last chapter of SOTW IV with a 4th and a 2nd grader (YAY!), and my second grader has had no trouble whatsoever handing it. I didn't leave anything out.

 

In fact, we covered Tienanmen Square yesterday. We did a Youtube search and watched 'tank man' and a few news broadcasts of it, too. It lead to an amazing discussion of freedom and democracy around the world.

 

I'm actually shocked that this was one of my favorite years of history because of all the discussions we've had. I wasn't expecting that.

[JudoMom]

So, my rising 4th grader will be using SOTW4 next year. SWB doesn't recommend using SOTW4 with children below 4th grade. OTOH, if I skip Modern with my rising 2nd grader, she won't get three full history rotations.

 

If you've had a pre-fourth grader who was previously doing history with your older kids, how did you handle this? Did you gloss over some things, or run a different history sequence for that child? What did you do instead?

 

We did SOTW 4 last year, so I my guys would've been 4th, 3rd, 1st, K, and PreK. We listened to it in the van, and no one had trouble with it. We stopped the CD and discussed and talked about the various issues.

[AFwife Claire]

We did SOTW 4 last year, so I my guys would've been 4th, 3rd, 1st, K, and PreK. We listened to it in the van, and no one had trouble with it. We stopped the CD and discussed and talked about the various issues.

 

This is exactly what we did too, last year. I had 6th, 4th, 1st, and K (plus the little girls). I must say that for me, SOTW 4 was the most interesting of all 4 years. I learned so much, especially as history relates to the issues of the day. Africa, in particular, was very enlightening. I think any child who has parents listening to news, reading a newspaper, hearing stuff on the radio, etc. is going to hear MUCH more disturbing things that what are covered in SOTW 4. SWB doesn't gloss over things, but gratuitous details are not included. It was not too much for any of my younger ones, even though we don't watch TV or movies and are very conservative. The older boys and I had many excellent car discussions while listening to the CDs. The younger boys sometimes chimed in, and sometimes did their own things. In a few more years, when we are going through it again, it will be interesting to see what they retained!

 

I really wish that schools dealt more about modern history. Maybe if leaders understood some of the underlying reasons for conflicts, then they would not keep trying the same solutions that are doomed to failure, esp. in Africa and the Middle East.