Has anyone combined TOG reading with SOTW for 2nd grade?

[mmomosedc]

I've been exploring various history options for my daughter who will be in 2nd grade come September. Keeping in mind that I also have a 4 year old and a 1 year old and thus need to keep things reasonably streamlined, here's what I'm considering:

 

I really love the living books that go along with TOG year one for lower elementary, but I'm debating whether it's worth the $ to go with the full program. Is the teacher's guide is worth the $240, or is it a reasonable option to just get the books and schedule them myself. Would I be missing a lot of the program if I only did the books? Also, if I did the TOG in three days a week, how much time per day would it require?

 

I'm also considering SOTW1 and the AG. I haven't reviewed it personally, but I'm having difficulty being enthusiastic about about a textbook, even one written in a narrative style.

 

Has anyone combined SOTW with the TOG reading? What are your thoughts on that?

 

Thanks for your input!!

[M&M]

I've been exploring various history options for my daughter who will be in 2nd grade come September. Keeping in mind that I also have a 4 year old and a 1 year old and thus need to keep things reasonably streamlined, here's what I'm considering:

 

I really love the living books that go along with TOG year one for lower elementary, but I'm debating whether it's worth the $ to go with the full program. Is the teacher's guide is worth the $240, or is it a reasonable option to just get the books and schedule them myself. Would I be missing a lot of the program if I only did the books? Also, if I did the TOG in three days a week, how much time per day would it require?

 

I'm also considering SOTW1 and the AG. I haven't reviewed it personally, but I'm having difficulty being enthusiastic about about a textbook, even one written in a narrative style.

 

Has anyone combined SOTW with the TOG reading? What are your thoughts on that?

 

Thanks for your input!!

 

If you are looking for a program that you can start now and build on as your children grow, and one that will give you time to prepare for the upper levels now; then TOG is for you.

 

SOTW is scheduled in TOG , so you can use the books you like with SOTW. You could also use SOTW with the AG which also give literature and additional history resources. I would not call SOTW a textbook by any stretch of the imagination. It is a living book written by an author passionate about history.

 

I have used SOTW with my younger children and TOG with the older children. I do wish I had TOG sooner so that I would have been better prepared to teach D and now R levels. This year we will do more TOG with the younger children.

 

 

HTH

[ljmac]

We have been using STOW Vol. 1 with workbook for my 1st grader and plan to use Vol. 2 for next year (2nd grade). The workbook has just the right amount of activities and lists additional resources. My 1st grader liked the narrative style history and asked me to read it to her even on days I don't have history scheduled. My 4 year old will usually listen nearby and "help" with the projects.

 

I looked over the TOG and even downloaded their free 3 week sample. I really liked how it noted the use of STOW as an option and the Usborne Ancient History reference but I can't justify the cost of the teacher's book when I have the STOW workbook which has has activities to do related to each story.

[Closeacademy]

I tried what you are thinking of doing and it burned us out on history. I ended up dumping the classical method and went to doing a straight Waldorf method for several months to detox. It was about 6 months before we even picked up history again.

 

SOTW with the AG is probably more than enough for most 2nd graders. TOG can be overkill for little kids but it is an excellent program for the upper grades.:001_smile:

[Gooblink]

I think TOG's greatest value is in its rhetoric level resources. We've used SOTW with TOG for grammar level and I found that, more often than not, SOTW included enough information and activies on its own. I'd save the money and pick up a used copy of TOG when your kids get older. :)

[mmomosedc]

Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to order a copy of SOTW with the AG and go from there. I'm guessing that the information will be sufficient and I can always supplement the reading as needed. I admit though that there's a part of me that wants to jump into TOG with both feet, partly for my own education, and also because the books look really awesome!