would it really be horrible of me if we skipped 20th century SOTW4 &...

[Mommyfaithe]

and went back to ancients? That would keep all my kids where they should be and make my life so much easier.

 

DS grade 11 could use Spielvogels as a spine for 11 & 12

DD grade 7 could do Streams of Civ over 2 years for 7 & 8

DS's grades 1 & 3 would not have to use SOTW 4 yet, but we could use SOTW CHOW for grades 1 & 3 with lots of Sonlight lit and then hit on our hx rotation using Spielvogels for dd 9-12 and SOTW for ds's grades 3/5 through 6/8.

 

It seems so neat and tidy...but we will be skipping all of SOTW 4....Do I dare?

 

So what I would be looking at would be a 2 year hx rotation and the another 4 year.....

 

What do you think?

 

Faithe

[mama25angels]

I think it would be fine

[TKDmom]

I'd do it, too. I don't think there's any reason for young children to need 20th century history. I'm not sure I want to learn 20th century history.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

and went back to ancients? That would keep all my kids where they should be and make my life so much easier.

 

DS grade 11 could use Spielvogels as a spine for 11 & 12

DD grade 7 could do Streams of Civ over 2 years for 7 & 8

DS's grades 1 & 3 would not have to use SOTW 4 yet, but we could use SOTW CHOW for grades 1 & 3 with lots of Sonlight lit and then hit on our hx rotation using Spielvogels for dd 9-12 and SOTW for ds's grades 3/5 through 6/8.

 

It seems so neat and tidy...but we will be skipping all of SOTW 4....Do I dare?

 

So what I would be looking at would be a 2 year hx rotation and the another 4 year.....

 

What do you think?

 

Faithe

 

I think not doing SOTW4 with your youngest would be ideal but you have to decide if your older kids need it at this point. Have they ever done any modern history (even if only late American history)? If they haven't, I would forge ahead with it. I know everyone says that modern history is very dark (and, of course, a lot of it is) but there is also some really great stuff to study. You can hit the bad news as bullet points in the outline of history so the kids are aware of important events but highlight the good news/invention/cultural aspects of the era and select supplementary reading material that highlights some of the lighter but still momentous events (cowboys and cattle trails, the old West, the Wright brothers, Edison, Bell, the space race, etc.). I would say that your 7th and 11th graders would benefit from learning the full scope though, warts and all.

 

At any rate, I would vote for going ahead. (I'm so close to finishing my book list...waiting for a FedEx package today. :D)

[swimmermom3]

Yes, Faithe, I think it would be terrible. No U.S. Presidents for your family!:D

 

Seriously, or as best as I can manage, you'll be fine. However, Alte Veste Academy has a good point. Your oldest does need to cover modern history if they haven't already. Conversations about civil rights, human rights, arms proliferation, global economies, and environmental concerns need to happen before your child goes to college. I think the safety of your own home is a good place for them to start to formulate and articulate their ideas on those difficult topics.

[Mommyfaithe]

:DOK...I knew it...Just thought I would throw it out there and hope for the best.

 

Ds going into 11th covered modern times through Omni 3 in 9th grade and I think it took an entire year for him to revive ;-0. That was some HEAVY DEEP reading...and it hit at the same time as puberty...can we say depressing?

 

I think I will forge ahead...plan my own plans..and see what I come up with....

 

I was actually planning out a President study...and a state and capitol study....and a Gold rush unit...and a 1920's music unit...so I guess I should just go ahead...

 

So: about 11th grade DS....where do I put him in......sigh......I was thinking of eith Ambleside 11 or TOG 3....or throwing caution to the wind and (GASP!) skipping a history year, doing economics and business management......or

 

Ancients ? or maybe go ahead and plan some more upbeat studies of the Modern Era.....at least we like the music :D

 

Faithe

[MIch elle]

that would be fine. :D

 

We took the slow history road the first time through with older ds and never got to modern history. He's getting it now. His high school does 2 yr world history, then 1 yr Am. history.

 

I'm looking forward to using SOTW 4 this coming year with younger ds (gr. 8).

[Barb_]

What if you stepped off the WTM track for a year and did US History? That's easy to customize for different age groups. That way your oldest would get some 20th century history background from a US perspective, the in-laws won't be aghast that he knows nothing about WWII, your littles could learn a little about George, Thomas, and Abraham and then you could start your rotation with the ancients again the following year. Everyone will cycle back to modern history before your oldest graduates.

 

Barb

[Suzannah]

If your oldest has done modern times in high school, then I don't see anything wrong with circling back to ancients. Like others have said, it is important for high school students to have some exposure to modern times. A separate states/capitals/presidents study wouldn't hurt, but isn't necessary. However, depending on your state's graduation requirements, your DS' area of interest and the admission requirements of whatever colleges your DS may be looking at, you might want to include a semester of Civics &/or current events.

 

I don't see anything wrong with the youngers waiting a while on modern history if that's your preference. But honestly, I think every time period is dark. Yeah, the Holocaust and Hiroshima and segregation are shockingly bad. But what about the Black Plague, the treatment of indigenous peoples under colonialism, ancient armies killing every living thing in their path, slavery? I mean, it's all pretty dark. I think people balk at modern times because it's so recent--because we know some of the participants are still around--because we can still see some of the effects today--because there are photographs and newsreel footage of the attrocities. They aren't just in our imaginations and we can't just shrug and say "Well, we don't really know for certain..."

 

In our house, we just go right along through history and try to cover it all in an age-appropriate way. I am blessed to have a 97 year old grandmother still living whose memory is wonderful. I have learned so much from her about so many things I can't possibly name it all. I don't know the best way to articulate this, but part of my attitude toward history comes from listening to her stories. Some are funny. Some are sad. Some have a moral. And some are just matter-of-fact. When her grandma died, they placed her in the front room and the neighbors all came to pay their respects, right there in the house. When a neighbor boy was dying, her mother stayed with the family for a time, helping them care for him. The family gave her some blood-soaked bed linens. They didn't want them, as you can imagine. But they were perfectly good linens, once cleaned, and it would have been a shame to throw them away. Life is hard. Some things are bad. But you make do and go on the best you can.

 

If "covering" modern history is hard to do with your youngers. Have them interview some of your oldest relatives and neighbors. They will learn SO MUCH!

 

"When an old person dies, it's like a library burns down."

 

Blessings!

[Mommyfaithe]

You know, I wasn't really worried about covering Moderns with my youngers. I could find plenty of things to learn about...even if we focused on inventions, inventors, technology, music, art etc. There are tons of books on immigration for kids, depression era families, jeesh....even watching Happy days re-runs and having a sock hop.

 

I was really thinking of my older ds...who is entering 11th grade and NOT rehashing a ton of Modern History with him...and doing a 2 year study of Western Civ before he graduates....

 

He did Modern History focusing on US History in 9th grade along with a 1/2 credit of US Government. He did Intro to Philosophy in 10th and now need 2 full Social Studies credits...which I thought would be Western Civ 1 for 11th and Western Civ 2 for 12th.

 

Then I could do a whirlwind tour for the other 3 over the 2 years as well...and then bring all 3 younger kids through a 4 year full cycle.

 

I think my dd would profit from a 2 year cycle in Jr. High....and the little guys have never done any ancients at all....and really have only tried to follow along our hx for the past few years.

 

It would be nice to have everyone on the same topics for ds's last 2 years home....and then delve in deeper and wider for the younger set when dd is in high school....

 

I need to really think about this...draw it out on paper and figure it all out.

 

I wasn't really worried about content so much as I can figure that all out, and quite honestly, Ancients can be pretty gruesome....fortunately, my kids aren't all that sensitive.

 

Faithe

[StephanieZ]

Middle Ground:

 

Y'know, the SOTW books are not that long. I once was soooo tired of SOTW2 (rough year, schooling in fits and starts), that we listened to the last 1/3 or so on audio and called it a day so we could start fresh after the road trip.

 

You could either read SOTW4 aloud over a few weeks, or listen to the audio book on a road trip, and call it a day.

[Mommyfaithe]

that would be fine. :D

 

We took the slow history road the first time through with older ds and never got to modern history. He's getting it now. His high school does 2 yr world history, then 1 yr Am. history.

 

I'm looking forward to using SOTW 4 this coming year with younger ds (gr. 8).

 

It would be a similar thing, only we did US/Moderns in 9th and then would do Western Civ 1 & 2 in 11th and 12th....

 

The more I think about it, the more I like it...

 

My little boys are at the perfect age to start a history cycle (6&8) and my dd started Ancients when she was 7....we took the slllooooooowwwwww road, and we are only finishing up SOTW 3 this year. I think I could probably have them just listen to SOTW 4 in the car...and then call it pretty much done. She could read some good books that take place in the Modern era outside of history studies and I will probably have her do some current events each week.

 

This is now starting to gel...and I think I like what I am seeing....

 

Spielvogels for 11/12

Steams of Civ for 7/8

and Child's Hx of the World 2/3, 3/4

 

 

Then

Spielvogels for dd grades 9-12 as a spine

SOTW for ds's grades 4-7 / 5-9

 

This just might work....hmmmmmmm

 

Faithe

 

ETA: I think I may still have my kids do a US president a week just for fun...and memorize them in order...Just because...LOL.

[Sahamamama]

I don't remember who posted it a while back, but someone here mentioned that her 11th/12th? AND her 1st/2nd? grade sons were studying Modern Times together, and enjoying it. But she also said something that I thought was a GREAT point:

 

Her oldest (high schooler) was really covering the modern history in greater depth, discussing it all with her, and learning the details. They would all read SOTW (or something similar) together, then the oldest would go off and read on his own level.

 

Her little guy was still on the same track as his big brother, but his history studies focused more on the cultural events of the times -- for example, the changes that came from widespread use of radios (think, Lone Ranger!) and televisions (think, Bonanza!), the switch from walking/horses to trains/planes/automobiles, the music of the era (Big Bands/swing, Elvis, the Beatles/rock & roll, Woodstock--LOL!), the toys (Hula Hoop), games (marbles), and pastimes of the era (comic books), and so on. She said it had been a good decision to give the oldest Modern Times, while NOT doing two histories. She also, if I remember correctly, said that the two boys, despite their age differences, enjoyed being able to discuss some aspects of the time period, and it reinforced certain things for both of them. HTH!

 

I think there is enough in Modern Times for the grammar stage, if you do your overview together, then have your olders peel off for more in-depth reading. They have to read on their own, anyway. How will your 1st and 3rd graders be affected by what their older siblings read -- in any time period? You might even ask your older students to be on the lookout for interesting topics and materials that you could use with your younger students -- or have them take turns "teaching" something on the era to their younger siblings. Good luck!

Edited May 15, 2010 by Sahamamama

[Sahamamama]

My little boys are at the perfect age to start a history cycle (6&8) and my dd started Ancients when she was 7....we took the slllooooooowwwwww road, and we are only finishing up SOTW 3 this year. I think I could probably have them just listen to SOTW 4 in the car...and then call it pretty much done. She could read some good books that take place in the Modern era outside of history studies and I will probably have her do some current events each week.

 

This is now starting to gel...and I think I like what I am seeing....

 

Spielvogels for 11/12

Steams of Civ for 7/8

and Child's Hx of the World 2/3, 3/4

 

 

Then

Spielvogels for dd grades 9-12 as a spine

SOTW for ds's grades 4-7 / 5-9

 

This just might work....hmmmmmmm

 

Faithe

 

ETA: I think I may still have my kids do a US president a week just for fun...and memorize them in order...Just because...LOL.

 

:iagree:Actually, after reading all through the posts (sorry :blushing:) I like your plan the best. I agree that it's good to consider what might be a better line-up for your oldest, who has already studied Modern Times (Omnibus III in 9th, wow, has he recovered?). It's a good line-up for your middler, and it's a good place to start your 1st and 3rd graders. You can keep it light enough for them, take your daughter back through the "World History Tour," and get your son his Western Civ I & II credits (good prep for college, too). Good planning, Mom!

[Suzannah]

Sounds like a plan! :)

[profmom]

I didn't read all the replies, but, instead of just skipping, you could play the SOTW4 CDs in the car all summer so they'll at least have some exposure.

 

ETA: As soon as I hit "post," I knew I should have read the other replies!!

[Mommyfaithe]

Decision: Showed DS the VP catalogue and that Omni IV has come out and the book line up.....and...he does the happy dance...grabs the catalogue and goes off to bed.....I think Omni IV is on the bill for next year....

 

SOTW 4 in the car with the kids in the car this summer...sounds great to me...

 

I already have all the ancients resources for all the younger kids...this is my 5TH rotation through....AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

 

So, thanks for all the input...now to start the plans!

 

Faithe