For those doing Veritas Press History...

[Honey Bee]

I'm reading through the Scholars lesson plans getting ready for next year. I'm trying to picture what our week will look like. I've even typed up some stuff in a spreadsheet to help me "see" it all. I have a few questions:

 

1. The scholars lesson plans for history only show the parent reading the VP Card and then sometimes Journey through the Bible. The rest of the reading is for the children to do. I think I was a little disappointed the kids read everything to themselves.:tongue_smilie: We have really enjoyed reading outloud BF Early American and I want to continue to read aloud. My question is this...Do you read aloud some of the "older" selections to the younger children? My current 1st grader is reading from the list of "first favs," their history selections seem like a big jump in reading, do your kids read the assigned reading? What do you do if they can't?

 

2. I'm just curious, have you made any changes to the Scholars lesson plans would be helpful? I'm not sure we are going to do all the activities. I will be adding a few books: Gilgamesh Trilogy, Lift the Lid on Mummies, Science in Ancient Egypt, Pyramid, and Tutankhamen's Gift.

 

3. If you don't use Scholars, how do you use the VP cards and TM?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Woodland_Mom]

I don't remember the lesson plans specifying who should read the history selections either. I read all of the additional history selections aloud. We usually didn't do the comprehension worksheets that were provided. Sometimes, I would ask some of the questions orally.

 

I saved the literature selections as the books the kids read independently. You're right, there is a BIG jump in the literature from 1st grade to 2nd grade! If the books are tough for your dc, then have them read a little, and then you chime in for awhile to give them a break.

 

Enjoy Scholars!

[abrightmom]

1. The scholars lesson plans for history only show the parent reading the VP Card and then sometimes Journey through the Bible. The rest of the reading is for the children to do. I think I was a little disappointed the kids read everything to themselves.:tongue_smilie: We have really enjoyed reading outloud BF Early American and I want to continue to read aloud. My question is this...Do you read aloud some of the "older" selections to the younger children? My current 1st grader is reading from the list of "first favs," their history selections seem like a big jump in reading, do your kids read the assigned reading? What do you do if they can't?

 

Hi Melissa! :001_smile: Good to hear your voice and know that you are well. We are also using Veritas History and Bible (woo hoo) and I am looking through Scholars today. My thoughts are not based on experience but based on what I want to DO with my kids regardless of what the plans dictate. I think you SHOULD read aloud to them as much as you want and are able. Once you dig in to those books you'll know whether or not your DS7 (or maybe 8 by then) can handle or should handle the reading on his own. Make those Scholars plans serve your family and not the other way around, KWIM? :D I am going to take it one week and one book/lit selection at a time. Actually, I'll probably preview a term's worth (9 weeks or so) and plan ahead so my child has a pre-written plan from Mom detailing his reading assignments.

 

2. I'm just curious, have you made any changes to the Scholars lesson plans would be helpful? I'm not sure we are going to do all the activities. I will be adding a few books: Gilgamesh Trilogy, Lift the Lid on Mummies, Science in Ancient Egypt, Pyramid, and Tutankhamen's Gift.

 

I am going to pick and choose activities based upon what we can handle AFTER the three R's. We have a house full of littles and those 3 R's are HUGE right now. Also, I think we should pick and choose between the Bible and History activities. I *think* that once you start with the new line-up of subjects and curriculum a rhythm will develop. Then you will know what you can and WANT to do as far as activities. :D We are also adding the Gilgamesh Trilogy, Science in Ancient Egypt and Pyramid. Not sure about Lift the Lid (looks great actually) or Tutankhamen's Gift. I just did my price list today and I'm excited to order those books. I already have the plans as God provided them CHEAP! :001_smile: I think my DS6 will do his MFW first grade Bible notebook throughout the year and I'll focus on the VP history and Bible with my almost 8yo. I am also going to follow the VP/SOTW schedule on the VP Elementary yahoo group. The ladies there are very helpful and there are helpful files to look through. I like that schedule because I can pause in our OT/AE studies to include reading sections on other countries/cultures not included in the Western Civ. focus VP has. We will also use some of the maps included in the SOTW AGs as they fit in. That schedule shows just what chapters/sections line up with the VP schedule and so I think it will be simple to plan in advance. :D They like to color while I read anyway so that works out nicely.

 

3. If you don't use Scholars, how do you use the VP cards and TM?

 

Silver Moon is a fantastic resource here. I love that Mama!! I'll find a thread in which I asked for help and she answered in detail.

 

Here it is: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166149&highlight=veritas+press+history

 

She is a very organized Mom and I think her methods are fantastic. She uses the TESTS rather than the worksheets. I think the worksheet questions make good oral quiz questions and that is how I will use them. I think of them as being like the summary questions included in the SOTW AGs. Moon also applies WTM methods to the VP history at the appropriate learning levels (narration, summarizing, outlining). Obviously, this is at your discretion! She also uses CW which I know is your first love in writing curriculum :001_smile:.

 

Anyhoo, I hope you will find a pace and a schedule that is realistic and fun for your crew. I have debated between VP and doing Sonlight for another year or two (we have thoroughly enjoyed this and learned a ton along the way) and then starting a rotation through Mystery of History. Oh, the agony of decision making. It's AWFUL!!!! :D

[SilverMoon]

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Edited September 5, 2023 by SilverMoon

[Honey Bee]

I don't remember the lesson plans specifying who should read the history selections either. I read all of the additional history selections aloud. We usually didn't do the comprehension worksheets that were provided. Sometimes, I would ask some of the questions orally.

 

I saved the literature selections as the books the kids read independently. You're right, there is a BIG jump in the literature from 1st grade to 2nd grade! If the books are tough for your dc, then have them read a little, and then you chime in for awhile to give them a break.

 

Enjoy Scholars!

 

 

I think I too am going to save the lit selections for the kids to use as independent reading. We are almost there with my oldest child. I am looking forward to Scholars!

[Honey Bee]

Hi Melissa! :001_smile: Good to hear your voice and know that you are well. We are also using Veritas History and Bible (woo hoo) and I am looking through Scholars today. My thoughts are not based on experience but based on what I want to DO with my kids regardless of what the plans dictate. I think you SHOULD read aloud to them as much as you want and are able. Once you dig in to those books you'll know whether or not your DS7 (or maybe 8 by then) can handle or should handle the reading on his own. Make those Scholars plans serve your family and not the other way around, KWIM? :D I am going to take it one week and one book/lit selection at a time. Actually, I'll probably preview a term's worth (9 weeks or so) and plan ahead so my child has a pre-written plan from Mom detailing his reading assignments.

 

I'm so excited your going with VP. So what changed your mind to not go with TOG? I know the memorization was a plus for me. Along with the fact that Bible was a subject to itself.

 

I am looking forward to the reading selections. I might just read the history myself and save the lit selections for independent reading. My oldest son kinda loathes school. My other ones are pulling out school to do on weekends. :lol: The lit will be interesting and keep his attention and be easy to adjust the reading level since its not tied to history. Ex: having to read a certain book on week 13, but not being ready for that yet.

 

I am going to pick and choose activities based upon what we can handle AFTER the three R's. We have a house full of littles and those 3 R's are HUGE right now. Also, I think we should pick and choose between the Bible and History activities. I *think* that once you start with the new line-up of subjects and curriculum a rhythm will develop. Then you will know what you can and WANT to do as far as activities. We are also adding the Gilgamesh Trilogy, Science in Ancient Egypt and Pyramid. Not sure about Lift the Lid (looks great actually) or Tutankhamen's Gift. I just did my price list today and I'm excited to order those books. I already have the plans as God provided them CHEAP! :001_smile: I think my DS6 will do his MFW first grade Bible notebook throughout the year and I'll focus on the VP history and Bible with my almost 8yo. I am also going to follow the VP/SOTW schedule on the VP Elementary yahoo group. The ladies there are very helpful and there are helpful files to look through. I like that schedule because I can pause in our OT/AE studies to include reading sections on other countries/cultures not included in the Western Civ. focus VP has. We will also use some of the maps included in the SOTW AGs as they fit in. That schedule shows just what chapters/sections line up with the VP schedule and so I think it will be simple to plan in advance. :D They like to color while I read anyway so that works out nicely.

 

Girl, don't I know about having to pick and choose. I took a professional development :D day on Wed to put into a spreadsheet just the basics. I wanted it all to be on one page. I also didn't see where Scholars listed all needed resources and wanted to pull that together for each week. I scheduled SOTW. I'll do 8 weeks of SOTW after our 32 weeks of VP. Africa (1wk), India (3wks), China (3wks), and Ancient Americas (1wk). Some of SOTW will go with next year VP stuff, but the rest I lined up with the cards and will just have another resource to pull from in case we need to. I guess I'm just going to have to get knee deep in it to figure things out completely.

 

I did get a little overwhelmed at my teaching choices, PR, RS, and VP, and wanting to add Elemental or Apologia next year. I don't want to re-think, but YIKES! Time is the great equalizer. And I do have to start thinking about science. My little guys are just asking to many questions like "mom, what is overheating? can you die from it" or putting toothpaste in the bottom of his water bottle, shake, and watch what happens, etc. These are just today and yesterday, so, I'm making a commitment to doing something for them next year for science.

 

Silver Moon is a fantastic resource here. I love that Mama!! I'll find a thread in which I asked for help and she answered in detail.

 

Here it is: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166149&highlight=veritas+press+history

 

She is a very organized Mom and I think her methods are fantastic. She uses the TESTS rather than the worksheets. I think the worksheet questions make good oral quiz questions and that is how I will use them. I think of them as being like the summary questions included in the SOTW AGs. Moon also applies WTM methods to the VP history at the appropriate learning levels (narration, summarizing, outlining). Obviously, this is at your discretion! She also uses CW which I know is your first love in writing curriculum :001_smile:. Yep!

 

Thanks for this link. Your right, she rocks! Very wise woman. I like here schedule too.

 

Anyhoo, I hope you will find a pace and a schedule that is realistic and fun for your crew. I have debated between VP and doing Sonlight for another year or two (we have thoroughly enjoyed this and learned a ton along the way) and then starting a rotation through Mystery of History. Oh, the agony of decision making. It's AWFUL!!!! :D

 

I am so right there with you. Sending you a PM, too.

[Honey Bee]

My oldest two read nearly all of their own assignments this year. My oldest reads and works with the hardest assignments, and the second hangs out closer to the mid-range.

 

My little guys on the other hand, have listened to me read nearly all of theirs. I read the card, the little kid friendly Bible and some of the supplementary books that were simple enough for them to understand. For spines like Streams of Civilization and the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia I'd pre-read the assignment first, then lighten up the vocabulary as I read it aloud to them.

 

This thread has help me cement that I will read the history and let them read literature for independent reading. At least for this year till we are much more fluent on reading. Also, it is good to know about lightening up on the vocabulary.

 

My little pair has also used the VP first grade literature list this year. By the way they've breezed through the level 3 books I don't expect any problems starting the easy books on the second grade list. They'll actually run out of titles way before they finish first grade, so I've added more to their list from the Sonlight 2 readers list to fill up the year. (The SL 1 list was too easy.) When they began first grade and weren't sure of their abilities I'd read every other page until their confidence grew. If needed I'll do the same when they move up to the second grade list.

 

I love VP lit list. Your readers must be advanced, we are about average here. Reading if fun for my oldest, but legos still rule.

 

I've never used the Scholars plans. Each week I look through the projects and reading assignments, choose what seems like the best fit for each kid, and jot it down in my own lesson plan book. Then I look at the next couple cards ahead of us, cross reference the book titles with our own shelf and the library's website, and place any holds we'll need. Every kid is on the same card, with assignments that meet their own levels.

 

I think I may make this jump next year. When I made a spreadsheet of everything, it seemed really simple. Being able to pick age appropriate activities seemed like the most important thing.

 

 

 

 

I really like your schedule, thanks for posting it on the forums, much appreciated! :hurray:

[Woodland_Mom]

Here is how I did VP history last year:

 

• Monday: I read the Veritas Press history card aloud, stopping to explain any difficult words or concepts to my children. We discuss and answer the questions (in writing) from their History Curriculum guide.
  
• Tuesday: One of my children reads the Veritas Press history card aloud and then we pull out a resource listed on the back of the card to get more detail on the topic. Next, we do mapwork.
  
• Wednesday: One of my children reads the Veritas Press history card aloud and then we pull out a different resource listed on the back of the card to learn even more about the topic. This is the day we work on a fun project for hands on learning!
  
• Thursday: I read the Veritas Press history card aloud, then I read it aloud a second time, leaving out key words and phrases for them to shout out as I read. They almost always know the missing words! Thursday is our timeline day. We get out our timeline notebooks and add the event to our timeline. We use resources from Homeschool in the Woods.
  

We only do history four days per week because we attend Classical Conversations on Fridays. One of the things we do in Classical Conversations is memorize all 160 Veritas Press History Cards! We begin our year with CC memorizing 8 of the history cards and then we add an additional 8 cards each week. By the 20th week of the Classical Conversations program, we've gone through all 160 cards.

 

Other years when I've combined SOTW and VP, this is what I've done:

Everyone in my house enjoys SOTW, so in order to combine SOTW and VP, I read SOTW and pull out the VP card that relates to what we're reading.

 

Using the scholars lesson plans:

You could read the pages of SOTW that go along with the VP card you're studying. SOTW would simply be an additional history resource to flesh out the material. I keep my VP cards in half-size page protectors in a 5x7 binder and usually write the corresponding SOTW page numbers on the page protectors of each VP card, so I don't have to look the pages up each week. One of the SOTW/VP charts that are available online should serve you well for this.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Pylegang