What are my other options?

[mom31257]

My dd will be doing SL Core 100 in the fall. I am beginning to question using Hakim's series, but what would be my other options for a good American history spine? My concerns are the liberal slant I'm reading about. I know the IG will probably balance it, but I don't know that I'll have time to do every discussion with her every single day.

 

Here's what I want in a spine:

 

*the facts of American history

 

*somewhat conservative worldview, but not necessarily full blown providential (I don't think people did everything right in the way they settled America, but I do believe it was meant to happen.)

 

*does not paint a picture that all white men are evil, while minorities and women are all saints

 

*can be finished in one school year

 

Disclaimer: I'm not trying to raise a debate here. I just wanted a list of options.

[mims]

William Bennett's American history books.

America: The Last Best Hope Volumes I & II

 

1

[mom31257]

Thank you for recommending this. I forgot that my dh has Volume 1 in his books. If I like it, it will be much cheaper to just have to buy Volume 2.

[Donna T.]

Amy, I encourage you to read Hakim's books for yourself before you buy them, if you can. My public library has all of them so I was able to pre-read them before purchasing any of them. For what it is worth... I am a conversative Christian. I am VERY conservative theologically but moderate in my political opinions. I personally love Hakim's books. Given the current climate on this board concerning history books, I hate to even share that but nevertheless, I do like them very much and I just wanted to encourage you to decide for yourself. :)

[mom31257]

Amy, I encourage you to read Hakim's books for yourself before you buy them, if you can. My public library has all of them so I was able to pre-read them before purchasing any of them. For what it is worth... I am a conversative Christian. I am VERY conservative theologically but moderate in my political opinions. I personally love Hakim's books. Given the current climate on this board concerning history books, I hate to even share that but nevertheless, I do like them very much and I just wanted to encourage you to decide for yourself. :)

 

Thanks for the advice! I actually have recently received the books because I bought a whole used set of SL Core 100. I will be spending some time this summer reading before I buy something else, but I did want to know what other options were out there in case. We will start our year at the end of July, so I don't have a lot of time left with the other things we want to do this summer.

[Donna T.]

Biblioplan uses Hakim's books alongside Story of the World 3 and 4, an Usborne Encyclopedia, and A Child's Story of America (probably too young for a child doing Core 100 but Christian Liberty Press has other similiar titles for older children). They also have lots of other suggestions, including adding the Critical Thinking in US History series and some Jackdaw portfolios (primary resources that go along with the time period).

[mom31257]

Any other suggestions?

[Crimson Wife]

What about The Political Incorrect Guide to ____ series? That might make a great "balancer" to Hakim. Here's the Google books link to The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History.

 

There are also volumes on the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, the Civil War, the Great Depression, and the Sixties.

[Jennifer in NH]

We have the audio cds of William Bennet's books but there is also Larry Scheikart's "A Patriot's History of the United States". We love that so far. also, The Landmark History of the American People". by Ruth F. Boorstin. FWIW I also own Hakim's books and did find that I had to skip over entire pages, and did not agree with things she wrote, especially as we are getting into more modern history (1900's). HTH

[mom31257]

We have the audio cds of William Bennet's books but there is also Larry Scheikart's "A Patriot's History of the United States". We love that so far. also, The Landmark History of the American People". by Ruth F. Boorstin. FWIW I also own Hakim's books and did find that I had to skip over entire pages, and did not agree with things she wrote, especially as we are getting into more modern history (1900's). HTH

 

Thanks for letting me know that. I was going to do some reading in the series, but would have probably started at the beginning. I think I'll focus on the later books in the series.

 

Would the Landmark book be too simple for an 8th grader? I am asking since it is in Sonlight's cores for upper elementary grades.

[Mrs Mungo]

Would the Landmark book be too simple for an 8th grader? I am asking since it is in Sonlight's cores for upper elementary grades.

 

I would say yes. They are very simple, short biographies intended for early logic stage kids. If you're summing up the story of Lewis and Clark in 110 pages, you're not getting much depth.

[Jennifer in NH]

Well, I have a 5th grader and not an 8th grader..but I am willing to say that it would be on the lighter side. I think though, that Mrs. Mungo is thinking of the Landmark biographies that are totally unrelated.

[Mrs Mungo]

Well, I have a 5th grader and not an 8th grader..but I am willing to say that it would be on the lighter side. I think though, that Mrs. Mungo is thinking of the Landmark biographies that are totally unrelated.

 

Ah, sorry. It gets really complicated when there are multiple books with the same name. :tongue_smilie:

[Jennifer in NH]

 

Ah, sorry. It gets really complicated when there are multiple books with the same name. :tongue_smilie:

It does indeed! ( But I have found some great books that way too):001_smile:

[PentecostalMom]

It does indeed! ( But I have found some great books that way too):001_smile:

:iagree:

[Donna T.]

Amy, when you get a chance, could you clue me in on what SL's guide offers in regards to the notes that go along with the Hakim books? I've looked for samples and SL doesn't appear to provide any of those specific pages. My understanding is that they have written notes to help balance out Hakim's perspective on some things ?? I'm just wondering how helpful those really are and how extensive they may be. I was expecting alot of notes in my Core 6 guide because I had heard they had written some to go along with The Story of the World. They actually don't add much, in my opinion.

[mamato4girls]

If you don't use the Hakim books, will you have a teacher's manual, or questions and schedule for another spine? I am also going to be using Core 100 so I'm curious.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

We have a huge collection of American Heritage magazines that we've picked up by the box load over the years. We have shelves of the older hardbound versions. I can't say that they are bias free, but the issues from the 1960s and 1970s represented some in depth coverage by very good historical writers.

 

For example, a couple years ago when we were doing exploration and colonization, I read through a multi part article about the Elizabethans and colonization in America. I don't know how often I'd read about the Roanoke Colony and its disappearance, but this was the first time that I'd seen the delay in getting resupply ships back to the colony connected with the impending Spanish Armada and the fact that English ships were detained for use in defense of England. I don't know that I'd even put those two events together in my mind.

 

The magazine has fallen on some hard times in the last few years, but is still being printed as a quarterly. You can also search their archives.

 

I won't attest to their being bias free. Especially as I think that a certain amount of bias is in the eye of the beholder. But they do represent a wealth of historical writing that is available for the reading.

[Lovedtodeath]

Thanks to whomever tagged this! :thumbup:

[mom31257]

If you don't use the Hakim books, will you have a teacher's manual, or questions and schedule for another spine? I am also going to be using Core 100 so I'm curious.

 

I am totally new to SL, so I've been looking at the Answer Key part of the IG. I did not realize that the conservative views, notes, and discussion actually is on the other set of pages. Now that I am reading those further, I feel that it is doing a better job of addressing the issues more than I thought.

 

I own Volume 1 of Bennett's book, and I had forgotten that I own BJU's 8th grade textbook. I may stick with Hakim, closely reading the notes a week ahead. If we hit something I don't feel is covered well, I could have her read in these other books about that topic so that she gets both sides' views, which is what I would really like anyway.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

You also have Daniel Boorstin's series The Americans. Boorstin wrote the Landmark History of the American People.

 

The Americans series is three volumes and considerably more in depth than the Landmark book.

[Joy at Home]

I've had teh Core 100 IG and really love the extensive notes John wrote to counterpoint many views in the Hakim books. I think it provides a great opportunity to look at a political view from different angles. It's the only way I would use Hakim (whose style I love BTW; lots of pictures, conversational tone which I enjoyed). John's notes are worth buying the IG in themselves, IMO.

[EmeraldGirl]

Beautiful Feet uses Providential History along with the readers.