Sonlight Users - Help needed here

[Mom0012]

I have always used Sonlight and have just finished Core 3 with my 2nd and 4th graders. I will be starting core 4 with them in 3rd and 5th grades. As much as I love SL, I don't think it will be a good fit for my son in the high school years. I have looked at MFW AHL and think there is a strong possibility I will use that with him in 9th grade.

 

Anyway, if I continue with SL's cores in order, we will be doing Core 6 (ancients) in his 7th grade year, then Core 7, then we would move onto MFW AHL in 9th, which would again be ancients. I think he may balk at going back to the ancients again after only one year.

 

Any thoughts? Will it not matter? Should I try to move Core 5 and do it after Core 7 in order to give more of a break from the ancients before starting all over again. (Of course, I'd love to squeeze core 100 in there somewhere too, but I don't see how that could happen for him unless I start doing SL year round.)

 

Lisa

[siloam]

I have always used Sonlight and have just finished Core 3 with my 2nd and 4th graders. I will be starting core 4 with them in 3rd and 5th grades. As much as I love SL, I don't think it will be a good fit for my son in the high school years. I have looked at MFW AHL and think there is a strong possibility I will use that with him in 9th grade.

 

Anyway, if I continue with SL's cores in order, we will be doing Core 6 (ancients) in his 7th grade year, then Core 7, then we would move onto MFW AHL in 9th, which would again be ancients. I think he may balk at going back to the ancients again after only one year.

 

Any thoughts? Will it not matter? Should I try to move Core 5 and do it after Core 7 in order to give more of a break from the ancients before starting all over again. (Of course, I'd love to squeeze core 100 in there somewhere too, but I don't see how that could happen for him unless I start doing SL year round.)

 

Lisa

 

Lisa,

 

My first thought was to do Core 5 after 6 and 7. The only way I can see fitting in Core 100 is if you do Alt 7.

 

I am sure that MFW has lots of SL books on their reading lists, you can just pick those out especially, or even add them if they aren't there. My guess is the spines are different. I honestly don't love History of the US and found reading John's notes...interesting, but not my favorite way to do history, KWIM? BTW I didn't do core 100, but did go through History of the US with my oldest, so I bought a used Core 100 guide for the notes and read them on my own, so I could balance any bias.

 

Heather

 

[AngieW in Texas]

I know that mine would probably have balked if we did world history parts 1 and 2 and then started over with world history again. They like to have a change of pace.

 

I would either pull Core 5 out of order to do in 8th grade so you can do ancient history in 9th

or

start with American history in in 9th for a change of pace.

 

Then again, I know there are plenty who follow the 4-year world history plan in WTM and they probably wouldn't have any issues with it.

 

My oldest did SL Cores K-7 (actually covered Core 6 timeframe in ps) in K-8th grades and then did Core 100 in 9th, world history part 1 of my own design in 10th, Core 300 in 11th (was very unhappy with it), and will be doing Government/Economics with Thinkwell in 12th.

 

My middle did SL Cores K-7 in K-7th grades, half of Core 100 in 8th, and is following Oak Meadow's sequence for high school (US history, world history, world geography, government).

[Mom0012]

Thank you, Heather and Angie! I hoped you two would chime in. I was thinking moving Core 5 would be the way to go. Do you think I'd have to add to it if I put it after Core 7? I was looking forward to the change of pace of Core 5 after next year, but I think I will just bite the bullet and hold off.

 

Heather, I had thought about using Alt 7, but then I'd miss out on getting to use Story of the World again. I'm kind of looking forward to that and I also love the Genevieve Foster books. Honestly, so far I've just ignored John's notes. I don't feel like we've missed anything.

 

Thanks again and do let me know whether you think I'd need to beef up Core 5 if I use it with a 6th and 8th grader.

 

Lisa

[mompotter]

I skipped core 5 (for now) for different reasons but I think it is a great idea to solve your problem. Core 5 would have been too much for my younger (we would have been doing it with 6th and 4th). I will say, by skipping it was a big leap from core 4 to 6. We did not finish all the books last year and my ds (who loves to read) balked at the book choices and the amount for the fist time since starting hsing.

 

Curious why you don't think it will work for high school. Not to question your decision but to gain more insight into what I will do. :)

[Mom0012]

Linda -

 

That is a very good point and something I didn't think of. My daughter would only be in 4th grade when we did Core 6 and maybe that would be too much for her? Ugh!

 

She is a very strong reader and a quick little learner, so she might be okay, but then again, maybe it would be too much. We don't use SL LA. Would that make a difference?

 

I'm not totally sure why I think it won't work, but mostly, I think he's going to need something a little more structured. He's got some language-based lds and when I look at what SL offers for HS, I think it would be great for my daughter, but I'm not so sure for him. Maybe I'm wrong on that, but I just feel MFW calling to me for him during those years.

 

Lisa

[Mom0012]

I know that mine would probably have balked if we did world history parts 1 and 2 and then started over with world history again. They like to have a change of pace.

 

I would either pull Core 5 out of order to do in 8th grade so you can do ancient history in 9th

or

start with American history in in 9th for a change of pace.

 

Then again, I know there are plenty who follow the 4-year world history plan in WTM and they probably wouldn't have any issues with it.

 

My oldest did SL Cores K-7 (actually covered Core 6 timeframe in ps) in K-8th grades and then did Core 100 in 9th, world history part 1 of my own design in 10th, Core 300 in 11th (was very unhappy with it), and will be doing Government/Economics with Thinkwell in 12th.

 

My middle did SL Cores K-7 in K-7th grades, half of Core 100 in 8th, and is following Oak Meadow's sequence for high school (US history, world history, world geography, government).

 

Angie -

 

Another question. How do you like using Oak Meadow for high school after using SL for so long?

 

Lisa

[JudoMom]

Um, we did Ancients last year (Biblioplan/SOTW).

 

We're doing Sonlight 6 this year and 7 next year. My older 2 are doing all of the literature, all of my guys are listening to the read alouds, we do map work together, and I'm picking easier readers for my ds8. We're on day 16, and so far I've found it works brilliantly for a wide age range because of SOTW.

 

And then my older 2 will be starting Omnibus I and my younger 3 will go back to ancients.

[Joy at Home]

Hi Lisa!!

 

I think I might lean toward doing Cores 6, 7, then Core 5. I think Core 5 for an eighth grader is perfect, and by then your younger will be in sixth and will be able to get a great deal out of it as well. Your kiddos may be a tiny bit on the young side for Cores 6 and 7, but i didn't find those cores particular difficult and would lean toward using them on the younger side moreso than Core 5, which I think is best for seventh and eighth graders, IMHO.

 

I also think MFW High School looks excellent, and am considering it for dd13 the year after next for high school. We did SL up to Core 7, then switched to TOG. But I have my eye one MFW for my oldest, who prefers to work independently and have it all written out for her.

 

Good luck!!

Lisa

[Mom0012]

Um, we did Ancients last year (Biblioplan/SOTW).

 

We're doing Sonlight 6 this year and 7 next year. My older 2 are doing all of the literature, all of my guys are listening to the read alouds, we do map work together, and I'm picking easier readers for my ds8. We're on day 16, and so far I've found it works brilliantly for a wide age range because of SOTW.

 

And then my older 2 will be starting Omnibus I and my younger 3 will go back to ancients.

 

JudoMom -

 

Thanks for pointing out that SOTW could really make this core work for my daughter. Now, I'm getting all excited because she loves hands-on stuff and we've just started using the TT cds for American history and now you have made it dawn on me that I could use the SOTW Activity Guides to supplement cores 6 and 7. Yay!

 

I'm sure my son would live to tell the tale if I did ancients, middle ages and ancients again, but both my children were shocked that we were returning to the ancients again in 2 more years. They felt they had just covered that material (it's been 2 years already), which I found kind of funny.

 

Lisa

[Mom0012]

Hi Lisa!!

 

I think I might lean toward doing Cores 6, 7, then Core 5. I think Core 5 for an eighth grader is perfect, and by then your younger will be in sixth and will be able to get a great deal out of it as well. Your kiddos may be a tiny bit on the young side for Cores 6 and 7, but i didn't find those cores particular difficult and would lean toward using them on the younger side moreso than Core 5, which I think is best for seventh and eighth graders, IMHO.

 

I also think MFW High School looks excellent, and am considering it for dd13 the year after next for high school. We did SL up to Core 7, then switched to TOG. But I have my eye one MFW for my oldest, who prefers to work independently and have it all written out for her.

 

Good luck!!

Lisa

 

Lisa -

 

Thanks for your thoughts! I have considered TOG but after attempting to combine WP history books with SL 4 read alouds and just making a mess of it, I realized planning is not my strength. I decided to just stick with the stuff that's already scheduled out for me. Glad to hear you think MFW looks good too.

 

Lisa

[mompotter]

Linda -

 

That is a very good point and something I didn't think of. My daughter would only be in 4th grade when we did Core 6 and maybe that would be too much for her? Ugh!

 

She is a very strong reader and a quick little learner, so she might be okay, but then again, maybe it would be too much. We don't use SL LA. Would that make a difference?

 

I'm not totally sure why I think it won't work, but mostly, I think he's going to need something a little more structured. He's got some language-based lds and when I look at what SL offers for HS, I think it would be great for my daughter, but I'm not so sure for him. Maybe I'm wrong on that, but I just feel MFW calling to me for him during those years.

 

Lisa

 

We do not use sl la. I have always gotten their readers anyway. I just don't use their LA.

 

What if you used something like LLATL for her and then she could just listen in on the history and RA's. They would not be too hard. Maybe even take some of the readers and use for RA's for her if there are a few that look like she would enjoy them.

 

I am not sure the core 6 readers were too hard for my ds. He, for whatever reason, just didn't like them this year. But then again, he is in a stage where he doesn't like anything. :tongue_smilie:

[Mom0012]

I am not sure the core 6 readers were too hard for my ds. He, for whatever reason, just didn't like them this year. But then again, he is in a stage where he doesn't like anything. :tongue_smilie:

 

Well, boy, if you read my post the other day about "how we're supposed to handle 5th/6th graders", then you know that I know what you mean when you say that.

 

Lisa

[siloam]

Thank you, Heather and Angie! I hoped you two would chime in. I was thinking moving Core 5 would be the way to go. Do you think I'd have to add to it if I put it after Core 7? I was looking forward to the change of pace of Core 5 after next year, but I think I will just bite the bullet and hold off.

 

Heather, I had thought about using Alt 7, but then I'd miss out on getting to use Story of the World again. I'm kind of looking forward to that and I also love the Genevieve Foster books. Honestly, so far I've just ignored John's notes. I don't feel like we've missed anything.

 

Thanks again and do let me know whether you think I'd need to beef up Core 5 if I use it with a 6th and 8th grader.

 

Lisa

 

The reason why it is a "big deal" with Core 100 is because History of the US has a lot of liberal bias. I found it noticeable in the first book, because it was very anti-European and pro Native American. Not that I am anti-Native American, but at this age it really needs to be dealt with in more depth than History of the US covers, thus John's notes are important. Same with the Civil War book. It is biased towards the North. Now I am from the north and didn't find it that offensive using it with a 2nd grader. I read John's notes and rarely passed the info on to my dd, but for a 9th grader it would be a must to see the bigger picture. Another example is with Booker T Washington. I admired him for his Christ-like ability to ignore white hatred and ignorance, and how he helped is people when the odds were always against him. History of the US hints that he was part of the problem, because he advocated peace and compromise that the establishment of the Jim Crow laws could be placed at his feet. Not directly stated, but hinted. She loves WEB DuBois because he refused to compromise, which I don't have a problem with, but I don't think the way she puts them against one another as piers is fair. I don't remember Booker T Washington being politically involved, he simply chose to sever his people and happened to at times become involved in advocating specific issues to politicians. Now at times his willingness to compromise might have had unintended consequences, but to me it seems it was because he had different goals, and he did meet his goals. WEB BuBois was a politician and acted accordingly. He was on a different playing field. Though maybe I just haven't studied in depth enough.

 

That is the sort of stuff you will deal with in History of the US, and why the notes are considered necessary.

 

Posting here, but was asked in a PM why the notes were considered important, so though I would post it publicly in case other people were wondering.

 

Heather

[AngieW in Texas]

Last year was my trial year for Oak Meadow. My middle dd used OM for history, biology, and health. She liked the textbooks, the way the courses were laid out, and the types of discussion questions. I liked that it was so very open&go.

 

My 10th and 7th graders are both going to use OM for history and English this year. We'll see how it goes.

[Mom0012]

 

The reason why it is a "big deal" with Core 100 is because History of the US has a lot of liberal bias. I found it noticeable in the first book, because it was very anti-European and pro Native American. Not that I am anti-Native American, but at this age it really needs to be dealt with in more depth than History of the US covers, thus John's notes are important. Same with the Civil War book. It is biased towards the North. Now I am from the north and didn't find it that offensive using it with a 2nd grader. I read John's notes and rarely passed the info on to my dd, but for a 9th grader it would be a must to see the bigger picture. Another example is with Booker T Washington. I admired him for his Christ-like ability to ignore white hatred and ignorance, and how he helped is people when the odds were always against him. History of the US hints that he was part of the problem, because he advocated peace and compromise that the establishment of the Jim Crow laws could be placed at his feet. Not directly stated, but hinted. She loves WEB DuBois because he refused to compromise, which I don't have a problem with, but I don't think the way she puts them against one another as piers is fair. I don't remember Booker T Washington being politically involved, he simply chose to sever his people and happened to at times become involved in advocating specific issues to politicians. Now at times his willingness to compromise might have had unintended consequences, but to me it seems it was because he had different goals, and he did meet his goals. WEB BuBois was a politician and acted accordingly. He was on a different playing field. Though maybe I just haven't studied in depth enough.

 

That is the sort of stuff you will deal with in History of the US, and why the notes are considered necessary.

 

Posting here, but was asked in a PM why the notes were considered important, so though I would post it publicly in case other people were wondering.

 

Heather

 

Heather -

 

I didn't know The Story of US was biased in the way you are describing. Thanks for pointing that out. When we get there, I will take a look at the notes.

 

I first read Booker T. Washington's biography in my 20s and it had a tremendous impact on me. I reread it again a few years ago because I admire him so much and he really inspired me with the way he led his life. That is one of the few books I have always planned to have my kids read when they were old enough. Just thought I'd share that we had that in common.

 

Lisa

[Mom0012]

Last year was my trial year for Oak Meadow. My middle dd used OM for history, biology, and health. She liked the textbooks, the way the courses were laid out, and the types of discussion questions. I liked that it was so very open&go.

 

My 10th and 7th graders are both going to use OM for history and English this year. We'll see how it goes.

 

Thanks, Angie!

Lisa