STOW Encyclopedia Cross-References - which do you use?

[AngelAnnie]

I'm trying to plan and this is the first full year we have used SOTW. At the end of last year I borrowed a book and did the last few chapters of SOTW 1 to see how we would like it. I'm going to get anyl of the extra books we will need from the library. If they don't have what's suggested in the book we will make do with something else. (we have a pretty good library)

 

I'm just wondering about the Encyclopedias. What does everyone use? Do you have one, all or just whatever you could find at a good price. Do you feel you need it? I'm just really tight money wise and want to make sure I'm getting something I know we will use. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Angel

Edited August 5, 2010 by AngelAnnie
changed spelling

[Stacey in MA]

If so, I didn't use any encyclopedias when going through the series. We used MANY library books though - those recommended in the Activity Guide, as well as others we came across that our library happened to have. We used the AG for some projects, especially in the first 2 years, and also the coloring pages (but by vol 3 and vol 4, both of my older kids were getting tired of coloring though - not big on that). And the MAPS! Oh how I love the easy, but direct map work! Missed that this when we hit Grade 5 and had to hunt down our own map work that would correlate to the sections we were on! But didn't need encyclopedias UNTIL grade 5 (then used it as the "spine").

 

HTH and GL!

- Stacey in Ma

[Satori]

For SOTW 1, the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia is a good choice, it's recommended for the Grammar stage over the Kingfisher one. That's the one we usually read, and we have both.

[AngelAnnie]

If so, I didn't use any encyclopedias when going through the series. We used MANY library books though - those recommended in the Activity Guide, as well as others we came across that our library happened to have. We used the AG for some projects, especially in the first 2 years, and also the coloring pages (but by vol 3 and vol 4, both of my older kids were getting tired of coloring though - not big on that). And the MAPS! Oh how I love the easy, but direct map work! Missed that this when we hit Grade 5 and had to hunt down our own map work that would correlate to the sections we were on! But didn't need encyclopedias UNTIL grade 5 (then used it as the "spine").

 

HTH and GL!

- Stacey in Ma

 

 

Oops! Just changed that! Thanks for pointing it out. I do that so often. I think because story starts with "st". :001_unsure:

[dsmama]

We use Usborne also to go along with SOTW (going into 2nd grade). Love the pictures and color.

 

Check out these links for more ideas:

Paula's archive http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SOTWmenu.htm

Hannah's HS Helps (Yahoo group you will need to join - check out the Files section) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hannah_hs_helps/

[learninearnin]

You don't need the encyclopedias, especially if you're going to supplement with books from the library. We have both the Kingfisher and the Usborne, but I almost never crack them open. (I went ahead and got the Kingfisher since DD will use it next year and I saved on shipping with Amazon.) I find that the books in the children's section of the library are great for showing pictures and art from the lesson.

[Aubrey]

What age?

 

We have both, but rarely (so far) have used either. In the amt of time we've got for history, we don't usually have time for the encyclopedias AND SOTW AND the AG & any supplemental reading (we don't do this every wk).

 

That said, ds is entering 4th g this yr, & I'm expecting to use the encyclopedias quite a bit more. Maybe not every wk (since there aren't refs for every wk anyway), but for more than just pics of the event or time pd. :001_smile: HTH!

 

For youngers, though, I still like the Usborne Hist of the World--I think that's the right title. The heavily illustrated one rec'd in the 1st WTM. We didn't use it much after getting SOTW 1/2 way thr 1st, BUT once ds was confident in his independent reading, he'd pick it up & read it for fun, which I figured was great reinforcement.

[fhjmom]

We use the Usborne one. DS loves looking at it and reading it even when it isn't for school. I have written into our lesson plans for DS to read some of the online information and write down facts from that research that are not in the SOTW book. My idea was to ease him into doing internet based reasearch, as we are also covering an introduction to writing a research paper this year in LA.

 

My only complaint is that I am not that pleased with the quality of the Usborne book. The first one I orderd through Barnes & Noble and the binding started pulling away almost immediately (within the first week). They replaced it at no charge, but the replacement has since started pulling away as well, much worse than before, but it has been a longer time (still less than a year) so I wasn't going to ask them to replace it again. I don't think it has been handled especially rough, either. I have had to repair it with packing tape.

[OleanderRain]

Another vote for the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History. We bought it early this year and have been readying the pre-history section this summer. Both my dd7 and ds4 enjoy all of the illustrations.