Help - All American History...

[Guest momk2000]

not going too well for 4th grade dd.

 

Even though I'm reading the chapters with her (and she is an excellent reader), the reading is a little too advanced. She's not getting much out of it, and seems bored. She doesn't like doing the student sheets.

I'm so disappointed. She loves American History, and I though this was going to be the biggest hit of the school year. I think she would really enjoy it if she were a little older.

 

Now I'm stuck and need something for History. I'm thinking A Beka grade 4 Am. History along with a bunch of library books or maybe the CLP Grade 5 Am. Hist. book?

I feel better using a text along with library books than putting it together myself. Like the look of SL, drooled over it many times before choosing AAH, but on a pretty tight budget. :confused:

[Irishmommy]

I'm using Sonlight Core K for the first year (of using SL) and I have to say I am VERY pleased with it. I am so happy with it, I am thinking of doing Core 3+4 with my son along with SOTW 3 next year. My son loves SOTW, but mostly just the text. He really loves reading and the Sonlight titles seem right up his alley. Now I'm just trying to find something that might go along for my 1st grader!

 

Goodluck. Also, look at some of the Winterpromise titles. Maybe you can keep what you have and liven it up with some SL or WP titles. Is she more into crafts?

[Guest momk2000]

If we have not read the first two volumes of SOTW, would we be able to pick up and begin with SOTW 3?

[mom31257]

I pm'd you.

[Chris in VA]

Yes, you could do SOTW 3. I did it last year with my 4th grader, and we added in some of the Sonlight reading, and did the activity guide. I let her get online on the American Girl site to play some games, and of course, we have Mt. Vernon and Jamestown near, so we went there (actually, she's been to Mt V a bunch, but we just went at the end of last year).

 

Nature Girl actually got tired of historical fiction this year--so I'd encourage you not to be too heavy-handed with it at the expense of other literature she may be ready for. There's so much out there for the colonial times, for example--it's tempting to try to read too much, imo.

 

We did a little supplementing with Story of The USA from Sonlight (about 6-8 chapters), just to cover, in a textbook-y, factual way, some of the details of early Am gov't.

[lisak]

You might try Guesthollow.com using their free American History program. It has readers and read alouds with a very nice schedule. There are threads about it on this forum.

 

We began it this week and so far so good. I'm focusing more on the reading and discussing the topic. She likes the pocket books, so we are using that as well.

[siloam]

(((Hugs)))

 

I have seen a lot of people in your shoes. The tone is so formal that it just doesn't appeal to the younger kids at all. Most of the time when I see someone who loved it their kids are 7th grade and up.

 

Have you looked at Guerber? Nice short reading portions in the Story of the Thirteen Colonies and Story of the Great Republic. No mapping and such to go along with it, so you would have to pull from another source.

 

I personally find Landmark History of the American People pretty meaty as well. It is one of the two spines in SL Core 3, 4 and 3+4. It is listed in the SL catalog as a read aloud for grades 5 to adult and reader for grades 6 to adult. It is a bit less formal, but still has a pretty complicated vocab. Unless you are going to read it to her I would stay away. Even with people who read it their is a group of them each year that drop it because it just is above their kids heads.

 

Heather

[thowell]

You could also check out Truthquest. It is pretty inexpensive and gives you a great book list in the order of events so you are sure not to miss anything.

[Chris in VA]

(((Hugs)))

 

I personally find Landmark History of the American People pretty meaty as well. It is one of the two spines in SL Core 3, 4 and 3+4. It is listed in the SL catalog as a read aloud for grades 5 to adult and reader for grades 6 to adult. It is a bit less formal, but still has a pretty complicated vocab. Unless you are going to read it to her I would stay away. Even with people who read it their is a group of them each year that drop it because it just is above their kids heads.

 

Heather

 

 

Just want to add that I found it a little frustrating to use Landmark because it's set up more by theme than by chronology. It did a good job explaining to dd about the landed aristocracy--in America! lol

[Guest momk2000]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

We have covered quite a bit of Early American History between grades 1-3, and dd just has no interest in studying Ancients yet. I carefully researched and kept going back to AAH thinking it would be a good fit for her. She doesn't hate it, I just think some of it is a little above her head. Heather, I think you're right, she would probably enjoy it much more by 6th or 7th.

Chris in VA: Does the SOTW 3 Activity book also have ideas for hands on activities? Dd also loves the American Girl books, not sure how many she has read so far, but she has learned a great deal of history just through her enjoyment of the book series. :)

[Chris in VA]

Chris in VA: Does the SOTW 3 Activity book also have ideas for hands on activities? Dd also loves the American Girl books, not sure how many she has read so far, but she has learned a great deal of history just through her enjoyment of the book series. :)

 

Oh yes, there are lots of hands-on things in the activity guide.

But you know, if you have already done so much American History, why not do Ancients and go thru the first rotation?

I have found most kids LOVE Ancient history when they discover what it's about--and the SOTW AG for Year One is really, really fun. The 2nd year (Medieval/Ren) is also excellent.

[Guest momk2000]

I had wanted to do Ancients with her this year, but she has no interest in it yet. I thought she might get more out of it when she's a little older.

Thanks for the info. on SOTW. :)

[JenninMN]

Simple schooling has an American history that looks interesting.

http://www.the-simple-homeschool.com/history-curriculum.html

 

Also, Queen's new Living History of Our World looks nice. It might be a bit young for your 4th grader, though.

http://www.queenhomeschool.com/productpages/History/livingworldhistoryframe.html

 

HTH

Jennifer

[Sandy in Indy]

Beautiful Feet Early American History? It's literature based.

[Ravin]

I'm going to put in another vote for guesthollow.com's American history.