How Biblical is SOTW?

[thowell]

I love the look of SOTW. I love the way it is written and the extras to go with it. However, I have always went in another direction because so many people have told me it is very weak biblically. Do you all feel this. If you use the extras that come with it is it enough Bible mix with history?

[Mert]

:bigear:

[rootsong]

SOTW is supposed to be a secular curriculum. I don't believe there is biblical history mixed in with the books or the activity guides.

[Veritaserum]

I love the look of SOTW. I love the way it is written and the extras to go with it. However, I have always went in another direction because so many people have told me it is very weak biblically. Do you all feel this. If you use the extras that come with it is it enough Bible mix with history?

 

We love SOTW. One of the reasons we love it is because it is NOT Biblical (we are secular homeschoolers even though we are Christian). There is a small amount of Biblical content in SOTW 1, but the book is definitely not written through a lens of the Bible as an authority on truth in history.

[thowell]

Thanks!

[NanceXToo]

Right, it's a secular program, which is what I like about it, too, as I am NOT Christian. But so far (I'm still on SOTW1) I wouldn't call it anti-religious or anything, it's more neutral. It does have to at least address religion, but it does so in a neutral manner. We like it for its storytelling nature, the literature recommendations and of course the neat, hands on activities.

 

But can't you just add in your own bible teachings if that's important to you?

[MamaSheep]

I like SOTW because it is religiously neutral and does not impose someone else's interpretation of scripture on my kids. It does include stories about Biblical figures such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, and it tells the story of Jesus and how Christianity began, but it just tells the story, it doesn't delve into what the stories mean, or how we should apply the principles from the stories into our own lives. It allows each parent to discuss these things with the child in the context of their own beliefs. I like that about it. It doesn't leave out religion or denegrate it in any way, it is just very matter of fact about "this is the story" and leaves it at that. We use other resources for religious studies.

[thowell]

Right, it's a secular program, which is what I like about it, too, as I am NOT Christian. But so far (I'm still on SOTW1) I wouldn't call it anti-religious or anything, it's more neutral. It does have to at least address religion, but it does so in a neutral manner. We like it for its storytelling nature, the literature recommendations and of course the neat, hands on activities.

 

But can't you just add in your own bible teachings if that's important to you?

 

I wish! I had hoped to achieve that this year and I am flopping at it. We are using mainly Truthquest and while the commentary is from a Christian viewpoint most of the reading is not. So it seems Bible only gets mentioned once in awhile. It is important to me I am just not good at doing it on my own. I love the style of SOTW the extra reading suggestions and of course the great projects but I do prefer it from a Christian viewpoint.

[toddandleah]

We're using SOTW 1 this year, and have really enjoyed it. However, I chose to teach the Biblical accounts myself and skipped the Old Testament sections altogether.

[toddandleah]

I wish! I had hoped to achieve that this year and I am flopping at it. We are using mainly Truthquest and while the commentary is from a Christian viewpoint most of the reading is not. So it seems Bible only gets mentioned once in awhile. It is important to me I am just not good at doing it on my own. I love the style of SOTW the extra reading suggestions and of course the great projects but I do prefer it from a Christian viewpoint.

 

Have you checked out the H.A. Guerber histories by Nothing New Press? They are from a Christian perspective and are narrative in style. We have the Story of the Ancient World. We're studying Old Testament/Ancient Egypt this year. I supplemented with SOTW for more information on Egypt.

 

HTH,

Leah

[Kates]

You might find Mystery of History works better for you - it integrates Bible pretty firmly into the teaching, but doesn't gloss over the other stuff. Also, the new Diana Waring books (published by Answers in Genesis, I believe) are incredible, and are taught according to the 4-year cycle. (It's what we'll be using after we finish US history.)

 

SotW does include some Biblical characters, but they're included as stories that come from a certain culture, much like the lesson on the epic of Gilgamesh. Abraham, Moses, etc. are almost treated more like legends. Ds really didn't like that part, but it gave us some good conversation topics.

[thowell]

I have been eying the Diana Warning series. What level or age is that recommended for?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I personally would not call it a Christian curriculum. It does talk about biblical events- but it does in the same way as it does about Islam and such. That being said we still love SOTW for elementary history. I do MOH for the next cycle and that is MUCH more biblical!

[Kates]

I have been eying the Diana Warning series. What level or age is that recommended for?

 

The straight curric is for 5th-12th, but there is a really good activity guide to go along with it for K-4th - and there are SO many great reading and activity ideas in it, you can easily tweak it down and use it for all three cycles. Heck, you could take multiple kids through all three cycles with it and never run out of ideas! :D

[catz]

We love SOTW. One of the reasons we love it is because it is NOT Biblical (we are secular homeschoolers even though we are Christian). There is a small amount of Biblical content in SOTW 1, but the book is definitely not written through a lens of the Bible as an authority on truth in history.

 

:iagree: And we are not Christian. We are Unitarian.

[Farrar]

This thread is kind of funny because many secular homeschoolers don't like SOTW because they think it's too Christian.

 

We're secular homeschoolers and while I do see some Christian bias, we use it and I think it's not an extreme bias. I think SWB did a good job trying to please everyone. Nothing's perfect, but different families can supplement it in different ways and you're expected to supplement it with other texts and activities anyway. However, if the OP wants a single program for history and bible, then this obviously isn't it.

[justamouse]

I like it because it's Christian, but not hard denominational in any way.

[Tonia]

We are using SOTW 1 and I find it very easy to add more Bible history into our studies. Just this week we're learning about Assyria and the library of Nineveh so it was very easy to add in some of Israel's history as it relates to Assyria and we'll add the story of Jonah when we read about Nineveh. So I wouldn't necessarily avoid it because of the lack of Bible (like someone else said - the basics are there - Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Jesus; you'll just need to fill it in a bit more).

[thowell]

The straight curric is for 5th-12th, but there is a really good activity guide to go along with it for K-4th - and there are SO many great reading and activity ideas in it, you can easily tweak it down and use it for all three cycles. Heck, you could take multiple kids through all three cycles with it and never run out of ideas! :D

 

Just went and looked at this again. I didn't even realize they had the activity guide. This is looking great! is there a resource list anywhere so I can see upfront exactly what I will need?

[Snowfall]

This thread is kind of funny because many secular homeschoolers don't like SOTW because they think it's too Christian.

 

We're secular homeschoolers and while I do see some Christian bias, we use it and I think it's not an extreme bias. I think SWB did a good job trying to please everyone. Nothing's perfect, but different families can supplement it in different ways and you're expected to supplement it with other texts and activities anyway. However, if the OP wants a single program for history and bible, then this obviously isn't it.

 

I agree.

[SpiritCatcher]

I would also like to know just what you need to order for this program. I just checked it on Amazon then noticed I was looking at a test and answer key for around $9.00

[thowell]

I would also like to know just what you need to order for this program. I just checked it on Amazon then noticed I was looking at a test and answer key for around $9.00

 

Which program are you referring to?

[SpiritCatcher]

STOW 1 ~ not even sure if these go by grade level.

[Kates]

Just went and looked at this again. I didn't even realize they had the activity guide. This is looking great! is there a resource list anywhere so I can see upfront exactly what I will need?

 

I believe you can download the first chapter from the site so that you can see how it's set up; it does one chapter per month, with each week geared toward a different learning style (so there's something for everyone, and the info is layered but not repetitive). It gives a wide library suggestion list (most of them you should be able to find at the library or through www.librivox.com) and the child gets to pick from projects throughout the month.

 

For example, during the first month of Ancients, my son decided to research metallurgy (regarding Tubal-Cain teaching/leading the metal-workers) and did a project making an embossed metal clock (from materials we had and a few supplies from Hobby Lobby) and listened to some GA Henty books that we already have on MP3. Those were two of probably 30+ choices that were in there, and met his needs. There are creative ideas that don't require any supplies (write a song, choreograph a dance to classical music that tells of creation, write a skit that tells about the Tower of Babel, etc.).

 

We love it! Ds decided to take a side trip into American history and government for a while (he's a fairly random child lol), but we'll be going back to the Diana Waring curric when we're done with that. Hope that helps!

[MamaSheep]

I would also like to know just what you need to order for this program. I just checked it on Amazon then noticed I was looking at a test and answer key for around $9.00

 

STOW 1 ~ not even sure if these go by grade level.

 

 

As far as grade level, if I remember correctly SOTW 1 is originally intended for use by kids in grades 1-3, SOTW 2 for grades 2-4, SOTW 3 for kids in grades 3-5, and SOTW 4 for grades 4-6. People are using them for older kids, though, by treating it as a spine and supplementing with other books. I believe the test packets were made to help expand the age level for which the books are appropriate, but are not really recommended for use by the littlest learners.

 

I think you could get by just fine with just the SOTW book and supplementing it with library books on the same topics covered in each chapter. As a minimum.

 

However, the Activity Guide book is a good resource for coordinating craft activities and games, a list of suggested books to look for at the library (there's no way you could read them all, you just pick one or two here and there as appropriate and available) and it also includes review questions, map activities, and coloring pages that help round things out nicely. You can purchase an extra set of student activity pages for each child separately if you want, but it's not really necessary as you can copy the student pages out of the activity book for use in your home.

 

The AG also has coordinated reading pages listed for each of four children's history encyclopedias, and we've found that reading these pages helps by adding additional information and pictures (SOTW doesn't have many pictures). For dd we're using the Usborne Internet-Linked encyclopedia listed, which we like because they also have a website where we can find online activities as well as downloadable illustrations from the book that work well to illustrate my children's notebook pages. Our 8th grader sits with us through our SOTW read-aloud time and then goes and reads from a more advanced encyclopedia and does outlining and additional reading as recommended for logic stage in the WTM. He also does the map exercises with us, and we have him do the tests. Dd doesn't do the tests, as her reading skills aren't quite up to snuff for that yet. She does a lapbook booklet and a narration page for each chapter, and the kids are both allowed to choose whether to put the coloring page in their notebooks too.

[Brenda in FL]

I like SOTW because it is religiously neutral and does not impose someone else's interpretation of scripture on my kids. It does include stories about Biblical figures such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, and it tells the story of Jesus and how Christianity began, but it just tells the story, it doesn't delve into what the stories mean, or how we should apply the principles from the stories into our own lives. It allows each parent to discuss these things with the child in the context of their own beliefs. I like that about it. It doesn't leave out religion or denegrate it in any way, it is just very matter of fact about "this is the story" and leaves it at that. We use other resources for religious studies.

 

:iagree: I too appreciate the "neutral" aspect of SOTW. I found it very easy in SOTW1 to incorporate reading a Children's Bible Story Book (I chose Ergermeiers, and I have no idea if I spelled that correctly!). Chapter 2 of SOTW1 fits in nicely after the Tower of Babel.

 

For other volumes of SOTW you can choose other church history resources depending on the ages of your children. However, the activity guides do not list church history resources - unless it directly pertains to a chapter reading. (i.e. some saints, biblical figures, etc.)

[thowell]

So for Ancient Civilizations and Bible the basic things I would need is the Teacher manual, Student guide, and activity book. No other major resources to purchase? I did look at the sample and it looks great!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I love the look of SOTW. I love the way it is written and the extras to go with it. However, I have always went in another direction because so many people have told me it is very weak biblically. Do you all feel this. If you use the extras that come with it is it enough Bible mix with history?

 

A friend of ours was on home leave from a short term missions experience prepping her for long term missions. She mentioned that she'd been talking with another missionary who'd served in the region for decades. She wanted to know what books she should be reading to get ready.

 

His recommendation? He told her, "The Bible's pretty good."

 

He wasn't the sort of person who goes out and thinks that culture doesn't matter. It's just that he thinks that actual knowledge of the Bible matters more than studying the cultural standards of the target audience. (In other words, while Paul knew about the gods, philosophers and poets of the Greeks, he knew more about the message that he was presenting.)

 

What does this have to do with SOTW? I think that SOTW is a great history approach. I have not found anything that I think runs in an anti-Biblical path. There are areas where we need to go to our Bibles in order to get the whole story or what came before or what came next. I think it is easy for the perfect to be the enemy of the good. It would be wonderful if there were a perfect program that would incorporate history, language arts and even math and science in an integrated way that brings the student and teacher closer to a relationship with God.

 

I just don't think such a program exists. Or that if it did, it would, being written by man, be tied closely to denominational beliefs that may or may not fit what our family holds as true.

 

I think SOTW is a great history program for elementary. And paired up with the Bible (not even necessarily a Bible curriculum, just reading the Bible), it is pretty powerful.

 

 

Or to put it more succinctly, I don't look for a piano teacher who only assigns hymns. I do expect my kids to study piano and practice diligently, even at Yankee Doodle, so they will grow the skills that allow them to play for the glory of God.

 

 

With that, I'm off to review catechism.

[Kates]

So for Ancient Civilizations and Bible the basic things I would need is the Teacher manual, Student guide, and activity book. No other major resources to purchase? I did look at the sample and it looks great!

 

I purchased the audio supps as well (True Tales and What in the World's Going On?), but mainly because my son is pretty much the most auditory child on the face of the planet ;) But yep, other than the optional audios, those three things are all you need to purchase. It's all inclusive, and IMO is as good as it looks :D

[Crimson Wife]

If you plan on doing a thorough treatment of Biblical history intermixed with SOTW 1, you should probably allot 1 1/2 or even 2 years to Ancients. On my old laptop I had an excellent list of which Bible stories go where in the timeline, but sadly that computer died :glare:

[Brindee]

We are YE Christians and really enjoyed SOTW 1! We took 2 years to do ancients, since there were so many things we found to bring into it! I think the AG should be mandatory! ;) It had so many neat ideas, which led us to other things, which led to even more..... My kids learned sooo much! Lots of hands on to make it more interesting and fun!

 

We used www.timelinesetc.com and had a timeline on a hallway wall with the secular things on the bottom and Biblical things on the top. We used the Bible too, and they worked on the maps in the AG. It was so great to compare what was happening in the Bible at the same time some other things in the world were happening! We'd heard about each thing, but were then able to see how things were happening at the same time in different parts of the world. We LOVED that!

 

It was very easy to implement the SOTW story book, AG and the info. and figures from Timelines Etc.! That was our best two years ever! You should see the stuffed notebook they made. They are still on the shelf. DD is using her timeline book and adding to it this year. She's in 9th grade now, and studying ancient history again.

[shanvan]

So for Ancient Civilizations and Bible the basic things I would need is the Teacher manual, Student guide, and activity book. No other major resources to purchase? I did look at the sample and it looks great!

 

Depending on the ages of your children, and what projects or extra research you may decide to do, you may need extra books or materials. Many of these you will be able to find at the library or in your home, however, Diana does reference and suggest some books that are out of print. With younger children you probably won't need much beyond the books you mentioned above. You might want to purchase the audios. They are helpful to the parent too. I have listened to them while on the treadmill just to refresh my memory.

 

I am basing all of the above on an older edition I have, not the current one, so recommended resources may be different now. My experience was that (like TOG) in order for my middle schooler to really get enough from Ancient Civilizations and The Bible, we needed extra resources. BUT, that doesn't mean it isn't a great curriculum. It's wonderful and I appreciate that Diana is very up front about the various controversies surrounding many of the archeological finds. Also appreciate that she sticks to young earth resources. Several other programs (purporting to be young earth) we used have recommended books that included old earth dates and an old earth point of view without even telling us, or making any adjustments. They just left us on our own to reconcile the info. Then there was another popular history curriculum that never bothers to mention any of the controversies and instead just picks a point of view and presents it as though it were the only one. I really get bothered by that!

 

Shannon

 

[thowell]

A friend of ours was on home leave from a short term missions experience prepping her for long term missions. She mentioned that she'd been talking with another missionary who'd served in the region for decades. She wanted to know what books she should be reading to get ready.

 

His recommendation? He told her, "The Bible's pretty good."

 

He wasn't the sort of person who goes out and thinks that culture doesn't matter. It's just that he thinks that actual knowledge of the Bible matters more than studying the cultural standards of the target audience. (In other words, while Paul knew about the gods, philosophers and poets of the Greeks, he knew more about the message that he was presenting.)

 

What does this have to do with SOTW? I think that SOTW is a great history approach. I have not found anything that I think runs in an anti-Biblical path. There are areas where we need to go to our Bibles in order to get the whole story or what came before or what came next. I think it is easy for the perfect to be the enemy of the good. It would be wonderful if there were a perfect program that would incorporate history, language arts and even math and science in an integrated way that brings the student and teacher closer to a relationship with God.

 

I just don't think such a program exists. Or that if it did, it would, being written by man, be tied closely to denominational beliefs that may or may not fit what our family holds as true.

 

I think SOTW is a great history program for elementary. And paired up with the Bible (not even necessarily a Bible curriculum, just reading the Bible), it is pretty powerful.

 

 

Or to put it more succinctly, I don't look for a piano teacher who only assigns hymns. I do expect my kids to study piano and practice diligently, even at Yankee Doodle, so they will grow the skills that allow them to play for the glory of God.

 

 

With that, I'm off to review catechism.

 

 

This sounds great but my biggest fear is not knowing exactly when to add what! I have knowledge of the OT and NT but I worry if I will know when to add the biblical. Does SOTW lay this out for you at all? Any guides to help you know when to add what?

[MamaSheep]

This sounds great but my biggest fear is not knowing exactly when to add what! I have knowledge of the OT and NT but I worry if I will know when to add the biblical. Does SOTW lay this out for you at all? Any guides to help you know when to add what?

 

What works best for us is to just study the Bible and history separately and then mark the dates on the same timeline so we can see how they match up. We have some printed timelines for the Old and New Testaments to help us with dates.

 

The thing is, I often want to spend more time on a portion of scripture than would fit in well with history study. Because SOTW is trying to cram a lot of history into a child-size study it really can't get into the kind of depth I want my kids to have when it comes to scripture. SOTW has to cram the whole story of Christ and the birth of Christianity into one chapter and keep moving. I want to spend a year with my kids in the New Testament and really digest it. So to me it makes sense to study the two separately, but to use the timeline to learn about how they interconnect.

[Homemama2]

I think it 'tries' to be neutral, so some find it too secular, some too biblical and others just right. Personally I feel it is a secular curriculum. While I do like SOTW, I do not like all the mythology in it, so I went through it this summer and wrote down the pages I want to cover and we are skipping all the myths. There are a few stories that include bible characters (Abraham etc) but I MUCH prefer reading straight from the bible on these, so we do that instead. I do really like the activity guide. I think this is about the only thing out there for this age group (I'm talking about SOTW 1) for ancient history. Another book I use and like is Story of The Ancient World by Christine Miller (this is the same as the H. Guerber book someone else mentioned). This book is geared for slightly older kids than 1st grade (maybe 3rd on up? depending on your child), but is much more biblically based. HTH!

Edited October 6, 2010 by Homemama2

[imhim]

I started out liking SOTW 1 and2, but now in 2 I am fiding it is a lot of work to add the Bible in it. Now we do some church history using Veritas Press, soem Greenleaf stories - I don't know, I would love a more Christian curriculum. I am thinking I will be moving away from SOTW pretty soon. I do have the guide for Roma and middle ages by Diana Waring and lookds REALLY good. I may be switching to that.

Later on, in higher grades I may use the Notgrass company.

[thowell]

I started out liking SOTW 1 and2, but now in 2 I am fiding it is a lot of work to add the Bible in it. Now we do some church history using Veritas Press, soem Greenleaf stories - I don't know, I would love a more Christian curriculum. I am thinking I will be moving away from SOTW pretty soon. I do have the guide for Roma and middle ages by Diana Waring and lookds REALLY good. I may be switching to that.

Later on, in higher grades I may use the Notgrass company.

 

 

Yes, the Notgrass looks really good.

[Donna A.]

Thowell, have you ever looked into My Father's World? I'm thinking you have, but don't recall why you decided against it.... I do think it fits what you're looking for in a history-and-Bible integrated course, though.

 

(Note that they don't use volume 1 of SOTW, but do use 2-4.)

[Miss Sherry]

thowell, If you would like to coordinate SOTW with Egermeier's Story Bible here is a link with a schedule. Egermeier's Story Bible is very well done.

It can be purchased at Christian Books.com http://www.christianbook.com/egermeiers-bible-story-book-hardcover/elsie-egermeier/9781593173357/pd/17335X?item_code=WW&netp_id=562680&event=ESRCN&view=details

 

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/sotw1eger.htm

 

Here's a link with a list of several resources that can be coordinated with SOTW

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SOTWmenu.htm

 

There's also a chart if you would like to coordinate The Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos with SOTW. This is another very well done child's story Bible. It has more text than the one by Egermeier but they are both good choices. The Child's Story Bible by Vos is also available at http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=the+childs+story+bible+vos&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search=

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/chowsotw.htm

Edited October 7, 2010 by Miss Sherry
to add links

[thowell]

Thowell, have you ever looked into My Father's World? I'm thinking you have, but don't recall why you decided against it.... I do think it fits what you're looking for in a history-and-Bible integrated course, though.

 

(Note that they don't use volume 1 of SOTW, but do use 2-4.)

 

 

I would LOVE MFW. Alas, I have not been able to afford it. I am stuck trying to piece together my own.

[thowell]

thowell, If you would like to coordinate SOTW with Egermeier's Story Bible here is a link with a schedule. Egermeier's Story Bible is very well done.

It can be purchased at Christian Books.com http://www.christianbook.com/egermeiers-bible-story-book-hardcover/elsie-egermeier/9781593173357/pd/17335X?item_code=WW&netp_id=562680&event=ESRCN&view=details

 

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/sotw1eger.htm

 

Here's a link with a list of several resources that can be coordinated with SOTW

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SOTWmenu.htm

 

There's also a chart if you would like to coordinate The Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos with SOTW. This is another very well done child's story Bible. It has more text than the one by Egermeier but they are both good choices. The Child's Story Bible by Vos is also available at http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=the+childs+story+bible+vos&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search=

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/chowsotw.htm

 

 

Ok thanks these look great. Now question; we only use the KJV for our Bible, so I should still be able to use one of these schedules and just pull our Bible readings from the KJV right?

[Miss Sherry]

Ok thanks these look great. Now question; we only use the KJV for our Bible, so I should still be able to use one of these schedules and just pull our Bible readings from the KJV right?

If you use the schedule for the Egermeier's Story Bible the stories are listed in the schedule, for example " Joseph Becomes a Slave " but it does not tell you the book or chapter in the Bible, just the page number the stories are in the Egermeier's Story Bible.

 

Of course you could find them yourself by using the index in your Bible, if it has one. You could also use http://www.biblegateway.com to look up the information.

 

You may want to post a new thread here and ask if anyone has made up a schedule to coordianate the Bible, with chapters and verses listed, to SOTW. You may even find one with a google. search.

[Donna A.]

I would LOVE MFW. Alas, I have not been able to afford it. I am stuck trying to piece together my own.

 

Have you checked the MFW curriculum yahoo group? You can probably find it used, or just get the TM and MFW-specific items directly and then piece together the non-MFW items from other places.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Ok thanks these look great. Now question; we only use the KJV for our Bible, so I should still be able to use one of these schedules and just pull our Bible readings from the KJV right?

 

I think if you use the Egermeier's schedule as a list of events/stories that correspond with specific SOTW chapters that you would be able to print out the schedule mashup and jott down to the side what the references you want to use would be.

 

Or you could use the story headings to help you find the stories in a children's retelling that you can use with younger kids if they aren't proficent readers yet.

[imhim]

Thowell, I gave up on SOTW 2 for two reasons this week - one, it is not biblical, and second, although we have the books and the cds and listens to them, my dd does not retain anything.

I started Diana Waring's Activity guide for ROme, reformers, etc..., and we like it - it uses a lot of NT Bible as textbook - for the beginning of the church. Has questions, too, like SOTW, and I can ask for narration from dd. I can add in map work, no problem. Just SO much more Christian. I am really not worried for not being as complete as SOTW. Not for second grade. And I will add the middle ages cards from Veritas PRess.

[leann_in_tx]

Have you looked at Biblioplan at all? http://www.biblioplan.net/

 

It teaches the WTM history cycle from a Christian perspective, using SOTW. It's mostly a reading schedule, but they have some teacher notes now that can be purchased separately. I was looking through the free sample on their site one time and it gave a lot of Biblical insight into ancient history.

[thowell]

Have you looked at Biblioplan at all? http://www.biblioplan.net/

 

It teaches the WTM history cycle from a Christian perspective, using SOTW. It's mostly a reading schedule, but they have some teacher notes now that can be purchased separately. I was looking through the free sample on their site one time and it gave a lot of Biblical insight into ancient history.

 

Thank you for this. After looking through the parent companion I think I am pretty solid on going in a different direction than SOTW. We are young earth and I am really seeking something with more Christianity weaved in. I want my children to be taught that God is the center point and other people and things in history come second. I appreciate all the thoughts and ideas on this. I am liking more and more the look of Diana Waring's Ancient Civilizations and Bible. Thanks again all!

[shanvan]

Thowell, I gave up on SOTW 2 for two reasons this week - one, it is not biblical, and second, although we have the books and the cds and listens to them, my dd does not retain anything.

I started Diana Waring's Activity guide for ROme, reformers, etc..., and we like it - it uses a lot of NT Bible as textbook - for the beginning of the church. Has questions, too, like SOTW, and I can ask for narration from dd. I can add in map work, no problem. Just SO much more Christian. I am really not worried for not being as complete as SOTW. Not for second grade. And I will add the middle ages cards from Veritas PRess.

 

 

Sorry to hijack this thread, BUT....can you give me an example of something from SOTW 2 that shows it is not Biblical? I skipped the first book for the same reason, but thought the 2nd would be okay to use because it is mostly not covering Biblical history. I only glanced through it, though. I'm wondering if I'm not going to be happy with it in the long run. I had it scheduled to be part of our history for later this year.

 

 

Shannon

[imhim]

Shannon,

The way other religions are presented (as "just as good") - thinking of Ch. 6, and Ch. 7 (Islam - others too, but I stopped here)- comparing to how DIana Waring starts her Ch.3 about Byzantinum and Muslims - are completely different. DW starts with looking in the Bible at the diety of Christ and talking about how in the islam, Muhammad is consider the last prophet for muslims. But this is not what the Bible said, because Christ is the fulfillment of everything up until then and nothing more is needed. SOTW does not enter these details. But presents all religions as the same. DW does show the difference in the Bible. To ME this is very important. It does not have to be this way with everybody.

So yes, if you put the time and energy, you can add what the Bible says by yourself, but for me the little $10 activity book from DW saved a lot of time and sanity and made my "history" life easier.

I still think for each chapter in DW activity book I will add the coloring pages from SOTW and maybe some of the projects, map work, etc. SOTW is good just not exactly what we want. And my kids get bored with Jim Weis voice on the cd...

Again, what I liked about DW is that it uses the Bible as history textbook. Yes, you have to add reading from other resources, that I already have from Veritas PRess - like Greenleaf Famous Men and others. I think this will work for us and will help my child see more of how God works through history. This, God's way of working through history and cultures - is completely missing in SOTW.

 

Everyone is looking for different things in their teaching. I think I found what I was looking for.