History, 3 kids different ages, help.

[lynnws]

Hi, I am new here and new to homeschooling. My kids are 13,9 and 6. Can I use the SOTW Ancient for all 3? At the same time?

 

thanks,

Lynn

[TKDmom]

Hi, I am new here and new to homeschooling. My kids are 13,9 and 6. Can I use the SOTW Ancient for all 3? At the same time?

 

 

I think you could, but you'd want to add in a lot more reading, researching, and writing/outlining for the 13yo, and maybe some for the 9yo as well.

[Mallory]

It will be great for your 6 and 9yos. I would get the Activity Guide, they'll be able to do the activites together and most families really enjoy SOTW 1 (we are using for the second time.)

 

It can be a spine for your 13yo, but probably isn't enough on its own. If she is also reading from one of the history encyclopedias referenced (I believe there are page numbers for 4 different encyclopedias in the Activity Guide) and doing some papers and other middle school level work, then it is possible to use SOTW for all.

 

But for your first year homeschooling it also might be easier to find the oldest a separate program. Maybe History Odyssey Level 2 if you want a secular program she can do on her own. I'd recomend you look around a little more for the oldest before deciding to do it with all three.

[delaney]

I am new to this but from what I am seeing with SOTW you definitely can! There are so many great books that are listed that your oldest could read those and do more with writing from programs like IEW with the content. I am loving that my girls are 4 years apart but they seem to be gleaning different levels from SOTW as their little minds see fit.

[lynnws]

Can you recommend something for my older two? My 7th grader was going to be covering Ancient times this yr in ps.

 

Lynn

[Mallory]

My 9 and 11yo are using SOTW 1. I think it is great for my 9yo, so much better than when we did it the first time when he was 5.

 

Together they listen to the section on CD, then we go over the review quetions and they write a narration about the section (9yo 1-3 sentances, 11yo paragraph). They might also draw a picture or do the coloring page and glue it in thier narration notebook. Then we do the mapwork and some of the activities. My 11yo reads from the history encyclopedias (someday I hope to do some outlining, but we haven't started yet).

 

We also read lots of extra books from the library. I do try to find the ones in the Activity Guide, but there are so many good books out there it usually isn't hard to find plenty to read. Some I read aloud, some they read to themselves, and some they read aloud to the little ones.

 

I think if I were going to pick something for a 13yo today I would pick History Odyssey Level 2 Ancients or K12's Human Odyssey. If they were good readers I might pick do Sonlights Core 6.

 

 

 

Here some threads that might help!

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158963&highlight=ancient+logic

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173814&highlight=ancient+logic

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169749&highlight=ancient+logic

 

Lots of ideas here-

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122868&highlight=ancient+logic

 

This one explains what kind of things others are doing to make SOTW harder-

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169152&highlight=ancient+logic

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143790&highlight=ancient+logic

Edited October 7, 2010 by Mallory

[robsiew]

I would. Keep it simple your first year! I would suggest looking at WTM recommendations for adding additional reading/writing for your 13 y/o. You could reassess after this year to see if she needs something different. I also suggest the Activity Guide for SOTW. Invaluable!

[ArizonaGirl]

My twelve-year-old and six-year-old are both doing SOTW together this year. My older son is using Sonlight Core 6 and is supposed to read SOTW to his younger brother (though he often won't and I end up reading it to both of them together--we still have problems getting my older boy to do any of his work on his own) every time it is assigned. He then goes on to do the remaining assignments in the core while I go over the SOTW Study Guide with my younger son.

 

If you aren't interested in spending much on an additional program, you may still want to look over Sonlight Core 6 to see which books are added in. You may be able to get them from the library and choose what works best for your family.

 

By doing both programs at once, I am supposed to be saving time (when older brother actually reads to younger brother), and both boys will cover the first two books of SOTW together this year, and the next two books next year. This leaves us free to do a year or two of American History or whatever else the next year or two.

 

ETA: My ten-year-old always sneaks into the room to listen in as well. He especially loves the read-alouds from Sonlight Core 6. I'm not sure those would be best with a nine-year-old, but you could choose books to read aloud that all three children would enjoy (or at least the older two together for additional history beyond SOTW). Just another thought....

 

Best wishes choosing the best options for your children.

Edited October 7, 2010 by ArizonaGirl

[Carrie12345]

I'm doing SOTW 2 with my 12, 8, and 7yos. We took 2 years to do volume 1 before this.

 

My oldest does History Odyssey in conjunction with SOTW, my 8yo is expected to answer some more in depth questions, and my 7yo is expected to just get the gist of it. All 3 say it's their favorite subject. :001_smile:

[lynnws]

Thank you all so much for you input! I looked at History Odyssey for my oldest, I really like what I saw, so he may do that too.

 

I will look at Sonlight too.

 

thanks,

Lynn

[lynnws]

I am looking at History Odyssey and I think I may use the level 1 for my younger 2, then level 2 for my oldest. Does anyone use the level 1?

 

Next up is Science, I have no idea what I am going to use!

 

thanks,

Lynn

[bnbacademy]

Winterpromise curriculum has helped us work together on the same Ancient History theme. It has older and younger guides. We supplement with readers from Veritas Press and Sonlight.

 

http://www.winterpromise.com/ancient_world.html

[Mallory]

I have looked and looked at History Odyssey. I really thought we would do it this year (4th and 5th) and I do think it is a good choice for your oldest, BUT I really think just SOTW is better for younger kids. (And, like I said before, we are really enjoying SOTW again).

 

Either way you need SOTW, right? I would encourage you to get it, look at it, maybe try the first chapter before you decide you need to buy more.

 

There have been several posts about History Odyssey here with people who have actually used it ;)

[lynnws]

Right I do need it anyway, I will get that first and see.

 

Science for all 3? I know my 7th grader was going to be doing physical,earth,life I believe in ps. Not sure what to get.

 

What do the younger ones need? I am not sure what or how much they would be doing in ps.

 

thanks,

Lynn

[Mallory]

How are you feeling about the 3R's?

 

Have you already started those? Do the books you have seem to be working?

 

It is going to take a while to figure out how this whole thing is going to work.

 

How are the kids going to change when they are around each other all day everyday? Thier relationships will change and it can be rocky at the beginning.

 

How are you going to handle having everyone home for 3 meals + snacks everyday? I know many kids who go to school often only eat one meal at home everyday, and simply the change in having to plan, shop for, make, and clean up after all those meals can be and adjustment ;) Never mind the rest of the house or school.

 

What I am really trying to say here is don't spend too much money or time figuring out the extras right now. I do think science is important and it is one of our favorite subjects, but it is hard for even experienced homeschoolers to choose which one. In a few months or even next Sept. you'll have a better idea of what to do. If you feel you can't ignore it entirely pick something that intrests everyone and read some books about it or get some movies.

 

It is okay to take several months off to just enjoy each other before jumping into academics too. Some people recomend a month per year they were in school. This is a chance to figure out some of those things I mentioned above but also to make learning fun again. Read them a book you enjoyed at that age, tell jokes, make cookies, watch birds, make baking soda and vinegar volcanos just for fun, have picnics, go pick apples at a pick your own orchard, spend the night at grandmas on a week night. Enjoy yourselves for a while!

[lynnws]

My oldest is doing Saxon 7/6 and their grammar/lang. He has been doing those for a month or so. My youngest have been doing time4learning, but since I have found TWTM I am switching them to something else. I just had them doing time4learning because we moved after the school yr started and that is when we decided to homeschool rather than start a new school.

 

Lynn

[Mallory]

Since you are still feeling your way through this, I really think the longer you wait to start spending money the less you will waste.

 

You are going to buy some things that won't work and buying a little at a time and seeing how things go before spending more is a good idea.

[TKDmom]

Right I do need it anyway, I will get that first and see.

 

Science for all 3? I know my 7th grader was going to be doing physical,earth,life I believe in ps. Not sure what to get.

 

What do the younger ones need? I am not sure what or how much they would be doing in ps.

 

thanks,

Lynn

 

You know, I've tried 4 different science curricula in the last 2 years. I think I've finally found one that I like. But I feel like I wasted a lot of money, and if I had it to do over again I would have held off on choosing science for 6 months. That would have saved me some stress and I probably wouldn't have gotten those first 2 curricula that didn't work for me.