Combining History/grammar & logic/SOTW activity book and HO level 2 guide...

[ThreeBlessings]

Next year we will be studying the Middle Ages with dd, who is 10 and will be in the logic stage, and ds, who is 9 and will be in the grammar stage. I've purchased both the SOTW activity book and the level 2 guide from History Odyssey. This will be the first time having a student in the logic stage and I'm new to classical homeschooling as we just started this approach in July 2010. I like how the HO guide lays out what to do in specifics for a logic age student and think this will really help me. I've used the SOTW activity book for Ancients this year and intend to keep using it next year for ds. So I'd like to use both resources. My problem is that they both take a different course in order. I'm not sure if I should follow the order of the SOTW activity book and therefore the SOTW Middle Ages book's chapters (chronological), or if I should follow the HO guides order which is grouped more by topic and would have you reading the SOTW chapters out of turn. Has anyone used both? Which way did you choose? Would one way seem easier than the other? I like the idea of following the SOTW order, but it seems there is so much more depth to the HO guide as far as instructions and I wonder if it would be less confusing to just use the HO order.

[mathmom]

:bigear:

 

I'm actually entering into the Ancient world with a 9 and 7 year old and would love to hear what you thought of HO for that time period. Do you think it would be fine at level one for both of my girls?

[ThreeBlessings]

I think it would be fine. :) I used it this year for a 3rd and 5th grader. Although I am currently transitioning the 5th grader into the logic stage mid year. I also recommend the SOTW activity book. It seems more open and go than the HO level 1 guides. SOTW activity book also has questions and narration guides, more maps, and coloring pages, as well as reading suggestions. I'd recommend the SOTW activity book for the grammar stage before I would the HO guides. The only reason to use the HO over the SOTW is if you want to study more by topic and country than chronologically. Or if you'd rather not use SOTW at all HO would be a good choice as it offers the Usborne History Encyclopedia as a spine and other suggested books. You can look at the sample of HO online and see the order of the lessons vs the SOTW activity book which takes the order of lessons by doing the SOTW book chapters in order. Using HO you will be doing the SOTW chapters out of order if you plan to use SOTW. Neither option covers prehistory, so if you'd like to study that you're pretty much on your own. We just read several pages of The Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of World History a day and used library books, movies, and games to supplement.

[Brenda in FL]

We had this combo last year when my logic stage student was in 6th grade. It won't match up directly - but I found it easier to switch my SOTW order. However, my son did HO pretty much on his own. Loosely matching it up probably helped me focus on both my logic and grammar students rather than being beneficial for the kids. It also helps when you want to do extra things like watch Errol Flynn in Robin Hood and make Viking ships and villages and then pillage one anothers creations!!

[AngelBee]

We are doing this using HO schedule. :)

[Capt_Uhura]

IN a rush, but try searching the K-8 forum. I know someone posted a schedule linking SOTW and HO. Several have tried it but I know a couple of posters said that the older DC in HO ended up working more independently so it really wasn't necessary to line them up. I have my DS10 in HO Ancients 2 and my 2nd grader in SOTW1 Ancients. I'm not bothering to line them up. My 2nd grader wanted to do more w/ Mesopotamia that DS10 and i were doing in Human Odyssey so I let him. NOw both will be moving into Egypt together.