grace'smom Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 OK, I have everything settled for next year except history. I keep going back and forth over what to do for history. We are in Classical Conversations, and they are going to be doing American History (although it's a very fast pace). I have SOTW 1 with the Activity Guide, and I recently purchased CHOW. I am trying to decide between doing first grade Ancients or first grade American History. Pros of doing SOTW 1: It's already set up for me. All I need to do if follow the guide and add in library extras. It's meant for her age group. The following year in CC all the history sentences will have meaning for Grace and help her recall her learning from first grade. Pros of doing American History for 1: It will mesh with what she's learning at CC as long as I can keep up the same pace, and American history is fun. CONS of American History: I'm a new homeschool mom and I'll have to adapt something meant for older homeschoolers. I'm not sure it's worth the effort just so that her history sentences match up to her curriculum. I'm kind of leaning toward just doing SOTW 1 and adding in library books about some of the history topics from CC here and there... Any thoughts? I've heard lots of moms talking about what to do and I'm wondering if anyone else is considering just doing Ancients for first grade despite the CC schedule. Sorry this is so long- my husband says I always write so much that no one will read it. :lol: Thanks! Hailey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 We are in CC this year and I strongly suggest that you follow CC's history outline. I tried to do my own thing for history at home while dd was studying something different in history at CC and it was a mess!!! After Christmas break, I put her on the same track as CC and things are going much better! This is what I am planning on using next year to go with cycle three: http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/curriculum.html There is American History part 1 and part 2. I will be looking at the topics and putting the topics with what we are studying in CC. Just wanted you to know my experience with this issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I think if you do decide to do American history there are other curriculums that would work for 1st grade. Or you could just get books on the topics they are doing in CC and call it good. Maybe it also makes sense to wait and start CC next year, but start Ancients this year. I am sure you needed some more options to think about ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace'smom Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 I think if you do decide to do American history there are other curriculums that would work for 1st grade. Or you could just get books on the topics they are doing in CC and call it good. Maybe it also makes sense to wait and start CC next year, but start Ancients this year. I am sure you needed some more options to think about ;) That's another thought I had- maybe I should just do a quick run through CHOW before we start up next year? If I started now I could probably get through it before the end of the summer. But I don't have any lesson plans or anything set up for it. Just the book. So I would just read it to her and hope for the best, LOL. Thanks so much for the tip about CC cycles. I am glad to hear from someone who has been there and done that. Maybe the SOTW 1 idea isn't as logical as I was starting to think it was...:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Does your child have a preference? If so, I'd go with whichever she's wanting to do. Not that I think that is always appropriate, but for first-grade history, I think it would be fine. If something's already caught her interest, I think capitalizing on that will go a long way toward encouraging a life-long interest in history. (And I know nothing about CC, fwiw, and haven't looked at SOTW1 yet, though we like SOTW2. Starting with your country's history in first grade makes a lot of sense to me though, because of the personal relevance, although I am sure SOTW1 would be a lot of fun too, and the chronological aspect does appeal to a part of me.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty Mathy Mom Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I would stick with CC for history just for sanity purposes. Flesh it out with some library books. But if you have your heart set on SOTW, maybe you could get the SOTW CDs. My kids listen to them like stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in FL Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I have 3 kids and we are in our second cycle thru history and we are spending our first year at CC this year. If I was in your place - I'd stick with American History and flesh it out with books at home and maybe get the map trek maps from Knowledge quest. Do narrations from your library books and pick up some coloring books. You can use the History sentences for copywork and end up with a very nice notebook by year end! (All without buying and trying to customize another history program!) I wish I could do this with my youngest - but I've got my olders all caught up in their WTM cycle (which meshes somewhat with both cycle 2 and 3 anyway - the last two years of the WTM history cycle). Pick up SOTW 1 in second grade when CC goes back to Cycle 1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsrae Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Grace'sMom: I am TOTALLY in the same situation! Except next year will be our second full year in CC (we started last year in January, half-way through cycle 1), so I can see what CC does in all of the cycles. Because CC is in three year cycles, it does not mesh perfectly with SOTW, or most classical history programs! I am trying to figure out the best curriculum to do with first grade history, but I have for sure decided to do American history. (I have two younger daughters, so if I keep them together in history...when they are all in school eventually...someone is going to be "off cycle." I've comes to terms with that for my sanity!) The other thing you need to know if you haven't done CC in the past is it moves VERY quickly through history. The history sentences we learn are really just highlights of things. For example, cycle 2 is mostly European history. The first history sentence begins in 800 A.D., and now in week 17, we are learning about WWII. So no matter what you do for history, realize that you won't be able to follow CC perfectly without doing the most cursory coverage of history. I know my girls will hit everything at some point...right now, we are learning the memory work to train their minds to memorize facts, and as they continue to learn, these "pegs" that they have learned will help them learn new information more quickly. I'm excited to see what you will do: keep us updated! And since you have all other subjects decided on, let us know what you are using! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace'smom Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 Grace'sMom: I am TOTALLY in the same situation! Except next year will be our second full year in CC (we started last year in January, half-way through cycle 1), so I can see what CC does in all of the cycles. Because CC is in three year cycles, it does not mesh perfectly with SOTW, or most classical history programs! I am trying to figure out the best curriculum to do with first grade history, but I have for sure decided to do American history. (I have two younger daughters, so if I keep them together in history...when they are all in school eventually...someone is going to be "off cycle." I've comes to terms with that for my sanity!) The other thing you need to know if you haven't done CC in the past is it moves VERY quickly through history. The history sentences we learn are really just highlights of things. For example, cycle 2 is mostly European history. The first history sentence begins in 800 A.D., and now in week 17, we are learning about WWII. So no matter what you do for history, realize that you won't be able to follow CC perfectly without doing the most cursory coverage of history. I know my girls will hit everything at some point...right now, we are learning the memory work to train their minds to memorize facts, and as they continue to learn, these "pegs" that they have learned will help them learn new information more quickly. I'm excited to see what you will do: keep us updated! And since you have all other subjects decided on, let us know what you are using! :) We are doing CC this year, but since it's kindergarten I haven't tried to do much history. It's enough to get her to sit still for math and reading ;). But I have seen how fast it moves and wonder if it's even worth it to try to keep up. It sounds like, from the opinions on this thread, at least doing the American History would be worth it for sanity reasons. So I guess I will try that- I'll try to adapt Guesthollow or something. It just makes me antsy to not have a spine and a schedule. I'll have to print out Guesthollow and have a go out at it... The other stuff we've decided on are: Math: Rightstart B, possibly Math Mammoth added in and some Miquon Language Arts: Phonics Road Level 1 Handwriting: she's got the letter formation down so we'll continue with plain copywork Science: BFSU and/or Guesthollow, depending on the week and how things fit together Song School Latin History: still looking... Art: outsourced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.