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SOTW or This Country of Ours w/ TOG


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We are getting involved in a CC group next year. They are doing american history in the memory work and I would like to stick to that topic. Here are my choices available - I could have ds go through SOTW 3/4 (he's a very strong reader) or I could go through the last two units of TOG dialectic level (again - strong reader). I would also add some literature selections. So, the question is - This country of ours/Our Island Story (by Marshall) or SOTW 3/4? He will be 11. Would Marshall be too dry for him?

 

Beth

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I would consider Marshall to be the more challenging option. A 6th grade plus strong reader could consider SOTW a bit young for themselves. A tough call at that age. (Do be aware of the varied opinions on Marshall around here-some folks object due to content. If I were to nitpick it would be a choice between the Victorian era biases of Marshall and the oversimplification of SOTW-which does at times also conflict with the history I've been taught.)

 

The only problem is if he does this what does that leave him to do until high school-he has 3 years of history before 9th grade. Don't forget to put the choice in perspective with your future plans.

Edited by JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst
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Just to tell you, my older son did SOTW vol. 2 and vol. 3 with Our Island Story. Then I was going to move on the vol. 4 with This Country of Ours, but I got American History Stories instead. My son also read Trial and Triumph along with SOTW and Our Island Story. My son started to question facts because Our Island Story told a different picture of some parts of history to SOTW. Then, Trial and Triumph told an even different story because some of the people that are talked about in SOTW are mentioned in Trial and Triumph. It was a great. My son had a million questions after reading the different books because they all told history from a different perspective. It was great.

 

I think that it is terrific when there are different stories. It really helps a child to see how history is told.

 

Blessings in your homeschooling journey!:D

 

Sincerely,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

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When my oldest dd was in 6th grade, she had no problem with This Country of Ours and Our Island Story. Of course, she also did the other D level readings and assignments in TOG. The accountability and thinking questions plus the D level discussions work very, very well to help the student process what they read, look at the big pictures and then see the implications, connect big ideas together, evaluate author bias (and/or reader bias), etc. If you just assigned the reading without the A&T or the discussion, you'd be better off with something simpler and to the point (like SOTW). In TOG, the D reading assignments are not meant to stand alone and are meant to be guided by the teacher. So, I guess which resource you use depends on how you are approaching it in your group!

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When my oldest dd was in 6th grade, she had no problem with This Country of Ours and Our Island Story. Of course, she also did the other D level readings and assignments in TOG. The accountability and thinking questions plus the D level discussions work very, very well to help the student process what they read, look at the big pictures and then see the implications, connect big ideas together, evaluate author bias (and/or reader bias), etc. If you just assigned the reading without the A&T or the discussion, you'd be better off with something simpler and to the point (like SOTW). In TOG, the D reading assignments are not meant to stand alone and are meant to be guided by the teacher. So, I guess which resource you use depends on how you are approaching it in your group!

 

That is a really good point. I'm so glad that you and Karen spoke up. I haven't used TOG, so I probably shouldn't have said anything. I hope I didn't cause offense with my strong sentiments above. :leaving:

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The accountability and thinking questions plus the D level discussions work very, very well to help the student process what they read, look at the big pictures and then see the implications, connect big ideas together, evaluate author bias (and/or reader bias), etc. If you just assigned the reading without the A&T or the discussion, you'd be better off with something simpler and to the point (like SOTW).

 

That's a good point that I didn't think about - I'm not sure we would be doing the discussion due to what will be going on next year with all the extra stuff coming up. I will weigh that into the pro/con list for dh who makes these kind of curriculum decisions (he really can do a great job figuring it out - I'm the information gatherer).

 

Beth

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That is a really good point. I'm so glad that you and Karen spoke up. I haven't used TOG, so I probably shouldn't have said anything. I hope I didn't cause offense with my strong sentiments above. :leaving:

 

I certainly didn't take offense! I, too, have strong opinions about many things. I just wanted to suggest that even resources we don't agree with can be excellent contributions to the education of both our kids and ourselves! If there were never any controversy, there wouldn't be much to talk about!!!

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Just to tell you, my older son did SOTW vol. 2 and vol. 3 with Our Island Story. Then I was going to move on the vol. 4 with This Country of Ours, but I got American History Stories instead. My son also read Trial and Triumph along with SOTW and Our Island Story. My son started to question facts because Our Island Story told a different picture of some parts of history to SOTW. Then, Trial and Triumph told an even different story because some of the people that are talked about in SOTW are mentioned in Trial and Triumph. It was a great. My son had a million questions after reading the different books because they all told history from a different perspective. It was great.

 

I think that it is terrific when there are different stories. It really helps a child to see how history is told.

 

 

 

Isn't this great? The conversations now that we're in logic stage have just taken on such a delightful depth. Sometimes we're reading something and I think it might be getting too complex and ds (dc) are right there with questions and perspectives. :001_smile:

 

 

Agree with others here -- we mix SOTW in but not as a stand-alone -- dc do start to outgrow it, though they enjoyed it through early-mid grade school years.

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Just to tell you, my older son did SOTW vol. 2 and vol. 3 with Our Island Story. Then I was going to move on the vol. 4 with This Country of Ours, but I got American History Stories instead. My son also read Trial and Triumph along with SOTW and Our Island Story. My son started to question facts because Our Island Story told a different picture of some parts of history to SOTW. Then, Trial and Triumph told an even different story because some of the people that are talked about in SOTW are mentioned in Trial and Triumph. It was a great. My son had a million questions after reading the different books because they all told history from a different perspective. It was great.

 

I think that it is terrific when there are different stories. It really helps a child to see how history is told.

 

Blessings in your homeschooling journey!:D

 

Sincerely,

Karen

www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

:iagree:We are using/planning on using all of them. :)

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I think that it is terrific when there are different stories. It really helps a child to see how history is told.

 

 

:iagree:Excellent point!

 

And I'd like to suggest that you consider having your ds do both book selections instead of just one or the other for this reason. In my opinion, it isn't too much. My dd is doing all of the core and in-depth D level reading selections this year, plus we add in nearly all of the SOTW alternate assignments once per week. We are on YR-2 of TOG and, like your son, she is a strong reader. Dd is eating it up!

 

BTW, we also listen to FMMA on audio as a read aloud 2-3 times per week.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

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