4 year cycle of history but NOT TOG?

[plmzk]

I noticed (in another thread) that some of you are using the TOG concept of cycling through world history, but didn't say that you actually use TOG. Is this a correct assumption? If so, what do you use if not the TOG curricula? Do you find the different books yourself of what?

[TheAutumnOak]

We are using Mystery of History...I am reading The Well Trained Mind book and there are also many suggestions for doing the four year cycle of history...

 

Welcome to the forum :-)

 

 

 

http://www.themysteryofhistory.info/index.shtml

 

 

Edited March 2, 2011 by TheAutumnOak
More to add

[plmzk]

Thanks Tahara! I am new to researching curricula and have not come across that one yet.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

[Pata]

Highly recommend reading The Well-Trained Mind as that is where I learned about the four year cycle and I believe that it was around before TOG. We have used Story of the World (SOTW) for our first cycle and been very pleased with it so far. You can also check out Biblioplan and History Odyssey, which both follow the 4 year cycle for history. Happy Hunting!

[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[mom31257]

MFW has a 5 year cycle, but the first is more of a geography course I believe. You could use the last 4 years.

[Donna A.]

We use My Father's World. http://www.mfwbooks.com/L04379B5A0AE837009E60022+M50+ENG

[TheAutumnOak]

Highly recommend reading The Well-Trained Mind as that is where I learned about the four year cycle and I believe that it was around before TOG.

 

:iagree:

I would read this first...For a taste of what it is about, you can get Susan Wise Bauer's audio download called "The Joy of Classical Homeschooling"...It is only 99 cent on their website and I really enjoyed this talk...So did my husband and he generally hates lectures and talks :tongue_smilie:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/the-joy-of-classical-education-introduction-to-classical-education-at-home-mp3.html

 

The Well Trained Mind has helped me so much planning and choosing curricula for everything, not just history...I highly recommend it...

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I noticed (in another thread) that some of you are using the TOG concept of cycling through world history, but didn't say that you actually use TOG. Is this a correct assumption? If so, what do you use if not the TOG curricula? Do you find the different books yourself of what?

 

I first read about using a four year cycle through history in The Well Trained Mind. I think that Wise and Bauer used developmental stage groupings popularlized by Dorothy Sayers. I'm not sure if the four year cycle was original with them or if it has been around longer too. The WTM book has a chapter on how to study history at each stage (grammar, logic and rhetoric). It can be really helpful in showing how you can study history using whatever books you or your library might have available.

 

I am on my second sweep through history. This time I have two logic stage and one grammar stage. The first time through, I used history cards from Veritas Press. We would learn a song that helped us memorize major facts and dates for the period we were studying. Then we would read more on the topic. Story of the World was brand new. We read chapters that related to the card topics (usually a card per week) or get books from the library.

 

The Story of the World activity guide has suggested reading for each chapter. However, we were living overseas at the time. The libraries I had access to often had out of print books from British publishers, so we used those instead. I've often been known to just comb the library for books on the era or country we're studying. Sometimes all we need are a few pages out of a larger general history. Keep in mind that curriculum writers are often unwilling to list books that are out of print, because families may have difficulting finding them. But just because a book is no longer being published, doesn't mean that it has become a substandard book. Don't be afraid to use books that you find in the library. They may be fantastic resources that just were no longer profitable to the publisher. (Many of the books we bought in 2003-2005 when we were starting to homeschool are no longer available. But I love seeing how my kids snuggle in beanbags to enjoy the adventure of re-reading them.

 

Now we are alternating between a few (3-6) weeks using the schedule from Sonlight History 6 and a similar length of time using outlining and writing techniques from the logic stage of WTM. I liked the schedule and trade books used in Sonlight, but felt like it moved faster than I wanted. I'm also making outlining and writing a focus of our year. (Sonlight doesn't use a four year chronological cycle, but by interweaving it with WTM reading and outlining and writing, I'm getting the effect I want.)

 

I hope this helps.

[razorbackmama]

Another curriculum that uses a 4-year cycle is Biblioplan.

[plmzk]

Thanks everyone! I did read TWTM and did like that approach. Then I come here and everyone talks about and raves about TOG. I think that program is pretty awesome, but EXPENSIVE! So that is where my question comes form.

 

The Biblioplan and one other suggested here use Susan Bauer's book SOTW as the spine correct?

[kitten18]

We use SOTW. We just use the SOTW book and the activity book. I did also buy the audio book download, it's nice but not necessary. The activity guide has lists of books that go with each chapter (we get all ours at the library). I don't worry about getting the exact books, when we come to a new section (ie Rome) I just go to that shelf at the library and bring home a bunch of books that I think look good. A lot of people use a big history encyclopedia (like Usborne) but I haven't bought one yet.

 

If you go to the top of the page here, there is a box that says sponsored by Peace Hill Press, click on that and you can see all of the WTM products.

[razorbackmama]

Then I come here and everyone talks about and raves about TOG.

Not everyone.:lol:

 

The Biblioplan and one other suggested here use Susan Bauer's book SOTW as the spine correct?

BP uses SOTW as a spine, but they also list alternatives (like Mystery of History).

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Thanks everyone! I did read TWTM and did like that approach. Then I come here and everyone talks about and raves about TOG. I think that program is pretty awesome, but EXPENSIVE! So that is where my question comes form.

 

The Biblioplan and one other suggested here use Susan Bauer's book SOTW as the spine correct?

 

SOTW is one of the key books used in Sonlight too. I think that it is used in Core 1 as a read aloud and in 6 & 7 as a reader.

[NCJessieRN]

We use My Father's World. Years 2, 3, and 4 use Story of the World as one of the history books.

[Guest]

History Odyssey is WTM history all laid out. I would use it along with the additional WTM reading list for each age.

[Katiebug_1976]

Highly recommend reading The Well-Trained Mind as that is where I learned about the four year cycle and I believe that it was around before TOG.

 

:iagree:This is one of the most treasured books on my shelf! I have learned SOOO much from it. My Father's World (MFW) is also another curriculum that follows a 4 year history cycle, but they also throw in a complete year on geography as well.

[mommaduck]

My Father's World and a friend of mine uses Mystery of History.

[mymonkeybug]

TRISMS follows a multi-year approach as does Learning Adventures(beginning work on 4th year I believe).

 

Doesn't Veritas Press follow a multi-year cycle system too?

 

Heather