?? for those who are using/have used SL Core 3

[ShutterBug]

I'm currently using SL Core 3 for history/literature with my almost 9 year old son.

 

Overall, we're really enjoying the core, except one of the history spines. I'm wondering, from those who are using or have used this core, how detrimental it would be to drop this particular book.

 

The book is "The Landmark History of the American People". The book just seems very wordy and is tossing out A LOT of information all at once, but without much logical or well thought out organization. It seems very choppy in the way it's worded and written and often jumps from one topic into another without any transition. In addition, some things (especially of a Christian nature) seem to said in almost a sarcastic tone...often using "quotation" marks not to indicate a direct quote, but to almost be condescending. Here is an example.

 

If the Puritans did not convert the Indians to Christianity, the Indians would "go down to hell by swarms without remedy".

 

I don't like the book. Ds doesn't seem to be enjoying or retaining much from it due to the way it simply tosses a ton of very detailed information out in a poorly written and boring manner.

 

However, it is one of the main history spines. I guess what I'm wondering is can I skip it, use the two "History of the USA" books along with the readers and read alouds and still get the basic gist of the core? I've also been compiling a timeline for memory work.

 

Sorry for the rambling and thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

 

Jenn

[Dmmetler]

I believe that SL says that if it's too heavy for younger children you can skip it. I haven't started Core 3 with my DD yet, but in looking at the History of the US books, the literature books, and the Landmark book, it seems like there's enough redundancy that the children would still get the main meat of the program without the Landmark book, especially in the elementary years.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Dmmetler2

[....]

Hi, we're in Core 3. If you read reviews on Core 3, there are a bunch of people who skip the Landmark book.

[Tess in the Burbs]

we are core 3 now and while this book can get wordy we still use it. I have filtered and discussed after reading some sentences about the tone of the book and if what it says is acceptable or perhaps slanted in one view. I heard the bad reviews but we have no regrets using it and we haven't read much of it lately anyway. You can skip it. People do, but there has been some neat information from the book, some just additional to other readings we have had, and some I kind of shook my head at. But we are learning to critique readings from history and judge for ourselves if we want to count this information as relevant. A lot of it has been very interesting.

[StephanieZ]

Lots of folks skip it or substitute something else. I used it but I am a box checker, lol.

[Mom0012]

You can just use the Story of the USA books if you want to, but if you aren't that far into Landmark, you might try it a little longer. When we first started Core 3, I really thought it was going to be too much, but both my kids wound up loving the book and we are still using it in Core 4 and it no longer seems wordy at all to us. I haven't noticed some of the things you have about it, so that might make a difference, but I've found it to be very interesting.

 

Lisa