If you'd never done History before....

[giftof6]

Where would you start an 8th grader to get them through everything by their senior year? Maybe even 11th grade?

 

We have done History, but not as thoroughly as we needed to because I couldn't decide which curriculum to use and how to get us there. Therefore, our History experience isn't void, just fragmented.

 

Next year I'll have 8th, 6th, 2nd, 1st, preschool and a toddler.

 

I've been considering TOG, but am not sure how well it will fit with the things I know we use like...

 

R&S English

Apologia Science

R&S Math (through gr. 6, up in the air about what to do after that. Saxon was a bomb this year.)

Our History thus far has been mainly SOTW, but I obviously need something meatier to get us through High School.

Latin Road to English Grammar

 

...and various other things as time allows.

 

I am VERY prone to jumping into something with enthusiasm and then not following through with it, so the simpler the better. That's why, even though I'm drawn to TOG, I'm afraid it might be too much.

 

Suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[Donna A.]

If you're afraid TOG might be too much, take a look at MFW high school. It's similar, yet different, and a bit less intensive than TOG but nevertheless college-prep material. http://www.mfwbooks.com/category/M50/50

 

You could go ahead with R&S English in 8th grade, but then do the English that's included in MFW for 9th & up. Each year of MFW high school is worth 1 full credit each in Bible, History & English.

 

Everything else you have listed could remain the same.

[Donna A.]

Oh, and you might consider a year of geography & cultures study for 8th grade, laying the foundation for four complete years of history. You could do MFW ECC next year, which would allow you to include all of your children together, and get the junior high supplement package for your 8th grader. Although, if he's had very little history and isn't used to doing a lot of reading and "social studies", then adding the junior high supplement package might not be necessary. So you could almost do ECC *as written* (without the suppl package), then have the oldest go into MFW high school the following year. That would also give you all (you, the teacher, as well as the children) a year to familiarize yourself with MFW before jumping into high school. The littles wouldn't do *everything* in ECC... just the fun stuff (plus math & LA at their own level): http://www.mfwbooks.com/products/M50/40/10/0/1

 

If you like MFW and want to stay with it for the younger children, you could continue to school them together beginning with Creation to the Greeks. That way, everyone would be studying the same time period even though the oldest is doing separate things at this own level.

[Lori D.]

Sounds like your prime concern with History is you'd like a chronological or orderly approach so you don't have the gaps you feel you currently have. TOG is a chronological program -- but it is also very literature based, AND very much ties the literature to the history. Is that also a goal for you? If not, then you have a wide selection of history options, as most are chronological rather than unit study-based -- for example, just a straight-up textbook could be a great option!

 

Another plus for using TOG is that it incorporates all ages, so you would be able to be on the same page history-wise with all your students. Downside of that is they would all be working at different levels of TOG, and it is quite an intensive program, so you'd REALLY have to make a firm resolve going into it of setting a limit for yourself of how much is realistically do-able for your family -- and let the rest go. From what I have heard, especially the first year you do TOG, it is quite teacher-intensive, so consider: do YOU have the time/energy to devote to this particular program?

 

 

This is a good time to take a step back and look not just at what to do for History, but your overall goals are for 8th grade, and then into high school.

 

For example:

 

- 8th grade is often the last year when it is easy to do something all together as a family -- is there a subject, outside activity, or goal you wanted to accomplish as a homeschooling family?

(Then this is the time to schedule that, perhaps putting off specific school subject goals for one more year.)

(For example -- as Donna in her above post mentioned, when our boys were in 7th and 8th grades, we stepped away from history focus and did a year of world cultures/geography and comparative religions. It was a fantastic prep for then doing history in high school, since religion is SUCH as integral part of the history, culture, politics and even economics of so many countries of the world.)

 

- Do you want to try and keep all your students together in history? Or is that not a priority? And if is, will that be realistic once you have a high schooler? Or is it okay if that is a goal for just the 8th grade year?

 

- Are you hoping to make a history choice for the 8th grader that not only is a more organized/sequential treatment of History for that student, but will be something that can set a more organized trend for the rest of your students? (If so, then you may want to look at History programs that have different levels for different aged students, rather than a "one-shot deal" for the 8th grader.)

 

- To "fill in the gaps" of your history, are you looking to make 8th grade a big, general overview of all of history? Or the springboard for a chronological study of history that will extend into the high school years? (If so, then it is a good idea to pick a program that will carry you thru high school.)

 

- And what is your soon-to-be 8th grader's learning style? Prefer a textbook? Real books? Projects/hands-on? Historical fiction? Documentaries? Teaching Company lecutures? Linked History and Literature? (Knowing how your student best absorbs History will help you narrow down your curriculum.)

 

- What do YOU need out of a History program -- student can do it mostly solo? completely scheduled and will teacher notes? tests, quizzes and writing assignments for making grading easy?

 

 

To help you look ahead, most states require 3 credits of "Social Studies" for high school graduation:

1.0 year = World History

1.0 year = American History

0.5 year = Government

0.5 year = Economics

 

Many homeschoolers find it difficult to continue to do a full year of history in each year of high school PLUS that year of Gov't/Econ (PLUS the other required credits of English, Math, Science, Foreign Language, etc. -- PLUS all the extracurricular activities, driving, working, etc. that older high school students are doing).

 

- So what are YOUR History goals for high school?

(For example: Just meet the usual requirements? Cover the 2 required years AND take an extra year to fill in any gaps, take time for bunny trails, or follow a particular interest in a time period? Intensive chronological history linked to literature for the next 5 years? Just an overview of the highlights in chronological order?)

 

- You mentioned finishing by 11th grade -- do you mean all the History, or do mean having your oldest student finish all of high school in 3 years?

(If you mean the latter, then realize you have even less time for extra History -- or extra ANYTHING -- when accomplishing 4 years of coursework in 3 years.)

 

- What field is your oldest student interested in?

(For example: if the student is more math/science oriented, then maybe 4 years of History AND that year of Govt/Econ is not going to be the best use of time in high school and prep for college.) (Or, if more interested in the Arts and Humanities, then you definitely want to have not only the 4 years of History, but also heavily delve into Literature, Art and Music History and Appreciation, and an overview of Philosophy/Worldviews.)

 

 

 

If you liked SOTW, perhaps consider SWB's adult story-like volumes, each about 800-900 pages long: "History of the Ancient World" and "History of the Medieval World". She may have a 3rd volume out in about 2 years.

 

options where History/Lit. are connected:

Omnibus (Christian; intensive; programs for grades 7-12)

Tapestry of Grace (Christian; intensive; for K-12

My Father's World (Christian; more relaxed; for K-12)

Biblioplan (Christian; more of a resource list; for K-12)

Trisms

 

Sonlight (literature/real book based; could match up 2 cores and have your older 2 students do one core together and middle 2 students do a different core together)

 

Notgrass (Christian; 1-year History Texts plus Primary Source Document Volume; includes Literature and Bible options)

- World History (can be used by gr. 8-12)

- Exploring America (can be used by gr. 9-12)

 

a few Textbook options:

Bob Jones University Press (Christian)

Abeka (Christian)

K-12 (secular)

Spielvogel Human Odyssey or Western Civilization (secular)

Edited March 14, 2011 by Lori D.

[EKS]

I would do three years of world history and one year of American.

[Melanie]

Our history studies in the earlier grades were fragmented, too (more interest led than parent directed), so for 8th grade, I pretended my kid had never done history before. I had him do a "survey" course of world history, with a slight emphasis on American history. He read A Short History of the World by J. M. Roberts, and wrote a summary after each section. Once American history started coming up, I added in primary source studies. I assigned documents appropriate to the time period, then had him answer the primary source questions in The Well-Trained Mind. The resources I used were:

 

The American Reader; Diane Ravitch

Great Issues in American History, Volumes 1-3; Richard Hofstadter

Letters of a Nation; Andrew Carroll

 

This seemed to prepare him very well for our great books study in high school. (He'll go through the four-year rotation as described in TWTM.)

[giftof6]

WOW! Those are all great answers!

 

Lori D.--thanks for all the info in your post. I needed someone to help me think it through.

 

I like the idea of a big geography year, but I think I might want something more textbook.

 

Melanie--A Short History of the World sounds like it might do the trick. I'll have to look into it.

 

Could I do A Short History of the World and Geography? I can check the boards for Geography threads, but if you're reading this, got any suggestions?

 

Thanks everyone! You've given me a lot to chew on!

...er, I mean...

You've given me a great deal of information upon which to masticate.

(I'm not even sure that's right! I can't even pretend to be smart!) :smilielol5:

 

*Anyone ever feel like that besides me?* haha...that's a whole other thread. Think I'll post one! :D

[mcconnellboys]

If going through eleventh, then I'd start with ancients in eighth and finish with modern in eleventh. If going through twelfth, then I'd do world geography next year and begin with the ancients part of the cycle in ninth. I've never used TOG, so can't comment on that....