imhim Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 We did SOTW 1 in first, are doing SOTW 2 in second, but for 3-rd, I need some American History before dd will take the standard test with our homeschooling group (Stanford?). Do you have a recommendation? I was looking into Abeka (one semester History for 3rd) or BJU Heritage studies with the notebook and mapwork. Anyone has experience with these? Any other suggestions? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.m Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 If I looked correctly, Abeka History 3 is focused on famous Americans and not history facts, correct? I'm using Abeka American History 4 for 3rd grade. I'll read it aloud to my DS and he'll answer the comprehension questions. The course includes geography. I considered BJU but I already have Abeka in my stash from DD using it this year. So you probably can't go wrong with either one if you have to purchase new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Complete Book of US History -- cheap on Amazon :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imhim Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 Wow, Beth, that IS cheap. Is there a lot of reading to be done by the student? Is seems huge, how am I going to go through all that? Jannylyn, thank you for pointing out Abeka 3 is not history. I did not have a chance to look inside a book to see. I will have to look into a 4-th grade, or BJU. Thank you both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 SOTW 3 has American history incorporated into it. You can supplement easy-peasy with The Story of the USA, a simple series of reading comprehension workbooks. It's not as overwhelming as Complete Book (which I really do like). Have you seen the test? You can get a test prep book for the Stanford and see the types of Am Hist questions on it so you know how deep to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imhim Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 Chris, Thank you for the idea to look at the test. I am looking at BJU Stanford test prep books and do not know which one I need. I never took these tests since I did not grow up in the US. What do I need for test prep? I was going to buy SPectrum from rainbowresource.com, but now I see these Stanford books and am starting to think maybe these are better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Does it really matter? I think not teaching to the test is a good thing. So you've decided to do more world history (and really there is quite a bit of American History in SOTW 3), if you are sure about that, then do it. You don't have to use time you could be spending on fun projects or games or read alouds doing a text book just to test better on the Social Studies part of a test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Wow, Beth, that IS cheap. Is there a lot of reading to be done by the student? Is seems huge, how am I going to go through all that? We just read it and don't take it too seriously. They will get so much US History over the years. I've had dd7 narrate to me from the book. For the price, you can't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie.Louise Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We have started First Lessons in American History by Lawton Evans. It is a free book in public domain. We haven't gotten very far into it yet, but I love it so far. I am using it with a 2nd and a 5th grader. There are even comphrehension questions at the end of the reading. You can pick out great sentences from the story to use for dictation as well. I am using it along with SOTW 3. We do 1 ch of SOTW on Tue., then 2 chapters of the American History book on Thur. I am going to add activities from History Pockets, Time Travelers, historic coloring books, and more. I am planning to skip the American history chapters in SOTW, so that I can finish it in a year. Katie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truebluexf Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 What about guesthollow? She has an American History year on her blog, and it looks great. And it's free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imhim Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thank you for the ideas!! You ladies have so much good input! Now I have to go look into all these ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 http://www.guesthollow.com has a great free curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyrjoy Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 (edited) Thank you for the ideas!! You ladies have so much good input!Now I have to go look into all these ideas. I've appreciated this thread. I tried to get some I input on history the other day and was ignored, lol, but that's ok. I have a rising third grader and really feel I should do American History instead of ancients, etc. Next year. Especially if we take the same test! I've come up with a few ideas. One was to use Bigger Hearts from Heart of Dakota. The other was to use Core 3 from Sonlight and maybe include some books from Winter Promise. I kinda like doing my own thing, thought, so was just looking on Christianbook.com for spines. I found some! I will come back and post or pm you what I found! ETA: we are using BJU heritage studies for second grade. It's okay, but really want to explore more than what they give. I think I need to do more of an eclectic array of history book usage, ie literature, etc. I mean, it's been good enough probably, but only concentrates on a small part of our history in America. I used it actually for both my Kindergartner and second grader. Edited March 19, 2011 by amyrjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyrjoy Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 http://www.christianbook.com/american-should-about-history-3rd-edition/alan-axelrod/9781598694284/pd/94281?event=BB&bookbag=1&item_code=WW With http://www.christianbook.com/childrens-encyclopedia-of-american-history/david-king/9780789483300/pd/483300?event=BB&bookbag=1&item_code=WW And http://www.christianbook.com/american-history-detective-revised-second-edition/stacie-hutton/9780976733102/pd/733102?event=CF And then there were a few other things but there's a start of what I was thinking. Definitely would add readers and go to library as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyrjoy Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Oh, there has been mention of the American history book and notebook or journal by Queens homeschool lately, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyrjoy Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Ok, me again. I also had several of these in a wish list Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688160158/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I'm curious... Anyone whose 3rd grader has actually taken the Standford test, what types of American History is expected to be known on that test? I have a friend whose 3rd grader was in public school and not really being taught much history, so I have a hard time believing there'd be THAT much on that particular test? Most of the schools around here (public and private) don't really do "history" until 4th grade when they do state history. They do more "social studies", holidays, stuff like that. So I'm curious what exactly is on this test and whether it's likely just stuff that the kids will pick up without a curriculum most likely? (not that it matters for my own situation, as my state doesn't require testing, so if I use that test in 3rd grade, and I probably will, it won't matter one lick if my son doesn't do well in the history section... but I understand some states DO require testing and that that section may matter in those cases) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imhim Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thank you for sharing, Amy, I like those books! 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.