babysparkler Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 (edited) Can you help me figure out a good curriculum for me? Here is what I want: 1) We should be finishing up the Middle Ages this year. So, I'm looking at something that would start around the 1400/1500's... or something close to it. 2) I'd love to do lots of American History along with a World History view to keep things in context. 3) We would like a Christian viewpoint, but secular is still okay since I can bring that in on my own. 4) I want ONLY History (no science, LA, etc), but bible history can be combined... the other subjects are covered. 5) My kids love worksheets, so this would be a plus. They also like doing projects, but we don't have much time for too many of these. 6) I DO NOT like scripted curriculum, but want something that will give me the background I need and the overall picture so that I can take it and run with it. I'm big on having something that I can see the bare bones structure of the material rather than something that discovers itself (which is why I preferred MM to Rightstart Math, for example). Remember, though, that history is not my forte, so it will need to be something that I can learn along with the kids but still be able to "teach" it. I rarely use TM's, but am willing to use one for History. 7) The kids love good literature and stories that are fun to listen to/read, and they love history (and are teaching me to like it too)... but we don't have hours to spend. 8) It would be for my 4th/6th graders but I'd have 1st/Pre-K tag-alongs at times... especially if there was a states study. 9) We work on a 4-day schedule. 10) A text would be great... I've been too frazzled trying to do a piece-together of living books. 11) I like open-and-go with little school day prep... I like to use my summer to get everything together ahead of time. Sorry this is so long. I think that's everything... what do you recommend? There are so many choices I'm just overwhelmed and can't figure it out. Thanks! Edited March 21, 2011 by babysparkler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zookeeperof3 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I'd recommedn that you pm jenn at guest hollow. What she is planning sounds like what you are looking for.http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/curriculum.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I really just adore SOTW--take a look and see what you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3byzaz Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Well, I want about all that you listed too. I am going to use MOH 3 - on audio, mostly. We have done 1 & 2 and want to continue for the world history, but do more American where it coincided. And, combine that with an American for my younger two. I am going to use Notgrass' Middle School American for my 7th and possibly that for the younger one too - or read BJU Heritage Studies - probably 2 and 3 for time period. Hoping this keeps it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atozmom Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 We are just starting Queen Homeschool's: A Living History of Our World - America's Story. It would be easy to use with all your ages. There are no worksheets, but there is a journal notebook that goes along with it. Just thought I'd throw another option out there for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 That sounds like SOTW with the activity book. I haven't used the latter, but hear good things about it. I believe it contains ideas for further reading in addition to activities. I added in This Country of Ours to SOTW to increase the amount of US history. You'll have to edit on the run or do some continuing discussion though, as TCOO has dated attitudes to race/religion. The side bar of my blog has spreadsheets coordinating TCOO with SOTW. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Story of the World meets all of your criteria, I believe. The AG is great for additional reading recommendations and projects, as well as coloring pages and maps. We always did written narrations of the stories, but if you prefer you could create worksheets instead based on the narration questions - should be easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 SOTW 3 sounds like it would fit the bill. You can pick some of the books from Sonlight to flesh it out and add US history. You could do something similar with CHOW from Calvert, though it's a one-year world history overview, but it has a workbook geared to ~4th graders. I found this for US history and this for world history. Maybe they would be something you and your kids would like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie.Louise Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I think this sounds like SOTW also. We are doing SOTW 3 right now. We do a 4 day week. So M/W is history. We do world history on Monday, American history on Wednesday. I marked the SOTW chapters that were American history to skip. So, that cut it down to around 32 chapters/weeks. So, one chapter per week. 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. It is so easy to pick out great sentences from the story to use for dictation or copywork as well. I am going to add activities from History Pockets, Time Travelers, historic coloring books, and more, which I plan to schedule out over the next few weeks. You could use the activities in the SOTW activity guide that are for the American history chapters and coordinate them with your American history schedule. So far this plan is working very well for us. Katie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophiaH Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) Veritas Press Explorers-1815 sounds like it would work. Good lit, TM with notes and worksheets, and a few projects. It also includes timeline cards and a song to memorize the cards (and a US Presidents song). There are a few "spines," including BJUs American history text, it is from a Christian perspective, and the books are scheduled instead of like an open-ended book basket. Oh, and this year is targeted specifically at 5th graders although all VP's elementary materials can be used for a much wider age range. Edited March 22, 2011 by mommahawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks everyone... this was very helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Another vote for the Story of the World. If you get the worksheets/Activity book you'll get everything you want :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJinLOCA Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 We used SOTW and the activity guide and it worked very well. We supplemented each topic with many different library books that I would reserve in advance as we worked our way through the book. My third child preferred taking quizzes on history to writing narrations, and we often found short quizzes for him on http://www.funtrivia.com ... they have many quizzes, at a variety of difficulty and age levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 ....Story of the World? Pretty much hits everything you listed. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Another vote for the Story of the World. If you get the worksheets/Activity book you'll get everything you want :D I think this is what I will do. Where can I find a list of good books correlated to SOTW 3 for free reading time? We used SOTW and the activity guide and it worked very well. We supplemented each topic with many different library books that I would reserve in advance as we worked our way through the book. My third child preferred taking quizzes on history to writing narrations, and we often found short quizzes for him on www.funtrivia.com ... they have many quizzes, at a variety of difficulty and age levels. Thanks for the link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Also, does SOTW3 have a good amount of Am. History or do people supplement with other spines/books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics4us Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Sounds like you may like Mystery of History. edited to add that you may also like SOTW. If you use SOTW you may want to add in bible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I think this is what I will do. Where can I find a list of good books correlated to SOTW 3 for free reading time? Thanks for the link! In the Activity Guide there are lists of subjects and specific books for each chapter. In TWTM, there are lists for the year, but they are done by subject (rather than specific books). hth We LOVE SotW. Dd is reading through them as a crash course to world history (she only started hsing this year). Older ds is finishing up 4 this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/history-and-geography/story-of-the-world.html We've supplemented almost every chapter with additional reading. For US History we've supplemented a bit more. There are, in the AG, suggestions for memorization and further study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I think this is what I will do. Where can I find a list of good books correlated to SOTW 3 for free reading time? has ideas for more reading. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Pick up SOTW. You won't be clueless anymore. I :001_wub: sotw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Another recommendation for SOTW 3 with the activity book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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