can you adapt SOTW for middle and high school?

[hsmom]

Or is it geared way too low? If not what do you recommend?

[Rhondabee]

We started SOTW-1 when they were in 2nd and 5th grades. We're about to finish 4th and 7th grades and SOTW-3 (9 more days to go!!!!).

 

I've used it in a variety of ways - trying to straddle the fence between grammar and logic stage for my oldest, who just started hs'ing in 5th grade. There's no one "Right" way to use it.

 

I am *very* happy to have had SOTW, especially since I needed to hit the ground running, and wasn't sure AT ALL how to go about doing history all on my own with just an encyclopedia and a library card. My ds really needed the "stories" to hook him into history. Simply outlining, and then reading text-book-ish library books wasn't cutting it.

 

I've asked him more than once (when we got in a really good library book) if he'd like to drop SOTW-4 in 8th, but he most definitely wants to keep it!

 

:001_smile:

Rhonda

[LizzyBee]

Per SWB, they are written for...

SOTW 1 - grades 1-4

SOTW 2 - grades 2-5

SOTW 3 - grades 3-6

SOTW 4 - grades 4-8

 

I think they are too light for high school, though. If I had a high schooler who has had very little history instruction, I might have her read through all 4 volumes rather quickly as an introduction before beginning something more substantial. Otherwise, I wouldn't use them for high school.

[TN Mama]

I think Susan Wise Bauer's book The History of the Ancient World is meant to be used for high school students.

 

[mcconnellboys]

I think you can use it as part of a middle school program, although the first book is written very simply, even for a fifth grader. We will outline from it this next year, but it will not be our primary text for fifth grade.

 

I agree that History of the Ancient World and Well Educated Mind are better books for most high schoolers. I just don't think you could make SOTW fit for those ages......

[Chris in VA]

Agreeing with LizzyBee. You need more coverage of important people, dates, and movements (there's very little in SOTW about the Renaissance, for example --and I hope that's spelled right!):D.

Try Spielvogel for Hs, or even Barron's World History the Easy Way.

[Langhaven]

At the high school level, we are reading a lot of primary resources. SOTW gives a bit of a time line, but not the indepth, critical analysis, or exposure that rhetoric students need.

 

Pam

[Peela]

We have LOVED SOTW and used them from when my youngest was 8 and my older just turned 10. We spent a year on each and they were our spines for 4 years, finishing recently when ds was 12 and dd13. Particularly if you havent done a lot of world history before, these books are awesome....for us adults especially! So many pennies dropped!

I think it is easy enough to beef them up if you want, but all we did was add historical fiction. When they got to the stage of learning to outline, I didnt use SOTW- sometimes I used the Kingfisher Encyclopedia, sometimes just other books they were using. I can't imagine using KHE as a spine though- so dry compared to SOTW.

I would have to say SOTW has been the absolute best thing we have used homeschooling. It has provided a flavour to our years, and we always linked our literature to our history year. The only down side is the jumping around from place to place, in order to stay in chronological order....but now that we are on our next time back to Ancients, I am doing it differently and staying in one place longer.

I agree with the others, not so good for highschoool because of lacking critical analysis, however, if a kid hadnt had much history, I wouldnt hesitate to hand them SOTW to just read through, and it will give them a great overview.

[Colleen in NS]

I think you can use it as part of a middle school program, although the first book is written very simply, even for a fifth grader. We will outline from it this next year, but it will not be our primary text for fifth grade.

 

Regena,

 

Would you mind telling me your specific plans for 5th grade history? What will be your primary text? Will you outline from SOTW every week, as a supplement to reading from your primary text?

 

I finally have the whole outlining thing straight in my head, but am still trying to decide whether to have SOTW as a spine for the 5th and 2nd grader (with 5th grader also reading from KF and outlining from either KF or SOTW or other books), or if it should be KF as primary for 5th and SOTW as primary for 2nd.

 

Thanks.

[Mallorie]

I've been using it with my ds's....

We started SOTW-1 when they were in 2nd and 5th grades. We're about to finish 4th and 7th grades and SOTW-3 (9 more days to go!!!!).

 

I've used it in a variety of ways - trying to straddle the fence between grammar and logic stage for my oldest, who just started hs'ing in 5th grade. There's no one "Right" way to use it.

 

I am *very* happy to have had SOTW, especially since I needed to hit the ground running, and wasn't sure AT ALL how to go about doing history all on my own with just an encyclopedia and a library card. My ds really needed the "stories" to hook him into history. Simply outlining, and then reading text-book-ish library books wasn't cutting it.

 

I've asked him more than once (when we got in a really good library book) if he'd like to drop SOTW-4 in 8th, but he most definitely wants to keep it!

 

:001_smile:

Rhonda

 

 

Thanks for this...my boys will be in 2nd and 5th this fall, and I've been wondering about using this series. This helps! :)

[LisaCA]

For middle grades I would use this as an introduction or review. For a struggling high school student it could be useful as well.