Needing input on Biblioplan and Truthquest. How do they compare side by side?

[HSMom2One]

As I shared on the K-8 curriculum board yesterday, I'm doing some research for a possible move away from TOG after 7th grade to another program that is less expensive due to expected budget cuts across the board for our family.

 

-- sigh --

 

I'm not thrilled about it because we do love TOG, but I have to admit it is a luxury that we may no longer be able to cover for 8th grade up ahead. I know that there are other great ways to provide a classical education for my dd and I'm willing to explore. At this point I'm looking at either writing my own lesson plans via TWTM method for history/geography and literature or using a written program such as TruthQuest or Biblioplan for at least the history.

 

As I've been reading about these two possible programs, I have to say that I do like what I see so far. Even so, it's kind of hard to understand fully how it all works. Oh, I really wish curriculum websites would give more nuts and bolts info as to how it all fits together. :lol: Even though I've downloaded and looked at TOC's and samples, it seems hard to get a really good picture of what the teacher does to prepare in order to present to the student, etc.

 

Would someone please chime in and tell me what the main differences are between Truthquest and Biblioplan?

 

 

 

• Do they both require about the same amount of planning for the teacher? How much prep work and planning is required for each?
  
• Do they both include weekly written work for the student, or is Truthquest more of a guide for the teacher?
  
• Do they both provide reading lists for living books and literature choices?
  
• Please tell me anything that you feel is a major difference or similarity between the two in how they work.
  

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[LNC]

Truthquest is an excellent commentary and booklist. The binder builder notebook pages for the younger guides are ready, but the older guides are coming soon. You do have to come up with your own schedule and choose your spines, readers. I enjoy this process and create my own 36 week custom history syllabus based on what my library has and what I decide to buy (usually oop print books inexpensively online).

 

Here is a link to samples of TQ and notebooking materials:

http://www.truthquesthistory.com/store/products.php

 

 

Biblioplan

http://www.biblioplan.net/

I do not use this. I haven't seen it in years. But, what I remember is that it is detailed lesson plans made for you. It doesn't have the commentary or book lists to choose from that TQ has.

 

I went with TQ because I liked her commentary so much, her rich buffet of book choices, and I enjoy creating the 36 week lesson plans myself.

Edited May 26, 2011 by LNC

[HSMom2One]

Truthquest is an excellent commentary and booklist. The binder builder notebook pages for the younger guides are ready, but the older guides are coming soon. You do have to come up with your own schedule and choose your spines, readers. I enjoy this process and create my own 36 week custom history syllabus based on what my library has and what I decide to buy (usually oop print books inexpensively online).

 

Here is a link to samples of TQ and notebooking materials:

http://www.truthquesthistory.com/store/products.php

 

 

I went with TQ because I liked her commentary so much, her rich buffet of book choices, and I enjoy creating the 36 week lesson plans myself.

 

Wow - thanks for your input! I have several questions for you if you don't mind:

 

 

1. How many guides do you go through in a school year? Would it be realistic for an 8th grader to do one guide per semester?

2. Is it difficult to decide which books to choose from the buffet of choices?

3. Do the book choices include literature or is it only history?

4. How much time do you spend on average planning your lessons?

 

I appreciate your sharing these things a great deal.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[LNC]

I am using the 4 year TQ plan posted on the website.

•Year 1) Ancient Egypt/Ancient Greece; Ancient Rome

•Year 2) Middle Ages; Renaissance/Reformation; begin Age of Revolution I

•Year 3) finish Age of Revolution I; Age of Revolution II

•Year 4) Age of Revolution III

 

I am following the WTM schedule of dates- then moving on the AP courses online for social studies/english lit in high school. We will cover lit authors/art/music as they appear chronologically in the guides. The guides do not provide any help for lit, only commentary of a Christian worldview of history like Francis Schaeffer. I use spark notes and Progeny Press to supplement some lit. And we'll read mostly adaptations of great works next year bc of my children's ages/maturity, but I will read some.

 

It takes me about 3 weeks in the spring to plan our entire next year. I have favorite series and authors I collect since I've been using TQ all along. I'll send you a copy of my ancient plans if you want to you can see how I plan.

 

Must reads for parents and older students (These help me discuss worldview on my own with our children):

How Should We Then Live - Schaeffer (book or video set)

The Story of Liberty - Coffin

7 Men Who Rule the World from the Grave - Breese

Post Modern Times - GE Veith

History through the Eyes of Faith - Ronald Wells

(copied from Files section at the Yahoo Groups site - thanks to the

Moderator!)

 

HTH!

Edited May 27, 2011 by LNC

[HappyGrace]

I really like BP, but I must say that I have not used it w/ an 8th grader. I think at that age I would want a little more commentary, etc, to help me out.

 

I think with Truthquest though you'd have to be ok with scheduling the books yourself. We did it one year and got overwhelmed because there were SO many books and it wasn't organized into any kind of schedule. I thought the commentary was great, but really, there isn't a lot of it-just a few paragraphs here and there.

 

Since you've used TOG (which I've also used), you may be able to schedule TQ in a TOG way for yourself.

 

Or if you don't like doing scheduling, then I'd suggest BP, and then you can just count on your spines being your Christian commentary.

[Kim in SouthGa]

My son used BiblioPlan for 8th grade and it was a really good year (modern history). No planning on my part except ordering books from the library when needed. The maps, parent guides, and the Cool History Pages are such a huge help to keep everyone on track. I printed everything out over the summer and put their pages in a three ring binder. They each had their own reading schedule page also and I highlighted what they were supposed to read and made any needed notes on it.

It has been years since I saw a TruthQuest guide, but I remember it being just a short intro to the topic (paragraph to a page) and a list of books. BP is so much more than that, it is hard to even compare them. The schedule breakdown in BP is a lot like TOG. We tried TOG the year before doing BP and TOG was too much. BP is very similar but on a smaller scale (no lit questions, philosophy, fewer discussion questions). It was a much better fit for us at the time.

[Roxy Roller]

I wonder if anyone combines the two--Using Biblioplan's schedule, and the commentary from Truthquest. I'm trying to choose between these two for next year myself (or from an unknown third option).

 

This is what I am planning for next year! I like the way that the TruthQuest commentary will help me fit in a Christian worldview. I find the TQ book list overwhelming, so I am going with the BP plan and booklist. I will add the TQ commentary and make up my own discussion questions ala TOG, along with outlining assignments for my DD.

[momtotkbb]

Have you looked at the Companion and Cool Histories that go w/ Biblioplan?

 

While we haven't actually began the curriculum yet - I did purchase the year 2 and 3 of Biblioplan - they are still updating some of the high school materials for those years.

 

I had looked at Truthquest - although it's been awhile and it just didn't seem for our family. I really like the suggestions in Biblioplan, the extra companion materials and the Cool Histories questions for my middle school age kiddos - plus the book list w/ short summaries of the recommended books is great. YMMV though.

[HSMom2One]

...I wonder if anyone combines the two--Using Biblioplan's schedule, and the commentary from Truthquest. I'm trying to choose between these two for next year myself (or from an unknown third option).

 

I've been toying with this idea myself. As it is though, if I go with Biblioplan I'll be using SOTW, A History of the US (Hakim), Trial and Triumph and Kingfisher as my main spines. I think adding TQ may be overkill, but then again I like the idea of having the commentary. I am very certain that I wouldn't want the TQ Binder Builder or Notebooking supplements for dd. I took a look at them and didn't think they'd be a good fit for us at all. I would just refer the commentary in a weekly (or however it fit in) meeting with my student.

 

My son used BiblioPlan for 8th grade and it was a really good year (modern history). No planning on my part except ordering books from the library when needed. The maps, parent guides, and the Cool History Pages are such a huge help to keep everyone on track. I printed everything out over the summer and put their pages in a three ring binder. They each had their own reading schedule page also and I highlighted what they were supposed to read and made any needed notes on it.

 

This is exactly what I would do for 8th grade if I choose Biblioplan. Reading your post was very encouraging and sent me off on a quest to learn more about the curriculum. Thanks for sharing your experience here!

 

Have you looked at the Companion and Cool Histories that go w/ Biblioplan?

 

I did look at them and like them much better than TQ's companion pieces. If I go with Biblioplan I would definitely order these as well. I have to say I'm challenged with the page layout and design of both TQ and Biblioplan though. They don't seem very professional, but I'm trying really hard to get past that. The problem stems from the fact that I am a trained graphic designer and so things like that drive me crazy at times, plus the fact that we've been using TOG which is very nicely formatted and designed. Bottom line in all of this has to be content though, so like I said, I'll have to work through it. :tongue_smilie:

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Katiebug_1976]

I used Biblioplan for several months with my dc (2nd, 5th, 8th & 9th) and while I liked it for the younger grades (8th and younger) I did not care for the Highschool supplement. I was expecting the lessons to be layed out somewhat the same for HS as it was for the younger years. It was not! It is just a list of certain readings from some textbooks that are not assigned in any way, just suggested to read during "this third of the year" etc. My 9th grade dd was also not impressed with the history text's they used and was very bored. So we switched to MOH/STOW for the rest of the year and it was much better. I was really wanting Biblioplan to work for us, but was very disappointed with their HS portion.

[grace4me]

"My 9th grade dd was also not impressed with the history text's they used and was very bored. So we switched to MOH/STOW for the rest of the year and it was much better. I was really wanting Biblioplan to work for us, but was very disappointed with their HS portion. "

 

I am curious now. What will you use for the high school years from here on out?

[HSMom2One]

"My 9th grade dd was also not impressed with the history text's they used and was very bored. So we switched to MOH/STOW for the rest of the year and it was much better. I was really wanting Biblioplan to work for us, but was very disappointed with their HS portion. "

 

I am curious now. What will you use for the high school years from here on out?

 

I'm not absolutely positive yet, but the only other one that appeals to me for hs would be MFW. I like the idea of following a classical method in chronological order and having a program that is very independent. I'm just thinking about these other curriculums as a fill in for 8th grade when we need to study the 19-20th centuries with a strong focus on the US.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda