newlifemom Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 For the first time in my WTM journey I am in a quandary wrt the 4 year history cycle. We have [for the most part] finished vol 3 of SOTW, and I find myself hesitating. Should I move on to vol 4 or go back to vol 1. Here are the main reasons I am thinking about it: 1. Vol 4 is just so much harder than the other 3, and dd #3 will only be 8. 2. I have not found a physics program for elementary students that I like. 3. I think the kids would really enjoy going back to biology and the ancient world. Plus, I think they would get so more more out of it than they would a modern history/physics cycle. My main opposing thought is: 1. DS #2 is in love with the Civil War, War of Northern Aggression, or whatever you want to call it. :tongue_smilie: He pours over books about it and the Veritas Press cards relating to it. Of course, he could continue with that study on his own, since that is what he is already doing. What do you think? Oh, I should also mention that dd#4 is 5 and will be joining them officially for history so vol 1 would be a better fit for her as well. [sigh] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Short answer: you don't have any *bad* options here, so don't fret. :) Either option will work just fine! It sounds like you're leaning towards ancients next year, and that'll be fine. You don't have to justify it. :) On the other hand, if you do moderns, you know your ds will enjoy it, and your little one may even get more out of starting history with ancients at age 6 than she would at age 5. You're fine either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Short answer: you don't have any *bad* options here, so don't fret. :) Either option will work just fine! It sounds like you're leaning towards ancients next year, and that'll be fine. You don't have to justify it. :) On the other hand, if you do moderns, you know your ds will enjoy it, and your little one may even get more out of starting history with ancients at age 6 than she would at age 5. You're fine either way. You're not helping me! :tongue_smilie: I need someone to make up my mind for me. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 War of Northern Aggression :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 No help, but I'm kinda in the same debate. I had planned to go back to 1 after volume 3, when DS is in 4th grade and DD is in 1st. That would get them both on the same cycle (and DD2 when she gets old enough, as well). Now... not so sure. DS loves history, and is a budding military buff. Plus, he still has living relatives and family friends who were a part of the Great Depression, WWII, and so on. That won't be the case forever - very likely when we get back to that part of history again. To add to this, DD1 is, so far, rather not fond of history. Giving her an extra year when she's not forced to be involved in it may give her a chance to grow into it. Or it could be that between now and the start of 1st she'll do that growing. Also, DS1 has been a slow reader/writer, and I kind of doubt he'll be ready to make the jump to logic stage work a year early (though, of course, we don't actually have to change the requirements. So... now I'm leaning back towards formally doing Vol. 4 and maybe even just start them on separate tracks, as I don't know if I want to try to match up topics exactly between grammar and logic stage, anyways. I doubt that's any help. But you're not alone in this question! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrdinaryTime Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Many in the South refer to the U.S. Civil War, The War Between the States, as the War of Northern Aggressionbecause they believe a state has the right to succeed from.the Union. The North was illegally preventing Southern states from exercising this right, eventually resulting in a preventing the South by force from leaving the Union. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrdinaryTime Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I don't know what the smiley at the top of my first reply means or how it got there. Hopefully, it is not offensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Go back to 1 again. :) I say this as we're about a month into physics and about a month from starting SOTW4 (year-round, things don't always match up). If I hadn't loaned out my Vol 1 set I'd probably do the same. The first book is just so much more fun, and they'll still cover modern times more than once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 If it were me, I would go back to ancients if you want to keep them all on the same level. Level 4 is quite a bit different in tone and reading level and topics covered. I don't think the younger kids would really get much out of it other than just exposure. You can add in extra bits about wars and weapons or whatever else it was that your eldest is interested in - stuff he might not have covered the first time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhrice3 Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Pam, I would go back and start with Vol. 1 again. Your younger one will be at a good age to start Ancient - lil kids love ancient history! As you said, if your other son loved the Civil War, he will continue to study, research, read about it for as long as he lives. My husband has a friend that is STILL a huge Civil War buff. Good luck and enjoy, ReneeR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 We had a similar situation when my kids were younger. I particularly wanted to avoid war-after-war-after war stories of Vol. IV with my younger son. My solution: I read Vol. IV with dd over the summer, and we did no extra activities with it. In the fall, we began again with Vol. I, and my ds was able to more fully participate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Or, you could do the year of Geography, just to give yourself a "breather" year. Companies like MFW have one... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I'd do the Civil War Time Traveler's CD with him if he were my child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I think I might do Volume 1 AND get the easiest Jean Fritz books about American history and read those aloud as well. I wish that I had done more with American history with my DD, and if I were doing it over again I would add it as another subject, but light, in parallel with world history, the same way that I did with California history one year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Thank you for your thoughtful replies. So much to think about. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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