Sweet Home Alabama Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) I'm trying to plan Medieval-early Renaissance history (400-1600) for grades 3,6, and 8 using WTM methods. (I decided against using History Odyssey, and I'm hoping to organize history so that my kids will have a chance to study/write about topics of interest.) For the notebook, we're supposed to have 10 divisions: Facts Great Men and Women Wars, Conflicts, and Politics Inventions and Technology Religion Daily Life Cities and Settlements Primary Sources The Arts and Great Books Outlines My budget is tight.... of course, whose isn't?:tongue_smilie: Can you all make specific book recommendations that would help us use a minimal number of reference books to fill the maximum number of items listed above? (ETA: The notebook would include writing about topics that are interest driven, so I realize library books or books on a specific topic would be used to make the notebook. However to be economical, if possible, I am hoping to find some books that can be used for the notebook that span more than one category listed above.) For core text, list-making, and primary sources: We will use SotW vol. 2 as a spine (new to us all) The kids will use age appropriate encyclopedias for making their lists: 3rd grader: UILE; 6th grader: Kingfisher (white or red????:bigear:); 8th grader: National Geographic Almanac of World History. We will use The Mammoth Book of What Happened and maybe The Medieval and Early Modern World Primary Sources book for primary sources. Edited July 7, 2011 by Sweet Home Alabama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kloumc Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Two excellent resources which I would recommend are Famous Men of the Middle Ages and Famous Men of the Renaissance & Reformation. These have both been around for a while, so maybe you could find them used. There are also teacher guides to each of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I have all the resources we used listed on my blog on the right hand side--link in my sig. You may want to look at Picture the Middle Ages produced by Jack Daws publishing. It covered all of your catorgies except Wars,Conflicts, and Politics. I've found over time that the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia really covers the basics and then library books do a great job of filling in the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Two excellent resources which I would recommend are Famous Men of the Middle Ages and Famous Men of the Renaissance & Reformation. These have both been around for a while, so maybe you could find them used. There are also teacher guides to each of these. I have all the resources we used listed on my blog on the right hand side--link in my sig. You may want to look at Picture the Middle Ages produced by Jack Daws publishing. It covered all of your catorgies except Wars,Conflicts, and Politics. I've found over time that the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia really covers the basics and then library books do a great job of filling in the rest. Thank you both! This is wonderful! Miss Moe, how old were your kids when they did this study? Did you follow the Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 schedule in TWTM for logic history study? Lastly, did you all read SotW at all or just use the Suzanne Strauss Art books for your core texts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) A couple of the internet linked Usborne history books might work. I know they have Viking World and Medieval World. (Viking World is on PBS right now- http://www.paperbackswap.com/Viking-World-Illustrated-History/book/0794503543/ ) I also like the Cultural Atlas for Young People The Middle Ages (there is also one on Maya and Aztecs and one on Africa, but they wouldn't work for as long). Foster's books might work too- The World of Christopher Columbus is the right period. Edited July 7, 2011 by Mallory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Thank you both! This is wonderful!Miss Moe, how old were your kids when they did this study? Did you follow the Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 schedule in TWTM for logic history study? Lastly, did you all read SotW at all or just use the Suzanne Strauss Art books for your core texts? My children were ages 11,11, and 12. We usually followed TWTM suggestions for logic history study with a bit of adjustments here and there. I used SOTW for my youngest child as reading comprehension--something she struggles with and needed a bit of help with. Suzanne Strauss Art books were our core books. I just noticed that you are using the National Geographic Almanac of World History---I have high praise for it. We started using it mid-way through our last year. We will be using it for outlining this coming year. Edited July 7, 2011 by missmoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I'm trying to plan Medieval-early Renaissance history (400-1600) for grades 3,6, and 8 using WTM methods. (I decided against using History Odyssey, and I'm hoping to organize history so that my kids will have a chance to study/write about topics of interest.) For the notebook, we're supposed to have 10 divisions: Facts Great Men and Women Wars, Conflicts, and Politics Inventions and Technology Religion Daily Life Cities and Settlements Primary Sources The Arts and Great Books Outlines My budget is tight.... of course, whose isn't?:tongue_smilie: Can you all make specific book recommendations that would help us use a minimal number of reference books to fill the maximum number of items listed above? (ETA: The notebook would include writing about topics that are interest driven, so I realize library books or books on a specific topic would be used to make the notebook. However to be economical, if possible, I am hoping to find some books that can be used for the notebook that span more than one category listed above.) For core text, list-making, and primary sources: We will use SotW vol. 2 as a spine (new to us all) The kids will use age appropriate encyclopedias for making their lists: 3rd grader: UILE; 6th grader: Kingfisher (white or red????:bigear:); 8th grader: National Geographic Almanac of World History. We will use The Mammoth Book of What Happened and maybe The Medieval and Early Modern World Primary Sources book for primary sources. With the books you listed that you will be using, plus your mention of using library books, I wouldn't bother trying to buy more reference books, if you're low on cash. Is there a particular reason you are looking for books (other than library books) to span more than one category? You already have several reference books listed...what am I misunderstanding? The only other idea I can think of is to see if you can find a free or cheap set of World Book encyclopedias from a fairly recent year. I lucked into finding a whole set of 2006 a few weeks ago, for the whopping price of $1!! whoohoooo! :D As to KF white or red: if you can find a cheap white one, you will have a book with nicely written paragraphs, and you can do outlining practice from it. But if you go with the red one, you can always have outlining practice from library books. Either one is useable as a spine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 With the books you listed that you will be using, plus your mention of using library books, I wouldn't bother trying to buy more reference books, if you're low on cash. Is there a particular reason you are looking for books (other than library books) to span more than one category? You already have several reference books listed...what am I misunderstanding? The only other idea I can think of is to see if you can find a free or cheap set of World Book encyclopedias from a fairly recent year. I lucked into finding a whole set of 2006 a few weeks ago, for the whopping price of $1!! whoohoooo! :D As to KF white or red: if you can find a cheap white one, you will have a book with nicely written paragraphs, and you can do outlining practice from it. But if you go with the red one, you can always have outlining practice from library books. Either one is useable as a spine. Thanks, Colleen! I'm trying to be prepared for a busy year. Even ifthe library has enough resources to cover all of the things my kids might find interesting and would want to research, I'm just not sure how realistic it is to plan to go there once a week. I just know something will run over time, and we just won't go. I want to have enough books at home that we can use. In TWTM for history, there is a core text, a resource from which to make a list of interesting/important facts, a primary sources reference, and then a source for further research to study a topic of interest that will be filed in the notebook under one of the ten categories. I have (or have chosen) the core text, history encyclopedias (facts), and a book for primary sources. I was hoping to have a different "tier" of books on hand for notebook topic research but just a few that would cover all the categories to avoid expense. Thus, my question. I thought later that this may come across in a strange way... it made sense to me, but might not have been communicated clearly enough. I wish I could find a set of World Books for $1.... WOW! What a great find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Does anyone have a link to "The Mammoth Book of What Happened?" I know I've checked that out from my library but now I can't find it there or at Amazon. Thanks for the thread....you've got me to planning for the Fall! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Don't forget the internet as an incredible source of information. Wanna learn about Stonehenge?--use Google Earth and take a tour of it. Wanna learn about the Vikings/all things English?--Look up stuff on the BBC website. There's just an amazing amt of stuff out there, from reputable sources--That and library books, along with what you have, and you will be quite good to go. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karensk Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Some of the Famous Men series are available online, too! Baldwin Project has some (here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 (edited) ...I'm just not sure how realistic it is to plan to go there once a week. I just know something will run over time, and we just won't go. I want to have enough books at home that we can use. I thought later that this may come across in a strange way... it made sense to me, but might not have been communicated clearly enough. No, it all made sense to me. I was just trying to encourage you, because you mentioned a tight budget, that library books would be more than adequate for covering all those areas. But I can understand being worried about not being able to go to the library every week, and wanting to find something to have at home. Seriously, I wonder if you could find a set of encyclopedias? (well, I realize not everyone wants to have a set anymore....but I love mine, lol) Every few months I check Kijiji (similar to Craigslist, I believe), and that's how I have found previous sets for free (and mostly for outlining practice, not necessarily the most up-to-the-minute information). So I had finally worked my way up to a 1993 set of World Books (and a 1985 set of Britannica, lol). I left word at a local library a couple of years ago that I was looking for more upgraded sets. Well, the lady I had spoken with KEPT MY NAME AND NUMBER and called me a couple of weeks ago, asking if I wanted the library's 2006 set....I was screaming with delight on the phone, and she was so happy that she'd made my day! :D Edited July 8, 2011 by Colleen in NS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Colleen - What a great idea!!! Congrats on your find!!! Good things happen to good people b/c they make them happen. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Wow, I'll have to give that a try. It's worth a shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenKase Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Don't forget the internet as an incredible source of information. Wanna learn about Stonehenge?--use Google Earth and take a tour of it. Wanna learn about the Vikings/all things English?--Look up stuff on the BBC website. :iagree: BBC is AMAZING and I also use many of the Usborne Internet Links for reference. I've also amassed the whole WAT medieval series, used on Amazon for dd11 to use next year in 6th grade for further study on particular topics. I totally understand about not being able to go to the library every week so this past school year we did manage to visit the library every 2-3 weeks (although I totally meant to go every week, but life happened and so we didn't). I made note of our future history topics then checked out as many books as we needed for the coming weeks (the adult shelves our library has an enormous wealth of resources. For history, we spent more time in the adult shelves than we did in the children shelves). We did leave the building with an obscene amount of books each time, but this worked really well for us and I didn't have to stress having to visit the library every week. Maybe you could do the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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