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Can someone explain how the OM History works? I have looked at the 5th grade sample on the website, but it isn't very extensive. It looks like you read the OM book and then there is a list of optional additional reading for each lesson. Is this correct? Are extra books listed for every lesson?

 

I am trying to decide whether OM 5 History/English and Science would work for my ds this year. Any other info. would be appreciated!

 

Thanks.

 

Amy C.

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Hi,

 

We just finished OM5 (using an older version of the curriculum).

 

Oak Meadow Social Studies and Language Arts are integrated. There will be a relatively short history lesson in the syllabus, which might have you pause to answer questions or look at something on a map, and at the end of the section, there will usually be a choice of writing assignments pertaining to the social studies reading.

 

Meanwhile, whatever book you are reading for Language Arts will usually pertain to the social studies material- they tend to use "living books."

 

There will also often be some sort of craft, handiwork, or activity related to the social studies material, too. Like when reading about Christopher Columbus for example, they had us make a wooden sailboat and make our own compass, as well as choosing a writing assignment (which the child could also illustrate if they wanted), reading "Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus?" and making hardtack to see what might have to be eaten on a long voyage at sea- that kind of thing. It was usually pretty interesting and fun. :)

 

They also will recommend optional/supplemental reading to further expand on the material. I don't think they did that for every single lesson, but they did for the vast majority of them.

 

As for the science, it was my daughter's favorite subject. It's not what a lot here would consider a very rigorous or meaty science curriculum if you're looking to go heavy on that, but again it tries to immerse the student- we'd read a short lesson in the book, it would occasionally list supplemental reading (in the teacher's manual), there might be some drawings to do, or a project to do, or some sort of experiment. Some of the things we did were make a multi-media forest mural, interesting writing assignments, drawings, burying items and digging them up later to see which started to decompose, starting a simple worm bin/organic gardening, a four week "biome observation project," various water conservation and recycling projects, experiments with air pollution (smearing vaseline on index cards and hanging one near a road and one in a protected area), and stuff like that.

 

I have used Oak Meadow for 4th grade and 5th grade so far and really love it. We'll be continuing with Oak Meadow 6 with my daughter and starting Oak Meadow K with my son this fall.

 

Here's a link to a week of Oak Meadow 5- our schedule, a list of what we did/what it was like, a few photos, etc if you want to check it out:

 

http://nancextoo.livejournal.com/126296.html

 

And if you browse the sidebar to the left of my blog you can find more info about Oak Meadow in general, among other things.

 

Hope this helps!

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