History dilemma - might need to change our approach or text - help!

[Wendi]

We are a few weeks into Notgrass Exploring World History, and it's not what we had hoped for. I think my son wants more detail, and color/diagrams/illustration. I'd be fine with switching to another text, but what are my choices if I want something with a Christian worldview?

 

My other thought is to use our history encyclopedia (the one recommended in WTM), and have ds do some outlining, extra research or projects, and/or documentaries. But how does one grade history when done this way?

 

Help!

Wendi

[klmama]

Other options from Christian worldview include A Beka and BJU Press. Very thorough, lots of details.

[Wendi]

If not specifically Christian, are there any recommended history texts that are reasonably neutral? How is Glencoe World History?

 

Thanks,

Wendi

[Chloe]

:bigear:

[silliness7]

We are using Nograss with MFW and have found a similar problem. I am so NOT in love with that book. I do like the Biblical focus quite a bit and since we are reinforcing that with so much other biblical material across the board I felt O.K. in using SWB's History of the Ancient World. I initially wasn't going to. I was put off by the first couple of chapters which assume an old earth and a developing man POV as opposed to a perfectly created man from the beginning. However her writing is just so darn engaging. I love to read it. We've had some wonderful discussions with it. I'm glad I added it in.

 

We are alternating one week Notgrass, one week Bauer. 1 chapter/lesson per day for 4 days a week. (every 5th Notgrass chapter is a Bible study and we do that too but not during history time) We should get through almost all of Bauer's book and the first half of Notgrass by the end of the year. That lines up with MFW's timeline so I'm good with that. I did end up dropping MFW's other history books. I just was not thrilled.

 

For both Notgrass and Bauer I have my son do a one point outline and then re-write the information in his own words using his outline. I do the work too and we compare notes every day. (except Wed.) I haven't decided if I should write some tests to go along with Bauer. It wouldn't be that difficult since I have my outlines. But we are doing the tests and questions and writing assignments with Notgrass so maybe that is enough. We're also still doing the timeline and map assignments from MFW, so I think that will be plenty.

 

I don't know if that helps you at all. You would probably want to preview the first chapters of Bauer's book to see if they would work for you.

[amtmcm]

We used BJU World History last year and really enjoyed it. It includes some original source documents in the Activity Pages. For instance, there was an excerpt from Communist Manifesto which prompted a great discussion between me and DD. The Activity Pages also include map work, timelines and short answer (mini-essay) questions. The thought questions try to get the student to think about the material rather then to simply spoon feed facts.

[mom31257]

My dh is a history teacher, and he didn't like the way Notgrass was written when he read through samples. This helped me decide not to use it. I have dd reading BJU's World History and Glencoe's World History so that she can get both views.

 

She really likes Glencoe better. She gets frustrated with BJU interjecting Christian thought so much of the time, interrupting the flow of what was happening. She's only a couple of chapters in because we're doing a four year cycle, so that may improve as the book goes along.

[1Togo]

If you want more detail about specific time periods, you might take a look at the Guerber texts.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

BJU's textbooks are more interesting than other textbooks. They include too much detail sometimes. I do not agree with the doctrine, but that gives us a good point of discussion.

 

Why not get a used BJU text for extra reading while you "do" Notgrass?