I think I miss Sonlight... considering returning for 2nd.

[staceyobu]

I used Sonlight for prek and kinder. I was always a little unsure if we wold continue with it for first when SOTW became an option. So, for first grade, we decided to switch to SOTW. The advantages included price, lots of hands on activities, four year cycle, and the ability to add in my younger children to the history cycle as they got older.

 

BUT, six weeks into SOTW and I'm starting to miss Sonlight. Part of it is that I am trying to use the library for books instead of purchasing. However, I am having trouble getting sotw selections. Our library isn't that big and sometimes the books are checked out. I've tried using interlibrary loan, but it is super unpredictable (takes anywhere from a week to two months to get books, so it's hard to get them when you are actually on that topic).

 

I also think I really miss the box checking of Sonlight. I like for someone else to tell me what makes a good day of first day work. I feel like we are either overkilling or not doing enough.

 

Can I pick up with Sonlight 2 in second grade after using SOTW one for first? Does that work timeline wise? And should I? Sigh. Part of me feels like I still have my original reasons for walking away. My middle son is a young 4 and DD is an advanced 6. I will probably be doing two separate cores in a year. And then what will I do down the road when kiddo 3 starts? And kid #4? I know lots of people combine, but I have a hard time thinking of putting a second grader and a k'er together in a kindergarten core. Or trying to work a kindergartner a level ahead.

 

Sigh. I'm just wondering if I made a mistake this year and should have stuck with core one to start with...

[LindaOz]

;) I'm kind of the opposite. I love and use SL but I also worked through SOTW with my older kids when they were younger and it gave them such a great foundation for their further history study.

 

My younger kids are now doing various earlier cores, and I'm missing doing SOTW with them. So, what I've just decided is that I'm still going to do the early SL cores with them but use SOTW as the spine. We will work in the SL readings as we go. That way we'll be getting the best of both worlds.

 

Here's a site that you might find interesting http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/chowsotw.htm

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/sotw1eger.htm

 

Just thought I'd throw that idea in for you.:001_smile:

[StephanieZ]

Yes, you can definitely go into SL2. SL1 and SL2 are both world history, but they really don't build chronologically on each other. No problem skipping one!

 

FWIW, I started with SOTW 1, then 2, then went to SL b/c I moved somewhere with a crummy library (moving from the universe's best library system where I got so spoiled). After spending many hundreds on SOTW selections sight unseen from amazon after giving up on the library, I realized that SL would work so much better b/c they have prescreened the books and picked the best of the best (as opposed to the vast menu offered in SOTW, which is awesome if they are risk free via library, but a PITA if you are buying full price new).

 

So, anyway, I think both are great programs, but, if you are limited by a crummy library, I do find SL much more convenient since they have pre-selected excellent books for you.

 

FWIW, I think someone (PHP?) would be smart to do a similar book package for SOTW in order to make it a feasible option for those who don't have access to a decent library.

 

Once I went to SL, I was totally sold, and wouldn't go back for anything (for elementary/junior high). Also, SL uses SOTW in Cores 6-7 (G-H), so you do get to enjoy those great books using SL.

[nowimscrappin]

I am missing Sonlight a little too. I didn't want to do Core 1 with my daughter, because I like SOTW, so I'm doing that. But, I am giving her CHOW to read on her own (I have a mapping of CHOW chapters to SOTW chapters). The read alouds in Core 1 aren't based on the history, so you can do those from Core 1 if you want and not impact history. What I'm actually doing is I'm pulling the read alouds from Core 6 and reading them to her. The stories are a bit more sophisticated but she is recognizing when I'm mentioning the names of Gods she's heard about in SOTW and she just likes to listening - reading to them at this point is more about them hearing the words than the content.

 

I do the SOTW chapter, the map and the coloring page. I don't do much of the activiites. If I can get some of the reading books from the library, I get them for extra reading for her, but knowing that 1) this is just an exposure to history for her and 2) she is getting SO MUCH MORE history than the kids at school, I'm ok with it.

[isitnaptime]

FWIW, I think someone (PHP?) would be smart to do a similar book package for SOTW in order to make it a feasible option for those who don't have access to a decent library.

 

 

:iagree:

This would be a great move for them, I think.

[Whereneverever]

I'm doing Sonlight after doing SOTW 1 last year. I'm so glad I switched!

[Mom0012]

So, will you have a 2nd grader and a K'er next year? If so, I would do Core 1 then. It won't kill them to repeat some information, especially at that age. If you aren't thrilled with SOTW, and want to return to SL, you could always do something like Galloping the Globe this year. That would involve trips to the library, though.

 

My son listened to the SOTW audiobooks over and over from K and up and he still enjoyed Core 1 when we did it.

 

Lisa

[TKDmom]

You might want to look into Classical House of Learning Literature. She has lit selections to go along with SOTW 1, 2, and 4 (I think 3 will come out next year). I am enjoying the selections so far.

 

I used 4 SL cores, and then decided that I would rather do chronological history. My first experience with SL was doing core 2 after completing SOTW 1. Core 1 and SOTW 1 end at the same place, so it was a smooth transition. But SL 2 covers 500AD to modern times. I thought it went too fast to actually get a feel for all that history. Also, by the time you get to Core 4 many of the books are young adult novels that deal with difficult topics. I started prereading the read-alouds and realized they would be too much for my oldest.

 

CHOLL is a really nice alternative for me, because I have preselected books (with activities) and I can still do SOTW.

[texasmama]

We did Core 1+2 during our first year of homeschooling, and it was a great year.

[mothergooseof4]

I know you referenced SL and SOTW, but consider other options.

 

I used 5 SL cores the first 5 years of my hsing career. I floated around a bit when I started adding more kids to the process. Right now I am loving MFW. It has everything sceduled for me, comes with all of the rquired books, is written for combining a broader age range, and has activities scheduled that this non-crafty momma actually gets done. Oh, it even schedules SOTW 2-4.

 

I loved SL when hsing one child, but MFW is working much better for combining.

[SnMomof7]

I miss SL when I need to do anything that isn't SL! (Like for Canadian content - groan). Have you looked into 1+2? (B+C?) That's what I have next in our SL queue :).