ChristusG Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I *really* want to to SOTW with my kids....but honestly, they are just not interested right now. I know that you need to start it in first grade to make the history cycle three times. We're already behind since DD is in 2nd. Do you think it would be okay to do SOTW for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades? Or are the middle school years too old for SOTW? Then move on to something more in depth during the high school years? And for the time being, just go off on some interest-led rabbit trails for history from now through 4th grade? Is that do-able? Or no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I don't think starting a year late is any reason to start three years late, unless you have another idea for history in the meantime. You could easily do the four books in three years by doing an extra chapter some weeks, or you could just start from Book 2 and go from there. Have you tried supplementing SOTW with relevant library books and activities? Is it history itself that they're not interested or just SOTW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I'd start earlier rather than later. If it's important to you to stay on cycle so that you can do 2 full repetitions and end with year 12, start with SOTW2 this year. If you don't feel bound by an ending point and just want to get going start with SOTW1. With my dd7, I print out the coloring page and make her sit in the room while I read aloud. Sometimes she can answer the questions. Sometimes I'm telling her the answers. I get an many books from the library as I can about the topic and sometimes those catch her attention. She's not retaining everything but she's hearing it and will be more familiar the next time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 How do you know they aren't interested? Did you try it and they wouldn't listen? If they aren't interested in history now, how will that change by waiting? Will you do other history? Just some questions to ask yourself. We waited until now (2nd grade) because my DD doesn't like war and things like that. She really is enjoying it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I have a 5th grader who is doing SOTW, but at this point, he's not as interested in a lot of the activities or extra books, certainly not the coloring, etc. And he's definitely more about moving at a faster pace. He does the reading, some mapwork, and the tests. He also takes it at a faster pace, at least double the pace that we did when he and his older siblings were younger (he was pre-K age when they did it and did participate as he was able, including in two co-ops). If you put it off, you'd probably either want to supplement heavily and/or pick up the pace so that the 4 books take 2 or 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I wouldn't wait. The books don't have to 'come out even'. Lots of people skip book 4 on the first rotation, in case it's too traumatic for young children. Others take longer than a year to go through each of the books. If you don't want to teach it right now, figure out something else cool to study and try again in 6 months. Let it take what it takes. I am eternally grateful that I took 1 1/2 years to get through SOTW 1. This was mostly because I was interspersing Bible history with it, which is really easy to do. If I had worried too much about the schedule and the 'regular' rotation, we wouldn't have had nearly as rich an experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) n/m Edited May 31, 2013 by hsmom2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 How do you know they aren't interested? Did you try it and they wouldn't listen? If they aren't interested in history now, how will that change by waiting? Will you do other history? Just some questions to ask yourself. We waited until now (2nd grade) because my DD doesn't like war and things like that. She really is enjoying it now. Yes, we tried it last year and got about 6 or 7 chapters in. Some of it just seems over her head. And then I tried the audio CD instead (this year) and she just doesn't seem interested in it. Maybe we'll just give it another try. It's not history she doesn't seem interested in (we've studied the medieval times and such and really got into it)....I guess it's just the way it's presented in SOTW. I think I'll look into ways to make it more interesting. Maybe we'll do an activity first to spark her interest and then read about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 We are currently in the 3rd year cycle (Early Modern) and I'm finding that SOTW3 -as is- is not great for my ds1st and dd2nd. I'm finding that I must modify the chapter as I read (simplify) and also with these two kids, they just need more time on reading and math than the huge effort it takes for me to make history "come alive" for them. I really enjoyed doing SOTW 1 and 2 with my younger daughter and son , though. SOTW 3 is just a step up for her and ds in reading comprehension. I don't like the pictures in STOW 3 AB as well as I did in SOTW AB 1 and 2. I'm actually backing off history just a touch for them and filling in more with FIAR. I keep thinking--what is the rush?? I'll just read SOTW to the family at supper. OK, having said that, my older two kids in the logic stage were in PS for their grammar years and are now experiencing the classical history cycle for the first time in HS. SOTW works GREAT for them. They read the chapter as a springboard and then follow pretty much follow the history study guidelines set out for the logic stage in WTM. I think SOTW is a great springboard for them. Now that we are in STOW 3 and will do SOTW 4 next year, it is an even better choice for them. This year, their outlining and some of their summaries are from STOW instead of the Kingfisher or Usborne history encyclopedia, though they also do extra reading from the encyclopedia. I don't know whether you should wait or go ahead, but perhaps our situation can shed some light on the options. Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 If they're not into the way it's presented in SOTW but like it other ways then why push SOTW? I know SOTW is (obviously!) popular here and it's a good option, but there's other spines for history and other ways to do the cycle. If it's the right resource for them in 5th grade, then maybe you'll use it then, but who knows. For now, I would start doing the ancients and just move through with another spine or with just living books or projects or whatever works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 In that case, you could try skimming through SOTW on your own and using it to guide your kids to right shelf at the library each week, letting them then choose which books to read. Or just use the Usborne or Kingfisher encyclopedia as a spine, or any other roughly four-year cycle. As long as they're getting exposed to *a* story of the world, it doesn't matter enormously if it's *the* SOTW at the elementary level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 In that case, you could try skimming through SOTW on your own and using it to guide your kids to right shelf at the library each week, letting them then choose which books to read. Or just use the Usborne or Kingfisher encyclopedia as a spine, or any other roughly four-year cycle. As long as they're getting exposed to *a* story of the world, it doesn't matter enormously if it's *the* SOTW at the elementary level. :iagree: It sounds like SOTW just isn't a good fit for your DD, which is understandable. Some kids don't like the style. Pick a different spine or just use the library and use SOTW as YOUR spine without reading it to your DD. If she doesn't like the style now, I don't know if she'd like it in 5th grade either. I'm pretty sure when my now-2nd grader is in 5th grade, he'd probably think SOTW1 is too easy/babyish. Thankfully, he LOVES it now, so we have all 4 books and he's been reading all of them.... which reminds me... He really started getting into it when he started reading it himself. Is your DD able to read it herself? If so, you might try that. But again, you don't *have* to use SOTW. Plenty of people do history without it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Let me just say that SOTW is not my choice for a spine. My girls resist. They prefer the old WTM way. We have read SOTW since its release, but again, it is not our spine. For some reason, the girls are not attracted to it in that manner, but prefer to read it. The fourth volume received quite a bit of resistance. I am not sure that it is arranged well. I also use the instruction book for writing (WWS) versus the workbooks and adapt across subject content. Anyway, you will find that Winter's Promise, Heart of Dakota, Sonlight, Beautiful Feet, etc. are all very similar to the approach that we used years ago. I would not encourage that you use SOTW beyond the 5th as anything more than supplemental juvenile reading. You will need enriched resources and/or references. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in CA Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 The way we did SOTW when the kids were younger: I read the chapter myself first. In the morning I simply had activities ready for the kids. I chose them from the activity guides based on what I thought they would like to do. For us that included all the clay and cooking projects. I also had ready the maps (my then 5 year old loved doing maps and hung them in his bedroom), the coloring page (most often done by my older son), and tons of library books (I picked them up ahead of time). Because I read the chapter first we could start on a project, and while we worked on it I was able to tell the kids about something relevent. (example: when we made the minetaurs labyrinth I could tell them about it). After that I read the section out loud; the same way I would read any book out loud. Throughout the week we'd read tons of related picture books. This was really easy going for us. None of this was required. Really, we just played with history. Their history binder mostly consisted of maps and projects and coloring pages at the time. Slowly, we added in narration (which I wrote for them for a very long time). We loved history. Almost makes me want to have another baby so I can do it again. :D Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chloe Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 My oldest two dc weren't ready for SOTW in 1st or 2nd grade either. We ended up waiting and doing SOTW 1 and 2 together in one year (dc in 6th and 7th grades) and SOTW 3 and 4 together this year (7th and 8th grades). This is basically a home-made version of SL Cores 6 and 7. Before starting with SOTW we did a geography year with Galloping the Globe, then a couple of years of US History with Truthquest's younger guides. That said, I plan to start SOTW earlier with my younger two dc and give each volume it's own year. I think 4th-7th is perfect, with a solid US History year for 8th, then a complete rotation in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melis Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Hello there :) We are working through Story of the World Volume I this year. My DS's are in 3rd and 5th. We are also doing American History I (through Sonlight). I've been trying to get through Volume I for 3 years now and it just wasn't happening for a variety of reasons. When they were younger schooling was lot more intense (teaching reading and writing) and we spent most of our afternoons outside and at various activities. This year, now that my youngest is reading and writing on his own, it's been a lot easier. Prior to that, there just weren't enough hours. I really wanted to do science and history with them together, so it's worked out fine. DS10 will have gone through World History by 8th grade and DS8 will be in 6th. I'll be doing American History II, Government and State History/Government with them together as well. I stressed for a long time over the whole rotation thing, but as time has gone on, I've realized it's not that important (to me) *when* we get to it, so much as we do it altogether and enjoy it as much as possible. I hope this helps a little! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melis Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Oooh! Another idea would be to do states and capitals and some light geography this year and then work on American History in 3rd and 4th, moving into Story of the World (for World History) in 5th through 8th... just a thought! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I started SOTW the summer before my daughter started fourth grade. We only did it on an as-we-get-around-to-it basis and only over the summer as I didn't want to pile anything onto our main curriculum over the school year. We picked it up again the summer before fifth grade, and again this past summer, the summer before sixth. Probably averaging only like 5 chapters er summer lol. This year we're continuing with it over the school year and my daughter, who turned 11 this month, is continuing to really enjoy it. My son, who is about to turn 6, would have NO interest in it at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Dd11 is in 5th this year and we began SOTW Ancients this year. She had heard bits and pieces of SOTW I, II, and III as her sister went through it. I am actually surprised by how much she LOVES this. We are combining with MOH and the Activity Guide. I think it is a great fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalphs Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I *really* want to to SOTW with my kids....but honestly, they are just not interested right now. I know that you need to start it in first grade to make the history cycle three times. We're already behind since DD is in 2nd. Do you think it would be okay to do SOTW for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades? Or are the middle school years too old for SOTW? Then move on to something more in depth during the high school years? And for the time being, just go off on some interest-led rabbit trails for history from now through 4th grade? Is that do-able? Or no? Dd wasn't interested in SOTW during 1st Grade, so we switched to "A Child's History of the World" by V.M. Hillyer. Dd who is now a 5th grader is interested in reading SOTW. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.