redsquirrel Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 It's not working out with us. It's not you, HO, it's me. There are things about you that are great, just what I wanted, but my heart lies elsewhere. I think you could be the perfect curriculum for someone else, just not me. No hard feelings, ok? My one regret is that I bought HO instead of using the 10 week sample. I am weeks in and wanting to change. But, to be fair, there are parts that I am glad I have. I won't give it all up. I like the mapwork. I like the instructions to write specific information from the Kingfisher in the notebook. I like the notebook and the guidance about how to use it. I like the reading list. I like most of the resources and the assigned readings. So, I am going back to doing history like I did it last year, following the pattern laid out in TWTM. It worked for us. I like using the writing plan from SWB in my history. My kids do so well with that. So, for anyone who has read this so far, what should I do? I have kingfisher, I have Human Odyssey and I have many Oxford Medieval books. Clearly resources are not a problem. Heck, thanks to the lovely and hardworking SaDonna, I even have HO and Human Odyssey and Oxford all matched up. It won't be that hard to make this work. I am 7 weeks in. We have done 20 something lessons. We just finished the vikings. If I go back to what I did last year I will following the TOC of SOTW but using logic stage materials. I will also be looking at HO for some activities etc. I do have a list that someone posted aligning SOTW with HO. I can follow that, I think. If I add in what SaDonna did I think I am golden. But, should I start back at the beginning of SOTW or just jump in where I would be had I started the year that way? What the heck do I do when I run into the Vikings again? Just do different viking readings? I doubt my son would mind more vikings. Ah well, live and learn. And I want to be clear that HO is a solid curriculum. It really is me, not HO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Do you dislike the order in which HO does history? If not and you're ok with that, I think I'd just follow the topics in the order they are laid out in HO, but do it TWTM style. That way you aren't jumping around, skipping or repeating things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Well.. it doesn't sound like it is a total loss. ha. ;-) For us history is secondary to science, so that is why I took so much time getting texts lined up for dd to read on her own. She loves reading, and those along with literature selections and a few Caravel books have been great. She does do the mapwork and timeline, but we haven't done much of the writing beyond a few narrations. We already do enough writing with CC and WWS right now. I really don't think you need to start over though. I would just start where you are. I am not sure from your post what direction you are looking to move to, but honestly you can just read the material and discuss it... that is quite alright. I wouldn't try to get everything done they are asking to do. I would also stop at any point if you hit on something you found interesting and go from there. I remember someone posting about how they did history and learning more about a certain tribe that lived along the Canadian border or something like that. I wouldn't hesitate to grab onto anything fascinating along the way and run with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 I am not sure from your post what direction you are looking to move to. I am wanting to go back to following the pattern set out in TWTM. I like the 6 steps as laid out by SWB. Pandia Press is soooo close, but not the same. And Wendy K, I do not think there is anything wrong with History Odyssey. I think it is a solid program. I just like the way SWB organizes things a bit better. I like the specificity of History Odyssey. My goodness, you will know exactly what to do on what day. But, I do not like the writing assignments. I much prefer following the writing plan put forward in WWE/WWS and applying that to history. Using History Odyssey brings yet another set of expectations into the mix. I much prefer having consistency in such things. If I use History Odyssey but ignore the writing assignments, that also means I am reorganizing the reading assignments. I am not going to have my son outline from Kingfisher. I will have him outline from Human Odyssey or a biography etc. If I am using different writing assignments and different readig assignments, it is pretty much a different program. It has become all TWTM organized and not Pandia Press. So, I think I am just going to go back to using the TOC from SOTW and pick up this week where we would be. I am still going to use some of the activities etc from History Odyssey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Sounds good. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Sounds like a plan to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 So, I think I am just going to go back to using the TOC from SOTW and pick up this week where we would be. I am still going to use some of the activities etc from History Odyssey Disclaimer - I haven't used HO... but I do remember looking at it several times. And I feel your pain - I don't think there's ever been a school year where I stuck to my original plan - it sort of messes up my great notebooking plans, LOL. Anyway, if I were in your shoes, I would get out the SOTW TOC and put a light checkmark by everything you've already covered this year. Then I would look back and see what we've missed - is it important enough to go back and do? If not, then don't worry about it. Keep looking through all the topics skipped up to the Vikings (or whatever makes more sense) and make a list of the important things that should NOT be skipped. Cover those first, in SOTW order. Then pick back up where you left off (in SOTW order) when you get there. Clear as mud? I would do this catch up work as efficiently as possible to keep from feeling bogged down. (The other possibility you mentioned is to see where you should be in the SOTW TOC for this point in the school year and see if "going back" is going to put you too far behind - or eliminate more of the "catch up" work.) Okay, just my .02 because I don't want to address problems with my own school plan right now!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Redsquirrel, Since you are on Vikings, I thought I would share that Ellen McHenry has a Geography lesson/game that is about Viking Trade Routes that looked pretty cool. http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/homeschool-freedownloads/geographymaps-games/index.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Anyway, if I were in your shoes, I would get out the SOTW TOC and put a light checkmark by everything you've already covered this year. Then I would look back and see what we've missed - is it important enough to go back and do? If not, then don't worry about it. Keep looking through all the topics skipped up to the Vikings (or whatever makes more sense) and make a list of the important things that should NOT be skipped. Cover those first, in SOTW order. Then pick back up where you left off (in SOTW order) when you get there. Clear as mud? I would do this catch up work as efficiently as possible to keep from feeling bogged down. (The other possibility you mentioned is to see where you should be in the SOTW TOC for this point in the school year and see if "going back" is going to put you too far behind - or eliminate more of the "catch up" work.) Oh. Well that makes perfect sense. I am a little embarrassed I didn't think of that. That isn't even overwhelming. Redsquirrel, Since you are on Vikings, I thought I would share that Ellen McHenry has a Geography lesson/game that is about Viking Trade Routes that looked pretty cool. http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/homeschool-freedownloads/geographymaps-games/index.php Thank you SaDonna. We will have fun with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Oh. Well that makes perfect sense. I am a little embarrassed I didn't think of that. That isn't even overwhelming. It might be overwhelming when you finish co-ordinating your other resources :D. No need for embarrassment, unless for me because curriculum changes might be my forte :lol:. (I really wish I could come up with writing topics like 8FiltheHeart does, or find an acceptable and interesting American History spine that would work with a 1st, 3rd and 4th grader..... but I think that's like trying to achieve world peace.) Anyway, I'm excited for your plan (especially since I have no plan of my own to be excited about right now, LOL). Happy Planning! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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