How do you top SOTW? If you used it for grammar stage...

[plain jane]

what are you doing in Logic stage to step things up and deepen your child's knowledge and understanding?

 

I'm in need of some hand holding here. :tongue_smilie:

 

Dd and I did a lot of work with SOTW1 in both 1st and 2nd grade. She read the chapters herself, answered the comp questions in writing, wrote her own narrations, did all the map work, most of the projects, and we did a ton of supplemental reading. I got probably 4-5 books for each chapter from the library. (no wonder SOTW1 took us

2 years :tongue_smilie:)

 

Now that we're in Logic stage I'm trying to step things up and I'm having a hard time topping SOTW. We spent 6 weeks with TOG but even using the Dialect level books, she'd already read a good number of the books. Most of the information she already knew. :001_huh: I tried to focus on making connections but got lost in TOG so we ditched it for K12/Oxford combo. This is working nicely for us so far but I'm also using both the student books and teacher guides for ideas. I can't keep purchasing the student/teacher books for the Oxford series as it would get too expensive. :(

 

Even with adding in supplemental reading and more hands-on activities (we made the shaduf this time as well as a diorama of an Egyptian burial chamber among other things) she's still telling me that she already knew most of the stuff she's reading. :001_huh:

 

Don't get me wrong- she's enjoying the reading & not complaining- it's just that I'm wondering how I'm supposed to top SOTW + all the supplemental reading this time around.

 

Here's what we do:

 

I read K12 book aloud to both kids while they do a hands-on project. We discuss as we go and I ask them questions and work on recall of info from previous chapters. Dd reads the Oxford books on her own and every couple chapters, does a writing assignment (6-8 sentence paragraph) from either the TG or student book. She also does a few worksheet pages from alternate chapters (that she doesn't do a writing assignment for).

 

She outlines 2 pages from the White Kingfisher each week and writes 1 full page narration on 2 supplemental reading books from that week.

 

We do map work and fill in the IMPORTANT MEN/WOMEN section in her binder, as recommended in WTM. I'm trying to add in primary sources when applicable but she's not enamored with using them by any stretch.

 

I feel like I'm missing something. I'm terrible at coming up with writing assignments (that's why I use the TG for Oxford) and I also like the student guides for some of their critical thinking pages (though not all as some feel like busy work).

 

 

I don't know if I am challenging her enough this time around. Well, actually, I'm pretty sure I'm not. :o

Edited November 5, 2011 by plain jane

[RootAnn]

I'm not there yet, but I'm hoping History Odyssey & CHOLL combined will be more than enough.

 

The important thing about the logic stage is to start making connections, comparisions and start asking questions about WHY?, right?

 

:bigear:

[EKS]

K12's Human Odyssey series tops SOTW or at least is an excellent sequel.

[plain jane]

K12's Human Odyssey series tops SOTW or at least is an excellent sequel.

 

It is excellent, no doubt about it, but with the supplemental reading from SOTW AG there's not a lot of new information presented in the K12 book. It seems like more of the same that she's read before but said differently.

 

I'm struggling with the whole digging deeper, making connections thing. I know I need to look beyond the text for that but I'm not sure where to take it and how.

[RootAnn]

Here are some blog posts on how a Mom assigned her logic stage kid writing assignments. It isn't exactly what you are looking for, but might help with some ideas how how to dig deeper?

 

(Have you looked at TruthQuest for the commentary/additional books?)

[linders]

K12's Human Odyssey series tops SOTW or at least is an excellent sequel.

 

I second this. DS11 loved SOTW and is loving Human Odyssey - same flowing writing style interspersed with stories.

 

I just wish there was an AG to equal SWB's AG - the K12 Teacher's Manual (which I have) and Student Manual (which I've seen) are not. Instead, I'm doing something like what a friend (Chris in SC) is doing - define key terms, people, and places in a notebook, do a short writeup on an important point from each chapter (e.g., What are the key elements of a civilization?), and add to a timeline. I also have DS do related mapwork that I get from a variety of sources, plus historical fiction reading.

[EKS]

It is excellent, no doubt about it, but with the supplemental reading from SOTW AG there's not a lot of new information presented in the K12 book. It seems like more of the same that she's read before but said differently.

 

I'm struggling with the whole digging deeper, making connections thing. I know I need to look beyond the text for that but I'm not sure where to take it and how.

 

The college level text that I'm using with my high schooler does this. It's called Ways of the World. It is truly the best world history text I've ever seen. It is well written and focuses on trends in world history rather than minutiae. It even reads aloud beautifully! But it is considerably more advanced than SOTW or K12's Human Odyssey and it assumes a good background in history (which K12's HO gives).

[LauraQ]

Unless she's initiating the crafty projects on her own or especially enjoying them and benefiting from them, I wouldn't put any effort into continuing them on a regular basis. An occasional project like that as a sort of break from the rigors of other work is fine, but it shouldn't' occupy as much time as it did in the grammar stage. If she does want to do lots of project work, then I'd encourage something like a big timeline project where she can make connections between the separate stories she already knows, placing them near each other geographically or chronologically and helping her to better see how they led one to another or how two regions mutually affected each other in a given time. Also, more focus on writing is a very good idea--I always think I could and should have done more writing instruction at all stages of my kids' educations so far!

 

Instead of reading more books *about* a time period, try to start introducing the use of primary resource documents as much as possible. It is hard to find logic-level materials for the Ancients, but perhaps you could find pictures of artifacts online, or snippets of translations from ancient writings that you could read to really flesh things out. She knows the stories, each briefly, but perhaps you could strive to dig deeper. This means you won't be able to study as broadly, so perhaps you could focus your studies more.

 

Use her mastery of the overview as a foundation for teaching her to dig deeper on her own. Instead of you going and looking for books, supplements, projects, etc., help her learn to research and dig and discover on her own. Make sure she has a solid understanding of how to do research online, at home, and in a library. Make sure she is fully using all the resources you have on hand: dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases and maps, references, timelines, texts, biographies, etc. Encourage her to find books on your shelves that perhaps you bought but didn't use right away and maybe even forgot about or passed over completely. This is a great opportunity to hone research and study skills!

 

If she already has such a solid History foundation, then by all means use history study as a mere excuse to hone other skills such as outlining, writing, researching, study, analyzing, etc.

[Capt_Uhura]

The college level text that I'm using with my high schooler does this. It's called Ways of the World. It is truly the best world history text I've ever seen. It is well written and focuses on trends in world history rather than minutiae. It even reads aloud beautifully! But it is considerably more advanced than SOTW or K12's Human Odyssey and it assumes a good background in history (which K12's HO gives).

 

Which Ways of the World by Robert Strayer do you use? The combined volumes? The one with sources? The individual volumes?

 

Thanks,

Capt Uhura

[plain jane]

Unless she's initiating the crafty projects on her own or especially enjoying them and benefiting from them, I wouldn't put any effort into continuing them on a regular basis. An occasional project like that as a sort of break from the rigors of other work is fine, but it shouldn't' occupy as much time as it did in the grammar stage. If she does want to do lots of project work, then I'd encourage something like a big timeline project where she can make connections between the separate stories she already knows, placing them near each other geographically or chronologically and helping her to better see how they led one to another or how two regions mutually affected each other in a given time. Also, more focus on writing is a very good idea--I always think I could and should have done more writing instruction at all stages of my kids' educations so far!

 

Instead of reading more books *about* a time period, try to start introducing the use of primary resource documents as much as possible. It is hard to find logic-level materials for the Ancients, but perhaps you could find pictures of artifacts online, or snippets of translations from ancient writings that you could read to really flesh things out. She knows the stories, each briefly, but perhaps you could strive to dig deeper. This means you won't be able to study as broadly, so perhaps you could focus your studies more.

 

Use her mastery of the overview as a foundation for teaching her to dig deeper on her own. Instead of you going and looking for books, supplements, projects, etc., help her learn to research and dig and discover on her own. Make sure she has a solid understanding of how to do research online, at home, and in a library. Make sure she is fully using all the resources you have on hand: dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases and maps, references, timelines, texts, biographies, etc. Encourage her to find books on your shelves that perhaps you bought but didn't use right away and maybe even forgot about or passed over completely. This is a great opportunity to hone research and study skills!

 

If she already has such a solid History foundation, then by all means use history study as a mere excuse to hone other skills such as outlining, writing, researching, study, analyzing, etc.

 

Ah! Thank you!!! This is exactly the type of guidance/advice I was looking for. I need a push in the right direction. Thanks!!

[FairProspects]

As a former history teacher, what about primary sources? I would be getting some of the Jackdaw portfolios (or digging up your own sources with opposing viewpoints), working on helping her formulate some questions and synthesizing differing responses to the same event in some kind of written report. I think it is probably time to be moving beyond the crafts/dioramas (fun as they are!) and into more reading/writing (I see PP addressed this as well).

[EKS]

Which Ways of the World by Robert Strayer do you use? The combined volumes? The one with sources? The individual volumes?

 

Thanks,

Capt Uhura

 

That's the one. I have the combined volume and I also have the individual volumes with sources. If you're going to be using the book for at least a year, I recommend the one with sources as they really add something. We're having to (unexpectedly) crunch the whole book into 15 weeks, and so we dropped the sources.

[Capt_Uhura]

That's the one. I have the combined volume and I also have the individual volumes with sources. If you're going to be using the book for at least a year, I recommend the one with sources as they really add something. We're having to (unexpectedly) crunch the whole book into 15 weeks, and so we dropped the sources.

 

So the books w/ resources have the same identical text as the other books but just added resources?

 

Is combined volume hard to hold?

[plain jane]

That's the one. I have the combined volume and I also have the individual volumes with sources. If you're going to be using the book for at least a year, I recommend the one with sources as they really add something. We're having to (unexpectedly) crunch the whole book into 15 weeks, and so we dropped the sources.

 

Could one of you kind ladies share a link to both of these, pretty please. :D

[plain jane]

As a former history teacher, what about primary sources? I would be getting some of the Jackdaw portfolios (or digging up your own sources with opposing viewpoints), working on helping her formulate some questions and synthesizing differing responses to the same event in some kind of written report. I think it is probably time to be moving beyond the crafts/dioramas (fun as they are!) and into more reading/writing (I see PP addressed this as well).

 

I've been having her read the Primary Source volume that came with Oxford but she's not loving it. I'm not very creative so we're doing the WTM suggestions for primary sources but not much more. I sure wish I had more time to dedicate to just her education rather than 2 other grade levels as well. Ugh!

 

Yes, you're right about the crafts. She's really enjoying them this time around because she's actually talented enough to do them on her own add her own touch to them. I also do them because she doesn't love the K12 book and it's the best way to get her to listen to it- keep her busy with something that interests her.

 

I agree it's probably not the best use of time and I'll see how I can change things a bit.

 

I know they are supposed to be doing more writing and reflecting at this age but I also want to keep it fun because maintaining her interest and love of history is very important to me. It's a fine balance as I'm sure you all know. :001_unsure:

[EKS]

So the books w/ resources have the same identical text as the other books but just added resources?

 

Is combined volume hard to hold?

 

Yes, they are identical. The combined volume without sources is not hard to hold, but I haven't been holding it much as I've been reading from the individual volumes (which are wonderfully easy to hold).

 

The addition of the sources is the only difference between the books.

[EKS]

Could one of you kind ladies share a link to both of these, pretty please. :D

 

Here it is: Ways of the World

[Create Your Ritual]

Wow.. the sample chapters online are quite impressive. Are you using the online student and teacher resources by chance? What has been your favorite thing about this particular history book so far?

[EKS]

Wow.. the sample chapters online are quite impressive. Are you using the online student and teacher resources by chance? What has been your favorite thing about this particular history book so far?

 

If we had more time we would have tried the online resources but we haven't used them.

 

What I like most about this history book is that it is coherent and so very well written combined with the fact that it focuses on what I think is important about history at this level--trends and themes. It respects the student by assuming that s/he has a good knowledge of world history going into it, something most high school history texts lack, and something that kids who have done history twice before will appreciate, but it doesn't inundate the reader with details the way a typical college text does.

[lewelma]

Wow.. the sample chapters online are quite impressive.

 

Where do I find the sample chapters?

 

Ruth in NZ

 

Found it: http://www.coursesmart.com/9780312677176/10

Edited November 9, 2011 by lewelma

[Laura in STL]

I am wondering if the ebook version of the Ways of the World text is the same as the print version with sources? The ebook version is very reasonable. I am considering it for me for the Early Modern/Modern before I have to teach that at the logic level next year.

[Create Your Ritual]

oh good Ruth.. I just emailed you the link as well before I saw you had edited your post. ;-)

[lewelma]

I will have to say that I am very impressed with this text. I wish I had found it earlier as it is so readable, and much preferable to the history encyclopedias which we have dabbled with.

 

The main problem I see is the length. My ds(11) could read the material, but we do not have time for the number of pages. I am considering reading pieces of it during the logic stages, and then plan on reading the whole thing over 4 years in high school.

 

For those who have seen the whole book, can you skip around (chronologically), or does every chapter rely on the previous chapters being read?

 

Ruth in NZ

[EKS]

For those who have seen the whole book, can you skip around (chronologically), or does every chapter rely on the previous chapters being read?

 

Ruth in NZ

 

I would not skip around. As it is a study of themes in history, you lose something if you skip.

 

Also, I am not actually recommending this as a middle school history text. Personally, I will not be using it in the middle grades with a very advanced student who has done SOTW.

 

K12's Human Odyssey also focuses on themes and ideas, but in a way that is more accessible to the middle grades. I have not used their course or student/teacher pages, but I found that the questions for writing assignments just sort of naturally fell out of its pages.

[kalphs]

K12's Human Odyssey series tops SOTW or at least is an excellent sequel.

:iagree:

I was previewing this series online recently.

Excellent material as always from K12.

:)

[Laura Corin]

We stepped away from covering the whole of world history to start delving into the areas and periods that Calvin enjoyed. I felt that SOTW had given him a good framework - we had taken six years and done world history really thoroughly.

 

We spent a year on Chinese history and were planning on other ancient periods using the books by Suzanne Strauss Art.

 

Laura

[redsquirrel]

 

We spent a year on Chinese history and were planning on other ancient periods using the books by Suzanne Strauss Art.

 

Laura

 

My friend did that with her sons and it was great. One boy begged to spend a year studying medieval japan. That's a hard request to deny. So they did. I think they spread out to more than just japan, but only so far as it effected Japan. It was a great year for him and an eye opener for her.