mom2agang Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 What to do! I'm homeschooling 9 of my kids. My oldest will be in 10th next year and loves textbooks so I'm not worried about him. But I'm looking at history for my other kids 6th grade -k4. Should I do a "group" and try working the ages.(it just seems my oldest two are the only ones who get any of it) If so what? Or indivual grades ( textbook/workbook)? And use the library more. What would you reccommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) Do you have your copy of TWTM? Anyone 5th grade and older can do history independently. Someone else help me if I'm explaining it incorrectly! On Monday: They read through a section of their history spine (she lists 4 in her book). They make a list of facts and places in their history notebook. They find locations on the globe. They locate the time period on their timeline and they choose some supplemental reading from the library. On Wednesday: They outline one page of supplemental reading in their history notebook. On Friday: They prepare a half-page written summary of a chosen topic from their reading. They include this in their history notebook. For K-4 history...I would just unschool that subject for those grades. Or they could all listen to SOTW together. We just pick out books from the library and read through them together. I don't know if this will help you, but here are the spines for logic stage: Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History DK History of the World NG Almanac of World History History: The Definitive Guide We're getting ready for the logic stage here - and I'm leaning towards buying Usborne Encyclopedia of World History and DK History of the World. Edited November 22, 2011 by starrbuck12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynful Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I agree with the PP - if the older ones can, let them do history more independently - if they aren't ready yet, just do SOTW with everyone. Ancients might be a little young for the older ones, but it's still wonderful and they'll learn alot. Just throw in books for all at their reading levels. You could go with a curriculum like Tapestry (expensive) or Biblioplan (less expensive) but I'm not sure you'd need it unless you just really need that schedule and structure (which some of us definitely need ;) ). Keep it simple and remember the three R's are the most important (although not as "fun"). Good luck, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 If I was in your situation and I had the money for it, I would use TOG. TOG would allow all your kids to study the same thing at the same time but each at their own level. They could do project together and I'm sure would all have some fantastic discussions. I started off using TOG this year but it didn't work for us. However, I have since gone back to using it (along with other resources) and I must admit that it's fantastic to have the kids all learning the same thing together. They really enjoy working on the same projects and reading about the same things. Just last week my oldest was writing up a biography notebooking page on Khufu, while at the same time my younger was writing a narration on a book she'd just read on the Great Pyramid. My oldest looked, over, realizing that they were writing about the same thing and thought it was the greatest thing ever. :lol: Then they both made model pyramids. :) It takes a good amount of work to synchronize everyone (and I don't always do it as we do stray from TOG from time to time) but I think the results are well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 What to do! I'm homeschooling 9 of my kids. My oldest will be in 10th next year and loves textbooks so I'm not worried about him. But I'm looking at history for my other kids 6th grade -k4. Should I do a "group" and try working the ages.(it just seems my oldest two are the only ones who get any of it) If so what? Or indivual grades ( textbook/workbook)? And use the library more. What would you reccommend? You could easily pick up grade level history texts, but for the youngers, I would just visit the library. You could use some of the history guides or WTM to focus on specific areas, but take more of a unit study approach. I would use a history guide/checklist and explore history. Create a smash notebook for history. :) This would be relaxed and easy going, as well as providing a means to document and reflect on what you have studied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 What is this smash notebook you speak of :D You could easily pick up grade level history texts, but for the youngers, I would just visit the library. You could use some of the history guides or WTM to focus on specific areas, but take more of a unit study approach. I would use a history guide/checklist and explore history. Create a smash notebook for history. :) This would be relaxed and easy going, as well as providing a means to document and reflect on what you have studied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) Smash is the answer for us lazy folk that can't seem to finish a scrapbook page! LOL You use a composition notebook. Cover the outside in some fashion like this ..... How to Make an Altered Composition Notebook The "smash" is something like this ... http://thelearningtrunk.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/great-artist-study/ Keep in mind that our "easy notebooks" are really smash books. They have cutouts, stickers, drawings, prints, summary, blah blah just "smashed" into any free space. Dd11 draws and doodles and notes and glues and .... Well, I think you get it. :D We have maps in our artist notebooks with short bios and clips of masterpieces - and even colored versions of portraits. We have easy notebooks for great scientists too - but it really is just a matter of creating a "smash notebook" like on youTube here .... We just use composition books and decorate the fronts like the link above - at least we decorate them this way since we found the link! Think of them as catch-all books. :) Neat doesn't count! I babble too much today - let me know if you have more questions. I will try and get more currect pictures of our notebooks soon. Edit: We are adding the tabs to the pages now. We have a few artists and two scientists. We use the self-adhesive tabs. To create pockets, we use envelopes and glue to the page! Edited November 22, 2011 by ChrissySC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 It sounds wonderful. The possibly perfect solution to my dilemma. I was thinking of completely giving up history for the year. Lol. Smash is the answer for us lazy folk that can't seem to finish a scrapbook page! LOL You use a composition notebook. Cover the outside in some fashion like this ..... How to Make an Altered Composition Notebook The "smash" is something like this ... http://thelearningtrunk.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/great-artist-study/ Keep in mind that our "easy notebooks" are really smash books. They have cutouts, stickers, drawings, prints, summary, blah blah just "smashed" into any free space. Dd11 draws and doodles and notes and glues and .... Well, I think you get it. :D We have maps in our artist notebooks with short bios and clips of masterpieces - and even colored versions of portraits. We have easy notebooks for great scientists too - but it really is just a matter of creating a "smash notebook" like on youTube here .... We just use composition books and decorate the fronts like the link above - at least we decorate them this way since we found the link! Think of them as catch-all books. :) Neat doesn't count! I babble too much today - let me know if you have more questions. I will try and get more currect pictures of our notebooks soon. Edit: We are adding the tabs to the pages now. We have a few artists and two scientists. We use the self-adhesive tabs. To create pockets, we use envelopes and glue to the page! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 It sounds wonderful. The possibly perfect solution to my dilemma. I was thinking of completely giving up history for the year. Lol. I love "smash books" because they solve all kinds of problems for us more relaxed southern folk.:lol: We would not have artist or composer study, let alone a nature journal, if we didn't smash! I would create a checklist for the bones of the content or use one of the popular history guides out there. From there just roam your way through and use the library and the internet. We are trying to be more focused this year with MOH, but we are roaming! Grrrrr ..... I sure am trying though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I'm in SC too (upstate) :001_smile: Frankly, my history issues stem more from having a child who hates history more than anything. My husband is accomplished in most instruments and we have art throughout the house, so the kiddos will learn those by default. We tend to be more math/science focused and history suffers. I *have* (brand new) CHOW, Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of the World, and Famous Men of Rome (the text, workbook, tm set); but they just kind of sit there on the shelf ... :D I love "smash books" because they solve all kinds of problems for us more relaxed southern folk.:lol: We would not have artist or composer study, let alone a nature journal, if we didn't smash! I would create a checklist for the bones of the content or use one of the popular history guides out there. From there just roam your way through and use the library and the internet. We are trying to be more focused this year with MOH, but we are roaming! Grrrrr ..... I sure am trying though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 It sounds like you need to just smash history. :) We all have our "handicapped" subjects. Mine is art and music. I do not have the problems with the core subjects, but rather the electives or elective parts at times! LOL Just hand the kids a topic and let them go. You actually end up being very Charlotte-Mason, which is another approach to education that teaches them to teach themselves in a manner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Have you looked into Simply Charlotte Mason (nice bc. they separate books by age groups and it is very light but enough for your kids' ages) or MFW but it is more geared to grades 4-8. We use it with the 2nd and 3rd grade component though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 What to do! I'm homeschooling 9 of my kids. My oldest will be in 10th next year and loves textbooks so I'm not worried about him. But I'm looking at history for my other kids 6th grade -k4. Should I do a "group" and try working the ages.(it just seems my oldest two are the only ones who get any of it) If so what? Or indivual grades ( textbook/workbook)? And use the library more. What would you reccommend? So much depends on your teaching style/preference and your dc's learning style, personalities and family dynamic. What do you do that works and what about it drives your crazy? I know that it is hard to keep re-inventing the wheel every year. I am learning that it is possible to keep what is working and just address the things I don't like. Eventually I'll get to my happy place. :001_smile: So what works and what doesn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TengoFive Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 We love listening to the SOTW cds in the car. I don't think history would get done if we didn't have those. I'll ask them questions after we listen. They even do the map work in the car with my oldest reading the instructions. I do add library books for the oldest 2. I feel its the easiest way to school a big bunch of kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Well I'll be the one who only home schools one telling the lady teaching 9 how to do things. :) Anyways, I would group them, finding something that basically functions as a read aloud for the youngest age group, something online for the middlers (love VP), and something textbook or online for the oldests. But I don't know how your kids would group, whether they'd learn that way, and whether they love history and would want more. The main thing to me is not to get so into a rush for independence that you use the wrong type of materials developmentally for the given age. Little ones are not generally ready to learn to read, so you're going to need to work with them. Middlers don't want to be read to and want to be independent, so getting them online is great. And the oldest kids can do TC courses, textbooks, online classes, etc. and be happy as larks. I also think it's reasonable to ask yourself whether ALL those kids need history all the time. You could alternate one semester history, one semester science. Or do science and history in the summer (up until say junior high or high school, when they're doing something online or with textbooks or other outsourcing). The other nice thing about outsourcing is there may be writing assignments included. If there are, then that's all the better. That's usually the kind of thing you intend to do and don't get done or don't feel confident about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I echo the suggestions to group for read-alouds for the youngest ones and group the middles for a curriculum that uses outlining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloggermom Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 If money weren't an issue i'd go with the Veritas Press Self Paced History courses so you can take that whole subject off your shoulders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 What to do! I'm homeschooling 9 of my kids. My oldest will be in 10th next year and loves textbooks so I'm not worried about him. But I'm looking at history for my other kids 6th grade -k4. Should I do a "group" and try working the ages.(it just seems my oldest two are the only ones who get any of it) If so what? Or indivual grades ( textbook/workbook)? And use the library more. What would you reccommend? I would do a group history for the k-8th group. I recommend MFW. :D I've used it and love it. My personal fav. is that there's lots of activities (if I'm feeling ambitious) that go along with the day's readings. The older kids actually run these projects/experiments/crafts with the littles and I run interference. I'm also happy with it because theres an art & Bible curriculum included & scheduled. With that many kids I'd want to have it planned for me. The older kids can do the MFW high school. :001_smile: My 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 What to do! I'm homeschooling 9 of my kids. My oldest will be in 10th next year and loves textbooks so I'm not worried about him. But I'm looking at history for my other kids 6th grade -k4. Should I do a "group" and try working the ages.(it just seems my oldest two are the only ones who get any of it) If so what? Or indivual grades ( textbook/workbook)? And use the library more. What would you reccommend? Well, I only have 7 kids (nearly 8 :) ) but we are doing different 'histories'. My oldest 3 are doing Sonlight Cores independently. The next two are currently using SOTW but at different places in the book. I read with each of them because I like to do that reading with them - although 11yo is quite capable of doing the reading herself. Then they can go off and do extra reading, written narrations, pictures, and mapping independently. I collect these things to bind into a book at the end of the year (or time period) and - voila - that is history. Ds7 is doing CHOW with me. We are constructing a simple timeline of index cards on the wall as we go, and that's it for him. It might sound a lot with all these different histories on the go, but it really doesn't take long to read a section of history, then send them off to do own pics, narrations, extra reading etc. It seems to be working fine. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Look into History Odyssey Levels 1 for the younger crowd and Level 2 for the middles. The middles are independent. She even has a try before you buy option. Rainbow Resource is the best place to purchase. http://www.pandiapress.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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