If you are doing the chronological history cycle,

[...................]

when do you teach the states and American history?

 

If I don't use Calvert next year, my plan is to finish up the Middle Ages. (we use SOTW)...but I can't seem to think of when we would ever get around to teaching the states. My kids have done early American history but not late American history, and they have never covered the states.

[MarieWith3]

We've simply focused a bit more here and there as it has come up in SOTW. However, I feel comfortable with this because my kids have gone through stages where they have been focused on different parts of America's history, so I feel that the depth has been done at other times, and we can hang that on our peg when we come across it chronologically.

[Mommyfaithe]

As they come up chronologically.

Faithe

[AmericanMom]

We did a round of ancients, middle ages, early modern, modern the first time around, then ancients and middle ages again. Then I decided my kids knew lots of world history but were lacking in US history, so this year we did a whole year of US history, fitting in some modern world history here and there, as it relates to the US. We haven't covered all the world history we would have if we had done it like WTM (which is the first cycle we did), but we have really learned and gotten into American history. And we learned the States and US geography.

Edited January 31, 2012 by AmericanMom

[A.Balaban]

I would say, it depends on the state you live in. In PA, we are required to cover U.S. History and state history in elementary and high school years. Going chronologically with the four year cycle, you would begin to cover some U.S. History in Early Modern (3rd Grade), and then continue more in 4th Grade with the Civil War, etc. We will have to find an additional resource to cover State History, but I am thinking I may add in some additional US History. Not sure- probably won't know until 2 or 3rd grade. :)

[misslissa]

CC devotes an entire year to US history and geography.

[Walking-Iris]

I taught my ds the states when he was 4 years old and we review them a lot. He's been learning capitals and presidents this year. We also read a lot of books about Am History and I usually start the Am His around K age. I like SOTW or chronological history, but I'm honestly not comfortable with young children not knowing some very basic history and geography about the country they live in. It's really easy to just start basic and to build on those foundations as you progress through your chronological. I personally don't see a conflict with doing both ancients and early am history at the same time.

 

My philosophy is you *never* stop learning history (same could be said about anything), but history is one of those subjects that one can always review and go deeper into throughout one's life. But if I had to choose a priority --learning American History would trump a chronological approach hands down.

[lulubelle]

Well, I had been doing Evan-Moor mapping books with my son and realized in the grade 4 book they expect you know the states. So, we stopped doing the mapping book and I started doing the states and capitals. I use a U.S. geography book and I have him learn by regions, read the 2 page spread on each state, then trace each state on tracing paper along with the capitals and work on memorizing each region. Not quite sure we will finish in a year. We are taking it slow. I really like SOTW sequence and the extra reading list from the TWTM are very thorough in U.S. history. Plus, we take a lot of rabbit trails from the reading list of the activity guide.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

We also do it as it comes up but we take alot of extra time with extra resources to REALLY flesh it out. Right now my dd 4th will be spending about 2 weeks on the civil war.

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

Yes, American is in a cycle and some do 2 cycles in 1 year, early and late.

The new WTM states that it is best to study Presidents at the end of every year as well as your State history. I have a packet from our State Capital, Coloring books, flash cards, songs, and placemats, and books like The Scrambled States of America, and Biography's are good as well as the video of the State songs. Our library has some materials. And if Field trips come up ( WW II battle ship, Civil War battle re- enactments, Pioneer Days, etc. we try to let some of our kids go to those ( Older ones). We talk about the Presidential election and read World Magazine, and watch CBN for news too.