Planning for History

[SunnyDays]

My head is spinning with all the different options for history, and I'm hoping someone might have suggestions for me. :)

 

Background: This is our first year hsing 9yo/3rd grade DS. This year, we went through the Abeka 3rd grade American History book, which is basically a series of biographical summaries on famous Americans. It served our purposes well, but we're ready to go deeper.

 

I would like to do at least one, possibly two, full years of American History. I'd also like to go through at least one full chronological cycle... we'll obviously miss the grammar stage of that, so we'll probably lean more toward logic stage.

 

Here are my thoughts on our options:

 

1. Do a year of American History for 4th grade, then do a full four year cycle for 5th-8th grades.

 

2. Do the four year cycle 4th-7th grades, then do American History, with government and civics, in 8th grade. (My reasoning for this possibility is first, we just did American this year although we could certainly do more, and second, most traditional students take American History in 8th grade, and we're still not 100% sure we'll homeschool all the way through high school.)

 

3. Do a year of American History this year for 4th... then do THREE years of World History with the Human Odyssey books in 5th-7th... then do another higher level year of American History in 8th. Keep hearing good things about these books, but need to know more.

 

Not sure specifically what I'll use for our American studies yet. I have ideas but want to flesh them out more once I decide what year(s) for which I'll need the material.

 

I thought about posting this on the Logic Stage board, but since our years are still iffy and we're not quite there, I wanted to start here. Your thoughts and experience appreciated... thanks!!

Edited March 17, 2012 by SunnyDays

[Hedgehog]

My head is spinning with all the different options for history, and I'm hoping someone might have suggestions for me. :)

 

Background: This is our first year hsing 9yo/3rd grade DS. This year, we went through the Abeka 3rd grade American History book, which is basically a series of biographical summaries on famous Americans. It served our purposes well, but we're ready to go deeper.

 

I would like to do at least one, possibly two, full years of American History. I'd also like to go through at least one full chronological cycle... we'll obviously miss the grammar stage of that, so we'll probably lean more toward logic stage.

 

Here are my thoughts on our options:

 

1. Do a year of American History for 4th grade, then do a full four year cycle for 5th-8th grades.

 

2. Do the four year cycle 4th-7th grades, then do American History, with government and civics, in 8th grade. (My reasoning for this possibility is first, we just did American this year although we could certainly do more, and second, most traditional students take American History in 8th grade, and we're still not 100% sure we'll homeschool all the way through high school.)

 

3. Do a year of American History this year for 4th... then do THREE years of World History with the Human Odyssey books in 5th-7th... then do another higher level year of American History in 8th. Keep hearing good things about these books, but need to know more.

 

Not sure specifically what I'll use for our American studies yet. I have ideas but want to flesh them out more once I decide what year(s) for which I'll need the material.

 

I thought about posting this on the Logic Stage board, but since our years are still iffy and we're not quite there, I wanted to start here. Your thoughts and experience appreciated... thanks!!

 

I'd do option two. No way would my dc do the same history period/location two years in a row without a fuss!

 

I think the gap would also be good in terms of a different perspective (and depth of study) on the same subject.

[SunnyDays]

I'd do option two. No way would my dc do the same history period/location two years in a row without a fuss!

 

I think the gap would also be good in terms of a different perspective (and depth of study) on the same subject.

 

The gap for perspective is another very good point for that option. However, fussing would not be a problem here. My son LOVES American History and would be perfectly happy doing more. I just want to make sure we get to the rest of it!!

[missmoe]

I vote option two.

 

Having that four years of World History does give one a good perspective when studying American History. And at the age he will be in eighth-grade, those connections are so enjoyable!

 

Also, as a mom with two kids that have gone back to school, I think following the tradition of American History in eighth grade is a wise move.

[KarenNC]

We are doing a 4 year chronological cycle 5th-8th using k12's Human Odyssey and intermixing Hakim's Story of Us at the correct times. We've just really gotten more heavily into integrating the Hakim now (14th century European exploration and Elizabethan England) so I'm beginning to see how it's going to work. Basically, for the first two years HO is the main spine, then in the second two years Hakim will be the main spine. It's turning into 2 years of world history (prehistory to fall of Rome, then fall of Rome to 1600), then two years of American history enriched with world history perspectives (1600-1865, then 1865 to present).

 

The Human Odyssey books cover in vol. 1 prehistory to 1400, vol. 2 1400-1914, then vol. 3 (intended for high school), 1914-present. I haven't seen the third volume yet in person. I use HO vol. 1 in 5th, finish vol. 1 and go into vol. 2 in 6th, then more of vol. 2 in 7th and more in 8th. I don't know yet if I'll get vol. 3 to include for 8th or use other resources for 1914-present world history.

 

If you follow a similar pattern, you could do any number of things for 4th grade:

• A year of geography, either American (states, capitals, etc) and include government (since this will be an election year) or world and modern culture social studies, or a semester of each.
  
• A year of geography and modern social studies focusing on eastern hemisphere one semester, western hemisphere the next, or do northern and southern.
  
• Delve more deeply into your state history along with some US geography.
  

 

The "learning facts" aspect of grammar stage may lend itself well to geography for 4th grade. As you can see, I don't think either HO (used offline, I can't speak to k12's online portions) or Hakim have enough geography in them and that kids can benefit from some earlier exposure to modern societies than they get in the 4 year cycle. When we started out, I focused on general American history (highlights of important people, holidays, symbols) and some general world cultures (using DK's "A Child Like Me") in kindergarten to give her a jumping off point. I did a survey of modern geography and cultures last year along with ancient studies, leaning heavily on travel documentaries and mapwork, along with a bit of other reading (fiction and non-fiction). I may do a deeper focus on the eastern hemisphere next year, simply because I have the books and geography seems to go along with earth science (which we are doing next year).

 

We school year-round, so I may interrupt our flow of history for a bit this summer/early fall to do a deeper study of government, either before or after we cover the American Revolution (probably after, given where we are now). That's primarily because it's an election year.

[momoftwoinga]

:lurk5:

[Pen]

Well, we also started hs late, and are just a bit ahead in age/grade, so I'll say what we did, and plan to do upcoming in case it helps give you ideas.

 

As a preface to this I should say that I also have a son who loves history, so it is not difficult to get it done around here. We did a whole voyage through SOTW for grade 3/4, supplemented by tangents that had led off from various Magic Tree House books, some of which were American history based, or from movies we saw such as Gandhi and the Gods Must be Crazy. The Civil War got particular emphasis--especially through online materials and a wonderful Smithsonian book that we found in the library, but this was driven by his interests and not an orderly progression in these various tangents. Then we did an orderly, though brief, history of art from cave painting to modern. Then I thought we needed something new, but my son decided he wanted to repeat SOTW, so we did that. I started using task cards to deepen the experience somewhat; we aren't doing that right now, but he enjoyed it and I expect to return to that.

 

I strongly recommend doing a year of the whole of SOTW, whatever else you do. It has given a wonderful basis for other things. References in the news, in Shakespeare, and so on, make so much more sense with that background, and I think US History will also fit well into that background.

 

My current guess is that the next history focus will be science history, probably using Joy Hakim's books, and then (or perhaps at same time) Hakim's US history. We will then probably return to World History at a deeper level.

 

I particularly plan to do some organized and methodical US History soon, because while my son now has more knowledge about the Civil War than I ever had, he needs to know things like who Benjamin Franklin was (maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I mean the basics that most American kids know, I think he also needs, and does not yet have)--it seems like too much of a gap to leave a more thorough overview of US History till late middle school. I also want to do some learning in the areas of government, but have not found good materials for that. Because he likes history so much I think probably doing the history of science and US history at same time would not be too much. And for you, perhaps, doing World History and continuing US History at same time would also not be too much.

 

I am looking an Jean Fritz' books to see if they might be good for him to read as a jumping off point into US History and government, but haven't come to a conclusion about that yet. Our main curriculum for US History though will definitely be Hakim.

[Pen]

To clarify the above, I am suggesting an option you do not raise, which is to do an intense single year of grammar stage World History for 4th grade using SOTW, from ancient to modern. We basically just did that, and I think it was a wonderful decision.

[SunnyDays]

Thanks for all the good ideas, and I'd love to hear more.

 

In mulling this over... what about this...

 

Take 4th grade for a year of "different" US history... work with states and capitals, presidents, US Geography, etc. And do a state history study and an election unit. We do still need to hit more of that information, and I say do that this year mainly because of the election.

 

Then take 5th, or perhaps 5th and 6th, to do an accelerated study of SOTW. We haven't ever used those books, and I would really like to at some point. I know those are generally designed for grammar stage, but that could be stretched to 5th-6th, couldn't it??

 

Honestly, that probably wouldn't give me a full, four year history cycle ever. But although that would be nice, it's not a dealbreaker for me... we're sort of on the edges of classical, and since we came late to the party, we're improvising!

 

I love being able to come here and talk this out with all of you!! :D

Edited March 18, 2012 by SunnyDays

[MelissaMinNC]

I think I would do a year of geography/cultures for 4th grade, and then the 4 year cycle starting in 5th. You should be able to incorporate plenty of American history into the world history cycle, and by 8th grade your student will be able to add in more on his own if he's still interested or if you think he needs something more intensive.

[Pen]

Thanks for all the good ideas, and I'd love to hear more.

 

In mulling this over... what about this...

 

Take 4th grade for a year of "different" US history... work with states and capitals, presidents, US Geography, etc. And do a state history study and an election unit. We do still need to hit more of that information, and I say do that this year mainly because of the election.

 

Then take 5th, or perhaps 5th and 6th, to do an accelerated study of SOTW. We haven't ever used those books, and I would really like to at some point. I know those are generally designed for grammar stage, but that could be stretched to 5th-6th, couldn't it??

 

Honestly, that probably wouldn't give me a full, four year history cycle ever. But although that would be nice, it's not a dealbreaker for me... we're sort of on the edges of classical, and since we came late to the party, we're improvising!

 

I love being able to come here and talk this out with all of you!! :D

 

What about this?

 

Get the whole of SOTW 4 volumes as audio books right now (3rd still?) and start listening to them now in order whenever it fits in (while driving places for example). Listen to them starting now, and presumably hitting the 4th one as child is reaching 4th grade (it is not meant for younger than that).

 

Then relisten to them as much as you/child wish to do that over the next year. (Mine puts it on when he is drawing, cuddling with the dog, etc.)

 

That is just for listening entertainment--no writing or activity or tests or memorizing. But of course it also happens to be very educational. If anything sounds so interesting that it leads to a desire to pursue it in more depth, fine, make that a unit study or what you will.

 

Then for official 4th grade history do a specialized part of US history as you mention.

 

Then go to 5th-8th logic stage world history (or revisit US history in 8th and accelerate the world part over 3 years). I think SOTW could still be used as a spine for logic stage, but it would need a lot more supplementation then. It seems more suitable to me for you to use it now and next year.

 

I'm glad you mentioned the election in re special US history studies, that sure will make all this a natural time for such studies. What are thinking to use as materials if you are going to look at government and election area for study?

[SunnyDays]

What about this?

 

Get the whole of SOTW 4 volumes as audio books right now (3rd still?) and start listening to them now in order whenever it fits in (while driving places for example). Listen to them starting now, and presumably hitting the 4th one as child is reaching 4th grade (it is not meant for younger than that).

 

Then relisten to them as much as you/child wish to do that over the next year. (Mine puts it on when he is drawing, cuddling with the dog, etc.)

 

That is just for listening entertainment--no writing or activity or tests or memorizing. But of course it also happens to be very educational. If anything sounds so interesting that it leads to a desire to pursue it in more depth, fine, make that a unit study or what you will.

 

Then for official 4th grade history do a specialized part of US history as you mention.

 

Then go to 5th-8th logic stage world history (or revisit US history in 8th and accelerate the world part over 3 years). I think SOTW could still be used as a spine for logic stage, but it would need a lot more supplementation then. It seems more suitable to me for you to use it now and next year.

 

I'm glad you mentioned the election in re special US history studies, that sure will make all this a natural time for such studies. What are thinking to use as materials if you are going to look at government and election area for study?

 

Hmm... interesting thoughts. We've never been huge on audiobooks here... DS is not much of an auditory learner. But it might be worth a try. Sometimes we take turns reading aloud to each other, and I wonder if that would be better since he's a little more engaged.

 

As for the election... not sure yet. I just decided I wanted to do one as I was posting that, LOL!! :) That might be worth another thread...

[Pen]

Hmm... interesting thoughts. We've never been huge on audiobooks here... DS is not much of an auditory learner. But it might be worth a try. Sometimes we take turns reading aloud to each other, and I wonder if that would be better since he's a little more engaged.

 

As for the election... not sure yet. I just decided I wanted to do one as I was posting that, LOL!! :) That might be worth another thread...

 

Yep, if he does not get car sick to read in a car, then him reading to you while you drive, or do dishes, or... whatever could do the same thing. But you might try one set of them on audio...some people don't care for the way the reader reads, but my son thinks he is wonderful, and in fact it helped his read aloud skill to have a model of an excellent reader/storyteller. Anyway, you could look at them as just being pleasant to read, in place of a bedtime novel or what have you.

 

I see the other thread... good!