A whole year on the states?

[Mama_Rana]

We're using HO, on Middle Ages now, and I'm starting to plan out next year. As it stands I want to move all the stuff on the Americas to the end of the year, and then I was considering going through each state one by one in the order they entered the Union, spending no more than a week on each one with the possible exception of our own state. And then it hit me that that would take a whole 'nother year. Is that too much?

One pro would be that it would delay our start of Modern Times til both boys are a touch older.

 

Or would it just be better to a) skip it altogether or b) do it, but cover 4-5 states per week finishing up in 10-12 weeks?

 

Thoughts? I'm totally flexible at this point, not married to either idea though I would like to cover American history & geography a smudge more deeply than HO does.

[CalicoKat]

We're using HO, on Middle Ages now, and I'm starting to plan out next year. As it stands I want to move all the stuff on the Americas to the end of the year, and then I was considering going through each state one by one in the order they entered the Union, spending no more than a week on each one with the possible exception of our own state. And then it hit me that that would take a whole 'nother year. Is that too much?

One pro would be that it would delay our start of Modern Times til both boys are a touch older.

 

Or would it just be better to a) skip it altogether or b) do it, but cover 4-5 states per week finishing up in 10-12 weeks?

 

Thoughts? I'm totally flexible at this point, not married to either idea though I would like to cover American history & geography a smudge more deeply than HO does.

What ages? My Father's World Adventures is perfect if your kids are k-2nd.

[Mama_Rana]

8 and 3, but we're secular/not Christian; would MFW pose a problem there?

 

Thanks!

[SJ.]

:bigear:

[tntgoodwin]

Are you also planning on doing a year (or more?) on the US as a whole? I think some states could easily take less than a week, and some could easily take more. I do like the idea though. I guess it depends on the balance you seek between a US focus and a world focus...

[Onceuponatime]

I do a year on the states when each of mine hits 3rd or 4th grade. I use the Big Book of Presidents and States as a jumping off point. We also read through a few of the books in the The History of US series that year. In fact, this is what I have planned for my rising 3rd grader next school year. We cover the states in order of entry into the union even though the BB of P and S has the states in alphabetical order.

[CalicoKat]

8 and 3, but we're secular/not Christian; would MFW pose a problem there?

 

Thanks!

 

No MFW isn't secular, sorry I didn't realize.

[K&Rs Mom]

I'm doing it between history cycles. We actually started it this week, so don't know yet how it's going to turn out! We finished SOTW4 before Easter, took some time off, and my plan now is 2 states per week (longer on our own), in alphabetical order (no particular reason, just needed some order), then finish up with a compressed American History unit to catch whatever we missed in the first cycle. I'm figuring about a year for both, then start again with ancients after that.

[Mama_Rana]

Thanks everyone!!! These are all such interesting ideas!

 

 

 

Are you also planning on doing a year (or more?) on the US as a whole? I think some states could easily take less than a week, and some could easily take more. I do like the idea though. I guess it depends on the balance you seek between a US focus and a world focus...

Well, HO spends a good 15 weeks [the way I divide it up] on the Americas and US history, but I just felt like a bit more on the individual states might be nice. I could change my mind once I've actually gotten into it though; I'm still a year away almost.

No MFW isn't secular, sorry I didn't realize.

Thanks. I did look at the website, but I couldn't figure out whether the specific US geography/history stuff was religious. :)