DragonFaerie Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Please, please help! I have this fabulous, wonderful 4-year history plan that I put together using SOTW 3 & 4, all ten of the History of US books, both the Kingfisher and Usborne encyclopedias and countless supplemental videos and books. Now, a major piece of the puzzle is not working out! History of US appears to be too advanced for my kids (they can understand but not read it themselves; due to personal circumstances, I cannot read it to them; audios of the books are expensive and a pain in the neck to deal with). If I take out all the History of US aspects of our study, we're left with only world history and I really wanted them to study world and US history together. Can anybody recommend something else to use for US history rather than the History of US series? Help? Please???? I don't need more supplemental stuff. I need a US history spine that is appropriate for 4th and 5th grades and something that they will be able to read themselves. AGHHHHH!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie4 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 The Complete Book of US History http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Book-U-S-History/dp/1561896799 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 The Complete Book of US History http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Book-U-S-History/dp/1561896799 Thanks for reminding me, Julie. I had those, and I actually had a plan drawn up for them. But then I decided that they weren't thorough enough and went with Hakim instead. Maybe I can find that old plan on my computer, though..... (trying to breathe here.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) Definitely breathe. :) Brown Paper School USKids History is a series of about 5 books that cover Colonial times, Am. Rev., Native Americans, Civil War, etc. We really like this series and the kids could read it themselves. This link will take you to a few of the books. If you click on one, I'm pretty sure you can find the others on the page. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=brown+paper+us+history There's also the Landmark History of the American People which Sonlight uses. Btw, I'm answering your question because I am currently avoiding dealing with my own history dilemma. Edited August 20, 2012 by woolybear oops-forgot to put link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Definitely breathe. :) Brown Paper School USKids History is a series of about 5 books that cover Colonial times, Am. Rev., Native Americans, Civil War, etc. We really like this series and the kids could read it themselves. This link will take you to a few of the books. If you click on one, I'm pretty sure you can find the others on the page. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=brown+paper+us+history There's also the Landmark History of the American People which Sonlight uses. Btw, I'm answering your question because I am currently avoiding dealing with my own history dilemma. LOL... Thanks! I'll go check those out. I appreciate the suggestions. Now, on to your dilemma...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 And to throw another option out there... we use this; it uses the What Your ___ Grader Needs to Know as the spine. It has been very easy to add this to our lit (SL) and we also use SOTW as our world history. We do American Studies and world history as seperate subjects, and we don't make them line up with each other; leaves more room for rabbit trails that way. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 And to throw another option out there... we use this; it uses the What Your ___ Grader Needs to Know as the spine. It has been very easy to add this to our lit (SL) and we also use SOTW as our world history. We do American Studies and world history as seperate subjects, and we don't make them line up with each other; leaves more room for rabbit trails that way. :) You don't find it confusing for your kids to be studying different things going on in different places at different times? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Wow! That is very ambitious. I added in quite a few extra read-alouds and picture books to get more American history while working through SOTW 3, but that's probably more work than you're looking for at this point. The Betsy Maestro books are wonderful additions, though. So are the Jean Fritz books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 We like those books as well! :iagree: Definitely breathe. :) Brown Paper School USKids History is a series of about 5 books that cover Colonial times, Am. Rev., Native Americans, Civil War, etc. We really like this series and the kids could read it themselves. This link will take you to a few of the books. If you click on one, I'm pretty sure you can find the others on the page. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=brown+paper+us+history There's also the Landmark History of the American People which Sonlight uses. Btw, I'm answering your question because I am currently avoiding dealing with my own history dilemma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) You don't find it confusing for your kids to be studying different things going on in different places at different times? Nope. We use a timeline to help keep it all straight. My boys have done a quick sweep through world history with SL (using CHOW); we are enjoying using this two track (American and world) method to take more time on some topics. It also helps to review some of these important people/places/events that pop up in both tracks of history. I also like the flexibility that two lines of history offers--if I miss a great book, movie, etc. in one track, it is easy to fold it in to the other track. The pressure to get it all perfect, coherent, and beautifully scheduled out in one fell swoop is gone. *I* needed that. ;) We ARE working chronologically during both history times. Edited August 21, 2012 by Zoo Keeper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Thanks, everybody. I'm really bummed out to have to adjust my wonderful plans, but we do what we've gotta do, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Here are American history spines to consider. There are good ones out there. No need to panic. --A First Book in American History (Edward Eggleston) If that Eggleston book is too short or to easy, there is: --A History of the United States and Its People (Edward Eggeston) --The Rainbow Book of American History (Earl Schenck Miers)--either reprinted already or to be reprinted soon, or else buy a used copy. --This Country of Ours (Yesterday Classics Version, not others) --The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and the Great Republic (H.A. Guerber) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 George Washington's World and Abraham Lincoln's World by Genevieve Foster are written like SOTW, just somewhat more advanced in reading level. They focus on American history, but pull in what's happening all over the world at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) George Washington's World and Abraham Lincoln's World by Genevieve Foster are written like SOTW, just somewhat more advanced in reading level. They focus on American history, but pull in what's happening all over the world at the same time. I agree. I prefer the ones aimed at a younger audience for elementary/early middle school. This year, we have read: 1492 Year of Columbus 1620 Year of the Pilgrims Blogged about here: http://ournestof3.blogspot.com/2010/05/genevieve-foster-book-recommendations.html World of William Penn Blogged about here: http://ournestof3.blogspot.com/2011/04/book-recommendation-peter-great-by.html 1776 Year of Independence The Year of the Horseless Carriage Year of the Flying Machine 1903 Edited August 21, 2012 by nestof3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 History of US appears to be too advanced for my kids (they can understand but not read it themselves; due to personal circumstances, I cannot read it to them; audios of the books are expensive and a pain in the neck to deal with). I don't know how expensive is too expensive and how much of a pain is too much of a pain :tongue_smilie:, but someone posted this site recently and each book is just $7.49 as a download. I assume you've already checked your library and inter-library loan. We have loved these audios. They are one of the very best things I've ever purchased for our homeschool (and I paid about double through Audible!). I personally wouldn't be without them and I think your kids are at a great age for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 I don't know how expensive is too expensive and how much of a pain is too much of a pain :tongue_smilie:, but someone posted this site recently and each book is just $7.49 as a download. I assume you've already checked your library and inter-library loan. We have loved these audios. They are one of the very best things I've ever purchased for our homeschool (and I paid about double through Audible!). I personally wouldn't be without them and I think your kids are at a great age for them. The problem I have with that site is the same as through Audible.com. You can't download an MP3 and play it wherever. You can only download their audio player and then put the file into their player. It took forever to download, and I don't want to download all the junk to each of the kids' computers, too. I want an MP3 that I can put on whatever computer we need it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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