Janie Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 A kink has developed in history plans. My brain is overworked and can't think straight, so please help me out. I need some suggestions for 8th grade world history (1850-present). I would love something kin to the rich text of Guerber's Story of... books. Have any of you used SOTW 4 in 8th grade? Is it rigorous enough for kids that age? Compared to textbook material from major publishers like BJUP, it seems a little simplistic, but I may be wrong. Comment? My goal is to lay a solid foundation in logic stage for the student to transition to Spielvogel and Omnibus in 9th grade. Ideas? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I had similar reservations for my 7th grader. I opted not to use SOTW for JrHigh. It is a difficult choice to make. You could use SOTW but add research projects, additional readings, etc. My rising 7th grader just felt she was being "talked down to". Did you look at MFW? I switched over to BF history and we are going to spend more time on US history next year. I too looked at BJU. I have historically (sorry for the pun) not liked BJU history. It just seems to "chopped up" for my liking. However, I was very impressed with their 7th grade text. I just did a brief glance through 8th grade and was also impressed with it. Honestly, I wouldnt have chosen BF over BJU but dh (who is a history major) absolutely liked BF the best. Since that is his area of expertise, I went with his lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 We used SOTW-3 in 7th grade last year, and we'll be using SOTW-4 in 8th grade. But, that isn't *all* that we do. Here's an old post that summarizes how we did last year, and what we're planning to do this year: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29533 Best wishes! Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 ds used Texts History of US vol 7-10 (I think?) History of US Sourcebook for original documents The 20th Century from the Connections in World History series by Walch publishing some chapters from Story of Mankind Jackdaw Atomic Bomb portfolio I also had him quickly read sections of the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia for world history topics I thought we were missing with the above texts. Movies Charge of the Light Brigade 1968 All Quiet on the Western Front 1930 (ds found this so difficult to watch that he stopped about half way) Joyeaux Noel (dd 10 watched this with us, this very interesting WWI event) Saving Private Ryan Fat Man and Little Boy WindTalkers Remember the Titans The Manchurian Candidate (1962 version) Archives of War 3: Korea and Vietnam Inherit the Wind The US v. John Lennon He read for English War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (layers of emotional content, imagine watching a person's soul completely destroyed. This book, written by a German was banned by Hitler because it has an antiwar message) Hamlet by William Shakespeare The Art of Keeping Cool by Janet Taylor Lisle (WWII) Blackduck by Janet Taylor Lisle (rumrunning late 20s) Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (autobiographical account of Japanese internment) Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman (this is a graphic biography/autobiography of a Jewish survivor and his son. The emotional content is such that I'd consider waiting until 16 to do it, if I had this to do again) Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich (gambling, made into the movie 21) Hamlet and Bringing Down the House aren't really history related. My ds actually complained that my literature choices and movies choices were too depressing so I tried to move away from depressing after the WWII stuff. DS requested Hamlet. I don't believe these choices would be right for every family--review for appropriate content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 dd age 10 was doing SOTW 4 at the same time. It helped to be thinking the same time period. Sometimes we'd read aloud and ds would listen in and participate in our discussion of that too. I also have EH Grombrich Little History of the World on Cd and played the applicable sections in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacey05 Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 MFW has a good program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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