Does anyone have a schedule/book list for MA they'd be willing to share?

[Magic Wand]

I've looked at all the history programs I know of...and I always come back to creating my own.

 

Last year, although we were technically working through TOG, it really came down to reading, looking up some maps and making notebook pages.

 

The last unit of Year 1, we simply read (and loved) The Story of the Romans. Because we loved it so much, I purchased Story of the Middle Ages and Story of the Renaissance and Reformation for this year. We did a "trial run" a few days ago. Older dd (6th) likes it, younger dd (4th) doesn't care for it much - too dry. She says that it's nothing like The Story of the Romans.

 

I know I want the girls to read the Louise Vernon reformation series...and some other books I've found in looking through various booklists.

 

I want something simple. I'm looking for a good "spine", so we can read aloud together, some independent reading, and mapwork. I've ordered the Winterpromise Activity Kit and we'll tie in our writing time to history.

 

I don't need anything elaborate. I can't find anything that fits the bill...quite...right. I don't want to be juggling 5 books at one time and jumping from place to place. We love to read and my youngest loves projects.

 

At any rate, if you have a book list you'd be willing to share would you email me, please?

 

Thank you!

[PeterPan]

CLP has a spine textbook on the Middle Ages. I saw it in a store once but didn't buy it, meaning I don't have the title. The VP catalog lists a lot of good supplemental books including some really good series.

[Magic Wand]

I saw that one too, and I ordered it from CBD. My older likes The Story of...Guerber books, so we may go ahead and try to work with that.

 

I've got my VP catalog out and I'm finally starting to get excited. It feels like it's starting to come together.

 

Guess what else I did? I ordered IEW and the Middle Ages Writing lessons. A lot of what said resonated with me and I wasn't prepared to go with WT. I can use IEW with both girls and we can tie it in with other subjects.

 

You've been such a dear friend, Elizabeth. Thanks for emailing me! I'll write back later. I want to know how your pregnancy is progressing.

 

W

[RhondaM.]

The last unit of Year 1, we simply read (and loved) The Story of the Romans. Because we loved it so much, I purchased Story of the Middle Ages and Story of the Renaissance and Reformation for this year. We did a "trial run" a few days ago. Older dd (6th) likes it, younger dd (4th) doesn't care for it much - too dry. She says that it's nothing like The Story of the Romans.

 

I know I want the girls to read the Louise Vernon reformation series...and some other books I've found in looking through various booklists.

 

I want something simple. I'm looking for a good "spine", so we can read aloud together, some independent reading, and mapwork. I've ordered the Winterpromise Activity Kit and we'll tie in our writing time to history.

 

Thank you!

 

I can tell you our very simple history program that I pulled together last year for my 6th grade ds. We did an entire year of Middle Ages at his request, but could easily have had time for Renaissance and Reformation too.

 

We bought a TruthQuest Middle Ages history guide for less than 30.00,

added in Knowledge Quest Black Line Maps of World History CD, printed up some maps and stuck them in his notebook.

 

I also bought the TOG classic CD (that I don't think they have any more) and printed up additional projects and stuff. Plus I found some cool MA worksheets off the internet and stuck them in the notebook just for fun.

 

Then I looked through the TQ guide and picked some novels/literature/historical fiction that I thought he would enjoy and placed an order to Amazon.

 

He used the Guerber book Story of the Middle Ages for independent reading.

 

It was a very simple, nice, inexpensive year for my ds and I think he learned a lot. I know he enjoyed it.

 

If you did this you could add in a spine (don't know what), a book for your 4th grader, then pick up extra non fiction every so often for your book basket/extra reading.

 

I have a reading list somewhere on my computer of what he read last year...but mostly it was literature....I don't have time to look for it right now, but if you are interested I could find it later on.

[RhondaM.]

Oh, forgot to mention...the Guerber books are scheduled in the TQ guides. And also, we'd have had plenty of time to do both the Middle Ages Guide AND the guide for Renaissance and Reformation if we'd have wanted to go that far. My ds just wanted an entire year of MA.

[mama25angels]

I can tell you our very simple history program that I pulled together last year for my 6th grade ds. We did an entire year of Middle Ages at his request, but could easily have had time for Renaissance and Reformation too.

 

We bought a TruthQuest Middle Ages history guide for less than 30.00,

added in Knowledge Quest Black Line Maps of World History CD, printed up some maps and stuck them in his notebook.

 

I also bought the TOG classic CD (that I don't think they have any more) and printed up additional projects and stuff. Plus I found some cool MA worksheets off the internet and stuck them in the notebook just for fun.

 

Then I looked through the TQ guide and picked some novels/literature/historical fiction that I thought he would enjoy and placed an order to Amazon.

 

He used the Guerber book Story of the Middle Ages for independent reading.

 

It was a very simple, nice, inexpensive year for my ds and I think he learned a lot. I know he enjoyed it.

 

If you did this you could add in a spine (don't know what), a book for your 4th grader, then pick up extra non fiction every so often for your book basket/extra reading.

 

I have a reading list somewhere on my computer of what he read last year...but mostly it was literature....I don't have time to look for it right now, but if you are interested I could find it later on.

 

 

Thank you for posting this, that is practically what i'm doing for Modern History this year. I bought the TOG classic year 4 CD and we'll be using Truthquest AORIII. I'm so glad to know it actually works, I was bummed not to be using TOG yr. 4 this year.:)

[RhondaM.]

Thank you for posting this, that is practically what i'm doing for Modern History this year. I bought the TOG classic year 4 CD and we'll be using Truthquest AORIII. I'm so glad to know it actually works, I was bummed not to be using TOG yr. 4 this year.:)

 

Have fun! It may not line up exactly but I'm sure you'll get a lot of ideas for activities and this and that from that CD.

[Magic Wand]

What you've done is exactly what I'm interested in doing and planning to do. I like your idea of using the TOG CD. I hadn't thought of that. Can you tell me a bit more about what's on it? You also mentioned that it may no longer be available, so I'll have to check on that.

 

I would love to see your booklist, if it's not too much bother to dig it out. Shall I PM you with my email addy?

 

We used TQ for a few years when the girls were very young and we loved it. We read so many good books. I wondered if it would be possible to get through two guides in a year - I'm glad you stated that fact.

 

My younger will be all right with the Guerber book once we get into it and I supply her with enough other literature. She's a voracious reader. Our WP MA kit showed up today and she loves hands-on, so I think there will be enough varietly to keep everyone happy. I want to read the Guerber book aloud, b/c I want the MA education too!

 

Did you feel that the TQ book added significantly to your study of the MA? I'm envisioning us doing history reading together a few times a week, and in order to get through two Guerber books, that's about 4 chapter per sitting - easily doable b/c those chapters are so short. I'm also only scheduling history for 32 weeks this year. The girls will read corresponding literature independently and we'll have a few additional times during the week for maps or notebook pages and using our MA project kit.

 

I'm really looking forward to it. It seems low stress, yet very rich in learning experiences.

 

Thanks for sharing that this system has worked for you. It's always encouraging to be inspired by those who have already charted the waters (successfully)!

[PeterPan]

Well good! I'm glad things are coming together for you, and that's a great that you can do the IEW MA writing along with it. Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Not much exciting with my pregnancy. I'm big as a whale and the baby is posterior. Went to a chiro today who does the Webster technique to see if we can get the baby to turn. Meanwhile I'm just working to get things ready. (had to buy a crib, car seat, etc., such fun!) :)

[RhondaM.]

What you've done is exactly what I'm interested in doing and planning to do. I like your idea of using the TOG CD. I hadn't thought of that. Can you tell me a bit more about what's on it? You also mentioned that it may no longer be available, so I'll have to check on that.

 

 

Would you believe I can't really remember what was on the CD. I'm out of state at the moment, and will be for some time, or I'd go look for you. I bought them primarily for the instructions for activities. But besides that I'm pretty sure it had all the questions for the students to answer, some of which would ahve made good writing topics. I can't remember what else. I don't think my ds did much of them, is why I can't remember. He decided he really wasn't into projects and I didn't push it.

 

I would love to see your booklist, if it's not too much bother to dig it out. Shall I PM you with my email addy?

 

 

I've found it. Give me a few more minutes and I'll post it.

 

We used TQ for a few years when the girls were very young and we loved it. We read so many good books. I wondered if it would be possible to get through two guides in a year - I'm glad you stated that fact.

 

 

In 5th we quickly went through the Greek and Rome guide. In 6th we stretched out the Middle Ages as far as we could and still had time left over. I'd say it would be pretty easy to do each over 18 weeks.

 

 

Did you feel that the TQ book added significantly to your study of the MA?

 

 

I did. I mostly would read the commentary outloud to my 6th grader. He ate it up. It was a huge conversation starter for us. Really got the discussions going. Opened the door to get him telling me what he had learned/read about without me ever having to ask a specific question.

 

I'm really looking forward to it. It seems low stress, yet very rich in learning experiences.

 

Thanks for sharing that this system has worked for you. It's always encouraging to be inspired by those who have already charted the waters (successfully)!

 

It was very low stress, but we enjoyed it. Except for our discussions he really did it all by himself. Which was a good thing, because I was busy with an older student who needed hand holding constantly. :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm going to go get that reading list...stay tuned! :D

[RhondaM.]

This is just a partial list of books he read. I can't find the entire list. It WAS on my computer, but now it is gone. I also thought I'd posted it to this board once, but can't find it. Here is what I have anyway...

 

Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serraillier

White Stag

Children of Odin

Black Horses for the King.

The Story of Roland by Baldwin

Blood Feud by Rosemary Sutcliff.

Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

Viking Tales

When Knights Were Bold by Eva March Tappan

The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court