HO Level 2 (middle school) Ancients???

[Stacia]

I'm trying to plan ahead for next year when we'll be hitting 5th grade & returning to the ancients. I've been looking at various programs & trying to decide what, if anything, will work. I'll also have a younger tagging along (doing SOTW I book & AG).

 

Last year, I tried HO's Early Modern package & was extremely disappointed. I felt it was disjointed, the order made little sense, additional resources (of which there were too few, imo) were sometimes in the entirely incorrect section, etc.... Plus, it was pretty boring. It took the life out of history for us (& we have usually enjoyed history). It just didn't work for us & we ended up ditching it & I pulled together my own study for the rest of the year. I was so not happy w/ it that I pretty much nixed the idea of HO for us in the future.

 

But, now I'm trying to streamline a little more (i.e., less legwork/planning for me) and I would like to have something planned for me (open & go), if possible. I prefer secular. I want something that's on par for the skills that a 5th grader should be working on -- outlining, starting to really analyze and dig deeper, etc.

 

So, if you've had experience w/ HO, please let me know how things went. Is the Level 2 Ancients guide good? Great? So-so? Is it better than the experience I had w/ the Early Modern guide? I just really can't decide if it would work well for us or just cause disappointment again. :rolleyes: Please persuade me! LOL.

 

Any other suggestions of curriculums to check out?

 

Thanks! I feel so on-the-fence & would appreciate any comments, suggestions, and advice.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I am sorry to report that my experience has been similar to yours. I really, really wanted to like HO because it is the only secular logic stage history program that I know of. While I do think that ds is learning more about ancient history than he would in school, I fear that he finds history just as boring as I did in school.

 

For me, the problem stems from the KHE. I am not much of a magazine reader. I don't retain the little bits of information that are presented here and there around the page. It all seems so disjointed.

 

Someone on this board suggested Life in the Ancient World by Bart Winer. I was able to get it at the library. I like the looks of it because it is more of a story format. You may want to see if you can find it at the library as well.

 

If you have $$ and want to outsource history, here is an idea:

http://www.powellhistory.com/

I have heard rave reviews as well as some controversy, so check it out carefully.

 

I have been thinking about asking for suggestions for logic stage Middle Ages. I do not have the time and/or energy and/or desire and/or talent to pull a history program together myself, however, so I've been procrastinating.

 

Here's my review so far:

 

We are on lesson 40 out of 66. My son would be in 6th grade this year. I have mixed feelings about it so far.

 

I chose HO because it's the only secular history program I know of for logic age.

 

The positives are that (1) History is done 2x per week here. (2) Outlining is improving. (3) Map work and timeline work is helpful.

 

I am not really one to sit around reading an encyclopedia, so I'm not so excited about the spine. I find it fairly dull myself. I don't find that much information for each topic and then you have to go around looking at the pictures and reading the captions (or not). I fear that the retention will be very low.

 

Although it can be done independently, I find that my son does the minimum and probably forgets it as soon as it's done. I would like discussion/review questions, sample outlines, lots more supplemental reading.

 

There are 2 History Pockets. We finished the first and found it a lot of work for the information given. Cut and paste is beneath us at this point.

 

I spent $165 for this program. It was by far the most I spent on any subject this year. With 20/20 hindsight, I would not have bought the supplemental books, even though they are difficult to find through the libraries here. There is absolutely nothing in the program about them other than to read them.

 

Finally, I know 1 person who uses HO and enjoys it. Her son tends to be more motivated than mine. I find HO similar to Noeo (Science). There is too much freedom for my unmotivated son to do a mediocre job.

 

To be completely honest, I am not sure if part of my disappointment has to do with the fact that we used SOTW for 4 years and loved it. It's a hard act to follow, imo.

 

Sorry this is so long. I feel bad about my negative review. I sincerely hope that I can look back at the end of this year and see its worth. I have to admit though, that I've been thinking about polling the hs boards and loops for alternatives for next year.

[kRenee]

I haven't used HO level 1 so I can't compare to that. My dd has used HO level 2 Ancients and Medieval. I am not thrilled with it, but I still use it, modified. HO does follow the spirit of WTM in that you read the encyclopedia, outline, do timeline and map, and write. It is not exciting but it is already laid out for you.

 

I do like the book that Calvert uses for middle school ancients and medieval, but without a teachers guide you have a lot more planning to do.

[5wolfcubs]

Sue, thanks for the detailed review of HO. I was looking for something independent for histrory next year, but this doesn't sound like a good fit for my dd -- the line about too much freedom for an unmotivated child to do a mediocre job was very telling to me.

[Stacia]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

Sue, thanks for all the detailed info. I get the feeling that we've had very similar experiences w/ HO, so I'm glad you've reminded me of all the reasons I wasn't happy w/ it. LOL. I'll check out the things you have suggested.

 

Hmmmm. Sounds like I need to keep searching (and searching, and searching).