History

[AdamsFamily]

I am about to complete the 4th SOTW with my dds. One is in 4th grade, and one is in 6th grade. I am trying to decide what to do next. Here are my ideas:

 

4th dd

5 - Sonlight Eastern Hemispheres

6 - Sonlight One-Year Condensed American History

7-12 Veritas Press Omnibus

 

6th dd

7 - 12 Veritas Press Omnibus

 

I have some concerns though.

 

1. 6th dd has not had any separate American History

2. 6th dd may not be able to comprehend Omnibus. (The program seems really advanced.)

3. DH thinks I should put both 4th dd and 6th dd in Omnibus together. 4th dd is a better reader, but I think I read that the content is too advanced for a younger student. I also don't know what I would do with 4th dd if she is able to finish all 6 omnibus courses by the end of 10th grade.

 

I have thought that I could put both girls in the sonlight courses for the next two years and then start both dd in the omnibus courses when 4th dd is in 7th grade. 6th dd could get 3 years of omnibus (one history rotation if I am reading everything correctly) and then take a separate AP class her senior year. 4th dd could complete all 6 comnibus courses. BTW, 4th dd is more advanced than 6th dd.

 

What do you think? Do you have any ideas or experience to share? Or other great history programs to consider? Thanks for your input!

[PeterPan]

VP is working on a self-paced version of Omnibus. Might open up some options for you to break up your girls and have them in age-appropriate materials.

 

I think your concern about the american history coverage is valid. Remember, Omnibus is GB with history tacked on, not the reverse. There's also the issue of objectionable elements. Your dh may not have read the material Omnibus covers to realize exactly what is there. There are s*xual relations and things that many moms are blinking at and deciding about even with older kids. I certainly wouldn't put a 4th grader into it.

 

Have you looked at MOH or Illuminations? Or TOG? Any of those would allow you to blend your kids and plow forward. Then, as you say, you can start a GB study when they're both old enough to do it together.

 

I have Omnibus 1 and 2 btw. I got them several years ago to start prereading so I would have some sense of what these works were and what we wanted to do with them. I think your apprehensions are right on. It won't hurt if you buy it now to read, but I wouldn't think you'd end up using it in entirety. That would just be a really unusual dc who's ready to discuss some of those books at those ages. It's not the difficulty. It's the themes and whether there are more age-appropriate things to be reading. There are whole swaths of excellent historical fiction and non-fiction (Marrin, Bulla, Jim Murphy, Bartoletti, etc. etc.) for these ages. I just don't see the point of going into GB then. It's just not going to resonate with them to read the Code of Hammurabi, etc. etc. at age 9.Most people who use Omnibus early seem to end up breaking it up between primary and secondary readings. The secondary readings are lighter and things they may have already read on their own. But with no history (save for spielvogel citations) and a blistering pace through originals of ancient stuff, it's just not appropriate for a 4th grader. Even most 7th or 8th graders keel over.

 

Frankly, the burnout rate is REALLY high. I've been watching since it came out, and almost NO ONE seems to stay the whole way. That's why I figure we'll take our time, start when it clicks, and just pick what we want. You can blend O1/O4, O2/O5, O3/6 and have say a 4 year sequence, using just the books you really want. (Angela on the boards here is doing this.) Do that later with both your girls together. Do something else until then that is age-appropriate.

[3andme]

I definitely wouldn't try combining for Omnibus next year but combining in 7th and 9th might work.

 

If you're interested in some other alternatives for American history where you could combine the two, you might take a look at Notgrass' America the Beautiful or VP's Self Paced Online history courses. The last two years of VP's courses (Explorers to 1815 and 1815 to Present) focus almost entirely on American History and are very independent.

 

If you wait on Omnibus for older child, you might try to incorporate some of the Secondary Readings as read alouds with both children over the next two years to give them a slow intro. to Omnibus.

[AdamsFamily]

Thanks for your input. Is it important to teach American History as a separate class, or can we cover all of it in our studies of world history? Does it ever have to be taught independently of the rest of world history? Thanks!

[mom31257]

Have you thought about a year focusing on world geography as well? If I were you, I would do one year of world geography and one year of American history before starting Omnibus. You could do lots of fun things before getting into the heavy school work of having older students. Spending a year studying American could mean lots of field trips to museums and historical events. There are so many Civil War events right now because we are in the middle of the 150 year anniversary of it all. You could plan a vacation to some great area like Washington DC. A year of world geography would mean lots of crafts, games, and yummy cooking from around the world.

 

I do feel American history should be taught separately. It's our nation's history and as much as I want my kids to know a lot about world history, it's very important to me that they know America's more so.

[momto2Cs]

Have you thought about a year focusing on world geography as well? If I were you, I would do one year of world geography and one year of American history before starting Omnibus. You could do lots of fun things before getting into the heavy school work of having older students. Spending a year studying American could mean lots of field trips to museums and historical events. There are so many Civil War events right now because we are in the middle of the 150 year anniversary of it all. You could plan a vacation to some great area like Washington DC. A year of world geography would mean lots of crafts, games, and yummy cooking from around the world.

 

I do feel American history should be taught separately. It's our nation's history and as much as I want my kids to know a lot about world history, it's very important to me that they know America's more so.

 

 

I agree! A year of world cultures and then a year of American history would be both enjoyable and beneficial, and it would give your kids the time they need to be ready for Omnibus.

[AdamsFamily]

So... I have decided to use SL 3+4 Condensed American History next year. I already own half of it, so I thought I should use it. I will beef it up with other things. I have a couple of Geography texts from our local ps. They are middle school level. I am not sure I want to use them, because I will have to do a ton of prep work to use them. Do you know of any great Geography programs we could use in 8th grade?

 

Have any of you used the History program Critical thinking Co. publishes? It is new. The first book is out, and it looks like the 2nd one is on its way. I thought those would be good to review World History while studying American History and Geography.

 

Thanks for the information about Omnibus. I am going to wait until 2nd dd is in 7th. She has been able to handle more complex info than her sister, so once she hits 7th grade I think she will be ready for the material in Omnibus.

[mom31257]

So... I have decided to use SL 3+4 Condensed American History next year. I already own half of it, so I thought I should use it. I will beef it up with other things. I have a couple of Geography texts from our local ps. They are middle school level. I am not sure I want to use them, because I will have to do a ton of prep work to use them. Do you know of any great Geography programs we could use in 8th grade?

 

Have any of you used the History program Critical thinking Co. publishes? It is new. The first book is out, and it looks like the 2nd one is on its way. I thought those would be good to review World History while studying American History and Geography.

 

Thanks for the information about Omnibus. I am going to wait until 2nd dd is in 7th. She has been able to handle more complex info than her sister, so once she hits 7th grade I think she will be ready for the material in Omnibus.

 

 

I really like Scholastic's 3D Maps for American history. As far as geography, I've really enjoyed Trail Guide to World Geography, but it is mostly mapping and crafts/recipes. It does include a literature book near the end. I'm having my dd (10th) grade using Glencoe's geography book along with it. You could look at something like BJU's geography course that is for 9th grade. I know some people use it in 8th.

 

Thanks for posting about the Critical Thinking Co.'s book. It's good to know there might be something for a good review in middle school if we are doing something else, too.

[HollyDay]

Another idea.....we did Beautiful Feet after SOTW