SOTW - how should I proceed?

[Black-eyed Suzan]

I wanted to try out SOTW with my 6 year old DS, so I bought the Volume 1 audio book in January. He listened to it for hours each day (eventually several times through) and clamored for the 2nd Volume audio book, which he also devoured several times. Every spare moment of the day he listens - sometimes putting together a puzzle, sometimes playing with legos, sometimes looking at the pertinent maps in the activity guide, but always listening.

 

When I realized he liked SOTW, I planned to do lessons/activities in the guide. But now I am second-guessing myself. Should I go back to the beginning and start the lessons? Should I look through and pick out a few activities only? Should I just assume that he is absorbing more history than I remembered by the time I graduated high school and not bother? Maybe I could use the history lessons as a way to practice handwriting and reading (neither of which he is easy for him yet - he's reading at maybe a 2nd-3rd grade level and his handwriting is legible, but messy)?

 

I'd love your thoughts.

[Pen]

I would let him have a say in the decision. If he is enjoying listening while doing other things that is fine and you can just get more audio CDs. If he would like to try more activities or lessons, that is fine too. But I would be wary of killing a joy for this subject by imposing too much on it. If in that situation, my inclination would be to offer extra, but not demand it. My ds loves just listening to SOTW and knows a tremendous amount more history than most people I know from doing that. He did not like the extras, and certainly for him, any demand that he do them would have ended his love of history.

[Dmmetler]

My DD went through all of SOTW and CHOW in one year. She followed that by a US history focused year with more depth than in SOTW-and this year, wanted to go back to ancients. NOW she's moving slowly, really diving in, and I'm not sure she's even going to get through The SOTW 1 time period this year. Some kids want the big picture first.

[boscopup]

I agree with seeing what he'd like to do. My son LOVES SOTW also. When he started reading the first book, and then the second book, I went ahead and bought 3 and 4. Before we finished book 2 "for school", he had already finished 3 and 4 and was working through the whole series again on his own. We have a lot of long van rides throughout the week, so he has plenty of reading time then. So we went in depth for books 1 and 2 (getting library books recommended in the AG, doing mapwork, narrations, etc.), and then for years 3 and 4, we took a detour to US history. He still goes through the series again on occasion, just for fun. We'll start back in Ancients in 5th grade.

 

Note that my son had no problem with us going slowly through SOTW2 while he was reading ahead in 3 and 4 and had already finished 2 himself. He liked the books so much, he was happy to revisit them. :D

[kiwik]

My kids hated it but maybe in a few years - and ds5 does remember stuff. If you have the activity guide why not hand it to him and ask him to choose say 5 activities. Then you could do those and choose another 5 if he chooses. He could listen to the appropriate section again before or even while you do the activity.

[Mukmuk]

I love this thread as I'm thinking history through at the moment. DS' exposure to history thus far is through SOTW audio in the car where it's quiet (vols 1-3 multiple times; he copped out at vol 4 as soon as the Holocaust was mentioned), and Horrible Histories. I think we'll finally dive into it indepth next year with narrations and mapwork.

 

Boscopup, what's AG? How would you go back to the Ancients - with the same material or different books at a higher level of reading/comprehension? I worry if ds will reject SOTW because he tends to have an elephant memory for story-like information, and he might think the presentation to be a bit young (he'll be 10 turning 11).

[kiwik]

AG = activity guide.

[boscopup]

How would you go back to the Ancients - with the same material or different books at a higher level of reading/comprehension? I worry if ds will reject SOTW because he tends to have an elephant memory for story-like information, and he might think the presentation to be a bit young (he'll be 10 turning 11).

 

 

I'm planning to use TOG for Ancients. I think it will be a good fit for DS, who LOVES history, is a fast reader, etc. I think it will be right up his alley and provide him with the content level he needs (which is easily adjustible on a week-by-week basis with that program). I'll use SOTW for the little ones (it's scheduled in TOG as a UG alternate), along with library books.

 

I definitely wouldn't use SOTW for DS1 in 5th grade. Considering he read the whole series, with understanding, in 2nd grade, I think we'd need a wee bit more depth in 5th. ;)

[Mukmuk]

Tks, Kiwik and Boscopup. What's TOG, groan.

 

Eta: Found! Tapestry of Grace. Reading through the website now ...

 

Eta2: Are there secular recommendations out there?

 

 

[boscopup]

Tks, Kiwik and Boscopup. What's TOG, groan.

 

Eta: Found! Tapestry of Grace. Reading through the website now ...

 

Eta2: Are there secular recommendations out there?

 

 

Yeah, TOG Y1 is definitely not secular. :lol:

 

You might take a look at the K12 Human Odyssey books. They're supposed to be really good, and they are secular.

[Tracy]

I agree with the PPs who said to find out what he wants. Ultimately, it doesn't matter that much at this age, except to the extent that what you do encourages his love of learning and sustains his interest in history.

[Mukmuk]

Thanks Boscopup!

[Incognito]

I wouldn't tie writing practice in with it because he doesn't like to write and I wouldn't want to associate that with his love of history now. There is a neat lapbook online for free that you could do with him that has a little writing and lots of cutting practice, which might appeal to him. Or you could have him write a tiny bit in a notebook to go with the lapbook thing each time, he might not notice it was writing practice if he were making a project (at least that is how my kids work). :)

[Black-eyed Suzan]

Thanks, everyone! :) I appreciate your input!

 

It's a great point that I don't want to kill his love of history.

 

Dmmetler, I hadn't thought that he may be enjoying looking at the big picture first. I'd been waiting for Volume 4 (doesn't SWB recommend waiting until 4th grade because of the topics covered in modern history?), but maybe I should go ahead and get it now. He's not particularly sensitive, but he's also an extreme introvert so he doesn't always talk about what's bothering him. Hmmmm.

 

I like the idea of getting the recommended books and seeing if he has interest in more in depth learning, but not requiring it. I'll ask him if he wants to choose a few projects to do. And it sounds better now to avoid writing practice with it (except maybe within projects...it is all in the motivation, isn't it, Incognito?). :)

 

Boscopup, thanks for the TOG idea. I had rejected that as being too much (can you tell history is not my favorite subject?), but now that he seems to love history, I'll revisit it.

[boscopup]

My son had no problem with SOTW4 at age 7. He loved it. But he's not sensitive.

 

I rejected TOG as being to much also, and it would be for LG stage, but I'm thinking for 5th grade, it will be exactly what my son would enjoy. He can do a mix of UG and D then.

[kiwik]

Tks, Kiwik and Boscopup. What's TOG, groan.

 

Eta: Found! Tapestry of Grace. Reading through the website now ...

 

Eta2: Are there secular recommendations out there?

 

 

the bits I have read of SOTW seemed only slightly christian biased.

[Mommaof5]

If you are planning on a classical education for him, you will go through the 4 year cycle of history again. If that is the case, sInce he is young and enjoying it, you have the option to let him do as much or as little with it as he wants for now, and then go deeper/require more when you go through the 4 year cycle on the 2nd time around. At this age, I would think it is most important that he develop a love of learning. You can pick out a few library books from the activity guide that he might enjoy, do some of the maps. activities, or coloring pages you like, but don't let it become overwhelming.