What I really want for history is...

[joannqn]

Story of the World Activity Guide at a high school level. Is there anything like it? I just need a list of topics, page numbers for reference books, and a list of literature, nonfiction, and biographies for each topic.

 

Anything like that?

 

 

I like Trisms, but I have something else in mind for English and the cost is awfully high, especially since we wouldn't be using the whole program.

[SarahW]

So a "box of books" curriculum with a key that tells you what books go with what topic or part of history?

 

I'm not familiar with high school, but I think some of the big "box of books" providers do this. I've done what (I think) you are asking for, but it's for elementary lvl 1. I'm a history person, ancient history mostly, and wasn't happy with anything I saw, so that's why I did it. I haven't gotten much further for higher grades than just compiling a list of books that I thought looked interesting but were beyond elementary level. But now you have my mind gears spinning.... but I'm afraid I can't be of any help in the near future, sorry.

[elegantlion]

Have you looked at History Odyssey?

[Julie in MN]

I can't tell if you're looking for literature lists or activities, since I think of the "Activity Books" as more about activities than literature lists...

 

Just a list of literature can be found online, such as at Paula's Archives (the author of Vocabulary Vine):

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/index.htm

 

 

Some of the really loosy-goosy unit studies type programs with activities which I used with my older dd. They've all been around at least 10 years, but I think all still publish:

Konos History of the World (lots of activities but only 2 years)

Katheryn Stout's Guides (lists of topics in a subject such as history)

Homeschool in the Woods timelines (timeline piece on all the major topics imagineable)

Lessons from History by Gail Schultz (high schoolers need to delve further)

Heart of Wisdom by Robin Sampson (an original notebooker)

Castle Heights Press Unit Studies

Diana Waring history

Beautiful Feet (almost all reading, though)

Teacher Created Resources Thematic Units (challenging level)

You should be able to find a list of typical historical topics in an encyclopedia. Lots of work to organize a credit this way, but it can be done.

 

Julie

[brendafromtenn]

What about Truthquest?

 

Brenda

[Ann.without.an.e]

MOH?

[thewaka]

How about Biblioplan? I am using it for my 2nd grader for next year, but it lists books for K-12 with a special high school supplement, and has maps, activities, etc for all ages.

 

 

I think I am looking for the same thing the OP is. I keep going back to the TOG site, but that is just too expensive and still isn't what I want.

 

Biblioplan looks like it would work for me, but I really want to use SWB's adult history books. Does anyone have enough experience with the high school level to know if those would work together?

[joannqn]

Normally, I like to read a quick spine and then add in some nonfiction library books for more depth. For elementary and middle school, SOTW AG additional history reading selections have given me a jumping off point for finding nonfiction at the library. Normally, I choose all of our literature selections from the literature portions of the AG as well, but we are not tying our literature and history together next year. Then if available, I like to add in documentaries, feature films, and field trips.

 

The difficulty I'm having is that I like the idea of Trisms because it seems to give me everything I want, but I don't want the English and Literature credit portions. I would like some exposure to major works of ancient literature as part of the history credit, but not so much reading and writing to qualify as separate credits. We are doing something else for English and Literature, rather than tying it together with our history. Trisms sounds good, but it is expensive if you are planning on tossing a bunch of it.

[joannqn]

I'll be looking at the other suggestions. Thank you! I feel like I'm coming into high school completely blind.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

JoAnn,

My oldest is almost finished with her 9th grade year, so I still feel VERY new at high school- and without a great deal of experience.

 

We've used My Father's World high school for ancient history, and we'll go with them for world history as well. In her 11th grade year, we will probably change from MFW so that she can take an outsourced class for English/composition, so I'm just browsing around for the near future because I'll need to have something planned out for American history, government, and economics.

 

All that to say... have you seen Hippocampus? I don't know if it would be a consideration for you or not. For history, they offer American history as well as government and economics..... not world history apparently.

 

You can choose a primary text from their list of options.... be sure you click on the tab: Launch a Course. Then explore from there. You can also use other supplementary books they recommend as well. They tell you what to read for each lesson...it's all planned out. They also offer maps and essay suggestions. They have a course for regular as well as AP American history. They have a chapter test and an answer key, but I don't see any kind of key for the map activities or discussion questions/essays. I'm really not sure how to "grade" those. I've thought about asking about this, but have not done that yet. All of these readings are linked with a video presentation which seems fairly interesting. Check it out and see what you think.

 

Hope you find what you're looking for. I'm interested in hearing answers to your question as well.

 

ETA... Forgot to add in the link! :001_smile: http://www.hippocampus.org/HippoCampus/History%20%26%20Government;jsessionid=6782528EF541C40A834172D437433145?view=Courses

[PeterPan]

If you focus on topics for more time or go more thematically, you can find more adult-level stuff via amazon (or have her find it) and delve in that way. I don't think the question is so much the reading list but what question you're trying to answer with the reading list.

[grace4me]

You might take a look at BiblioPlan. We used it for my youngest for jr. high (Yr 1 and Yr2) and she loved it. So did I. It is inexpensive for the Companion (their own spine), schedules, maps, timeline, answer guides and "Cool History" - the questions, tests, essays. You can add in optional spines and pick and choose lit. choices. They don't have writing/grammar/lit analysis instruction. They have writing prompts and in the HS years use/suggest lit. guides. We use a separate writing/grammar/lit analysis program, so it wasn't an issue for us. You can add in or delete with much flexibility.

 

We have also used MFW AHL and WHL for my eldest and been very happy. Their Bible credit is quite complete and I loved that the girls read thru the entire Bible in two years.

 

I am deciding between the two, myself, for my dd1's 12th grade year. She will be doing US Hist/Govt/Econ

 

Love the Worldview/Bible of MFW, Love the Companion/flexibility of BP. Oh, decisions......I like having a grid to work from that I don't have to create (honestly). Thank goodness their are so many great choices out there.

[1Togo]

I also think Biblioplan might work for you. Our Biblioplan history/geography work takes either three to four days. That leaves time for other reading, which woud be SWB's adult books in your case. We loosely follow Biblioplan's suggestions for literature, and I give a full credit for that. We use a separate composition and grammar curriculum for the English credit. We tried MFW and Trisms, both excellent, but I needed a history curriculum with a schedule and the flexibility to do what we wanted for English and additional reading.