If you only had 22 - 25 weeks for each of the four history periods...

[Annabel Lee]

What would you do? How would you do it? Would you cram? Would you eliminate some content altogether? Would you skim some of it by reading a core text only while spending more time (what would normally be the usual time spent) on writing assignments & extra reading for other parts? Would you just skip entire time periods? Imagine the kids you're doing this for have not covered any of the 4 classical history time periods with any thoroughness, 2 will be in 5th and 1 will be in 7th - how would you approach it?

 

Sorry for too many questions. I'm just trying to figure out how to do this.

TIA!

[Penguin]

Hmm. 22 to 25 weeks total or is that per period? I think that I would :

 

Begin with a manageable-sized single volume of world history, perhaps A Little History of the World or The Story of Mankind.

 

Incorporate the

videos. Brain Pop videos instead for the 5th graders.

ETA: Definitely preview the Crash Course of World History videos. The themes can be mature and the humor can be immature.

 

Somehow make use of Walch's Short Lessons in World History. Maybe use as is for the 7th grader and adapt it down for the 5th graders.

 

Have the kids choose topic (s) ( the Egyptians, Vikings etc.) for each of the four periods to explore in more depth.

[foxbridgeacademy]

Connect the Thoughts uses Story of Mankind and has a lot of good but short writing/discussion prompts. You could easily do the Lower level(4th-6th grade IMO) history courses in 22 weeks per period. For the 7th grader I would add in additional reading and longer written assignments. The curriculum teaches to the student so they could easily do most of the work independantly (we don't but thats because I was a History major). Other options would be to use something like Usborne's World History Encyclopedia. Just choose the more interesting or important topics to go in depth (the library is your friend!).

[Annabel Lee]

Thanks, both of you. I'll have to think on this some more.

 

Penguin, yes, I meant 22-25 wks. per each time period (ancients, middle ages, etc.).

 

I'm trying to squish it all in to 2 years, or figure out what to do with the 2 years my middle-schooler has left before HS.

[Penguin]

I edited my previous post to provide some caution with the Crash Course videos. The intended audience is high school & I definitely suggest a preview.

[NittanyJen]

If your kids are good/avid readers, get the 3-volume set of K-12's Human Odyssey (not Spielvogel) and turn'em loose. DS12 is frustrated that I limit him to a chapter per day. We are not speeding through, so he is also using History Odyssey, brainPOP, Learning Through History magazines, and a stack of literature. He's also enjoying doing a "History Detective" lesson per day -- 78 lessons will review ancients and medieval times. (this is my history loving kid. We also have acute curriculitis, or inflammation of curriculum). You see why we have to alternate and do history and science on different weeks ha a!

 

But seriously, if they read Human Odyssey and write a 2-Paragraph summary or highlight list after each chapter, a diligent reader could get a good overview in a short time, and a few things would stick.

[TarynB]

If your kids are good/avid readers, get the 3-volume set of ck-12's Human Odyssey (not Spielvogel) and turn'em loose.

 

I totally agree with your suggestion - it's pretty much exactly what we've done here - but you meant K12, not ck-12, right? Just wanted to avoid confusing anyone who may be reading. :)

[NittanyJen]

 

I totally agree with your suggestion - it's pretty much exactly what we've done here - but you meant K12, not ck-12, right? Just wanted to avoid confusing anyone who may be reading. :)

 

 

You are correct; when I am on a friendlier device, I should correct my post! Thank you!

 

 

[momto2Cs]

We also have acute curriculitis, or inflammation of curriculum).

 

 

So that's what that is! Definitely suffering from it :tongue_smilie: