Written narrations for history - adequate for Middle School?

[morningcoffee]

I have finally settled on a history which is getting done and being retained. Dd11 and I simply read a chapter of her history book and she writes a few sentences about what she has read. We have a separate writing curriculum so she does other writing throughout the week that is not related to her history studies.

 

After several years of Ambleside Online and HOD and one year with a textbook and its comprehension style questions, this approach seems very streamlined. Does this sound too simple for history in Middle School?

 

We are reading "Men of the Middle Ages" at the moment.

[momto2Cs]

I personally think it's absolutely fine. That's all I'm asking of my ds.

[TarynB]

I agree; IMO its fine. Our approach to history is quite streamlined too, with very little written output. History just isn't the focus of our homeschool. My DS transitioned from narrations, to writing a list of important facts, to more "traditional" notetaking from his history reading during 5th grade. Personally, I think informal notetaking in whatever format the student prefers is a more useful skill going forward. You're covering writing skills in other ways. History is a content subject and nothing says you have to use history as the vehicle for teaching tons of skills.

[asmall]

We do almost the same thing. We read a chapter from a living history book. My daughter either narrates or writes down a few sentences. She also has a history timeline she is working on. She adds about three or four "things" a week ( people, events, inventions, ect ). My other daughter does the same thing, but I require less from her as she is younger.

AL