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[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[Mama Lynx]

Do you tend to stay on schedule with TOG? Do you do a week of TOG in a week?

 

If so, then I really don't think it matters whether your DC start learning American history now, or in 18 weeks.

 

When might they go into the ps system? Now, or next year? My kids learn a great deal about the Pilgrims, early American history, etc. because we always talked about those things, and checked out books, when the holidays came around.

 

It's really up to you. If you want them to be where the public school students are, you'd probably be better off to dump the medieval studies - public school students don't tend to get world history until at least 6th grade, IME. I don't think you need to worry about "gaps," though. None of us are going to have a complete knowledge of history without gaps, and neither will your kids, no matter what kind of school you do.

[Raini]

You could do a quick read through of SOTW 3 (or listen to the audio) with a few read alouds. 2-3 weeks?

[Nicole M]

I am not familiar with the 18 week program you're using, but I agree that doing US history now or in 18 weeks.... doesn't matter.

 

Thing is, kids just love the middle ages. I mean love 'em. Why miss out on that?

 

And yes, you could do a quick swoop through with SoTW.

[nmoira]

 

Thing is, kids just love the middle ages. I mean love 'em. Why miss out on that?

And even from a purely utilitarian POV, you're going to get more bang for the buck from Medieval studies than any other period of history because of its influence on later literature, music, and arts. I would go so far to say that, if time were an issue, I would study just the first two periods and skip one or both of the last two during the grammar stage rather than skip either of the first two.

[Nicole M]

...I would study just the first two periods and skip one or both of the last two during the grammar stage rather than skip either of the first two.

 

Thank you Moira. Now I can come out of the closet and admit that this is just what we did.

 

As for the US history thing, Memoria Press has an interesting article in their latest mag (it was discussed here but I didn't read the thread) about US history in the early years. Even if you don't buy their premise, what I got out of that is that it's pretty easy to fold in a lot of US history through read alouds (Little House books and Ralph Moody come to mind)and, well, being in the US.

[gardenschooler]

I agree, the Middle Ages are not to be missed. We've gone a bit more slowly through SOTW, while at the same time folding in stories and a few other things on American history and geography.

 

I find that they really can keep their minds on two different threads of history at the same time. We just went slowly, adding in plenty of crafts and things to make it memorable. But above all, read, read, read. :)

[PeterPan]

Buy a stack of COFA's (Childhood of Famous Americans biographies) and hand them to your dc. Your older can read the Landmark and Cornerstone books, which can be found easily on ebay. Just because you're doing the Middle Ages doesn't mean they can't read another time period as well. Also you could get an enjoyable spine book like http://www.amazon.com/rainbow-book-American-history-Illustrated/dp/B000O20V7G and just read it to them as a read aloud. Really though, 18 weeks isn't very long. VP spends an entire year on the middle ages, ren and ref. And part of the middle ages is setting the stage for american. I'd just stick with your plan and plow forward while giving them some good american history stuff to read on the side.

[St. Theophan Academy]

great advice - we spent twice as much time on Middle Ages than ancients, and I plan to compress American/Modern history into a shorter time.

[chaik76]

I think medieval history is incredibly important and not to be missed. It shaped who we are today. American history is important too, but can be covered in so many ways...and because the time period is so short, it's easy to cover. I agree with just finding some books and letting your kids read them.

[Donna A.]

I think medieval history is incredibly important and not to be missed. It shaped who we are today. American history is important too, but can be covered in so many ways...and because the time period is so short, it's easy to cover. I agree with just finding some books and letting your kids read them.

 

 

:iagree: Absolutely! Much of the reason so many Americans today are ignorant in politics and religion is because they know little to nothing about the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation. MARR really is the "setup" for American history. Except I can't imagine doing it in "only" 18 weeks.... :001_huh: But it's better to do it the way they have it scheduled in 18 weeks than not at all.

[King Alfred Academy]

The middle ages is FULL of interesting topics. So much influence from that time.

 

I like the other suggestions of spending the 18 months on it...sticking with the rotation and adding in more current biographies and such. We haven't formally studied more current history yet, but my ds7 & 5 know a good amount just from reading biographies, coloring dover coloring books of the various wars, conversations with "Poppy" about WWII, ect.

 

Have fun with the Middle ages this year...if that's what you choose. :001_smile:

[Jami]

I think medieval history is incredibly important and not to be missed. It shaped who we are today. American history is important too, but can be covered in so many ways...and because the time period is so short, it's easy to cover. I agree with just finding some books and letting your kids read them.

 

I agree. The Age of Exploration flows from the Renaissance advances in technology and science. The Puritan and Pilgrim journeys to the colonies are rooted in the Reformation. I don't think you (OP) have to strictly follow the chronology, but if you truly want to understand the colonization of America and the later political experiment in republican democracy, it helps to know what came before.

 

Jami

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[Donna A.]

I think I may suffer from Excessive Planning Disorder and just need to chill out and follow my TM (I paid for it, after all!) :001_smile:

 

 

:laugh: I understand. I have the same problem. ;)