Katiebug_1976 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Due to a very stressfull couple of years, we have a need to simplify our school and bring everyone back together as much as possible. So, I need your help in figuring out what to use in teaching my kiddo's together. I will have grades 12, 11, 8, 5, 2, a 4yo & 1yo this next year. My 12th grader has already studied Ancient, World & American history during her highschool years, but still needs government & ecconomics. My 11th grader has studied Ancient & World history, and needs to still cover American, Go'vt & Ecconomics. The younger kids have spent the last 2 years covering most of American history (we made it up to World War 1). I had planned (and bought) SOTW 1 to begin with the youngers, but now since I need to combine them all back together, I am having second thoughts. I'm just soo confused and my mind is spinning, so I am asking for some advice. What would you do? Is this even possible without buying something expensive like TOG (this is just WAY out of our budget)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Can you do gov't and econ with the older kids, and buy the SOTW1 audiobook to do with the younger kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Obviously I don't know your constraints, but that's absurd to try to combine kids almost 10 years apart. Get your two olders a syllabus they can do independently for gov/econ/lit. Do SOTW1 with the youngers like you planned. Done. I haven't done gov/econ, so I'm of limited help. You can ask on the hs board. SL has a core for that, or go to hippocampus or do a TC course or get the BJU dvds or get an abeka text or see what MFW offers. Any of those could be done largely independently by 12th and 11th graders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briansmama Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 I'd have the two orders work independently as well, probably using CM Help's Booklist for history, literature, and language arts. I'd also use her free Booklist for the 8, 5, and 2 graders. The youngers I'd let play as much as possible and probably have a baking day, park day, art day, nature walk day, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 I would purchase Thinkwell's American govt and econ programs for the 11th and 12th graders. They are thorough and independent containing video lectures, exercises, and tests. There will be a group buy starting June 23rd. https://homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/thinkwell-electives/?c=1 I would combine the 5th and 8th graders. For the 2nd grader, I would keep it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Thank you for your thoughts and advice. I guess I have just really been missing the days when we were all studying the same era in history so there was much more disscussion & interaction going on between my olders & youngers about what they had been learning. Maybe I just need to come to grips with the fact that those days are gone and it's going to be too difficult to get everyone back on the same page again (wishing I never would have split them up...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 You could still do a family read aloud or audio book together. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystie Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 You could have a "Circle Time" all together: http://www.simplyconvivial.com/2013/planning-the-best-part-of-your-day-circle-time That's when we do our singing and memory work all together. It's a good way to start the day as a family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Thank you for your thoughts and advice. I guess I have just really been missing the days when we were all studying the same era in history so there was much more disscussion & interaction going on between my olders & youngers about what they had been learning. Maybe I just need to come to grips with the fact that those days are gone and it's going to be too difficult to get everyone back on the same page again (wishing I never would have split them up...). I understand how you feel. There is something special about that whole family learning scenario :-) I have kids in 12th, 11th, 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd, and two pre-schoolers. We start our day together with memory, singing, Bible and then everyone goes and works independently until lunch (except for my 5th and 3rd graders who still do some history work together). After lunch we get together and do some things together - currently a read-aloud, and then either Beautiful Feet's History of Music or a Zoology book we are working through. We alternate these two things. Sometimes we do a free-write topic or poetry reading together too. After this time, everyone goes off to read and if the older kids have more work to do they do it then. We find this works really well because the older kids get to work at the level they need, while we still get an opportunity to do some things together where we are all on the same page. Maybe this would work for you too. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedmom4 Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Maybe doing TOG would be cheaper than having everyone doing their own history? I only used TOG for one year so take my advice with that knowledge in mind. It seems to me that the initial investment with TOG is a little steep but after that you are able to reuse it over and over again. Elise in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 The Weaver Curriculum might be a good option for you if you don't mind planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 I think you need to accept that the learning together time is past. There are several good options for Gov't that the olders could do independently, Thinkwell, SL and Notgrass are all good options. Stick with the SOTW for everyone else. Next year maybe your then 9th & 12th can do American history together while all the littles do SOTW 2 with you. A twelfth grader and a preschooler may be able to study the same time period, but they really aren't going to be learning from any of the same resources anyway. Let your high schoolers move out on their own. Look for other ways to gain together time. It will be okay. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeriJ Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Simply Charlotte Mason has plans to combine K-12 for history, geography and Bible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Maybe doing TOG would be cheaper than having everyone doing their own history? I only used TOG for one year so take my advice with that knowledge in mind. It seems to me that the initial investment with TOG is a little steep but after that you are able to reuse it over and over again. Elise in NC You could also try Classic TOG. It's less expensive than the redesign. Otherwise, try doing government and economics with your 11th and 12th graders while doing SOTW 1 and 2 with the younger kids. I wouldn't worry about too many extras for the younger children. If your 8th grader needs more, have your child read the corresponding pages in Kingfisher. For the 2014-2015 school year do American History with your then 9th and 12 graders. The younger children can do SOTW 3 and SOTW 4. Everyone will be on the same page as far as history. Again, I wouldn't worry about too many extras for the younger children. Reading SOTW, doing the coloring pages, and map work should be more than enough. You could even pick up the audio books for SOTW, listen to it in the evening as a family, and call it good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna A. Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Thank you for your thoughts and advice. I guess I have just really been missing the days when we were all studying the same era in history so there was much more disscussion & interaction going on between my olders & youngers about what they had been learning. Maybe I just need to come to grips with the fact that those days are gone and it's going to be too difficult to get everyone back on the same page again (wishing I never would have split them up...). I completely get this. It's taken both my oldest dd and I three years to get used to the idea. :( It's working now, though. My second dd has reached high school and both she and her sister have their own schedules, but I also have certain times and activities plugged in for us to work (or play) together that they have to schedule their individual stuff around. I see MFW in your signature. What are you currently using from MFW, and with which ages? What are your high schoolers doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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