Starting Outlining with Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History?

[ajgdavis]

I am really new here so forgive me if I should know this! I will be starting SOTW vol 1 (and homeschooling!) with my 5th grader next year. We will do the activity book and related literature at her level. WTM says to also start outlining at this age. I have read that SOTW vol 1 is too narrative to use in outlining. So should I use the Usborne Encyclopedia of World History to outline? Any chance there are some nifty partially filled out sheets for that like in the activity book for SOTW vol 4 floating around somewhere?

 

Thanks for the help!

[Penelope]

Have you taken a look at the Usborne book?

 

I wouldn't use Usborne books to teach outlining. They are too busy IMO. WTM recommends Kingfisher, but there are other options, too. I think it's better to use something with more text sequentially organized.

[ajgdavis]

That's what I needed to know!! I will check out the Kingfisher book! I must have misunderstood what I read in WTM. I thought it said to use this book with a 5th grader because it is at a lower reading level. I'm so confused!! My dd is going to be a fifth grader but is a really good reader so this shouldn't be an issue for her.

[TarynB]

I agree. Usborne Encyclopedia of World History is way too blurby, more like lists of facts or bullet points scattered across the pages, too summarized for outlining. The more narrative style but still not too wordy paragraph format of Kingfisher's Illustrated History of the World (white cover, out of print but still available) worked great for outlining for my DS in 5th grade and we'll be using it again for 6th grade. Newer versions of the Kingfisher may be more summarized - I think I've read that here on the boards. Try looking for threads about the differences between Kingfisher editions. I can't search right now but there was such a thread not too long ago. Or check your library to see if you can get your hands on one or more editions of Kingfisher before you decide which one to use. Really, any encyclopedia that isn't just lists of bullet points, or any well-written history book, should work fine for outlining.

 

ETA: Our method evolved over the year and ended up not being exactly as prescribed in WTM. We used the white Kingfisher for taking notes (outlining the main point of a paragraph, list of facts, whatever approach worked at that particular point in time) and the K12 Human Odyssey vol. 1 for additional reading and (oral) narrations. I didn't require as much written output since DS was doing plenty of writing in his writing curriculum. I also didn't spend time chasing down additional reading resources from the library for every topic - K12 HO filled that need for us in a single text.

[redsquirrel]

Do you have the third (latest) edition of TWTM? Because it that edition she made some significant changes, and I think improvements to the history process. Narration from an encyclopedia is difficult at best. It is already fairly 'pre-digested' for the reader.

 

ok, I am just going to cut an paste my own post from an old thread. I feel like a noob quoting myself but there you have it. I guess I am a noob

 

"It is confusing! And I think the process has changed from different editions of WTWM. I have edition 1 and 3. The 3rd edition has much better instructions for how to handle middle grade history.

 

In the 3rd ed there are 6 steps

 

1. Read an encyclopedia type book. Make a list of 6-8 facts. In 5th grade those can be any facts that catches the students attention. As they get older it should be important facts. Require complete sentences.

 

2. put dates on a timeline

 

3. look up locations on maps, globe etc.

 

1-3 can be done in one day.

 

4-6 are done with the secondary reading. This could be a library book on one of the facts the student wrote down on day 1. Or, it could be from a text book or a pertinent biography etc

 

4. Read

 

5. student will write a brief narration from the reading. This can be from a sub-chapter in a text or about a single episode in a biography or a battle etc.

 

6. Student will use the same reading material and create an outline. In 5th grade this would be a one point outline. It gets more complete as the student gets older. Again, it doesn't have to be long. A 250 word section is sufficient.

 

Occasionally have the student outline first and then write from their outline.

 

edited to add: I like this method much better. It takes the specific book/encyclopedia/resource out of the equation. The focus is the method, not what precise colour kingfisher etc you are using. When I was getting ready to teach middle grades, people here told me that these years are spent using content to teach skills. I think the history method as put forward in the 3rd edition WTM does a better job of that."

 

end quote

[Heathermomster]

We outline using a source other than a history encyclopedia and practice with history and science texts.

[skimerinkydo]

In the past I used the remedia publications book on outlining to introduce the mechanics of how to outline. https://www.rainbowresource.com/wldetail.php?&id=022872 At that time I had two students and I just used one book - each doing different pages that I tore out of the book.

 

Next year I have a 6th grader coming home from ps and I doubt that she has learned any outlining skills. I think it would be overkill for her to do the whole workbook so I started searching around for some printable worksheets. On another thread I found this $1 ebook "paragraph writing made easy" that covers outlining, key words, etc. http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/paragraph-writing-made-easy It looks sufficient for a quick overview and the price is right. I can just print out a few pages on the skills she needs before I have her use do outlining with her textbook.

[KellyMama]

Thank you for asking this - I was debating if it was worthwhile to get the new Kingfisher that was released in January this year. I wanted an additional history resource for my 4th and 6th gr kids to look up and do further study. I was waddling between Usbourne and Kingfisher but now I see it almost doesn't matter because the principles can be applied either way. :)

 

That said - does anyone have a plug or preference for one over the other?

[Penelope]

Do you have the third (latest) edition of TWTM? Because it that edition she made some significant changes, and I think improvements to the history process. Narration from an encyclopedia is difficult at best. It is already fairly 'pre-digested' for the reader.

 

ok, I am just going to cut an paste my own post from an old thread. I feel like a noob quoting myself but there you have it. I guess I am a noob

 

"It is confusing! And I think the process has changed from different editions of WTWM. I have edition 1 and 3. The 3rd edition has much better instructions for how to handle middle grade history.

 

In the 3rd ed there are 6 steps

 

1. Read an encyclopedia type book. Make a list of 6-8 facts. In 5th grade those can be any facts that catches the students attention. As they get older it should be important facts. Require complete sentences.

 

2. put dates on a timeline

 

3. look up locations on maps, globe etc.

 

1-3 can be done in one day.

 

4-6 are done with the secondary reading. This could be a library book on one of the facts the student wrote down on day 1. Or, it could be from a text book or a pertinent biography etc

 

4. Read

 

5. student will write a brief narration from the reading. This can be from a sub-chapter in a text or about a single episode in a biography or a battle etc.

 

6. Student will use the same reading material and create an outline. In 5th grade this would be a one point outline. It gets more complete as the student gets older. Again, it doesn't have to be long. A 250 word section is sufficient.

 

Occasionally have the student outline first and then write from their outline.

 

edited to add: I like this method much better. It takes the specific book/encyclopedia/resource out of the equation. The focus is the method, not what precise colour kingfisher etc you are using. When I was getting ready to teach middle grades, people here told me that these years are spent using content to teach skills. I think the history method as put forward in the 3rd edition WTM does a better job of that."

 

end quote

 

 

Yes! I should have mentioned this, too.

 

We actually didn't use an encyclopedia for outlining at all in 5th, but K12 HO (our spine) or other books like biographies or non-fiction library books.

 

I do find the Kingfisher is helpful in having nice lists of dates for the timeline. I have an older KF edition, but I presume any history encyclopedia should have similar. But I could live without the encyclopedia if I needed to.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Do you have SOTW 1? You might find that it is a little basic for a 6th grader. It's really more of an early elementary level book. It might work great for you guys, but if it doesn't some other popular options for that age range include the Human Odyssey books (there are three volumes) and the World in Ancient Times series from Oxford University Press. You might see if your library carries this series, lots of them do, and you could check it out and see if you think it is at an appropriate level.

[ajgdavis]

Thank you! I know that SOTW will be basic for her but she has had no history to speak of (with the exception of a bit of state history) and I would really like her to start at the beginning and move through at least hearing about ancients, etc fairly quickly to get a base to continue more in depth study. She can read the text herself and we can add on more age appropriate materials/skills (outlining, literature). I will look into all the suggested resources and see what we can use to do so. I will check the version of WTM I checked out from the library-didn't realize there was more than one! I really appreciate all your help! I feel like I'm wandering around in the dark!

[redsquirrel]

SOTW 1 is not good for outlining. Keep that in mind. It is too narrative, too 'story like' and that won't work for outlining. I am not making that up, SWB said that herself. She said no outlining with #1 and #2 and #3 is iffy. 4 is ok for outlining. YMMV, of course, but you might want to start with something less challenging to outline.

 

And there have been 3 editions (so far) of TWTM. I own the first and the third. I find the third edition to have some really good updates for the logic stage.

[ajgdavis]

Sorry I wasn't clear-I won't be using SOTW for outlining. Will need an additional text for that-and have gotten some great suggestions! I will pick up the third edition of WTM for the logic stage updates. Can't wait!

[TarynB]

Sorry I wasn't clear-I won't be using SOTW for outlining. Will need an additional text for that-and have gotten some great suggestions! I will pick up the third edition of WTM for the logic stage updates. Can't wait!

 

 

In WTM 3rd edition, you'll find a fantastic "how to outline" section starting on page 297. I refer to it often. Best wishes!

[redsquirrel]

The SWB audio download (available from PHP) about writing for the middle grades is also really helpful. She discusses outlining and the why of it. I remember doing lots and lots of outlining in 5th and 6th grade, less in 7th & 8th grade, but there was some. I found it to be very useful