K12 Human Odyssey---I got the text, now how do I use it?

[mo2]

This may seem like a dumb question.  How do you use the K12 HO text?  There are no review questions in it like I would expect in a traditional textbook.  Someone (Crimson Wife?) recommended this:  https://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?id=06001&code=c , but I'm not sure about lining it up.  Plus I wonder if it will end up being too much reading for my dd.    I would like to have some map work involved, but I don't really want to have to purchase a set of historical map right now, and then have to try to line it up with the HO chapters. 

 

I guess I'm just wondering what others are doing in addition to reading the text.  Would anyone care to share?

[EKS]

I read the text aloud and supplemented with additional reading (both fiction and nonfiction).  I had my son write essays/reports every so often on interesting themes, incidents, and people.  We started doing a timeline but let it go after a while.  If I were going to do it over again, I'd pair it with Mapping the World with Art.

[EKS]

I don't know if I'd try to match them up, though I might see if they match up easily.  If not, I'd probably run Mapping a bit behind HO.

[Luckymama]

We just read and discussed :) Some days the discussion would go long (lots of looking at maps or comparing a situation to modern day, for example) and other days we'd have a whopping five minutes of discussion!

 

I did have her read the Oxford Press Ancient World and Early Modern series for volumes 1 and 2. For volume 3 I found some really good nonfiction to flesh out certain areas like World War 2 and the space race.

[Samiam]

There's a student workbook that goes with it.

[Samiam]

You can get on Amazon 3rd party sellers for decent price, last I looked.

[mo2]

Yes, my issue with the student pages was trying to find them at a price I could afford, which is why I'm here, a month before we need to start the book, asking for suggestions on what to do with it.  :001_rolleyes:

[HRAAB]

http://www.amazon.com/Intermediate-World-History-Student-Semesters/dp/B001BKJ6XU/ref=pd_sim_b_2

 

Are those good prices?  And then I wondered if one also needs the TM.

Eek! That's way too much. I didn't pay near that much, but it has been several years. I just bought the student pages. Some of the assignments refer to K12's online lessons. I think most of the assessments are on line. There is a good variety of supplemental work including maps, reading comprehension, cause/effect, essays prompts and such.

 

No way would I pay that much for it, though. I think I got it for around $10.

[warneral]

You could have her outline some sections and narrate some sections.  I think that I will be using it as a resource supplement for outlining specific topics or narrating some of the stories.  I will be using MOH as my spine.

[TarynB]

http://www.amazon.com/Intermediate-World-History-Student-Semesters/dp/B001BKJ6XU/ref=pd_sim_b_2

 

Are those good prices? And then I wondered if one also needs the TM.

I bought the student book and the teacher book that go with Human Odyssey 1 (they're entitled Intermediate World History A, for others reading) and ended up only using the teacher book. We did all the review/comprehension and connections questions verbally, didn't write them down. I ended up feeling like I needed only the teacher book, using it in that manner. If doing written, I'd definitely want both the student and teacher books. We also did some plain old narrating and outlining from the HO text.

 

I'd estimate that about half of the activities in the student/teacher books are designed to be done online as a student enrolled with K12. Still lots of stuff to do offline, though. I never felt like we needed more doing it offline.

 

The fact that HO isn't a traditional textbook with review questions built-in, chapter summaries, etc. was a plus for me. But I knew that when I bought it, based on the samples and researching it here. Many textbooks are overdone with annoying sidebars and distractions filling every page. HO isn't like that.

 

The best thing about HO, for us, is that we used it alongside the white Kingfisher encyclopedia, and HO took the place of all the various library books that WTM recommends. DS doesn't love history, so it isn't a main focus in our schedule, and having HO there for all his extra reading made my life easier.

 

And, FWIW, I think those prices are really inflated right now at $35+ due to the time of year. I bought mine for less than $5 - $10 each as I recall now; however, it was during the "off season" (i.e., not summer). Additionally, I believe I read here on this board that K12 has decided to stop producing the hard copies of the student and teacher books (didn't hear the effective date), so the used ones out there now will be more in-demand as the word gets out.

[HRAAB]

Yes, my issue with the student pages was trying to find them at a price I could afford, which is why I'm here, a month before we need to start the book, asking for suggestions on what to do with it.  :001_rolleyes:

My older dd started off using the student pages but got bored with them within a couple months. I had her do a variety of writing activities such as outlining, writing summaries, short essays on whatever she found interesting plus much discussion. We would find documentaries at the library whenever possible. I also had some blackline maps of ancient world that she used. I didn't create tests for her; I would give her several writing prompts and she had to choose one or two and I called that good.

 

She did enjoy the books quite a bit. Me, not so much. I was wanting more of a textbook with review questions, assessments, tests and supplemental reading lists. I wanted easy, and I ended up having to more work than I wanted. I could have forced her to use the student pages, but she's a very hard worker so I didn't push it with her. All in all, she liked the books and got a lot out of them.

 

History is her very favorite subject so that might make a difference, too.

[FairProspects]

I bought the student pages at that price and the package arrived with both student and teacher pages. I don't know if that was a fluke or what, but it certainly made the price seem more reasonable. I do think the the fact that K12 has stopped producing hard copies of these is driving the price up.

[sagira]

Reading with interest. I bought K12's Human Odyssey already and plan to use as a spine for our sixth grade studies. My plan is to use it for narrations, outlining, discussions, and with A Child's Geography Holy Lands and its newest product, Explore the Classical World, coming this July: http://knowledgequestmaps.com/A-Childs-Geography-Explore-the-Classical-World.html

 

Besides historical fiction and nonfiction (living books) we're going to continue to use Usborne World History Encyclopedia for the Internet links and videos (some of them are over ds9's head right now) and I may supplement with Oxford Press' Primary Sources book. I doubt it, though, as writing this makes me see we'll be plenty busy. After all, History is but one subject, and I will have more to teach. It looks like K12 HO already includes some primary source material, though I may be wrong.

[Luckymama]

. It looks like K12 HO already includes some primary source material, though I may be wrong.

You are correct :) I think HO includes an appropriate number of primary sources in all three volumes. We're moving to American Odyssey for eighth grade, and I'm adding in more primary sources for some chapters because I'm making this a truly high-school level class.

[Tidbits of Learning]

We did HO last year and the mapwork is in the student pages.  You can probably get them off ebay or amazon, but k12 does sell the materials without buying the online portion from their store.  You can just go to k12.com and then click idividual classes for sale and then go to the history you want and click and additional student kit or click on materials and add it to your cart and you will get everything needed to have a good year with HO.  It is worth buying the student/teacher pages for the discussion and map work.  All of the questions and such and essay writing is in the student pages.  It was a good 6th grade history.  

[sagira]

Thanks for the review, Tidbits. Sixth grade is not here yet (thank goodness!), but I like to be at least somewhat prepared. We're starting fifth grade this fall.

 

Now I'm compelled to at least take a look at the student pages.. Although I am excited about A Child's Geography's new offerings.

 

I'm a big picture kind of gal ;)

[Walking-Iris]

:bigear:

 

I've seen this book, and it looks very interesting. I wasn't aware that it was text only without extra questions, map etc.

 

I wonder if one could read K12HO's 3 volumes lined up with Pandia Press's Level 2 History Odyssey? Then you would have extra reading booklists, activity suggestions, timeline work, maps etc. It may not flesh together exactly, but it might work, with some slight tweaking.The main spines in History Odyssey at that level are underwhelming to me. The Story of Mankind is more of a supplemental reading book in my eyes. 

 

 

 

 

[sagira]

I'm considering adding the Dorothy Mills books -put out by Memoria Press- on Ancient Times and the Pandia Press timeline.

[mo2]

We did HO last year and the mapwork is in the student pages.  You can probably get them off ebay or amazon, but k12 does sell the materials without buying the online portion from their store.  You can just go to k12.com and then click idividual classes for sale and then go to the history you want and click and additional student kit or click on materials and add it to your cart and you will get everything needed to have a good year with HO.  It is worth buying the student/teacher pages for the discussion and map work.  All of the questions and such and essay writing is in the student pages.  It was a good 6th grade history.  

 

Thank you.  I still can't find the student and teacher pages on k12.com, even with your help.  When I go to materials, it only gives me the text.  I really wish I could see a sample of the pages somewhere.

:bigear:

 

I've seen this book, and it looks very interesting. I wasn't aware that it was text only without extra questions, map etc.

 

I wonder if one could read K12HO's 3 volumes lined up with Pandia Press's Level 2 History Odyssey? Then you would have extra reading booklists, activity suggestions, timeline work, maps etc. It may not flesh together exactly, but it might work, with some slight tweaking.The main spines in History Odyssey at that level are underwhelming to me. The Story of Mankind is more of a supplemental reading book in my eyes. 

I think that would be a lot of reading.  Your dc may be fine with it, but it would be too much for mine. 

 

I'm considering adding the Dorothy Mills books -put out by Memoria Press- on Ancient Times and the Pandia Press timeline.

I hadn't thought about the Pandia Press timeline!  Off to look...

[Walking-Iris]

Well it might not be too much reading. My point was that the spine used for that level of History Odyssey isn't very appealing to me. So really it would be reading K12HumanOdyssey as the spine and then lining that up with the timeline and map work as well as any projects etc in HisOdy. History Odyssey isn't a text to read, it's just a schedule and lesson plans. The extra booklists would be treated as any other supplemental booklists. Read on their own time and such.  

[Goldilocks]

We have enjoyed using this text by following the guidelines in the WTM of finding facts, writing narrations, outlining and discussing the material.

I needed help with how to discuss with my child and the teacher pages were very beneficial for that.  (We ended up using very few of the student pages.)

 

I looked all over the K12 website and couldn't find the teacher/student pages. I called K12 and explained what I wanted and they told me that I should sign up for the course and then cancel within 30 days.  I would get the text, the student pages, and the teacher pages for $99.  When I actually called to make the purchase however, I talked to someone else and they did not approve. Since someone else had told me that I could do this they allowed it this time, but warned me not to do it again.  I was very disappointed because the materials are not always easy to find at a decent price.

[sagira]

Whoa. Thanks for the heads-up, Goldilocks.

 

In that case I think I may stick to my original idea and use the text in a CM fashion with narrations and discussion, adding Dorothy Mills' history books, living books, timeline, and A Child's geography Holy Lands and Ancient World.

[TarynB]

I looked all over the K12 website and couldn't find the teacher/student pages. I called K12 and explained what I wanted and they told me that I should sign up for the course and then cancel within 30 days.  I would get the text, the student pages, and the teacher pages for $99.  When I actually called to make the purchase however, I talked to someone else and they did not approve. Since someone else had told me that I could do this they allowed it this time, but warned me not to do it again.  I was very disappointed because the materials are not always easy to find at a decent price.

 

Just curious, Goldilocks, how long ago did you call K12 and ask about this?  Was it very recently?  I'm simply wondering if they've already stopped providing hard copies of the student and teacher manuals, or if they have plans to stop but haven't actually done so yet.  The SM and TM are no longer advertised or even listed on the K12 store website anymore, but they used to be.

[Tidbits of Learning]

They have changed the site.  It looks like they aren't offering the student/teacher pages without signing up for that course.  Before we were virtual, I have bought the courses and cancelled after a month of so of the monthly payments b/c it is intended for you to not have to pay as much should your child finish course work quicker than normal.  I just wouldn't advertise when I ordered the materials that I intended to cancel early.  It is not against the rules and why the monthly payment plans are excellent money savers for people with kids who work quickly through materials.

[Allearia]

I bought the student and teacher pages last year, and I have been using them. I like some of the work such as looking at and comparing trade routes or comparing civilizations. Usually the comprehension questions I turn into having ds write a short paragraph summarizing using the questions as a guide. Some of the online stuff is outside websites I have been able to find, otherwise we skip. I also have him write short biographies. For mythology we are doing short descriptions of the different gods. Without the student and teacher pages I would probably just have him do summaries and biographies and find maps to do. That and outside reading (fiction and nonfiction) seem pretty good to me for history.

[TCB]

We read the chapter in H O and then dd outlined a section, did a map - if there was one that applied - I have a blank maps CD from Knowledgequest, and put important events/people on our timeline - which was a homemade one on a roll of paper from Staples. I also had her write some reports/papers. It seemed to work well for us.