Could you explain how Veritas Press History works?

[neesek]

It looks like the core of the program is the cards and the teacher enhanced CD, and then resource books that are referenced by the cards, is that correct? What kind of information is on the enhanced CD? Do you add as many of the resource books as you want or do they tell you what to use? Also, are the grades pretty true to grade level or can they be adjusted up or down? For example, could you use OTAE with a 1st and 3rd grader.

 

TIA!

[debbiec]

We used the VP history program for 4 years (we did the OT/Egypt over a summer because we didn't want to spend a year with it since 3/4 of it is OT and a huge overlap at the time with church).

 

I have not seen the Teacher Enhanced CD, but from what I'm told, it's just the Teacher's Edition on CD and you can make nice clean prints of workpages from it rather than getting that big book slapped across the copy straight.

 

Here is how the program is used, if you use it the way they recommend:

There are 32 history cards for the year, event cards. You typically take one card a week (two weeks for a really interesting event). YOu introduce the card by reading the information on it, either listed as facts, or a short paragraph. This is the gist of what they will need to know for the test, though when reading the books/resources, they will learn more. There is a worksheet for each card that the student looks to the card to find the information and copies it to the worksheet. That is usually day 1. Day 2/3/4 you read recommended books (or choose your own) that support the history event of the week. The TE somtimes has projects, so you would do those as well if you so choose. On Friday, there is another worksheet, usually very similar to the worksheet on day 1, that is the "test." The student is to memorize the event, dates and facts for the test on this worksheet. This is done after all reading, projects, etc are done. Kind of the sum up of the lesson learned. Also, this is where the student would list all event cards learned to date with dates and event names only in chronological order. I always thought that was kind of a little much, but amazingly, my 3rd grader (at the time) was very able to do it. VP also has a song that goes with each year of cards that the student can memorize that is the cards in order to aid in memory all year. I have never heard the song, and didn't use it, but many people like it.

 

That said, a lot of people modify the curriculum by not doing the worksheets and tests. They simply buy the cards (oh, I forgot to mention that the recommended books for the week are listed at the bottom of each card. So if you use the library, you need to plan ahead) and read the books/resources listed (or your own), and do projects. Oftentimes they will have their student just arrange the learned cards to date in order after mizing them up. I'm sure there are all kinds of ways to use this differently, but there you have what I know.

 

Clear as mud?

 

Oh, and about grade level. The OT/Egypt was the only one I thought that stayed at grade level, roughing 3rd I believe. But, for the other years, there is a wide range of recommended books at different reading levels. So, depending on the age of your student, you may choose one book for a 3rd grader and a different one for you 5th grader. The books are usually where the information from the card comes from but they are recommendations. I used them when my library had them, bought a few I thought were important and substituted something similar. We "started in the middle" (long story, I'll spare you), so as a 3rd grader, he did the 5th grade US History, then the 6th grade history as a 4th grader and then we went back to ancient and middle ages. I had no problem choosing from the selections, books that were age appropriate.

 

Hope that helps at least a little. Debbie

[neesek]

That was extremely helpful. Thank you!

 

Denise

[coffeefreak]

We've been using VP OTAE and I actually found that it was difficult to choose books. I ended up buying the cards first, and then purchasing the books. However, there are books I bought that we never used and books we didn't buy that I wish I had. I think if you use the scholars program book list on their website, it might fare a little better for you.

 

http://http://resources.veritaspress.com/Scholars/OTAE.html

 

Also, they have a yahoo group (doesn't everyone?:p) that I would recommend. I have the enhanced CD and the pros are the ability to print off as many copies as you need. The con is, I'm old-fashioned and I have a hard time not having the book to leaf through and plan in. I really hate looking at one page at a time.

 

The projects vary so greatly that I think it would be easy to combine kids. they range from coloring pages to reports to dioramas.

 

HTH!

Blessings!

Dorinda

[PeterPan]

Denise, just so you know, OTAE was updated a while back, so some reviews you read won't reflect the updates. (just in case you've read things like it not having answers, etc.!) In fact, when OTAE was updated, the tm went from about 200 to over 400 pages!! There is now PLENTY of material for every year of the VP history to cover it for all the grades. Yes, you can easily do a 1st and 3rd grader together. OTAE is an awesome year, so jump right in!

 

The cards will have spine readings listed but the extra books are all shown in the catalog with numbers as to what cards they apply to. I also bring in books from other sources just to keep my little history buff happy.

 

VP history is very flexible. You can do it straight as written. You can even get the Scholars lessons and have it thoroughly planned for you! With as much as I've come to like VP recommendations and materials, I would seriously consider this if I were just starting out. We're in our groove now though, so it's not necessary. At the other end of the spectrum, you can really loosen up the history, using the card for the week as a guide but doing your own thing, skipping the worksheet or doing it only orally, whatever you want. Our VP_Elementary yahoo group has great discussions on this and welcomes all spectrums of use. I've done it a bit of each way, sometimes more structured, sometimes more loose, and it's all good. VP creates a structure *I* can understand and work with. It has a depth and conciseness that my dd enjoys. She likes the control she has to know the topic and be able to go read more on her own. She likes being able to see the flow of history and how things connect with the cards.

 

VP focuses on memory work and the information, not so much interpretation. You'll have room for that yourself, but if you're looking for something that takes a real devotional, emotional approach to history or focuses on interpretation, you'll want to look elsewhere. VP also focuses on writing, so once you get past the first couple years of the history, a lot of the history projects involve writing. I discounted that for a long time, but now that my dd is in 3rd, I'm realizing how wonderful it is to have easy to implement writing projects so handy. So I'm just suggesting you get a feel for the flavor of VP, as people either like it or they don't. It's exactly like what people have described and the format is the same for every section, every card. It took me back at first, because I was thinking I needed to "do" history more (whatever that means?), but I've found it a framework that I can really work with.

 

You can see a promo video for VP on their website...