naturally Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I am looking at options for history. Any and all eras - Ancient to Modern. I'm wanting something more interesting than a textbook but I don't want to read only living books. Right now we are using BF. I *love* the idea. But sometimes our days get crazy and we don't get to history. So 1 book can take us weeks to get through. I don't like the thought of it taking us so long to get through one book when we could be touching on more topics and then expanding the ones that really interest us. But I don't want the "dryness" of a true textbook. Does this make sense to anyone? Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 SOTW for grades 1-4 K12 history for grades 1-4 A History of US by Joy Hakim (the concise version from K12) for grades 4ish-8 The Human Odyssey (from K12) for grades 5-8 (it's a textbook but does not read like a textbook) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 How about A Child's History of the World. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Builders of the Old World (Gertrude Hartman) and the Makers of the Americas (Marion Lansing) are fantastic books - they flow nicely, are good for a read aloud, and cover a lot of information. They are both out of print, but Amazon frequently has them at very low prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeriJ Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I really like the history books from Christian Liberty Press. They are often used with curriculum that favors living books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 TRISMS History Odyssey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I used the Usborne Encyclopedia of world History and a Little History of the World as bases for world history, and Hakim for US history (which is pretty in depth, so its taken us over 2 years . . we're finally up to 1950 . . . . ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Builders of the Old World (Gertrude Hartman) and the Makers of the Americas (Marion Lansing) are fantastic books - they flow nicely, are good for a read aloud, and cover a lot of information. They are both out of print, but Amazon frequently has them at very low prices. Can you tell me more about Makers of the Americas? Is it a single volume? What age range do you think it would enjoy it (as read aloud? as read alone?)? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3girls Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 We are using Usborne Encyclopedia of World History, SoTW, and living books/ biographies for 2-5 grades. OUP The World in Ancient Times and The Medieval and Early Modern World, Kingfisher Encyclopedia of the World, and living books/ biographies for 6-9 grades. Then Hakim's the Story of US for both age groups as a read aloud mixed in. All of via the library! Whoot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Youngest hated the living book approach I had used for years with her sister. She really likes K12 Human Odyssey and I am making her do World History Detective with it, which she isn't so fond of, but tough. She outlines the chapters and we discuss it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 There's no secret that I'm a Human Odyssey (now American Odyssey) lover. We also use various Oxford University Press series------The World in Ancient Times, The Medieval and Early Modern World, and now Pages from History------all from our fabulous library system. We started with these books in fifth grade when we began homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeriJ Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Can you tell me more about Makers of the Americas? Is it a single volume? What age range do you think it would enjoy it (as read aloud? as read alone?)? Thanks! Listening in. Someone gave me this book to borrow, but I haven't looked through it thoroughly yet. I'd love to hear from someone who has already used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 There is also A Living History of Our World from Queens homeschooling. I've used some of their volumes for US history, but I see they are coming out with a world history series as well. I know it advertises as through high school, but it reads to me like a nice series for about grades 1-6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Can you tell me more about Makers of the Americas? Is it a single volume? What age range do you think it would enjoy it (as read aloud? as read alone?)? Thanks! Yes, it is a single volume. I'll be reading it aloud with a 10yo and a 12yo. I like that it has suggested discussion/comprehension questions at the end of each chapter, along with suggestions for additional reading, some activities, etc., and that it covers some South American and Canadian history as well, not just the U.S. Best prices I see now are here and here. And you can look inside a bit here by just entering search words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 My 8.5yo son is currently thriving with History Odyssey; even if you didn't want to do the whole program, the books are good. He's using Child's History of the World, the Usborne History Encyclopedia, and Story of the World. If those are too easy for your child, there're the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia and Story of Mankind, which are what my 11yo is using in Level 2 of History Odyssey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 OP, are these responses helping you? You are getting a lot of suggestions for good, non-traditional textbooks, but they are mostly textbooks. Are you looking for a more non-text based approach to teaching history? If this is more of a philosophical question, I might suggest that you read Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited about Doing History by James Loewen. It has a lot of great suggestions for how to move beyond textbooks, but it's not a "living books" approach, either. It inspired me to create a Modern History study for my 6th grader that covers topics in modern history, using a combination of textbook chapters, nonfiction books, biographies, historical fiction, primary sources, documentaries, and movies. We are loving this approach to history. It lets us go much deeper in topics of interest while still feeling we are covering the basic events in a coherent manner. You might find it helpful, too! Here is a thread with some discussions of this book:: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/474422-teaching-what-really-happened-how-to-avoid-the-tyranny-of-textbooks-get-students-excited-about-doing-history/?hl=teaching%20what%20really%20happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Yes, it is a single volume. I'll be reading it aloud with a 10yo and a 12yo. I like that it has suggested discussion/comprehension questions at the end of each chapter, along with suggestions for additional reading, some activities, etc., and that it covers some South American and Canadian history as well, not just the U.S. Best prices I see now are here and here. And you can look inside a bit here by just entering search words. How is it for perspective? I love Builders of the Old World - there was very little in there that bothered me despite the age of the book - most of it was perfect because it covers social history so well, but I've never seen this book. I've become much, much more wary of vintage US and American history texts. They're so much more bigoted than the world history books I've seen typically. But if there was one that wasn't, I'd sure like to know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I am looking at options for history. Any and all eras - Ancient to Modern. I'm wanting something more interesting than a textbook but I don't want to read only living books. Right now we are using BF. I *love* the idea. But sometimes our days get crazy and we don't get to history. So 1 book can take us weeks to get through. I don't like the thought of it taking us so long to get through one book when we could be touching on more topics and then expanding the ones that really interest us. But I don't want the "dryness" of a true textbook. Does this make sense to anyone? Any recommendations? Might From Then to Now be what you're looking for? I've also heard good things about World History for Us All, but I haven't read their texts, only some of their lesson plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Might From Then to Now be what you're looking for? I've also heard good things about World History for Us All, but I haven't read their texts, only some of their lesson plans. From Then to Now is great! It's really nice for an overview of history. Very short, but it could be the spine for lots of good spin-offs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloha2U Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Veritas Press History kits (mommy-led) or their Self-Paced History courses (online) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Many of the vintage histories. Ask Bill to tell you all the reasons not to use them. But if you are looking for texts with a more storybook tone, there are tons of them, all free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 How is it for perspective? I love Builders of the Old World - there was very little in there that bothered me despite the age of the book - most of it was perfect because it covers social history so well, but I've never seen this book. I've become much, much more wary of vintage US and American history texts. They're so much more bigoted than the world history books I've seen typically. But if there was one that wasn't, I'd sure like to know it. It is very similar to the style and tone of Builders, and seems to be fairly well balanced as far as perspective goes. I haven't noticed anything particularly bigoted (not like Mara Pratt's work for example), but will thumb through it again and get back to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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