Using the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia?

[Cottonwood]

We are moving away from our current 'social studies' curriculum soon.  I found TWTM after we purchased everything for this year but for DD's next year, I want to switch over to something that is chronological for history (8th Grade).  I was wondering if anyone had used the Kingfisher Encyclopedia in the way TWTM suggests...binder with 9 sections, etc.  and what they thought of it all together.  If I taught History this way, I'd supplement like crazy, pulling whatever I could find, but did you find it to be a solid year of History?

[ChrissySC]

I did supplement.  Being that with the 8th grade the demands are higher, I found other resources were needed.  I find the logic stage to be one that is devoted more to analyzing history.  You move beyond the grammar stage fact-filling arena.  This meant to me that we needed to look at history from several sides to understand the "why" and not just the "what". 

 

I do not use all of the sections as mentioned in TWTM.  We do, however, have maps, research, vocabulary, autobiographies, and timeline (I opted for notebooking the timeline).  I require outlining of the KFE, but I supplement with much, much more.  I have the first quarter on my blog here.  Along with that, I have reading and copyworok.  I can get the master excel book to you if you like.  Just give me a PM, and I will shoot it over.  You can modify it and add what you need to add.  :)

 

I skipped the middle ages and most of early modern history for the logic stage (sent dd to ps for a bit).  I am working with a more advanced study of US history and a survey of the 1600s-1800s.

 

The thing to remember is that you will miss something.  We are considering thousands of years.  You cannot cover it all.  I do suggest that when interest is peaked that you stop and dive into the subject content.  You can always do nothing but read until you are back on schedule.  Some years are just ... well .... boring!

 

 

[Cottonwood]

Thank you very much!  I will dig into your blog posts and suggestions.

 

We will be doing US History.  I agree that we should spend time analyzing history in this stage, so I had ordered this book, as strongly suggested in TWTM, Colonies to Constitution.  Critical Thinking Into US History, Book 1 ... to start and will add the next books as needed.  Have you used/seen it?  I haven't received it yet, but would this be to help us analyze as you recommend?  That was my intent when ordering.

 

I have incorporated several methods of TWTM into my current 'social studies' curriculum, including a wall timeline, but now halfway through the year, it is so full and quite unsightly LOL so I am very interested in reading about your binder timeline.  Interestingly, our current social studies curr sent all of the binder separations for a binder timeline through this year and I opted for the wall, now wishing we would have kept the binder idea instead. 

 

Shooting you a PM!

 

[RootAnn]

If you want to see one way of implementing TWTM's logic stage science using the Kingfisher and supplemental books (including the binder), check out Pandia Press's History Odyssey. Their "try it free" option has several weeks of plans online. My dd#1 did a highly tweaked version of Level 2 Ancients last year. There's too much there to get done, IMO, but if you aren't afraid of crossing things out, it is a good base to give you an idea of how to plan it out.

 

I changed some of the spines & added more Lit, but there is definitely a solid year of history there.

[Cottonwood]

Great, thanks a lot!  I'll check it out.

[Cottonwood]

One question, RootAnn, one purchased course is one year's worth?  For instance, Modern Times, Level Two = one year?

[RootAnn]

Yes. One purchased course is one year's worth. (Pandia usually has a sale once a year with 20% off.) I will caution you not to buy it before you try it with the online samples. Some people find that they (or their children) HATE it. It is really a good thing to try it first. 

 

In Level 2, the more modern you get, the harder the course. Ancients gently gets your kid to two level outlining and writing summaries. Modern has much more involved writing assignments.

[Cottonwood]

I just scanned the Level 2 Modern Times and both kids (6th and 7th grader currently) have experience in all of the writing assignments I could preview.  They don't love it, but they've done it.  THe only skill we need more practice in is the level of outlining required.  What I like about it is that it gathers sources, suggestions and info FOR me.  I thought with just the KFH I might have to gather all of this and feel my way through..but not if I can get a program like this as a guide.  I might actually use only portions and not stick to the lessons strictly.  I don't mind heavy tweaking LOL. 

 

I did a quick search for the required reading books and found all but 2 at our library.  I intend on teaching both kids history at the same time so it might get tricky as to who is reading what in the course that day and both needing it at once.  BUT I can see where I would be tweaking so far.  Their language arts lessons are going to be a bit writing intensive and it is live book/literature based too, so I think I can combine some of this work. 

 

Thanks again, ladies.

[ChrissySC]

I used these as well.  I love the way Pandia Press increases the scope and depth from grammar to rhetoric.  There is incorporated literature as well.  I truly enjoyed the way the lessons were layed out.  I felt that I never needed to add anything but the occassional "thinking" type of activity.  The only reason I switched over was to take advantage of the resources on my shelf, LOL. 

 

 

For your first year of this style, in all honesty, it is a great place to start and very inexpensive overall.  The above poster has had a most excellent idea.  :)

 

For science, Pandia Press, Classical Science, Elemental Science, and Noeo are great.

 

We are moving to Physics for next year or HS Biology.  I haven't decided yet, LOL