What to use for American History?

[kaymom]

I have been homeschooling my older 5th grader for the past 2 years using TOG and consider myself a classical homeschooler.  He's now going back to school and my younger son, who will be in 3rd grade, is coming home.  We are joining Classical Conversations this fall, which I've never done before.  I am hesitant to start TOG with my younger son because although I loved TOG, it's a lot of work by itself.  I thought I might pick another history program and just cover American history this year since CC is doing cycle 3, and then pick up on ancient history next year.

 

A little about my son.  He's gifted in math, science, and is an advanced reader.  He has a harder time with writing.  He is very curious and loves detailed explanations about things and hands-on projects.

 

I have looked at MFW's Adventures and SL's Core D.  I've also thought about using SOTW 3, but I think I'd like to just cover American history.  Part of me wonders if Adventures is too easy, but then SL D looks like it may be too much for an 8 year old.  My older son has just finished many of the books in TOG year 2 that are read aloud books for SL D.  They seem topically a little too heavy.  I would love some input.  I have also tried to find a sample of the MFW book basket list so that I understand how comprehensive the program is, but can't find one.  The online samples seem like they are just an overview and are missing much of the lesson?  

[chelsmm]

We are just doing our own thing for American history this year.  It has been an amazing success!  I have taken reading suggestions from several sources recommended here on the boards.  We live outside of Boston, so we have tons of field trip opportunities.  We have basically been reading through the Maestro books as a spine and adding in Liberty's Kids, Schlessinger media dvds, field trips to Plimoth Plantation, Sturbridge Village, Lexington, Concord, Boston, etc, and read alouds/ audio books.  My kids are 6 and 8, and this has been great.  I'm enjoying it as much as they are.

[amyc78]

What are the Maestro books?

[kaymom]

I think I'd like something that is more preplanned, but I have used the Exploration & Conquest book in that series.

[chelsmm]

Author Betsy and Illustrator Giulio Maestro wrote/illustrated a series of American history books, starting with exploration and ending with...I'm not sure where they end.  We are on "Liberty of Death- The Story of the American Revolution".  They are very good. I use them as a spine and then I just add other books for readers or read alouds for each topic. 

[HeartatHome]

Heart of Dakota, specifically the Bigger program? It's a 3rd grade program and covers American History.

[kaymom]

I think HOD is more than I need or want.  I am looking for something that gives us mainly history, literature and Bible.  I wouldn't use quite a bit of the program.  I wouldn't use someone else's LA because I already love R&S and WWE.

[dauphin]

FYI, there are some unofficial booklists to go with CC by cycle.

 

 

 

[3girls4me]

Have you seen the book All Through the Ages? It has a great list of books to use for each time period - fiction and nonfiction. I'm using it along with a couple of basic spines for American history.

[3girls4me]

I wanted to add that I am also using a few "extras" like lap books, timelines and such from homeschool in the woods and som additional ideas and links from Guest Hollow.

[sandra in va]

I've used MFW Adv, Sonlight D and E, WP American story 1 and 2, and some of HOD bigger.  (not all with the same kid! :))  I think if you are doing this with CC and with a math/science kid, I would use either MFW Adv or Winter Promise American Story 1.  Both would probably be easier than you'd like/need, but you can add more to make it more challenging.  Adding in extra books for readers, esp since your son is an advanced reader.  My kids really enjoyed the Childhood of Famous American biography set.  Sonlight has a great book list in cores D and E, and there is the book basket list at the back of the Adv TM, too.

    

Some pluses for MFW Adv -  A lot of MFW Adv is in the state study which would go well with CC - aren't the kids memorizing states and capitals?  Also, it covers a little more of American history than WP AS 1 or Sonlight D which are both the first half of a two-year American history course.  WP might be too big of a course - with lots of crafts/hands-on activities, MFW seems more stream-lined and easier to complete in a 4 day week.

 

As an aside, I am also considering CC (specifically Challenge A) for the first time for next year.  

 

Best to you in your decision-making!

 

 

[Alte Veste Academy]

An advanced 3rd grader who is a good reader and enjoys detail would do well with Hakim's History of US series. It has been a "best of" here. There are audio versions on Audible, teacher and student guides available for each book, and/or a syllabus from Hewitt (you could simply assign projects for all 4 quarters instead of the research papers). Since he likes hands-on, you might also look at Time Travelers from Homeschool in the Woods as an add on. Literature is easy to add on, but we've never been formal about lit in the early grades.

[kaymom]

An advanced 3rd grader who is a good reader and enjoys detail would do well with Hakim's History of US series. It has been a "best of" here. There are audio versions on Audible, teacher and student guides available for each book, and/or a syllabus from Hewitt (you could simply assign projects for all 4 quarters instead of the research papers). Since he likes hands-on, you might also look at Time Travelers from Homeschool in the Woods as an add on. Literature is easy to add on, but we've never been formal about lit in the early grades.

I love the Hakim series of books too.  TOG uses them and I did use them with my older son and have them on Audible, so we can listen to anything that interests us.  I am just afraid that although he's an advanced reader, it may be too much for an 8 year old.  It seemed just right for my 11 year old.  We've also used Time Travelers with TOG year 2 for Medieval.  Loved it too.  I do really like the literature to go along with history and don't want to have to put it together myself.

[kaymom]

I've used MFW Adv, Sonlight D and E, WP American story 1 and 2, and some of HOD bigger.  (not all with the same kid! :))  I think if you are doing this with CC and with a math/science kid, I would use either MFW Adv or Winter Promise American Story 1.  Both would probably be easier than you'd like/need, but you can add more to make it more challenging.  Adding in extra books for readers, esp since your son is an advanced reader.  My kids really enjoyed the Childhood of Famous American biography set.  Sonlight has a great book list in cores D and E, and there is the book basket list at the back of the Adv TM, too.

    

Some pluses for MFW Adv -  A lot of MFW Adv is in the state study which would go well with CC - aren't the kids memorizing states and capitals?  Also, it covers a little more of American history than WP AS 1 or Sonlight D which are both the first half of a two-year American history course.  WP might be too big of a course - with lots of crafts/hands-on activities, MFW seems more stream-lined and easier to complete in a 4 day week.

 

As an aside, I am also considering CC (specifically Challenge A) for the first time for next year.  

 

Best to you in your decision-making!

Thanks for your detailed review of the programs you've used.  You are right, they will memorize states this year in CC.  I think I am leaning towards MFW Adv, and we can just add the book basket books to our day.  We'll also beef up the science.

[dauphin]

You'll definitely want to beef up science if that's one of his passions/gifting; CC's science is more of a "demonstration."

[Murrayshire]

I think HOD is more than I need or want. I am looking for something that gives us mainly history, literature and Bible. I wouldn't use quite a bit of the program. I wouldn't use someone else's LA because I already love R&S and WWE.

I thought of America the Beautiful from Notgrass when you said this but then saw this was for a 3rd grader......

[Heather in VA]

How about either VP's Self-paced online - they have 2 years that cover American History or Biblioplan which covers both American and World history at any grade level.

[Carolinagirl1]

You sound just like me. I looked at those same programs (MFW, Sonlight, etc...). We are probably going to be doing CC next year as well, for the first time. I pretty much decided on Guest Hollow's free American History curriculum. There are so many great books recommended and she has a day by day schedule. I went ahead and ordered books for the first 8 weeks (through her amazon links). I figured that way I can try it out without having invested in an expensive curriculum. I think her curriculum looks great!

[KrissiK]

We did American History last year, expanding on what we were doing in SOTW. I loved the Maestro book "Exploration and Conquest". We read a bunch of biographies, too. There's a series called "colonial Leaders" and "Revolutionary War Leaders" that are really good, too. We read a book called "America in time of Lewis and Clark", and it was very good. That is one in a series, too.

[vaquitita]

How about this American history book illustrated by James Daugherty?

 

http://bfbooks.com/A-Childs-First-Book-of-American-History-HB

[Mom2pandc]

I just started America the beautiful by notgrass with new 5th grader and my young 3rd grader is liking it as well. We are doing the map book and I plan on using the literature selections as they come up in the book. My plan is to mix this with a corresponding week of the homeschool in the woods time travelers studies. This will give us time to slow down and do some hands on stuff along with the reading and literature of Notgrass.

Might want to look at either or both of these items :)

[Mrs. Y]

Beautiful Feet's newly revised Early American history guide uses James Daugherty's reprinted history book along with a handful of other very quality books. It is just history and very interesting. I don't recall if they have that Providential book on the list, but I sorta just skip that emphasis if I think it goes beyond my comfort level.

 

Another really good option is to read through the titles of Turning Back the Pages of Time by Kathryn Keller.

[kaymom]

Alright, I just received MFW Adventures through the mail.  I know that no curriculum is perfect (at least I'd want to tweak almost everything because that's how I am).  But looking it over, I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand, I love that everything from Bible to science to music and of course history is scheduled in.  I love how many hands on things that there are to do.  The Bible portion also looks great.  My disappointment comes in the part where about 10 weeks are dedicated to state studies and hardly anything else.  With so much rich American history available, I don't get that.  It looks like the state study is really based on the book basket and a worksheet with hardly anything else to do.  There doesn't seem to be a spine to that portion of the curriculum.  It just seems kind of weak to be 1/3 of the year.  I am debating on whether to keep it or not.  I do love the schedule, and after having used TOG for two years, it looks like a breath of fresh air from that perspective.  Just trying to figure out if I should send it back.  Am I wanting to do too much with a 3rd grader because I have been working with an advanced almost 6th grader and TOG?  We will be doing CC too, so will this be enough?  I'll only have my rising 3rd grader home next year.

[cbollin]

Alright, I just received MFW Adventures through the mail.  I know that no curriculum is perfect (at least I'd want to tweak almost everything because that's how I am).  But looking it over, I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand, I love that everything from Bible to science to music and of course history is scheduled in.  I love how many hands on things that there are to do.  The Bible portion also looks great.  My disappointment comes in the part where about 10 weeks are dedicated to state studies and hardly anything else.  With so much rich American history available, I don't get that.  It looks like the state study is really based on the book basket and a worksheet with hardly anything else to do.  There doesn't seem to be a spine to that portion of the curriculum.  It just seems kind of weak to be 1/3 of the year.  I am debating on whether to keep it or not.  I do love the schedule, and after having used TOG for two years, it looks like a breath of fresh air from that perspective.  Just trying to figure out if I should send it back.  Am I wanting to do too much with a 3rd grader because I have been working with an advanced almost 6th grader and TOG?  We will be doing CC too, so will this be enough?  I'll only have my rising 3rd grader home next year.

 

I have some thoughts to share. 

 

I think if you do ADV and CC that is plenty for an advanced 3rd grader.  You'll have time to add in things of interest for  him in science fairs, etc.   I personally wouldn't change it for ex1850 if you only have the one child.   You're already adding in CC.  so I'd enjoy ADV and CC.  (I'm not saying it's bad or wrong if you exchange it.. I'm just saying what I'd do in similar situation)

 

I'd like to share my opinon/perspective on the state study section that you mentioned. When I did this...  I noticed that in ADV, the state study is started at a point in chronological history study where they go from colonies to being states.  So you've been doing age appropriate history to that point and time to summarize a few things on those first sections of state study.   I never felt that it was just a coloring sheet with those things.  I know there is coloring involved on the front side for state symbols and writing in the city and surrounding state names, but there was interesting stuff on the back.  Plenty for that age.  plus book basket.   and then there were times to add in food and such....It's not meant to be teach them everything possible while still in that transition from lower to upper grammar stage. 

 

But what was really nice?  is that those first 13 states are done at a point in the year close to Thanksgiving and Christmas where we were busy enough with life that having less to do in school was a blessing. kwim?    It's weeks 12-16, and the study includes Christmas hymn and just recognizes the time of year to balance.   ah...  I feel a touch of nostalgia.

 

maybe something radically changed in the schedule from when I did ADV, but having less to do from Thanksgiving to Christmas was nice.   Then my manual has the history pick back up around week 16 or 17 ish... while still doing geography/states.  maybe it changed radically in the schedule or something but the sample TOC looks same except for typesetting.    I guess I don't see it as "1/3 of the year" is just and only state sheets. I sorta understand that as there are 50 states, so that's 50 days of the year... but... not really because it's not 50 consecutive days.  anyway....  It's an overview year  of US history and geography that is at end of the lower grammar stage for the child.

 

if you need more science:  let your advanced child pick topics and do that in "productive but unstructured time" (ala charlotte mason).  If interest is there for science fair, let him do it all on his own.   Remember to have him do the lab write ups for the science in ADV (a sample is shown in week 1 or 2 if I recall) and have him read the instructions and do all of the set up.   I know looking back over the decade (my oldest just enrolled for college this week and she's an engineering major), one of the things that I'm glad I did for her was not to over do it on too much knowledge in science at this age, but to let her take more responsibility in set up and clean up, and to let her do experiments over and over, and make subtle changes.

 

 

hope some of that helps encourages you a bit as you think through your options.

[kaymom]

I have some thoughts to share. 

 

I think if you do ADV and CC that is plenty for an advanced 3rd grader.  You'll have time to add in things of interest for  him in science fairs, etc.   I personally wouldn't change it for ex1850 if you only have the one child.   You're already adding in CC.  so I'd enjoy ADV and CC.  (I'm not saying it's bad or wrong if you exchange it.. I'm just saying what I'd do in similar situation)

 

I'd like to share my opinon/perspective on the state study section that you mentioned. When I did this...  I noticed that in ADV, the state study is started at a point in chronological history study where they go from colonies to being states.  So you've been doing age appropriate history to that point and time to summarize a few things on those first sections of state study.   I never felt that it was just a coloring sheet with those things.  I know there is coloring involved on the front side for state symbols and writing in the city and surrounding state names, but there was interesting stuff on the back.  Plenty for that age.  plus book basket.   and then there were times to add in food and such....It's not meant to be teach them everything possible while still in that transition from lower to upper grammar stage. 

 

But what was really nice?  is that those first 13 states are done at a point in the year close to Thanksgiving and Christmas where we were busy enough with life that having less to do in school was a blessing. kwim?    It's weeks 12-16, and the study includes Christmas hymn and just recognizes the time of year to balance.   ah...  I feel a touch of nostalgia.

 

maybe something radically changed in the schedule from when I did ADV, but having less to do from Thanksgiving to Christmas was nice.   Then my manual has the history pick back up around week 16 or 17 ish... while still doing geography/states.  maybe it changed radically in the schedule or something but the sample TOC looks same except for typesetting.    I guess I don't see it as "1/3 of the year" is just and only state sheets. I sorta understand that as there are 50 states, so that's 50 days of the year... but... not really because it's not 50 consecutive days.  anyway....  It's an overview year  of US history and geography that is at end of the lower grammar stage for the child.

 

if you need more science:  let your advanced child pick topics and do that in "productive but unstructured time" (ala charlotte mason).  If interest is there for science fair, let him do it all on his own.   Remember to have him do the lab write ups for the science in ADV (a sample is shown in week 1 or 2 if I recall) and have him read the instructions and do all of the set up.   I know looking back over the decade (my oldest just enrolled for college this week and she's an engineering major), one of the things that I'm glad I did for her was not to over do it on too much knowledge in science at this age, but to let her take more responsibility in set up and clean up, and to let her do experiments over and over, and make subtle changes.

 

 

hope some of that helps encourages you a bit as you think through your options.

 

I think you are right, and I haven't opened the student pages as I was trying to keep everything in brand new condition.  It's hard to do that and fully grasp what the curriculum is all about.  It's funny, here I was thinking because I know my son gets some advanced scientific concepts that he wouldn't find the science books engaging.  But, when I showed them to him, he was eager to look at them and do the projects.  I think you have given me a better context to the state study.  I think after doing TOG, it just seemed like it couldn't be enough history.  But there are years and years to discover more :-)  I also purchased Elemental Science Biology for the Grammar stage, so that should be enough.  He loves science, and we really want to focus more on that anyway.  I appreciate your advice, it is exactly what I needed!

 

Tammy

 

[countrymom_3]

We used Sonlight American History. I frequently check the sonlight book lists to see what they recommend for read alouds for a time period.  This has been especially helpful when I wanted just read aloud ideas that I knew would be good.