Guest mahoganymoon Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Hi! My son (age 9) is entering 4th grade this year. I just decided last week to homeschool because we just can't take the public school system anymore. To make a long story short, my main objective this year is to rekindle his love of learning. I took a look at SOTW vol 4. and I don't think it is right for us right away. I am very passionate about the time period that aligns with vol 3. Off the bat, I can think of a billion things we can do to spark his interest. Also, I want to make sure he has a good foundation in the history of America, from it's beginnings, and I feel like now is a good time for him to learn the Presidents and the States/Capitals etc. (this is why I don't want to start this year with ancients) Also, since we are new to homeschooling, I figure it might be easier to ease him into the approach with narration/outlining/notebooking with a start in vol 3. Anyway, I say all of that to say I am thinking of combining Vol 3 and 4 so that we can be on track for 5th grade and the start of the Logic cycle/Ancients. Am I crazy for attempting this? If so, can anyone recommend a good US history book that covers it "all" in one year so that we can start Ancients next year? So far, I have worked out a tentative schedule as to what should be covered. Sometimes we will go one chapter at a time. Others we'll go two or so. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardinalAlt Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Welcome to homeschooling! Others might have more input on your SOTW plans, but have you heard of or considered a period of deschooling? A period to de-stress, go on field trips, go to the library, watch your child's intrinsic motivation to learn re-ignite? Sounds like that might be a great first step given your main goal for the year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Welcome! I wouldn't try to combine two SOTWs. That is a lot of information and there is really no rush. If you are excited about SOTW 3, do that, and add in all the rabbit trails you want (meandering side trips off the main topic). OR spend a year focusing on U.S. history. You will find people who have done both. The four-year cycle is nice, but just a guide line. I agree with you that it would be better to stay with SOTW 3, rather than 4, which has longer, more intense selections. Also, the activity guide with 4, if you choose to use it, introduces outlining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mahoganymoon Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Thanks to both of you for weighing in! We definitely will take a more relaxed approach to school (lol I know my wanting to combine two levels doesn't make that sound true--but it is). I guess I am really enamored with the classical approach having just discovered it, so I would really like to give him two four year cycles. Of course, you are right...it is only a guide. I just feel overwhelmed in wanting to get him back up to speed after a year of nothingness. :( I am on the hunt for a good US History that we can use this approach with now I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 You could do a year of US history, and then do one SOTW cycle for grades 5/6/7/8 and another for 9/10/11/12. Joy Hakim is a popular author for late elementary and middle school history, but my DS isn't there yet, so I can't help that much, sorry. Are you familiar with the Liberty's Kids DVD series? That's a fun and inexpensive supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 We started homeschooling when dd was in 3rd grade, and we combined SOTW 1 and 2 last year without any trouble. We will be combining 3 and 4 (up through about WW2) this year for the same reason you describe -- so that we can start again with the Ancients in 5th grade and get two full four-year history rotations. Obviously this involves some picking and choosing as to which topics you cover. We have focused on Western Civilization for now, with the idea being that we will expand to cover other civilizations in more depth through middle/high school. My plan is to pull from SOTW again in middle school for topics we're skipping now, along with other resources. DD enjoys the books so much that she's pretty much read them cover-to-cover anyway. I know this is not the "recommended" course, and many people like to take it slow, but it has worked for us. Good luck and welcome to homeschooling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mahoganymoon Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Thanks! That is good to know! I guess we may try and take it day by day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I guess I am unsure why you want to combine rather than just use the volume that you already feel passionate about. Remember that he is going to have a chance to do 2 full 4-year history rotations after this year. Your goal is to rekindle a love of learning. The fastest way to quench it is overreach. You could use Vol. 3 and then go back to ancients. Or you could use Vol 3 this year, Vol 4 next year and then return to Vol 1. It is not that important that the 2 4-year rotations be from Ancient to Modern history. People with big families start their younger children wherever the older children are all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 If you are passionate about the SOTW 3 time period I think its a disservice to your son to rush through it and try to do 3 and 4 in one year. Do book 3 and do it well. I think doing History well and with passion trumps "getting in two full cycles" any day. Anyways, from my reckoning he'd still get two full 4 year-rotations and have a bonus year (just in case one year takes you two because you got so caught up in rabbit trails, or in case you want to take a year "off" world history at some point to focus on geography, government, us history, current events, ect). The rotations don't line up 1-4 in logic and 1-4 in rhetoric but, as SWB notes in her "starting in the middle" chapter, there are benefits to doing the ancients and middle ages in the older grades. Those are going to include the most difficult literature. 4th SOTW3 5th SOTW4 6th ancients 7th middle ages 8th early modern 9th modern 10 ancients 11 middle ages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 This is what I am planning for my DS. DS doesn't like crafty stuff, so we'll read 3 chapters of SOTW 1 and 2 per week and do the mapping, along with a very few selected activities from the activity guide. We'll supplement in key areas with additional readings and videos. We started homeschooling when dd was in 3rd grade, and we combined SOTW 1 and 2 last year without any trouble. We will be combining 3 and 4 (up through about WW2) this year for the same reason you describe -- so that we can start again with the Ancients in 5th grade and get two full four-year history rotations. Obviously this involves some picking and choosing as to which topics you cover. We have focused on Western Civilization for now, with the idea being that we will expand to cover other civilizations in more depth through middle/high school. My plan is to pull from SOTW again in middle school for topics we're skipping now, along with other resources. DD enjoys the books so much that she's pretty much read them cover-to-cover anyway. I know this is not the "recommended" course, and many people like to take it slow, but it has worked for us. Good luck and welcome to homeschooling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCEmom Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I can't give input on your SOTW plans, but The Complete Book of United States History by AEP is a resource you might consider. It looks like a workbook, but is more of a text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 If this is your first year and you are wanting to ease into things, I wouldn't recommend doing two SOTW. The only way I would is if you were just reading the chapters and not doing a ton of the extra. I completely understand your passion for this year, as I have the same passion. I am planning SOTW 3 this year and SO excited to finally be able to cover the revolution and all the fun American history, especially living in VA with amazing field trips. But I had a hard time even fitting in all the fun rabbit trails just in SOTW 3. SOTW really is world history. There is only a few chapters on the Revolution. I would recommend doing a year in US history, and maybe even tie in state history that is traditionally covered in 4th grade, and then you can start fresh with the cycle in 5th with Ancients. You can look at Beautiful Feet Books for some book ideas or look at the reading lists for Sonlight or Tapestry of Grace for some living book ideas. Maybe find a good spine you like and get library books to go along with it. There's some great craft books on colonial times. It's something you enjoy. You want him to have a good foundation in US History, and it will be a great way to ease into things without being overkill. FWIW, some "boxed" curriculum does a year of US history before they start the cycle anyways. SOTW 3 and 4 would probably be the hardest, imo, to condense because there is so much on these periods of history that you will be tempted to touch on. I am always planning more history than we can do because it's my passion too. You may have a layout of fitting in the chapters, but look at the activity guide for extra books and activities to go along with those chapters, and it will quickly become overwhelming. Just my $.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Almost all of my children are off cycle, except one. :001_smile: There's no problem with children being off cycle and doing modern history in their first year of dialectic or rhetoric. In many ways, SOTW 4 is better for 4th and 5th graders because it introduces outlining. My suggestion is to do SOTW 3 this year, have fun, and enjoy yourself. Next year do SOTW 4 and use it to teach outlining. I also feel I must say, there is no 'right way' to homeschool. All of the plans you have mentioned, SOTW 3 & 4 this year, SOTW 3 this year and 4 next year, American History this year and ancients next year will work and work well. Which plan do you prefer? Being inspired and enthusiastic to sit down, study, and teach is more important than having the perfect line-up. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Or just start with SOTW1. If not read CHOW up to wherever SOTW3 starts and then jump across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 This is what I am planning for my DS. DS doesn't like crafty stuff, so we'll read 3 chapters of SOTW 1 and 2 per week and do the mapping, along with a very few selected activities from the activity guide. We'll supplement in key areas with additional readings and videos. This is a good point. I should have mentioned that the hands-on activities are not that important to us. We do a lot of reading, discussion/writing, and map work. Otherwise, we skip most of the activities. If you're looking for a more hands-on experience, it is probably a stretch to try to combine two books in one year. However, if you have a little history buff who always wants to know "what happens next?!" like my dd, it works great. I love that she is already able to see history as a huge, interwoven narrative; that's something I didn't get until high school at least, maybe even college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.