ScoutTN Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Do you supplement it? If so what do you do? I know we will read plenty of picture books and I may choose a novel for RA or for dd to read. We have several of the recommended ones and our public library is excellent. I am thinking of having her narrate each week or do some writing to go with each card. Anyone else do that? I am happy to have her working independently on history, but not sure that I love assessment which is entirely multiple choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pocjets Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Each class comes with a literature list. I normally buy about half of those books and let my kids read through them in whenever they wish. That way, they are either reviewing or previewing their lessons throughout the year. I also make them write a summery/narration on Fridays after the test. The test lessons are very quick so there is time for a written response. I do help them with this if needed (I only have a 3rd and 4th grader taking the class.) For every 4th lesson, I let them color a picture or mark points on a map as their "written response." Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Honestly, I haven't tried to coordinate a lot of outside stuff along with the class. But, when we used the VP workbooks before they were online, I integrated lots of independent reads on level, read alouds and hands-on projects. I just haven't had the time these last 3 years that my ds has been doing the self-paced VP. You're kinda motivating me here to get back to some of that -- at a least a few hands-on projects. I decided a while ago to have my kids focus their reading on the really good books first and to add in historical fiction if they had extra time. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 No...I don't really supplement. We have the literature that goes along, occasionally a movie or a field trip (I have the advantage of being able to take field trips that "supplement" a lot in the first 3-4 years of history right now.) But, other than literature and timeline -- nothing. I think the program is pretty complete on its own -- and the kids clamor to do it and remember a really tremendous amount of the content, so doing more would simply be for the purpose of just doing more. With 5 kids, I lack the time & energy to do more without a really good reason to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorisuewho Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I'm with Lisa. I do not supplement. It is a full program. My children get enough writing in other areas and there are plenty of literature books to choose from for read alouds or independent reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdobis Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I don't supplement at all. It's a complete program. My daughter retains a lot from this program because the output through games and questions is wonderful. Don't make it more difficult than it needs to be. If your child likes hands on activities, you could use the SOTW activity guide. We enjoy reading historical fiction together. I don't match up the timeline with our history program, although some books do fit in to what she is learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mohini Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 I have the both dc's doing a notebook to go along with it. For each topic, in addition to any reading from the list, I print up a coloring page or photo's or lap book pages for the topic - or in the case of my younger dd some "activity pages" (like crosswords etc) and have them cut and glue those into the notebook. For each topic they may have 3-4 pages (of which there is very little writing, usually just captions to explain pictures that I printed and they colored.) For my ds I also print up supplementary articles for him to glue into the notebook. I figure that way, they have a visual representation of what they covered (and it doesn't hurt the portfolio either.) Usually they do the notebook 1 or 2 times a week (on Sat. or Sun when we don't do school) and it's fun for them. I also printed up the words to the song and glued them to the first page of the book so they could follow along. We've never been real notebookers but in this case, it's working really well - and there's tons of free material online to print up to support each topic (so far anyway.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue plaid Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 We don't supplement. I think it is a great comprehensive program as is, and I feel like my kids are learning and retaining quite a bit. We do read some of the suggested historical fiction books though. Lately, the lessons seem to be taking maybe 30-40 minutes every day (except for test day.) For us, that is already a lot of time to spend on history, though I can see how adding some hands-on projects occasionally might be fun and worthwhile. Hmm maybe I should think more about that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorisuewho Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Lately, the lessons seem to be taking maybe 30-40 minutes every day (except for test day.) For us, that is already a lot of time to spend on history, though I can see how adding some hands-on projects occasionally might be fun and worthwhile. Hmm maybe I should think more about that ! I agree with this. Last year when we did Ancient Egypt the lessons didn't take quite as long. This year the lessons seem to be longer, longer than I would probably spend on history 5 days a week. However, the children really like VP self-paced and it is a great program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 We don't supplement except for some extra reading. My kids love it and retain so much. I've learned tons from listening in. The lessons do take more than 30 min here. We do them at lunch and the kids listen and watch as they eat. I love the program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 I added additional reading (but only have her read about half of the program's suggested books) as well as GP Junior History. We are also using the IEW themed writing program that matches up with the VP history program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 I have to say though -- the song for Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation? :ack2: I'm very tempted to come up with our own chant. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugsMama Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 We don't supplement either. I did buy a lot of the literature to go along with it, and have Bug read quite a bit of that.... but it's SUCH a complete program, I don't feel the need to add anything else. I am really excited to have found it- we'll continue with it next year I think. 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.