serendipitous journey Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I'm trying to round out my resources for history next year, and would really appreciate suggestions, comments, ideas. This will be for a sensitive 10 yo boy who reads well and doesn't particularly like history but does like science. He's more-or-less done a WTMish grammar history cycle, with spottiest coverage for ancients and medieval history, and reads well. My goals are to: * provide rich food for thought and ideas (sort of CM-ish that way), * give a coherent sense of the ancient world and how it followed from prehistory and set the stage for the history that follows * provide a strong grounding in Western Classical civilization, culture, and history * give practice reading I've got a lot of books from History Odyssey Level 2 Ancients and some others, divided into history, literature and other. It may be too much as is! He'll also be reading the books from Beautiful Feet's History of Science. ETA: I'm updating this list as I plan and adding links. Also adding a few China resources; we are settling on Chinese as our modern language choice and that's a great hook for the culture. PRIMARILY HISTORY: K12's Human Odyssey Van Loon's Story of Mankind Augustus Caesar's world (Foster) Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way (Hakim) Caesar's Gallic War (Coolidge) Eyewitness Books Ancient Rome Learning Through History booklet, Ancient Rome Macaulay's Pyramid Anubis Speaks! (Shecter) Builders of the Old World (Hartman) Memoria Press' Famous Men of Ancient Greece Fantastic Inventions and Inventors (True Stories from Ancient China series, Zhu) Ancient China (See Through History) PRIMARILY LITERATURE: Tales of Ancient Egypt (Lancelyn Green) Black Ships Before Troy (Sutcliff) The Wanderings of Odysseus (Sutcliff) The Children's HOmer (Colum) -- OR Iliad & Odyssey for Boys and Girls (Church) The Golden Goblet (McGraw) Greek Myths (Coolidge) -- we'll have done D'Aulaire's this year Tales of Theseus Theras and His Town (Shedeker) Aeneid for Boys and Girls (Church) Gilgamesh Trilogy (Zeman) (esp. read-aloud) Why Snails Have Shells: Minority and Han Folktales from China (Han & Han) (esp. read-aloud) The Chi-Lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories (Fang) (esp. read-aloud) OTHER: Ralph Masiello's Ancient Egypt Drawing book Music of the Ancient Greeks (audio resource) Music of the Ancient Romans (audio resource) Ancient Egypt (audio resource) Classical Chinese Folk Music or Classical Folk Music from China (audio resource) Chinese Lullabies (audio resource) Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes (Simonds & Swartz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I planned a three year sweep through world history, and in seventh grade my daughter covered the time period up to 500AD. She used the following materials in 7th grade: Selections from The Kingfisher Illustrated History of the World by Charlotte Evans et al. The Young People's Story of Our Heritage: The Ancient World, Pre-history to 500BC by V. M. Hillyer and E. G. Huey The Young People's Story of Our Heritage: The Ancient World, 500BC to 500AD by V. M. Hillyer and E. G. Huey A Bone from a Dry Sea by Peter Dickinson Cave of the Moving Shadows by Thomas Milstead Spirit on the Wall by Ann O'Neal Garcia Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw Pharaoh's Daughter by Julius Lester Video: David Macaulay's World of Ancient Engineering: Pyramid Black Ships before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff Dateline: Troy by Paul Fleischman Inside the Walls of Troy by Clemence McClaren The Curse of King Tut by Patricia Netzley The Golden Fleece by Padraic Colum Escape from Egypt by Sonia Levitin Troy by Adele Geras The Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff The Cat of Bubastes by G. A. Henty City of Gold and Other Stories from the Old Testament by Peter Dickinson Gods and Goddesses by John Malam The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone by James Cross Giblin Selections from Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Greece by Anton Powell Selections from Then and Now by Stefania and Dominic Perring Selections from Usborne Book of Famous Lives Selections from Heroines by Rebecca Hazell Selections from A Picturesque Tale of Progress, Volume 2 by Olive Beaupre Miller The Story of the World, History for the Classical Child: Ancient Times by Susan W. Bauer Niko: Sculptor's Apprentice by Isabelle Lawrence How Would You Survive as an Ancient Greek? by Fiona Macdonald Calliope Magazine: Taharqo Calliope Magazine: Ancient Celts Alexander the Great by Peter Chrisp Video: Alexander the Great (The History Makers) Men of Athens by Olivia Coolidge Selections from Mathematicians are People, Too by Luetta and Wilbert Reimer Science in Ancient Greece by Kathlyn Gay Selections from A Day in Old Athens by William S. Davis Your Travel Guide to Ancient Greece by Nancy Day The Librarian who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky The Emperor's Silent Army by Jane O'Connor Selections from Ancient Japan by J. E. Kidder Hannibal's Elephants by Alfred Powers The Story of the Romans by H. A. Guerber Galen: My Life in Imperial Rome by Marissa Moss Caesar's Gallic War by Olivia Coolidge Selections from Ancient Inventions by Peter James and Nick Thorpe Video: Anthony and Cleopatra (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1974) Videos: I, Claudius (Volumes 1-7) Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster City by David Macaulay The Wadjet Eye by Jill Rubalcaba Video: David Macaulay's World of Ancient Engineering: Roman City Song for a Dark Queen by Rosemary Sutcliff Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfield Video: Ancient Mysteries: Pompeii, Buried Alive The Capricorn Bracelet by Rosemary Sutcliff The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff Selections from Wonders of Ancient Chinese Science by Robert Silverberg The White Stag by Kate Seredy Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges Selections from The Dark Ages by Tony Gregory Lady Ch'iao Kuo: Warrior of the South by Laurence Yep The Dancing Bear by Peter Dickinson Video: Africa (Ancient Civilizations for Children) The Cartoon History of the Universe II, From the Springtime of China to the Fall of Rome by Larry Gonick Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Kareni, thank you so much! I will go through that list carefully. May ask if there are any particular resources that stand out in your memory as worthy (fun, deep, whatever quality)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Kareni, thank you so much! I will go through that list carefully. May ask if there are any particular resources that stand out in your memory as worthy (fun, deep, whatever quality)? You're quite welcome, Ana. Now I'll admit that my daughter has since graduated from college, so 7th grade was a while ago! A few that I recall my daughter particularly enjoying are: Dateline: Troy by Paul Fleischman Then and Now by Stefania and Dominic Perring David Macaulay books Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfield The Cartoon History of the Universe (this one has some adult material) [she and my husband also very much enjoyed watching the I, Claudius videos, but she was older than your son and we are quite liberal.] Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 My son has really enjoyed the History Channel's Book of the Dead documentary (on YouTube). It discusses what The Book of the Dead was and why it was so important to Egypt. It goes through the major archeologist who was a bit Indiana Jones like in his acquisition of artifacts. Lastly, it shows how many, MANY, of the mythologies of the classical world are very similar. The Book of the Dead is around the oldest they can date, but they are still unsure of how much Mesopotamians influenced Egyptians and how much Egyptians influenced Mesopotamians. It is a good one. Not creepy, but really fun. If you want to, the stories directly reflect many Biblical stories as well, if your family is into the comparative religion thing. Ds had been avoiding it with the title "Book of the Dead" thinking it would be creepy. He is sensitive too. The Great Course "Global Perspectives: Ancient History" (something like that) is really engaging if you can get it on Audible. The speaker is great. It talks about how geography really played a part in the worldview and success of each civilization. He compares the various civilizations in different ways to explain their choices and actions were different based on worldview or culture. Ds really enjoys it and has found a new highly regarded lecturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 We're doing Ancients right now, but I'm not near my list of everything we've used. But, I just wanted to toss in another recommendation for the "History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective" Great Course, and also "The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World." They are a great companion set. Crash Courses have a lot of relevant videos too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 We're doing Ancients right now, but I'm not near my list of everything we've used. But, I just wanted to toss in another recommendation for the "History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective" Great Course, and also "The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World." They are a great companion set. Crash Courses have a lot of relevant videos too. I am hoping, hoping to do "The Other Side of History"; do you think the "Global Perspective" one would be of interest to a 10-yo? (I'm planning these audio) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I am hoping, hoping to do "The Other Side of History"; do you think the "Global Perspective" one would be of interest to a 10-yo? (I'm planning these audio) My 10-year-old is really liking them both. We are using bits from other Great Courses but these two are her favorites. We are doing audio only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Over here, "Other Side of History" was a bit of a flop. It wasn't the information, but more that the instructor was more dry. "Global Perspectives" has been a big success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Over here, "Other Side of History" was a bit of a flop. It wasn't the information, but more that the instructor was more dry. "Global Perspectives" has been a big success. Interesting.. my DD is so very much into social history that she loves the content of this one a bit more than the other so the instructor is a non-issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I'm trying to round out my resources for history next year, and would really appreciate suggestions, comments, ideas. This will be for a sensitive 10 yo boy who reads well and doesn't particularly like history but does like science. He's more-or-less done a WTMish grammar history cycle, with spottiest coverage for ancients and medieval history, and reads well. My goals are to: * provide rich food for thought and ideas (sort of CM-ish that way), * give a coherent sense of the ancient world and how it followed from prehistory and set the stage for the history that follows * provide a strong grounding in Western Classical civilization, culture, and history * give practice reading I've got a lot of books from History Odyssey Level 2 Ancients and some others, divided into history, literature and other. It may be too much as is! He'll also be reading the books from Beautiful Feet's History of Science. ETA: I'm updating this list as I plan and adding links. Also adding a few China resources; we are settling on Chinese as our modern language choice and that's a great hook for the culture. PRIMARILY HISTORY: K12's Human Odyssey Van Loon's Story of Mankind Augustus Caesar's world (Foster) Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way (Hakim) Caesar's Gallic War (Coolidge) Eyewitness Books Ancient Rome Learning Through History booklet, Ancient Rome Macaulay's Pyramid Anubis Speaks! (Shecter) Builders of the Old World (Hartman) Memoria Press' Famous Men of Ancient Greece Fantastic Inventions and Inventors (True Stories from Ancient China series, Zhu) Ancient China (See Through History) PRIMARILY LITERATURE: Tales of Ancient Egypt (Lancelyn Green) Black Ships Before Troy (Sutcliff) The Wanderings of Odysseus (Sutcliff) The Children's HOmer (Colum) -- OR Iliad & Odyssey for Boys and Girls (Church) The Golden Goblet (McGraw) Greek Myths (Coolidge) -- we'll have done D'Aulaire's this year Tales of Theseus Theras and His Town (Shedeker) Aeneid for Boys and Girls (Church) Gilgamesh Trilogy (Zeman) (esp. read-aloud) Why Snails Have Shells: Minority and Han Folktales from China (Han & Han) (esp. read-aloud) The Chi-Lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories (Fang) (esp. read-aloud) OTHER: Ralph Masiello's Ancient Egypt Drawing book Music of the Ancient Greeks (audio resource) Music of the Ancient Romans (audio resource) Ancient Egypt (audio resource) Classical Chinese Folk Music or Classical Folk Music from China (audio resource) Chinese Lullabies (audio resource) Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes (Simonds & Swartz) A couple of quick thoughts for you as I have to run to the store before a teen takes my car. You have a couple of redundant resources, especially if your ds doesn't like history. The K12 book is an excellent spine and it would be easy to substitute it for Van Loon which if memory serves me right is the spine for History Odyssey Level 2. Or you could use the Hakim book as your spine instead and focus more on the science. You could pick up the cultural aspects not covered in the science text by cross-referencing with the K12 book. I think the Hakim books are beautiful, but I would probably be tempted to go with the K12 book as it, IMHO, the most well-written and flexible resource listed. There is a series of very good middle school science books that you could probably get from the library to do some supplementing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 My 10-year-old is really liking them both. We are using bits from other Great Courses but these two are her favorites. We are doing audio only. I think of The Other Side as more appropriate for middle school than Global Perspective. It's not that Global Perspective doesn't cover very appealing topics, but much of the analysis is actually done in a fashion to AP World History. One example that comes to mind is the difference in cultures and life attitudes between ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. They were both situated in river valleys where they had to deal with annual flooding. The difference in the way the rivers flooded accounts for part of the difference in attitudes towards the after-life. There is more critical thinking in the Global Perspective course and it can be more subtle. They are both good courses, and if your students enjoy them, that's terrific. My son always remembers the opening message in Global Perspective about history being the story of urban life. I think that's the reincarnation comment that given the odds, one wouldn't come back as king, then a warrior hero, or some famous person; you'd come back as farmer, then a farmer, and then again, a farmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 My DD actually loves those connections. I didn't consider that unusual for her because she is a big picture thinker who likes thing things together. We have spent a lot of time comparing the different ancient cultures. Honestly, that is just what comes naturally out of our lessons. I never considered that to be a much higher skill. But, she is an only child who has been subjected to deep conversations with her nerdy parents her whole life. As an example, we work on scrapbook pages after each culture and she had the idea to create paper circle Venn diagrams to do a compare/contrast of Mesopotamia and Egypt. We stop while listening to discuss; it is a very dynamic experience for us. Yes, we loved that opening too about being a farmer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 My DD actually loves those connections. I didn't consider that unusual for her because she is a big picture thinker who likes thing things together. We have spent a lot of time comparing the different ancient cultures. Honestly, that is just what comes naturally out of our lessons. I never considered that to be a much higher skill. But, she is an only child who has been subjected to deep conversations with her nerdy parents her whole life. As an example, we work on scrapbook pages after each culture and she had the idea to create paper circle Venn diagrams to do a compare/contrast of Mesopotamia and Egypt. We stop while listening to discuss; it is a very dynamic experience for us. Yes, we loved that opening too about being a farmer! She is going to be so ready for AP history work if that's a path she wants to take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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