How do YOU combine multiple ages in history?

[Jane]

Next year we are scheduled to begin the Ancients again. I will have two older logic stage students and two very young grammar stage students (K & 1st). Should I try to combine them or just separate the two stages?

 

What do those of you with children in the different stages do?

 

Thanks for your opinion!

[Quiver0f10]

For those ages you might want to look at TOG. It's wonderful for combining and it's all done for you.

[8filltheheart]

I would not try combining that age spread. I would have 2 groups.....keep the older ones together and the younger ones together. It doesn't mean you can't cover the same historical time periods. But the materials and discussions are going to be so discrepant that it would be more time effective/topic appropriate to just do them separately.

 

My older kids have a huge workload so it would actually be a burden to have to engage in primary grade discussion activities. The topics that I discuss with my older kids can also be inappropriate both in graphic detail and morality so I don't want to burden my younger kids with those thoughts.

[1bassoon]

For those ages you might want to look at TOG. It's wonderful for combining and it's all done for you.

 

:iagree:

 

It's the only thing that saved my school sanity!

[Jenny in Florida]

. . . here's how I used to handle it.

 

I always started by planning the year for the older one. I would choose a spine and reading for her, come up with a framework or approach for the year, etc.

 

Then, I would "mirror" all of that for my younger one. So, the year we did ancients when I had both of them at home, we took a regional/geographical/cultural approach, and I divided the work for the year into eight "units." Once I figured out how that would work for my daughter, I set about finding materials that would cover the same eight units for my son.

 

I planned activities and field trips for each unit, and, because they were each studying the same times/places/people on their own levels, they could both enjoy and benefit from the same activities.

 

We did some read-alouds. When possible, I would choose something I thought would work for both of them. Otherwise, I chose one for each of them, but they often ended up listening to the other one's book, too.

 

As I read back over this, I see it's about as clear as mud, huh?

 

Let's see if this will help. Here is what each of them read that year. The works listed after "A" are the ones my then-10th-grade daughter read. The ones listed after "B" are the ones I assigned my grammar-stage son. These were in addition to their respective history spines.

 

A: Prehistory chapters from Anthropology text; Bone From a Dry Sea

B: Time Trekkers Visit the Stone Age; Time Warp Trio: Your Mother Was a Neanderthal; First Humans: A Prehistoric Guide

 

A: The Art of War; I Ching: The Book of Change; Lady of Ch'iao Kuo;,Warrior of the South, “Mulan†(the original poem)

B: Three Monks, No Water; Stories from the Silk Road (China stories); Life in Ancient China; Learning Through History: Ancient China; Between the Dragon and the Eagle; “Mulanâ€

 

A: Gilgamesh

B: Life in Ancient Mesopotamia

 

A: Ancient Egyptian Literature, “The Tale of Sinuhe,†“The Shipwrecked Sailor†and â€Great Hymn to the Atenâ€; “Pharaohs, Physicians, Fat Cats & Filly Fanicers†from Uppity Women of Ancient Times

B: Time Warp Trio: Tut, Tut; Mummies Made in Egypt; Tales of Ancient Egypt; Tut’s Mummy: Lost and Found; Real Scorpion King

 

A: Bhagavad-Gita; Dhammapada; “The Ramayana: A ‘Telling’ of the Ancient Indian Epicâ€

B: Life in Ancient Indus River Valley; Tales from India; Token Gift; Very Special New Year: An Adventure in India; Wisdom of the Crows and Other Buddhist Tales

 

A: Genesis, Exodus, Esther, Job, Ruth, Jonah

B: Bronze Bow; One Hundred and One Jewish Stories (selections)

 

A: Popol Vuh; Maya : Life, Myth and Art

B: Time Warp Trio: Me Oh Me Oh Maya; Life in Ancient Mesoamerica; Life in Ancient South America;

 

A: Till We Have Faces; The Odyssey; The Iliad (selections); Antigone; Julius Caesar

B: Black Ships Before Troy; Time Warp Trio: See You Later, Gladiator; History in Stone: Ancient Rome; One-Eyed Giant

 

 

 

[Kris in Wis]

Next year we are scheduled to begin the Ancients again. I will have two older logic stage students and two very young grammar stage students (K & 1st). Should I try to combine them or just separate the two stages?

 

What do those of you with children in the different stages do?

 

Thanks for your opinion!

 

TQ is relaxed, and adapts to all ages. Superb book recomendations!

 

To study ancients with small children, you really don't want a lot of structure and busywork like TOG offers. That's why TQ works so well. At this age, they only need to read age-appropriate books on the subject, and maybe do a few hands-on projects.

 

TQ works well for older students, too. It relies heavily on just discussing what you read, but you can assign writing based on the reading as well, if that is your preference.

 

We also do notebooking, both at the younger and older ages. I've found that by using notebooks and lapbooks my children really retain what they're learning.

 

I tried TOG many years ago with children in all four levels, and, frankly, it just burned me out. I think it's a good curriculum, but not for everybody. I prefer a more relaxed, spontaneous learning environment where children are free to explore their little "rabbit trails" on topics that interest them most. TQ lets you adapt to your children's individual needs.

 

FWIW,

[Susan in TN]

(With 5, and one on the way) My oldest is in 7th grade, next is 4th, next is K, and then 3yo and 2yo. Because of the wide age spread of my first 3, I stopped combining when my oldest was in 5th grade, and since then I have nearly gone insane. So, as Quiver suggested, next year we will begin TOG. I know that they won't be entirely together or combined, but at least we will all be on the same topic and all the levels are planned out for me. I am looking forward to it!

[Jane]

Wow! There is such great variety in everyone's responses. It is really helping me sort out all my lingering thoughts and will hopefully help me fine tune a direction that is best for us. Thank you all for feeling so free to speak about your own perspective and experience.

 

I will be looking into TOG and TQ. I know a few members from my local hsing network use TOG, maybe someone will let me borrow their copy for a week or two. TQ, if I remember right, has a decent website so I should do well there.

 

Quiverof10: I was surprised to see you recommending TOG. I thought it was you who was debating between using or abandoning it. How's it going? How do your days flow?

 

Momof7: You struck one of my greatest concerns. My older children often bring up topics in the middle of our history lessons that would be inappropriate for my younger children.

 

Jenny in FL: You have an ever bigger gap than I do right now. I loved reading how you scheduled history and it made perfect sense to me! Thank you. It's nice to see how overlappinig history time period does help, even if the children are reading different materials.

[HollyDay]

I would also suggest breaking up the ages. TOG might work if you can figure out how to use it (I couldnt).

 

IF you really need to do everyone together, you might try something like MOH and assign essays, research papers, and/or additional reading for your older dc.

 

FYI, I am doing BF Jr High for my 7th grader and BF intermediate with my 4th grader. We just reached a point this year and we couldnt combine them anymore

[Melissa in CA]

Well, I don't have to combine any longer as my older two are now in college but my advice is the same as Quiver0f10:

 

TOG, TOG, TOG!

 

I have tried Truth Quest (TQ) and it is great if you just want a book list with a bit of commentary and question here and there. I personally didn't care for it. I don't want just a list of books to pick from on any given historical subject/culture/year, I want someone to tell me what book to read each week, and then give me student work pages that go WITH said book. I want my history scheduled out for me. TQ does not do that. It is up to you to pick which book or books for your children you want them to read, and then up to you to schedule how they are to be read and when you plan to move to the next area of history, etc. Too much choosing of books and planning for me.

 

TOG, on the other hand, has done ALL the planning for you. All you have to do is decide what parts of TOG you want to use. Do you just want history, or would you like to add in crafts as well. Do you want to use TOG's vocabulary words, or would you rather just use a workbook? Would you like to use TOG's Geography...or is that something you'd rather skip? You pick which of the extra aspects of TOG you want to use...but the history books, Lit books that correspond and Worldview/Bible are all scheduled out for you weekly. I think it's a sanity saver for those with multiple aged children...but, hey, that's just me. I lose my sanity quite easily. :D

 

Everyone has their own style and needs though; there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum. Some LOVE TOG, some don't. Some LOVE TQ, some don't. Some LOVE MFW... You have to find what it is that you love. ;)

[jamnkats]

Well, I don't have to combine any longer as my older two are now in college but my advice is the same as Quiver0f10:

 

TOG, TOG, TOG!

 

I have tried Truth Quest (TQ) and it is great if you just want a book list with a bit of commentary and question here and there. I personally didn't care for it. I don't want just a list of books to pick from on any given historical subject/culture/year, I want someone to tell me what book to read each week, and then give me student work pages that go WITH said book. I want my history scheduled out for me. TQ does not do that. It is up to you to pick which book or books for your children you want them to read, and then up to you to schedule how they are to be read and when you plan to move to the next area of history, etc. Too much choosing of books and planning for me.

 

TOG, on the other hand, has done ALL the planning for you. All you have to do is decide what parts of TOG you want to use. Do you just want history, or would you like to add in crafts as well. Do you want to use TOG's vocabulary words, or would you rather just use a workbook? Would you like to use TOG's Geography...or is that something you'd rather skip? You pick which of the extra aspects of TOG you want to use...but the history books, Lit books that correspond and Worldview/Bible are all scheduled out for you weekly. I think it's a sanity saver for those with multiple aged children...but, hey, that's just me. I lose my sanity quite easily. :D

 

Everyone has their own style and needs though; there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum. Some LOVE TOG, some don't. Some LOVE TQ, some don't. Some LOVE MFW... You have to find what it is that you love. ;)

 

Thank you so much for this post! I assume TQ is Truth Quest and I almost totally abandoned the idea due to the incredibly heavy handed religious content. But I don't want schedules. Of course looking at their Egypt unit they are already saying you can't do much in Egypt due to the pagan religious. Sheesh! I hope I'm making a poor once-over and will look at it more in-depth.

[Quiver0f10]

 

Quiverof10: I was surprised to see you recommending TOG. I thought it was you who was debating between using or abandoning it. How's it going? How do your days flow?

 

 

LOL. I was having a mild panic attack at the thought of using it, but now that we are nearing the end of week two I have to say that I love it! It's nice having them all on one page and I love how everything I need is in one guide book.

[Melissa in CA]

I will be looking into TOG and TQ. I know a few members from my local hsing network use TOG, maybe someone will let me borrow their copy for a week or two. TQ, if I remember right, has a decent website so I should do well there.

 

 

Jane, be sure to look at a copy of TOG that is the new Redesigned version. It is streamlined and much simpler to follow. Many people who dropped TOG in the past were those who used the Classic version. TOG no longer sells the classic, except for Year 4 which has not yet been updated. So, you'll want to preview the Redesigned for an accurate picture of how TOG is structured.

 

I never considered TOG when all they offered was Classic....I found it too confusing. :confused: The Redesigned is great though. At least *I* think so. :D

 

You can also order a FREE Exploring TOG packet. They will send you info, as well as the first 3-weeks on disc. I would also recommend you get the Teaching with Tapestry of Grace CD with Marcia Sommerville talking about TOG and why she created it. It will help you see the vision behind it.

 

Have fun with your research! I pray you find the best choice for YOUR family.

 

Blessings,

[Mama Lynx]

I have been playing with TOG this year. So far it's working very well, for my 7th, 5th, 2nd and 1st graders.

 

TOG schedules it so that each age group reads age-appropriate books on the same topic that everyone else is reading. So far it's working very nicely for us.

[filipinagirl]

What is TOG?

[Melissa in CA]

What is TOG?

 

TOG is Tapestry of Grace http://www.tapestryofgrace.com

[SkateLeft]

I've never combined my kids in history. I've tried a couple of times, but I find it just doesn't work for us. :D

 

Secretly, I think it's so that *I* get to do as much history as possible each year. Though, I'll admit I *am* getting a little tired of the ancients. :lol:

[LanaTron]

I think mine will be in 9th, 8th, 5th and 2nd when we get back to ancients. I don't have an exact plan yet, but there are some things I am considering.

 

One idea is to use History Oddesey level 2 with the older two, WTM recs for the 5th grader, and SOTW 1 with the youngest. Or I may group the younger two together in SOTW 1, just upping the work level for the 5th grader.

[Melmc]

We just started Ancients with a 5th grader, 3rd grader and K. I'm using Biblioplan, STOW AG (SOTW is scheduled in BP), Art in Story and then I added a couple of Catholic Bible History books in there for 3rd and 5th graders.

 

BP is a 3 day a week reading plan with mapping, timeline and writing prompts. The AG lets me add some extra books and activities. With BP you can do stuff together such as SOTW and family read alouds, then send your independent readers off with their books and read to the K-2nd level. I combine for the hands-on activities (last week we did the cave paintings by combining activities from the AG and Art in Story), the mapwork (just make what is expected from each age appropriate and with BP these instructions were included with the BP Maps you can buy off their website) and the timeline.

 

Yesterday at lunch the four of us got into a big discussion about what we'd been reading, and it was fun to see my Ker jump in with her comments since she's really just there for the ride.

[Laura W.]

I second Biblioplan. You could do SOTW with everyone, then do all the logic stage things just with your older ones. I really like how it is laid out and you can combine everyone. I'll be starting it with a 6th, 3rd, 2nd, and 2 K'ers.

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

[Colleen in SEVA]

:bigear:

 

Marking my place, and taking notes! :)

[Kris in Wis]

Thank you so much for this post! I assume TQ is Truth Quest and I almost totally abandoned the idea due to the incredibly heavy handed religious content. But I don't want schedules. Of course looking at their Egypt unit they are already saying you can't do much in Egypt due to the pagan religious. Sheesh! I hope I'm making a poor once-over and will look at it more in-depth.

 

I never saw TQ as "heavy-handed" with regard to religious content, no moreso than TOG. But what I did like was it made for GREAT discussions when compared to our own personal theology, and helped my children (and me!) learn to think for ourselves.

 

There's a lot in TQ we skipped, but that is the beauty of it. You're not locked-in to reading pre-selected books on certain days and finishing "on schedule." Yes, I used the classic version of TOG years ago, but didn't care for many of the books selected, especially at the rhetoric level. Not sufficiently challenging, IMO.

 

We actually did Egypt, Greece & Rome in one year, so by default we had to skip a lot. Didn't lessen our learning one bit - we cycled through again at an upper level, digging in deeper where we glossed over the first time through.

 

TQ is just what it calls itself - a GUIDE. TOG is a full-fledged curriculum, like Sonlight, for example, with all the work pre-programmed for you. It is definitely a personal decision, and each family has to go with what works best for them.