Let's have another thread about SOTW4 and youngers

[luuknam]

I looked through some of the old threads but can't quite figure out the answers to my questions...

 

First off, here (2008) SWB says she's planning on coming up with something for youngers:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/6465-sotw4-what-happens-when-the-younger-child-joins-in/?p=50185

 

Later on (3 years later), people in that thread link to some coloring pages, but that link is broken now, and just wondering if there ever was more than just coloring pages/where they are now.

 

Secondly, what *exactly* is the problem with SOTW 4 for youngers? Too many difficult words, sentences hard to comprehend (i.e. reading level, but it's a read aloud)? Number of chapters featuring horrible things compared to the total number of chapters? The graphicness/detailedness of violence in the chapters? Which of those, and/or anything else? At this rate we'll start SOTW 4 when my youngest is 7 3/4 and my oldest will just have turned 11.

 

 

PS, if anyone is interested, I found out that one (but unfortunately only one) of the books by my favorite Dutch children's lit author actual has been translated. It takes place during WWII. It's rated ages 12+... I read it at 9yo and it wasn't a problem, but the librarian thought it was so heavy she required parental consent to let me check it out (she didn't for other 12+yo books I'd checked out before then), so ymmv.

 

http://www.amazon.com/War-Without-Friends-Evert-Hartman/dp/0517547546/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

[silver]

I haven't done SOTW 4, but I can at least link you to the coloring pages:

 

https://peacehillpress.com/p/story-of-the-world-vol-4-coloring-pages-pdf/

[Miss Tick]

When we did SOTW 4 last year, I thought it was quite a few long stretches of war and other depressing topics. My 6yo was welcome to listen if she wanted, but it was too dry and there was a density of information and both served to negate her interest in being "part of the gang". So, it covered a lot of depressing topics in a straightforward but not graphic manner, and wasn't something I would actively try to keep her from listening to, but wasn't something I could really get her interested in, either.

 

When I go look at the link my response will disappear, so I'll post this first.

[Dmmetler]

DD was unable to handle the 20th century until she was 9-10 years old. It just was too much for her, and every time we got there, she'd shut down emotionally. Last year, she found a way to make it work-she would create a character who would break the fourth wall, step into her notes, explain just how awful it was that this stuff was happening and what she thinks they should have done, and then step back to taking notes on history.  It was like she had to get those emotional responses on paper, but couldn't do it as her.

 

By this year, that turned into practically drawing a graphic novel for her British history notes (which would probably get her suspended in PS. British history definitely has some bloody moments)-and again, as she has gotten into the more negative parts of history, that character (she calls him "Uck") appears to give his commentary.

 

 

[RootAnn]

My younger two kids (both ds) have listened in on history for years. Neither one has been interested this year as the two middles (both dd) are going through SOTW4. 

 

We've been able to have some pretty tough discussions on the chapters we've covered (working on The Rise of Hitler right now, so hitting WW2 this upcoming week) since I'm working with two somewhat older kids. The topics are closer in time to now, they have relatives who were involved in some of the things we've read about (and especially are going to be reading about soon), and things seem a lot more real to them this year.

 

The reading is obviously more dense, but the topics seem more serious this year. That could be just my impression?

[rutheart]

I have been doing SOTW4 with my first grader this year, and have been documenting our progress: https://westwoodhomeschool.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/sotw4-for-my-first-grader/

A lot of times it seems like she's not paying attention when I read the chapters out loud, but then she'll ask questions about it later. So far nothing has freaked her out.

Ruth

[redsquirrel]

I can think of a few things, having gone through SOTW 4 twice now, and used it again in 8th grade.  It is a rather dense book. I also think it is a great book, but I glad I didn't use it with my kids before 4th grade.  It isnt' that they wouldn't have understood it when they were younger, its just I am not sure it is the best use of their time at that age.

 

The AG acknowledges that the reading is dense. It often has "guided narrations" because there is just so much information in a chapter.  It can also be a bit boring for younger kids.

 

The activity guide isn't as interesting as the ones for younger kids, due to the subject matter. There is MUCH less material for 'wallowing', which is the absolute best part of history with young kids.  In my house, the first two years of SOTW are rather legendary. So many opportunities for dress up and reenactments. So many fun supplemental materials. There are things to cook, and things to read, and puppet shows.  That is reduced in book three and pretty much disappears in book 4. Things like the slave trade, the US Civil War, World War 1 and World War 2, the ending of WWS, the dividing of Germany, the Cold War, etc etc.. well, they all important events because they shape the world we live in now, but there aren't a lot of opportunities for puppet shows or playing dress up. At the age of 6, 7, 8, I am ok with them having fun with history, I want them to fall in love with it.

 

I want to be clear, my kids adored all four years of history, but the change in tone matched the changes in them. As they got older, turned from little kids to 'tweens' they were more willing to read and study. Leaving behind those opportunities to playact and make lego castles were natural for them. I am glad they didn't miss them when they were younger.

 

 

I just want to add that I don't use SOTW 4 as a spine in 8th grade, I use it as a supplemental source. But, its a really great middle grades history book so I see no need to not use it again.

[luuknam]

Thanks. I'm mostly wondering if I should continue on the SOTW path or not. The kids are not overly fond of it (they mostly don't like I'm making them summarize each section - most of the time I'm having my 3rd grader do the summary, but sometimes my 1st-grade-ish kid). I like having it as a spine though, and we do a fair number of other things - books, documentaries, arts&crafts related to the section we're in. I'm not convinced switching to a different spine would make them happier. I've seen some people say they put in a year of US history to delay SOTW 4, but I don't particularly want to go that route... current grade level line-up (youngest is accelerated):

 

 

Book        year             oldest   youngest by current grade placement   youngest by NY cut-off    youngest by TX cut-off   

SOTW 1:  (this year)    3rd           1st..........................................................K...................................pre-K

SOTW 2:  (next year)   4th            2nd........................................................1st.................................K

SOTW 3:  '17-'18         5th            3rd.........................................................2nd................................1st

SOTW 4:  '18-'19         6th            4th.........................................................3rd.................................2nd

Ancients   '19-'20         7th            5th.........................................................4th..................................3rd

Medieval   '20-'21         8th           6th..........................................................5th..................................4th

Early Mod '21-'22         9th           7th..........................................................6th...................................5th

Modern     '22-'23        10th          8th..........................................................7th..................................6th

 

Not too committed to the 2nd cycle yet, though I think it might be good to go through the cycle a 2nd time - not a clue yet what I'd use as the spine for a 2nd go-through - clearly something more suited for older kids, or maybe just a history encyclopedia and make a home-made timeline.

 

I know I'm thinking too far ahead... after reading that several people got through SOTW 4 with youngers without issues though I think it'd be fine... my youngest is not overly sensitive. The question remains whether we should switch to a different spine (we're secular, but are obviously okay with SOTW, but wouldn't be okay with a heavily religious-based history) just because the kids are not a big fan of SOTW.

 

ETA: we don't use the activity guide

Edited February 29, 2016 by luuknam

[Tanikit]

I find SOTW4 has long passages with less of a story element than is typical of the books in the series. There is also a large amount of discussion around various forms of government and politics which a young child would be unlikely to have had any experience of - even if they understand the type of government their own country has it is very hard when faced with all these different large words to sort out exactly what is meant by it or its impact on specifically children in those countries (I say children because at their age this is what means something to them.) 

 

My DD8 does not appear bothered by the violent scenes unless they involve children or animals. I just read SOTW4 to her and then find other more exciting things to link the history to - for example we read about the Atacama Desert and the war between Chile, Bolivia and Peru and there was a recent article about NASA wanting to plant potatoes in the Atacama desert to simulate growing them on Mars - neither held huge interest for my daughter, but she can at least link the geography and the history with present issues and is therefore more likely to remember it. I do not have her summarize the passages - she shows enough interest in certain chapters to not worry if she forgets the rest for now.

[Coco_Clark]

We are in SOTW 3 right now, so this is something I've had to think about. I do think book 3 will last me through next year as well (we started in Jan and a book generally lasts over a year for us) especially since I expect to wallow in the American Revolution a bit.

 

But even if it does take 1.5 years, when we finish my kids will be in 4th grade, 3rd grade, 2nd grade, and Kindergarten. That's a lot of littles, and tbh my oldest is the most sensitive in the bunch.

 

My solution is just to skip it and start over, lol. I'll either jump right back into Ancients or perhaps we will take a year or half a year off History to study some in-depth Geography. They can grapple with WW2 when they are in 7th, 6th, 5th, and 3rd.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Coco_Clark