Catholics...help me sort through this please.

[ktgrok]

I'm looking for what I want to use for my rising 1st grader. I do want to do SOME history/social studies. I don't want to do too much though. I prefer American at this age, but open to world cultures, or even the 4 year cycle. I do NOT want to do a zillion year cycle like some of the programs, where you do mesopotamia for a year, then greece for a year, then rome, etc. I also don't really want to do only american all of elementary, like Mother of Divine Grace does. I want lots of living books. I don't want only really old hard books. I am old earth, and will not use a program that has people harnessing dinosaurs to use as plow animals. 

 

Where does that leave me?

 

MODG has no history at all for 2st grade, then American only the rest of elementary school.

 

Seton is so workbooky..not sure that will work for us. Also, a lot of their history texts seem just way too biased....as in, the Inquisition was a great party kind of thing. I probably will use their religion though :)

 

Angelicum Academy looks interesting but you can't see their syllabus without buying it. It's the 4 yr cycle I think, and uses Story of the World in the beginning and later Catholic Textbook Project books, which I like. But the reading material seems too hard. Their kindergarten books are the traditional fairy tales from Lang, which are just a bit over my daughter's listening skills. She kind of enjoys them, but it's a struggle. I worry that will just get harder. I think it might be too rigorous for us. 

 

Mater Amabilis uses old, not politically correct, biased books, but maybe I can work around that? I think they give editing notes???  I think this is my second favorite (keep going for favorite). I also like that they do the family style geography in the early years, and some other things. Not sure of the actual books, need to look at them more. 

 

Kolbe seems like a traditional school at home approach in elementary. Maybe I'm remembering wrong?

 

RC History seems disjointed and confusing and honestly kind of boring. 

 

Catholic Heritage is too light and fluffy. It just seems like a waste of money. I don't want community helpers and such, we learn about those in our daily life. 

 

I'm honestly thinking hard of going with Bookshark or Sonlight Core A, and adding in Seton religion, but not sure that's the way to go either. I have Holzmann's notes on Core 100 and they are the exact opposite of our own views. I just didn't use them, but not sure how things are in the younger cores. This is right now though, my top choice. But I'd really prefer a Catholic program. I just wish their were more options that were less school oriented the way Seton and Kolbe and such seem to be. My oldest is using Notgrass right now which is a perfect fit for him but decidedly not Catholic. 

 

So I think that right now I'm teetering between Mater Amabilis and Sonlight/Bookshark. (not sure which of those yet)

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by ktgrok

[Rockhopper]

SL is delightful at those ages. If you like the books, you'll like the program -- there aren't really IG notes at that level (not at all like the high school cores). Basically the IG gives you a schedule to help you stay on track, and I think the newer version has a CD with hands-on activity ideas.

 

I love a two-year world history cycle; that's just about the right length for me. We ended up (because of some neat field trip opportunities) taking 3 years for US history in the middle grades with my middle child, and we both felt it dragged on forever. Two years per cycle is my sweet spot! Plus it frees up years to do geography or history of horses or whatever else strikes one's fancy.

 

[ktgrok]

SL is delightful at those ages. If you like the books, you'll like the program -- there aren't really IG notes at that level (not at all like the high school cores). Basically the IG gives you a schedule to help you stay on track, and I think the newer version has a CD with hands-on activity ideas.

 

I love a two-year world history cycle; that's just about the right length for me. We ended up (because of some neat field trip opportunities) taking 3 years for US history in the middle grades with my middle child, and we both felt it dragged on forever. Two years per cycle is my sweet spot! Plus it frees up years to do geography or history of horses or whatever else strikes one's fancy.

 

Thanks! That's good to know that there aren't a ton of possibly irritating notes in the young years!

[Carol in Cal.]

I'm not RC, but, just wanted to ask whether you have considered just using SOTW or the old Kingfisher as described in TWTM?  Those are pretty complete approaches to history for that age, I think.  They don't necessarily need the shell of another program around them.

[lizlatorre]

We are Catholic, and I have always built my own program using the Well-Trained Mind as my springboard until high school and then I use Kolbe. In the early grades, for history, I use SOTW as a spine and use the Activity Books for the booklists - this provides the living books. For religion, I like the Faith and Life series (Ignatious Press).

[ktgrok]

I have considered SOTW, but honestly, it's a bit too many trees and too little forest for me. I need a bigger overview/picture. I'd rather NOT do the 4 year cycle, but will if it turns out to be what happens. 

 

I do think I'm down to either Sonlight or Mater Amabilis. Both look awesome, but in totally different ways. 

[JaneEyre]

We have used Ambleside and added in a chapter from a Seton workbook for a time. I used the notes from Mater Amabilis with the AO books, but I think I remember the notes for OIS,at least, not going through enough of the book. We also used SOTW with some Catholic notes that a believe I got off of someone on this forum a few years ago.

 

We tried RCHistory twice and didn't stick with it...

 

I think Sonlight looks really nice, but I've never used it.

 

Right now we are doing unit studies and a timeline and then I have more orderly history that I'm using for high school (History of the Ancient World, Light to the Nation's I and II, and Land of Hope and Promise), so hopefully it will all work out in the end :)

 

I did hear Professor Phillip Campbell from Homeschool Connections is coming out with a sort of Catholic SOTW ( I'm sure that's not what he would call it), but there's only one so far and I think it's middle school...

[Vida Winter]

We're RC and use a lot of Sonlight materials, subbing out some of their religious material for our own. I have bought many of the IGs but when it comes down to it, after a few weeks of box-checking I am down to using it as a reading list, so I don't see the point in spending any more $$ on IGs.

[AimeeM]

I have a rising first grader as well (well, rising second grader, but he will be working at a first grade level for history and language skills ).

 

I have to be careful about language level regarding read alouds. A lot of what is recommended for this age is just over my kid's head regarding the "age" of the language - he just will not pay attention to, or enjoy, books written in an "old english" style, with stuffy language, etc.

 

I'll be using SOTW volume 1, pulling in some of the read aloud suggestions that are Catholic specific from the RC History volume 1 reading list, for history. I'll be using Memoria Press' first grade core (subbing in Miquon for math, because we like it better than Rod and Staff), which includes using their Enrichment - and their read alouds for language skills. 

 

For religion we're using Catholic Mosaic, Faith and Life (because this is a sacrament prep year for us), Leading the Little Ones to Mary (sold on the OLVS site) and incorporating prayers and sacrament prep into our memory work. 

 

I agree that Seton is too workbooky and much/most of the other catholic curricula seems to go with American for all of elementary. Mine just isn't interested in American history (tried it this past year) so we're going with Ancients.

 

You could also look at Catholic Schoolhouse - you can build a read aloud list easily enough to rotate around their program. If you go with Ancients, you would want Year 2 with them (which covers Ancients - Middle Ages), and you can pull read aloud book lists for that time period from RC's site (you would need to pull from their volume 1 list and their volume 2 list because CSH covers more ground every year). I love this program. The only reason we aren't using it is because I also have an almost 4 year old and a high schooler. While CSH can, according to them, be used with the entire family, their rhetoric-level suggestions and program for Year 2 isn't available outside of the co-ops yet, last I heard, so it's just easier for me to tag my high schooler in Light to the Nations while her brother does grade-level, same history cycle, work from SOTW.

[AimeeM]

 

I did hear Professor Phillip Campbell from Homeschool Connections is coming out with a sort of Catholic SOTW ( I'm sure that's not what he would call it), but there's only one so far and I think it's middle school...

Yes, it's the volume available now from TAN Homeschool - but it's for middle school :( I was really disappointed. If it's for middle school then it isn't a replacement for SOTW or a SOTW for Catholics - since SOTW was intended to be an elementary level program. 

[AimeeM]

I have considered SOTW, but honestly, it's a bit too many trees and too little forest for me. I need a bigger overview/picture. I'd rather NOT do the 4 year cycle, but will if it turns out to be what happens. 

 

I do think I'm down to either Sonlight or Mater Amabilis. Both look awesome, but in totally different ways. 

You could condense the cycle by using Catholic Schoolhouse. Year 1 is American, Year 2 is Ancients through the Middle Ages, and Year 3 is Ren-Modern (or Early Modern - I can't remember).

If you follow along with SOTW, it would just mean that you use CSH as the guide as to what you read in SOTW, and you would cover 2 SOTW volumes every year (not doing everything, obviously).

 

My bigger issue with SOTW is trying to make volumes 2 and 3 catholic friendly. For that reason, we will use volume 1 of SOTW, but not the subsequent volumes right now. At least not in early elementary. When I have more time on my hands to go through the volumes and pull out what I want, replace what I want, supplement where I want, then I will... but I don't have that time right now, lol. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

You could read through ALittle History of the World while working through the Classically Catholic Memory timeline for 1st grade.

 

We use SO TW and just try to pull in RC resources when we can.

[Syllieann]

You could use How Our Nation Began. http://www.olvs.org/ShopCart/InvDtl.aspx?InvId=10420&GrdId=&InvCatId= It is the spine for Connecting with History volumes 3&4 beginner levels. OLVS has a workbook and answer key for it. I use it with CWH so I can't comment on the workbook part. OLVS lists it for mid elementary, but my 5 yo is fine with it as a read aloud. You could add in some of the billions of early elementary picture books and have a pretty decent course.

 

I really like the looks of the bookshark kindy history program. I might try that with my youngest when he's ready. If you did that as written, you could supplement the first portion with the Lovasik picture Bible http://www.setonbooks.com/viewone.php?ToView=P-RLPK-17. Adding in the Once Upon a Time Saints books to the second half would round it out http://www.setonbooks.com/viewone.php?ToView=P-RD01-30 . The Nest Bible story dvd's are a nice supplement too if your library happens to have them. http://www.nestlearning.com/animated-bible-story-dvds_c2314.aspx

[ktgrok]

I'm really thinking I'm just going to do Sonlight or Bookshark, and add in some things. Now the question is, do I use the Sonlight bible, or not? I could either use their Bible stuff as written, then sub in Saint Stories for missionary stories, and add a lesson a week from Faith and Life (just read it aloud and narrate). OR, I could do religion more Mater Amabilis style, and do it on my own, two Bible readings a week, two saint stories a week, and one lesson of Faith and Life a week (again, read aloud and discusses/narrated). 

[Bluegoat]

Well, I'm not Catholic but my needs are similar.  I've found CHOTW to be my favorite history spine for early elementary for a world history.  The one book covers up to the 20th century so its easy to use over two or three years without being overwhelming, and I think it is a little more focused than SOTW.  I've tended to do a second stream of history along side, either Canadian or British.  In part that is because I've had a hard time finding a good narrative Canadian history for lower elementary, so I use a variety of things.  I suspect there are more options for American, but I would still go text based, or maybe even concentrate on a geographical approach at first.

 

I've never ever managed to find one program that really covers what I want though.  It is probably some kind of character flaw.

 

ETA - for elementary school religious history, I have had a very hard time finding a text that seems good and compatible with apostolic Christianity - I've looked at Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox sources, and nothing is substantially complete.  My approach in the end has been, for lower elementary, to look at resources for saints lives.  The better written ones give a sense of the surrounding context so far as church history goes, and kids seem to identify with biographies at that age anyway.  I've had more luck with more formal study for late elementary.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Bluegoat

[Bluegoat]

Hmm, I just went over to the Mater Amabilis site, and I like the look of it's early years quite a lot.  I'm seriously thinking now I might use it for the basis of my K program next year.

 

[ktgrok]

Hmm, I just went over to the Mater Amabilis site, and I like the look of it's early years quite a lot.  I'm seriously thinking now I might use it for the basis of my K program next year.

 

It really is amazing looking. Simple and yet meaty. I like the way it's laid out, but after the first few years there is no schedule for it. Although by then maybe you can figure it out yourself. 

 

I

[ktgrok]

So...since I was up last night with a sick husband had time to think about this. I'm thinking.....

 

LA: AAR, eventually AAS as well, A Reason for Handwriting, all 4 -5 days a week, plus Sonlight or Bookshark readers

Math: CLE 1st grade light units...we're already part way through them going at 1/2 lesson a day. Will move to a full lesson 4 days a week probably.

Art: Picture study using Art Posters from Memoria Press

Music: Various CDs in the car, including Wee Sing as well as The Story of Beethoven, etc

History: Sonlight or Bookshark K

Religion: Mater Amabilis schedule of a Bible Story twice a week, A Saint Story twice a week, and maybe leave Catechism to her CCD class if it is using good materials, add on Faith and Life if I think it's lacking. 

 

Seem good?

[Syllieann]

So...since I was up last night with a sick husband had time to think about this. I'm thinking.....

 

LA: AAR, eventually AAS as well, A Reason for Handwriting, all 4 -5 days a week, plus Sonlight or Bookshark readers

Math: CLE 1st grade light units...we're already part way through them going at 1/2 lesson a day. Will move to a full lesson 4 days a week probably.

Art: Picture study using Art Posters from Memoria Press

Music: Various CDs in the car, including Wee Sing as well as The Story of Beethoven, etc

History: Sonlight or Bookshark K

Religion: Mater Amabilis schedule of a Bible Story twice a week, A Saint Story twice a week, and maybe leave Catechism to her CCD class if it is using good materials, add on Faith and Life if I think it's lacking.

 

Seem good?

Sounds like a great plan!

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Looks good.  I'll have a 1st grader next year, too.  I was going to use CWH 2 years ago with my then 1st and 3rd graders (and also my 5th grader).  My oldest is still using it and it works well for her, but it was just too much for the younger kids.  So, this is the current plan for their younger brother:

 

LA: AAR 2, lots of readers from the library, AAS 1, HWT 1, and copywork

Literature: American Tall Tales, The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit, Best-Loved Folktales of the World, plus chapter books from various reading lists

Math: Singapore PM 1A & 1B, possibly with some RightStart B added in

History: Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans and Fifty Famous Stories Retold

Geography: might do the family geography suggested by Mater Amabilis

Science: James Herriot's Treasury for Children, Among the Farmyard People (and others by Clara Dillingham Pierson), and Seed Babies along with activities from Janice VanCleave's Big Book of Play And Find Out Science Projects

Religion: Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism, read through a children's Bible, Once Upon a Time Saints & More Once Upon a Time Saints, Just Like Mary, and The Mass Book for Children

 

[Kuovonne]

I'm looking for what I want to use for my rising 1st grader. I do want to do SOME history/social studies. I don't want to do too much though.

Take a look at First Timeline.

http://www.hedgeschool.com/historytime.html

 

It is a great, light, Catholic introduction to history for a first grader,

especially if you don't want to do too much.

I found it to be just right for my DD when she was in first grade.

[busymotherof4]

There is a yahoo group for Catholic Sonlight users. The ladies are full of great suggestions for additions and substitutions.

[MotherGoose]

There is a yahoo group for Catholic Sonlight users. The ladies are full of great suggestions for additions and substitutions.

Do you just search yahoo Catholic Sonlight? I'm a new convert to Catholicism and I think many of the things that may be concerning still go over my head. Plus I'm the only Catholic homeschooler I know.

[freeindeed]

I'm Catholic and we've used Sonlight with no issues. I have taken out some of their Bible studies and devotionals and replaced them with Catholic books. Now, my family is a unique mix. My husband and children are Baptist, but we make it work. Here's the link to the SL Catholic Yahoo group:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SL-Catholic/info?showJoinPopup=true

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by freeindeed

[ktgrok]

Just looked up one of the Sonlight religion books that is new this year, and this was the description: 

 

"A sultan whose three hundred wives were buried alive . . . cannibals who believed there was no such thing as a white woman . . . an elegant French lady who watched in horror as the missionary performed surgery on her kitchen table . . . . These are just a few of the real people encountered in these true  missionary stories..."

 

I honestly don't think I want to read about people being buried alive with a 6 year old. Starting to wonder if Sonlight is too harsh for us. 

[barnwife]

I am not going to be much help, but I will tell you what I see us doing at this point.

Next year will be DS5's K year. Math will be Miquon, MEP, puzzles, games, life, etc... Phonics/Reading will be Webster's with various other things for fun. Right now he loves buddy reading Progressive Phonics stories.

Religion is more complicated. He is a year ahead in religious education, as we started him as a very young 4. So he will be doing Faith and Life 1 there. At home, we read a Bible story pretty much every night before bed. We loosely use the Virtues in Practice (free online!)  program to discuss a virtue and saint every month.

We are also reading through "The Story of Jesus" book at his request. When done with that, I want to do the "Life of Jesus in 36 lessons" (that's probably not the exact title...it's from Crusaders for Christ, I think, and is free online). I think that having read through these about Jesus will be fabulous prep for FHC the following year. We can go into a study of the Mass afterwards.

When he is actually in first grade, I will add in a "kids around the world" type thing for history/social studies. At least, that's my plan. I think he and the littles will like it. An added bonus (for us) is that I got a book at a garage sale that basically is exactly that for less than a dollar. It's got a craft, books, etc...for various cultures/countries. 

I agree with your last post about Sonlight. I've looked at a it many times. And since I have no plans to use their LA or Math recs, it's basically a book list. And even some of that seems to need tweaking. I can do that with things I find online. 

I hope you find something that works for you/your family.

[abcmommy]

Skip SL and do Bookshark.  I did SL for years and its too much for my current homeschooled kid but my oldest loved it.  Mt middle did fine with it.  I axed every missionary story and added Catholic bible/ saint stuff instead of theirs.  So basically I was doing book shark.  

[ktgrok]

I've lost track now, but whomever suggested Little Acts of Grace (might have been another forum, lol) and Once Upon a Time Saints, thank you! Just ordered both. 

[ktgrok]

Take a look at First Timeline.

http://www.hedgeschool.com/historytime.html

 

It is a great, light, Catholic introduction to history for a first grader,

especially if you don't want to do too much.

I found it to be just right for my DD when she was in first grade.

 

I love this! May order it to do now, actually :)

[ktgrok]

I think I've decided on Bookshark versus Sonlight. And may even just get the IG and piece it together as I think I have several of the books already. I need to check. And then get the IG for Sonlight 3/4 and piece that together. 

 

At least Bookshark takes paypal credit :)

[hhm]

Yes, it's the volume available now from TAN Homeschool - but it's for middle school :( I was really disappointed. If it's for middle school then it isn't a replacement for SOTW or a SOTW for Catholics - since SOTW was intended to be an elementary level program. 

 

I'm new here but am hurrying out the door and will post an introduction later. However, I did want to mention this really fast. The Activity Book for The Story of Civilization is intended for 1st - 4th Grades so I believe the program is truly meant for K/1st - 8th (they have a Test Book for middle schoolers). I have it on pre-order for my rising 6th Grader and am very excited about this new resource!

[AimeeM]

I'm new here but am hurrying out the door and will post an introduction later. However, I did want to mention this really fast. The Activity Book for The Story of Civilization is intended for 1st - 4th Grades so I believe the program is truly meant for K/1st - 8th (they have a Test Book for middle schoolers). I have it on pre-order for my rising 6th Grader and am very excited about this new resource!

Hmm. They may want to work on their advertising, lol. I know many moms who aren't ordering because we were under the impression that this was a middle school and up program. Are there samples of the activity book and the DVDs? I didn't see any on the TAN site.

[Meadowlark]

Piggybacking on the RC HIstory discussion. Why do you think it feels disjointed? I am seriously considering this for next year but now have some concerns. Any feedback is appreciated.

[Syllieann]

Do you have a title or link?

https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/the-story-of-civilization-vol-1-the-ancient-world.html

 

The tests are listed for grades 5-8, and the activity guide is listed for grades 1-4. I listened to the samples, and I think it would be a little much for the average first grader. It is definitely more complex than sotw 1. I would guess a more realistic range to be grades 3-5, but obviously that could be beefed up with outside readings for an older kid.

[hhm]

Hmm. They may want to work on their advertising, lol. I know many moms who aren't ordering because we were under the impression that this was a middle school and up program. Are there samples of the activity book and the DVDs? I didn't see any on the TAN site.

 

Sorry, I am just getting back to the computer. Syllieann provided the links and more info....thank you! I have RC History in hand but am hoping that this new program from TAN will be a little more open and go. I plan to use it 'as is'...and I will assign  outside reading from real books / novels to go along with Egypt, Greece and Rome and some brief readings in Land of Our Lady and All Ye Lands as appropriate. 

[imagine.more]

I've been looking for the same thing. I've settled on using Sonlight/Bookshark's list of books for next year (probably won't bother buying the IG as I like planning myself). They have fantastic books and they're living books but very kid-friendly unlike some of the long lists of very old-fashioned books from AO and such. 

 

There's a whole Yahoo group for Catholics using Sonlight materials just fyi! They have all sorts of tips and tricks and it takes some sifting through but it's very helpful. 

[quietchapel]

Devotional Stories for Little Folks from CHC is absolutely amazing for religion for that age. So, so good. There 's a second one as well.

[Syllieann]

I've lost track now, but whomever suggested Little Acts of Grace (might have been another forum, lol) and Once Upon a Time Saints, thank you! Just ordered both.

MA has the once upon time saints listed by location so you can coordinate them with bookshark and/or put stickers on a map for those you've done if you want.

 

http://materamabilis.org/ma/level-1a/map-location-key/

[historically accurate]

nm

Edited April 10, 2016 by beckyjo

[908874]

I didn't read the whole thread. But one suggestion would be to go with all secular materials (check in the secular homeschooler forums) and add Seton Religion, Sunday school at church and your regular devotions and such at home. And then use the Divine Mercy and other prayers as copy work.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[matrips]

Catholic here, but treating homeschooling like my 16 years of catholic schooling. We studied Catholicism in religion class; other subjects were independent of religion. So I pick the curriculum I like best and use it, without a huge concern for the publisher. We've used Sonlight from prek to 5th grade now for bible, history and literature. Great discussions. Math is math, no religion needed. Science is usually just books; next year will be rainbow. We're also old world. Spelling is AAS. And we've done Classical Conversations for seven years. Kids go to Religious Ed on Sundays after mass, and have been altar servers for past year or so.

[Chris in VA]

Are you doing any science, Katie? We loved the Home Adventures microscope kit, and taking nature walks while keeping a very simple nature notebook.

 

Also, even though you don't want to do SOTW, are you interested in the activity guide? Both the first and the second have some wonderful ideas, and are easy to pair with other programs. They would cover Ancients and Med/Ren.

 

Some other good activity books are the Kaleidoscope Kids books and the ...oh, shoot...they come up in the same Amazon search but are a different publisher...Ah--Laurie Carlson books, like this one. They have Colonial history, too, and some science activity books that are fun and interesting, in my opinion.

 

All good supplements to add interest to your spine and readings.

 

Have fun! Wish I could do 1st grade again!

[luuknam]

Disclaimer - I'm not Catholic.

 

If you want to do *some* history, but not too much, would it be an option to just borrow books from the library and have some history read aloud time and not worry too much about actual curriculum? Maybe paired with something like Liberty's Kids DVD's (I haven't watched them yet, so but I've heard a lot of people say good things about them).

[ktgrok]

Disclaimer - I'm not Catholic.

 

If you want to do *some* history, but not too much, would it be an option to just borrow books from the library and have some history read aloud time and not worry too much about actual curriculum? Maybe paired with something like Liberty's Kids DVD's (I haven't watched them yet, so but I've heard a lot of people say good things about them).

 

This actually is an option. My worry is it not getting done if I don't have a schedule :)

But if I have the books in a basket and a loose schedule that I follow it might work. 

 

What I think is throwing me is that my oldest is an agnostic, and so for years I've worked hard to keep things secular for him, or used stuff inpite of religious content. Now I'm working with a different mindset for my others and it's a bit discombobulating. 

 

I think I'm just torn between a Charlotte Mason style approach now via Mater Amabilis and the Sonlight/Bookshark approach. I think as a teacher I like the Mater Amabilis stuff, but as a student I would have learned best via Sonlight. I've learned SO much in my life from historical fiction, or just fiction in general. But, I could use some of the same books either way. 

 

Another issue is I think I don't quite understand the two history threads that go on in Charlotte Mason programs, it seems confusing to me but maybe not?

[luuknam]

This actually is an option. My worry is it not getting done if I don't have a schedule :)

But if I have the books in a basket and a loose schedule that I follow it might work.

 

I check out books from the library, and then they *have* to be read by the due date (well, plus two extensions of the due date). Occasionally I end up returning a book unread, but I try very hard not to. So that's my approach to "getting it done" (that said, we do do SOTW, but it would probably still work without). You could make a list of major events in US history you want to cover (you could even just copy the table of contents from a textbook to get a list of events to cover), and then check out books, read, return, check out books on the next topic, read, return. You could have a set time each week that's "read history books" time.