Spielvogel's Western Civ - if you use this ala WTM, are there parts you skip?....

[Rhondabee]

I'm not really planning - just looking things over, still.

 

But, I'm wondering, if we only read the sections that apply directly to the book we're reading, won't that mean some sections won't be read at all?

 

For example, since there's nothing about Ancient Egypt on the WTM Ancients Lit list, will we just never read that section of the Spielvogel? Is that one of the "non-western" places we should be sure to read about in the DK History of the World book?

 

Or, Did you read them just to know for sure you had covered everything?

 

Just needing someone to bounce this off of!

 

Thanks~ Rhonda

[Beth in SW WA]

I'm reading the whole text because I'm historically challenged -- in a big way. :)

[gardenschooler]

Another historically challenged one, so I'll read all of it, too. I've ordered my own finally (after using the library copy), and the waiting is killing me!

[Rhondabee]

I'm just continuing thinking out loud here....

 

I could see *me* reading it over the summer as a quick refresher/enhancer. I'm certainly no expert, that's for sure!

 

But I'm just wondering if it's "enough" for my high schooler to refresh his 5th grade Ancients memories of such non-western civilizations via the DK book (it's a *beautiful* book, btw! Bet my younger ds (will be 6th) will want it instead of Kingfisher!). Not to imply that one culture is "better" than another - but obviously western thoughts and influences and philosophies are more subtly interwoven into the fabric of my everyday life than those of non-western traditions.

 

There are just so many things that *can* be studied, the problem is there is only so much time. (Especially with a ds who isn't what I'd call "academically minded".) I guess a part of me might be relieved at knowing it's ok to not even *try* to do it all - LOL!

 

Thanks for chatting!

Rhonda

[kate in seattle]

For what it is worth - perhaps not much - I had my co-op kids read all of Spielvogel (well, i think there was some prehistory stuff I had them skip).

 

We took a WTM deviation from the path though, and I did include both Epic of Gilgamesh and some Egyptian literature. I thought these were significant in terms of understanding Biblical history. One teacher even suggests that we could study history a la Herodotus, using the Bible for our spine. We would study the Bible chronologically, then when the Bible mentions a culture - say Abraham goes down into Egypt - you would stop and catch up on Egyption history to the point where it was when Abraham was there. The next time Egypt is mentioned - Joseph - you would visit Egyptian history again. Moses. The flight into Egypt. Same thing with Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans. Then, after Christ, your focus would be the history of the church, rather than the history of nations. I tried to do this somewhat with Year 2 - calling it the Expansion of the Church, rather than Medieval and Renaissance.

 

Sorry, rather off topic from Spielvogel. But, if you are teaching from a Christian perspective, all of history is something God has arranged to accomplish his purpoese. Isn't it interesting to think that though Egypt was very advanced for thousands of years, all of that was allowed to fade and NOT make an impact on the society of today?

 

Kate in Seattle