Modern World History without a textbook?

[Penguin]

I think I would like to do history next year (10th) without a textbook. Care to talk me into or out of the idea? We will be covering World History 1450 C.E. to the present.

 

DS will also have AP Comparative Government and Politics through PA Homeschoolers, and overall 10th grade is looking a bit textbook heavy to me. I would like to make our companion history course somewhat fun.

 

Option 1:

 

Ways of the World textbook Volume 2 plus whatever else we can fit in.

 

Option 2:

 

Use whole books, Great Courses Lectures, films, and primary sources. I could add the K12 Modern World History text, which would be a pretty quick read and I already have it.

 

History is my son's favorite subject, hence the two social studies credits. But he is not a fast reader. While he is perfectly capable of AP level history textbooks, this tends to suck up nearly all of the available reading time.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Penguin

[Hilltopmom]

I'd totally go for option 2!

 

I have a history buff too- he did a full year of WWII this year, plus US History.

 

It was fun designing the WWII course (spine was the Great Courses lectures). (I did have the problem of adding more, & more, & more).

US we loosely used the FundaFunda outline.

 

You could easily fill a year of modern history with more interesting stuff than textbook reading:). Go for it.

[Hilltopmom]

Does he like David McCullough books? We have a bunch on the shelf we never got to this year that mine will read next year instead. Maybe Jeff Shaara's too, what he hasn't already read. He's done enough "heavy" history already, I feel.

 

Those plus some Great Courses (I know we have Modern turning points, British history, and WWI on the shelf) & other readings (Guns, Germs, & Steel for sure, & some about our historical re enacting periods) is going to be history (he has a heavy math/ science load & DE next year, so history needs to be light).

 

Just have to decide what to call it- something like "topics in world history" maybe, since we'll be jumping around.

 

Do you have any commute time that he could listen to an audio of something during (audible has great courses & all sorts of living history books) so that he still has free reading time?

Edited May 16, 2016 by Hilltopmom

[Jane Elliot]

Yes, go with the second option! I have a son with a B.A. in History and that's how we did some of his high school history courses. You may find that that approach increases his reading speed.

[Penguin]

Ok, Option 2 really appeals to me. I will see what he thinks :)

 

We do not commute anywhere - we live in the center of a city. But that is ok. We are used to watching the Great Courses and prefer that anyway.

 

Now I have to make a book list. That is the fun part!

[merylvdm]

Oh Option 2!! I did something similar with my oldest daughter. (Glad you could use my course for US btw!)

 

And have you considered getting him to participate in the History Day contest if he loves history? I highly recommend the experience and my own kids plus a few from my co op classes have taken part and won at regional and state levels and competed at Nationals.