IEW Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons - how accurate are the historical references?

[OneStepAtATime]

I have not read through all of the passages included but I had a couple of concerns skimming through that maybe these passages are not that well written/accurate.  I realize they are very short passages not intended to instruct about history but to be used for a writing lesson.  I just wondered, for those that had used it, how they felt about it.

 

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

I had to kind of get over it. I discussed with the kids that all writers are biased even when it comes to historical writing and sometimes they like to manipulate timelines/facts to fit their needs.  So we thought of it as fiction based on fact.  I wouldn't use it for H.S. because of this issue, but for younger grades where we often tend to skip a lot of detail and touch on interesting highlights I didn't see the harm.

 

 

[OneStepAtATime]

I had to kind of get over it. I discussed with the kids that all writers are biased even when it comes to historical writing and sometimes they like to manipulate timelines/facts to fit their needs.  So we thought of it as fiction based on fact.  I wouldn't use it for H.S. because of this issue, but for younger grades where we often tend to skip a lot of detail and touch on interesting highlights I didn't see the harm.

Thanks so much for the feedback and the approach you used.  That is very helpful.  

 

I was looking at using it with DS but DD is interested in the Middle Ages so I briefly thought I might let her play with it when she is interested since she will be using IEW, too (although I was planning to use U.S. History for her).  She will be in 10th grade, though, and has had a class on the Middle Ages before.  I think she would find the passages irritating.  Not sure about DS.