SOTW 4 and violence in this era

[Natalija]

Hello ladies! We are already more than a month into our school year and I am still undecided about history! Dds are in 6th and 8th grade.They are sensitive and somewhat sheltered in regards to violence, etc.

 

We already started SOTW 4 but need to supplement. All the wars and violence that are covered makes me wonder.

 

I was considering adding in All American History II this year as we did last year. I haven't seen All American History II yet so I don't know how much detail there is. STOW is fine in that regard but not enough to stand alone.

 

I was also considering adding Truth Quest History.

 

What are others doing ? Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[Rhondabee]

I have ds's - 5th and 8th. This is our first time through the rotation, so we are doing SOTW-4 this year, too.

 

Frankly, there is so much to cover in SOTW and Kingfisher, that I find it hard to add very much! I am adding in "The Making of America" by Robert D. Johnston. It is recommended in WTM, and it does help to cover more of the social and political happenings of America. I just kind of throw it in whenever it's appropriate. And, a few times I have devoted a whole week to "catching up with America" with it.

 

Maybe someone else will chime in~

Rhonda

[Amber in SJ]

We did SOTW 4 two years ago when my two sheltered dds were in 7th & 5th. It was very difficult not to get bogged down in all the violence & wars. It was made more immediate for us by the fact that my dds could identify more readily with the children of this era. A couple of things I did for this year were:

 

1. I read everything they were going to read first. If there wasn't some kind of uplifing message or redemption then we skipped it. There is some great historical fiction for this era and you can make good choices.

 

2. When I gave them writing assignments for history I tried to avoid assignments that would require them to put themselves in the place of a child that was in danger. I know this sounds wishy-washy, but my dds would get too caught up and couldn't separate.

 

3. Family History! When we got to a place in history where we knew someone who had lived it or lived at the time of historical events, whether in our family or not, I sent the girls over to talk to them, or called them on the phone or corresponded with them. Great-grandparents who went through the WWII era could tell us about the fun things not just the grim facts.

 

4. Find something they are interested in to focus on as a project. One of my dds is very interested in fashion so her project was to show changing fashions and the reasons for change (rationing, development of new fabric, etc.) My other daughter is all about technology and she had a great time following the development of new technology. Even if a new technology was started as something developed for war, it usually was followed by a peace-time application.

 

This was a year where we learned so much about the roots of some of the conflicts that are in the news today.

 

 

HTH

Amber in SJ

[Natalija]

for the feedback and ideas.

 

I, too, feel I may not be able to work in something else. With the outlining, maps and going over all the discussion questions, most days now we only get through one section of the chapter vs the whole chapter we were covering before. Yet I really did want more depth to some of the topics. That's why I was/am, considering All American History II. BUT, will I have the time for it?!?!? THAT is the question!

 

The entire Civil War was covered in one brief SOTW chapter! So we are listening to Rifles for Watie on CD.

 

And thanks for the ideas, too! :-)

[newlifemom]

I didn't use any special cirric. but I did supp. with a lot of books and spent 3 weeks on the Civil War(which still didn't do it justice). I was somewhat careful, but knew that this would happen sooner or later. The world (imo) is an ugly, fallen place filled with violence and death. I am trying to slowly, carefully bring this into dd's education(5th grade). Sadly, many children do not have the same luxury of ours in terms of being sheltered from it all. I'm not sure where the line, if any should be drawn. KWIM? Interestingly the first 3 volumes didn't seem as gruesome and yet the crusades were discussed, various revolutions and diseases all the 'goth' invasions and Attilla the Hun. Somehow they were all a bit more romantic and the 19th & 20th c. became the barbaric one. Hmmm