Rebooting history? How to make it more engaging?

[Chrysalis Academy]

I love history. I read textbooks, surveys, nonfiction books about particular figures or historical periods, historical fiction. I watch MOOCs and TC courses. I love thinking about the connections between past historical events, tracing the roots of current events and movements backward in time.  Somehow, however, I'm failing to share this interest in history with dd.  She is uninspired by our history studies, and I feel like we're in a rut. Not sure what to do about it, though.

 

She really enjoyed our Big History studies in middle school. This year we're trying to do world history, ancient & medieval. I'm trying to have it be interest driven, but she's not all that interested in any of it, really. She'll do whatever I assign, and doesn't really complain, but there's no spark or joy there. I had way too many TC lectures planned, we drastically cut that - I had her go through and pick the ones she's interested in - but even those, her eyes just glaze over while we're watching or listening. I'm starting to think that's just not a good format for her, much as I enjoy it. She'll read the assigned textbook pages, and write answers to questions, but it's just kind of blah. 

 

One consideration is box checky, we need a world history credit for high school.  And I think there are some historical things everyone should know about. I'm not sure that ancient/medieval history falls into that category at this stage, though, and maybe I should be letting go of that and taking a more overview approach. Or maybe she should be *doing* something different. I don't know, it just feels dull and unengaging and I need some inspiration to figure out how to make it more interesting.

 

This is a child with lots of passions, BTW, who would spend her whole day reading and talking about books, plays, and films and writing (creatively) if she were left alone to follow her interests. I'm trying to keep the other subjects to a minimum so she can focus on these interests. She's not complaining about doing history, but there is just zero spark there right now. I'd like to figure out if I can change that.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Watching a series of movies based on historical events, with the assignment afterwards to compare the movie with what really happened?

 

From, say, Gladiator to World War II flicks?

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

That is a really cool idea.  We could do it with Shakespeare history plays too - what historical events did he portray more or less accurately? Which did he distort? Why? Was it because of the sources he was drawing from (what are those?) or was it because of political/social pressures at the time? 

 

Thank you!

[yvonne]

I always thought a super interesting way to approach history would be to use biographies. The only history course I took in college my last year used mostly biographies in addition to the class lectures. If I'd taken that class early on, I'd have known how fascinating history was and might have pursued more courses on it!

[Loesje22000]

Here in the Benelux I notice among homeschooled students less interest in Ancients and Medieval times, and more in Modern Times. For 'World History' you don't have to go so much back in time ;)

I like IB textbooks for our situation, and they have a 20th century World History edition:

https://www.amazon.com/Century-World-History-Diploma-Programme-ebook/dp/B013SUTFR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478619389&sr=8-1&keywords=ib+20th+century+world+history

It would be much easier to me to flesh that out, then Ancients & Medieval times.

[crazyforlatin]

I didn't like history when I was in high school, but during any free time I loved reading biographies especially about anyone from the English royal family. Maybe make it more people centered than events centered.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Reading biographies is another great idea! I also got interested in history by reading biographies of people I was especially drawn to.

 

Ok, let's add on to my question: anyone want to share their favorite historical movies, biographies, autobiographies, or other history trade books they've enjoyed?  Maybe I can put together a good list and then let her pick and choose.  Output could be researching portrayal vs. reality (movies), biographical sketches, comparisons . . . what are other fun writing tasks that your kids have enjoyed?  My dd loves to write but she especially enjoys out-of-the box type writing projects - like, for The Odyssey, I had her pick a character and rewrite a scene from the character's POV.  She is now writing a modern YA retelling of the Odyssey in her spare time.  :laugh:

[Julie of KY]

OK - I love the idea of basing things off of movies. Now can you help me come up with a list of movies?

[Loesje22000]

I doubt my list will be usefull as we are covering 16th-18th century mostly European History now : D

 

Movies:

1492

The Mission (boring according to dd)

Luther (the reformer)

The Other Boleyn Girl

Marie Antoinette

Moliere

The Kings Gardens (this movie is named differently)

Amistad

Amazing Grace

Nannerl sister of Mozart

Michiel de Ruyter (Dutch movie)

[swimmermom3]

That is a really cool idea.  We could do it with Shakespeare history plays too - what historical events did he portray more or less accurately? Which did he distort? Why? Was it because of the sources he was drawing from (what are those?) or was it because of political/social pressures at the time? 

 

Thank you!

 

Rose, we covered a couple of Shakespeare plays every year throughout high school and analyzing them in part through the historical lens is wonderful fun. Macbeth is the obvious example that comes to mind for shaping a play in accordance to the lineage of James I while he was Shakespeare's patron.

 

Do your literature studies correspond to your history studies?

 

[Loesje22000]

Dd has to read one biography per year, but I try to pick one of Catherine Reef:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Catherine+reef&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3ACatherine+reef

 

She also liked:

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Potatoes-Story-Famine-1845-1850/dp/0618548831

(As background at a book for Dutch Literature, she didn't like the literature , but talked a lot about this book)

 

and we planned to read books like written by Tracy Chevalier.

 

Sometimes I pick some easier books so she can focus on her writing or on making connections.

If I pick too much too adult-like books all the energy would go to the reading.

Dd is 'just' 14, and 'just' grade 9, she doesn't need to pass the 12th grade exit exams today IYKWIM.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Rose, we covered a couple of Shakespeare plays every year throughout high school and analyzing them in part through the historical lens is wonderful fun. Macbeth is the obvious example that comes to mind for shaping a play in accordance to the lineage of James I while he was Shakespeare's patron.

 

Do your literature studies correspond to your history studies?

 

 

Not really, no, we decoupled them because she's much more interested in lit than history, and our literary studies are more focused on "reading like a writer" - reading good writers and analyzing how they create the effect that they do. Or reading something that came up via serendipity - it was referred to somewhere else. Or the play is showing nearby so we jump on reading it. Or one thing leads to another . . . We always talk about the historical period a little bit, but we're not trying to do literature chronologically and in line with history.

 

She actually has two "lit" type classes going on right now - regular english lit, and a Theater & Film elective.  Because that's what she loves.

 

That said, we have been covering, as primary sources, some things in our history class which are often covered in lit.  This is bowing to dd's greater interest in lit than history. So we covered Gilgamesh and the book of Job when we covered Ancient Mesopotamia, for example. We just finished a mythology unit which covered Hesiod and Ovid.  We were/are about to jump into classical Greece & Rome, when I decided to consider this reboot.

[swimmermom3]

Not really, no, we decoupled them because she's much more interested in lit than history, and our literary studies are more focused on "reading like a writer" - reading good writers and analyzing how they create the effect that they do. Or reading something that came up via serendipity - it was referred to somewhere else. Or the play is showing nearby so we jump on reading it. Or one thing leads to another . . . We always talk about the historical period a little bit, but we're not trying to do literature chronologically and in line with history.

 

She actually has two "lit" type classes going on right now - regular english lit, and a Theater & Film elective.  Because that's what she loves.

 

That said, we have been covering, as primary sources, some things in our history class which are often covered in lit.  This is bowing to dd's greater interest in lit than history. So we covered Gilgamesh and the book of Job when we wcovered Ancient Mesopotamia, for example. We just finished a mythology unit which covered Hesiod and Ovid.  We were/are about to jump into classical Greece & Rome, when I decided to consider this reboot.

 

I asked because literature is one obvious way to make historical periods and people "live and breathe" in the here and now.  It's one thing to read a text about the Industrial Revolution and it's some thing else to read Hard Times with it.

 

When you covered Gilgamesh, did your daughter get to see the Annenberg lecture on Gilgamesh and how it continues to influence modern artists from childrens book authors to choreographers?  Sailor Dude was delighted to find so many similarities between the plays of Aristophanes and the modern political satire of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. When we studied ancient Egypt, we read some ancient Egyptian "love" poetry.  After one particularly naughty, but funny poem, he remarked that he could see himself and his best friend in a few years hanging out in their dorm room with a beer and writing something along the same lines.  He found a connection to an author dead for thousands of years.

 

Look for the unusual things, the side trips that make history seem more human and relevant.

 

Has your dd watched the historyteachers videos?

 

 

[Hilltopmom]

Different time periods, but would she like the Ken Burns series better than TGC?

Or more travel style documentaries about important places in world history? (Like the "tour Loire valley castles" type)

Or History channel stuff?- not the reality shows, lol, but the Vikings, Middle Ages, etc type ones.

 

My ds did a long elective just on WWII that he really enjoyed. Tons of books & films for that time.

 

Maybe a different specific period of history instead of generic world history.

 

We're historical re enactors, & oldest LOVES history, next kid is completely bored by it. Bored?! By history?- I can't even comprehend that. But she reads "how to apply makeup for theater & movies" books for fun & I'm like, " ugh, who cares?"

 

You may not be able to light a spark in her for history, it might just be a check the box for her.

 

Any living history places near you?

Edited November 8, 2016 by Hilltopmom

[Chrysalis Academy]

I asked because literature is one obvious way to make historical periods and people "live and breathe" in the here and now.  It's one thing to read a text about the Industrial Revolution and it's some thing else to read Hard Times with it.

 

When you covered Gilgamesh, did your daughter get to see the Annenberg lecture on Gilgamesh and how it continues to influence modern artists from childrens book authors to choreographers?  Sailor Dude was delighted to find so many similarities between the plays of Aristophanes and the modern political satire of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. When we studied ancient Egypt, we read some ancient Egyptian "love" poetry.  After one particularly naughty, but funny poem, he remarked that he could see himself and his best friend in a few years hanging out in their dorm room with a beer and writing something along the same lines.  He found a connection to an author dead for thousands of years.

 

Look for the unusual things, the side trips that make history seem more human and relevant.

 

Has your dd watched the historyteachers videos?

 

Yes, we love those Anenberg lectures.  Believe me, she'd love to do all lit for history! I've been feeling like I need to have some nonfiction in there, though. It's easier with Ancient stuff to justify the "lit" as history - it is primary source documents, but that seems iffier when we get closer to the present.

 

Those videos are hilarious!  You remind me, she does really like Crash Course videos (much faster moving than TC videos!) so we could include some of those too.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Thanks, guys. We talked this morning and our tentative plan is to drop the TC lectures, add in some movies (she loved that idea!) and more plays, and I'm going to compile a list of good biographies and trade books she can choose from.  I think we're still going to try and be more or less chronological since there's a lot of good material in the eras that Shakespeare covered . . . 

 

I really appreciate all these creative ideas! I'd love any more suggestions of good movies, documentaries, biographies, or "trade" history/nonfiction books.  Things you or your kids have really enjoyed reading or watching.

[Hilltopmom]

Has she read any of the books by David McCullough.?

Ds has read a bunch of them.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Oh yeah, there's a whole list of autobiographies in WEM. And history nf.   :auto:  

[Kassia]

My daughter is like yours with history.  She doesn't like movies either, but this might be good for your dd:  http://www.teachwithmovies.org/

[Kareni]

Yet another possibility for you are Larry Gonick's illustrated histories.  Be aware that there is occasional adult content/language.

 

These are the ones for World History; he has others on American history, various sciences, etc.

 

Cartoon History of the Universe Volumes 1-7

 

The Cartoon History of the Universe II, Volumes 8-13: From the Springtime of China to the Fall of Rome (Pt.2)

 

The Cartoon History of the Universe III: From the Rise of Arabia to the Renaissance (Cartoon History of the Earth...

 

Regards,

Kareni

[J-rap]

Reading biographies or other books that took place during a historical event/period, plus movies that took place during that event, really made it real and fascinating for my kids.

 

[JoJosMom]

Rose, I'm a bit late to the party, but have you considered history through a different lens?  For example, I was never a fan of history when I was younger (ironically, I will now read the driest text for fun), but I fell in love with history when I studied Art History in college.