Bob Jones Vs. Abeka (History)

[Homeschooling6]

I am looking either Bob Jones Heritage Studies or Abeka Our American Heritage for grades 2, 3, 4, 5 next year.

 

I am leaning more toward Bob Jones, but would like your in-put.

 

I have read that BJ is very thorough although it is more expensive once you buy all the time lines, student notebook and cd (although I'm sure you can get by without these extras). Although once bought all I would need to do is purchase consumables.

 

If money wasn't an issue which would you prefer.

 

Thanks for any information!

Edited October 27, 2008 by Homeschooling6

[MrsMe]

I just purchased grade 2 Abeka History and I hated it. I went to the materials display and liked the Reader, but after getting it in the mail, it was like, "what do I do with it?" So I purchased the TE from Second Harvest Used Curriculum. It's very, very light; in everything. In teacher's information, projects any useful information.

 

The reader had good things, learning states, like 5 every lesson, patriotic songs, holidays, and if you look at the table of contents, you'll see cowboys, indians, there's basically just a paragraph on these.

 

If that's all you want, it's good that way. I hear that level 3 is much more substantial. I'm speaking strictly of Abeka level 2.

 

But I was so disappointed I ended up ordering BJU Heritage 2 and it doesn't hold a candle to the same level. It's very full and has a lot of good teacher ideas and things to do. The price comparison and coverage of information between the two is exactly that difference. In level two I really got what I paid for in BJU. I also liked how BJU TM was laid out.

 

I'll sell Abeka History 2. We'll be starting Heritage Studies 2 tomorrow.

[Ellie]

Well, you could buy just the 4th grade materials for all the dc; oldest dc would do the work, youngers would be read aloud to. They could all do the mapwork and stuff. Then next year you could get the 5th grade text and do the same. That way you'd get all the dc doing the same chronological American history.

[Josie]

Well, you could buy just the 4th grade materials for all the dc; oldest dc would do the work, youngers would be read aloud to. They could all do the mapwork and stuff. Then next year you could get the 5th grade text and do the same. That way you'd get all the dc doing the same chronological American history.

 

:iagree: If I were in your boat, I would do just what Ellie suggests. Wise woman, isn't she? It will free up a lot of your time, and the kiddos will get just as much out of it.

 

Btw, I agree with Alilac about the grade two ABeka. It is very, very simple. There is really no meat. They are fine readers, but not much more than that.

[AnointedHsMom]

I very much prefer BJU over Abeka but we made a curriculum change recently and went with Heart of Dakota and are really loving the history in it.

 

I love BJU's TM's too. Very well laid out and easy to use. I vote BJU for sure and I would go with one grade and adjust for the younger/olders which ever way you decide to go. Trying to do 3 complete different history curriculums would wear me out but that's me.

[Homeschooling6]

Thank you ladies. I'll think I'll go with BJ for American History.

 

Blessings,

[KrissiK]

I never taught either of them, but I taught at a Christian school where it was strictly A Beka, except for History. Our admin. insisted that BJ History was a better program, so we used that. I taught science, so I never actually taught the stuff, but that was her opinion.

[deeinfl]

agree that it is very, very light, but for our purposes, that is exactly what we want since I'm of the belief that 1-3rd grade should be about grounding them in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and the Word of God.

 

With that being said, if I wanted meatier, I would definitely go with BJU, but since I don't, I will use Abeka until the 3rd grade for a light dusting of early american history and then from then we transition into SOTW in the fourth.

 

I love, love, love Ellie's idea of getting the BJU for the eldest and having the children do the same worksheets, with help for the younger ones, and the same mapwork assignments. They will all get something out of it. The younger ones could even write down narrations of one thing they learned in the reading and skip the worksheets and the older ones could do the worksheets. Brilliant Ellie! I wish I had thought of that a few years ago.

 

Blessings,

 

Dee in Sunny FL!

[Melissa in CA]

BJU hands down. A Beka will eventually kill your child's love of all things history...ask me how I know this. ;)

I also agree with Ellie. That is exactly what I would do if using BJU history with a variety of grades. Sonlight is actually what brought a love of history back into our school after several years of A Beka. But if I were to have to choose between BJU and A Beka...I would DEFINITELY choose BJU! In fact, it will be my very first choice if I decide to move back to a textbook history education.

[Homeschooling6]

Thank you ladies! We'll most likely go with BJ for American History.

 

Blessings,