Simply Charlotte Mason history? Thoughts?

[Megicce]

We're taking a year off SOTW next year (what would have been SOTW 4) to do a year on American history, and I'm kind of leaning toward using Simply Charlotte Mason's guides. We'd combine the Early Modern and Modern guides and just do the American history portions and North American geography. Thoughts on this curriculum?

 

I know it seems a little lighter, but honestly...I might want to try that for a year. I think it would give us more scope to go off on rabbit trails and linger on things without me worrying that we won't finish. I do plan to "bulk it up" a little by omitting the study of Billy Graham at the end and pulling in a lapbooking unit on US Government.

 

So yes...thoughts? Is it just TOO light? Thoughts on book choices? Scope? Combining the two years - would it work?

 

Thank you for any thoughts you have! :D

 

PS - I'll have a 2nd grader and a 4th grader next year. :)

Edited May 29, 2017 by Megicce

[nixpix5]

I don't find it light at all. They just recently updated their early modern and modern history so that it can link up more successfully with their geography and updated some books I believe.

 

I have their Ancient Egypt Hisotry and Africa Geography. I really like it. What was hard for me to wrap my head around was doing Egypt for an entire year so we went with Biblioplan/SOTW and I drew from SCM on certain topics. It is just very thorough when it comes to Ancient Egypt and links up well with the bible. One of their living book recommendations was Boy of the Pyramid which was hands down my kids favorite book this year.

 

I think SCM does a really great job and if you keep in mind it is basically a schedule and it guides discussion questions and such then it serves its purpose. I have not had any exposure minus samples with early modern and modern but I wouldn't hesitate to use them. I almost did for next year but we went a different direction. I also like that they are reasonably priced :)

[Megicce]

I don't find it light at all. They just recently updated their early modern and modern history so that it can link up more successfully with their geography and updated some books I believe.

 

I have their Ancient Egypt Hisotry and Africa Geography. I really like it. What was hard for me to wrap my head around was doing Egypt for an entire year so we went with Biblioplan/SOTW and I drew from SCM on certain topics. It is just very thorough when it comes to Ancient Egypt and links up well with the bible. One of their living book recommendations was Boy of the Pyramid which was hands down my kids favorite book this year.

 

I think SCM does a really great job and if you keep in mind it is basically a schedule and it guides discussion questions and such then it serves its purpose. I have not had any exposure minus samples with early modern and modern but I wouldn't hesitate to use them. I almost did for next year but we went a different direction. I also like that they are reasonably priced :)

Thank you!! This is very helpful!

[Hunter]

I think the stronger emphasis on ancient history makes perfect sense for conservative Christians.

 

HiSTORY is the story of a people. Conservative Christians believe in 6000 years of history. It makes total sense that they will spend half the time on the first 4500 years. And half the time on the next 1500 years. Yes, there is more written about modern history than ancient, but for the topics most important to some conservative Christians, 2/3+ of THEIR history doesn't squish into 1/4 of the scope and sequence. 2/3+ squished into 1/2 makes more sense.

 

Family style can also be more boring and busier when cycled through more quickly.

 

I don't think SCM is light, but just a different worldview than neoclassical, with different priorities.

 

Everyone needs to decide what their own story is and what their priorities and big picture are, and then schedule the priority topics equally.

 

As well as Christians, some Latin centered homeschoolers will also want to spend more than 1/4 of time on all of ancient history, which depending on beliefs will usually cover at least 5,500 years. And not want to spend 3/4 of the time on the next mere 1,500 years.

 

 

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[LMD]

I used the Josh-Malachi one when my kids were about those grades and we really enjoyed it! I ended up making up independent packets with arch books for some readings because I had a baby that year. I think it was enough and it's honestly probably the year they retained the most history!

 

I have used some of the middle ages/reformation one, I really really like the book choices for the most part.

[Bluegoat]

If I can hijack a bit, I have used some other SCM things and liked them and am a CM educator myself, but I've hesitated over their history.  I don't feel like I have a good sense of how religious it is, and how theu approach that aspect.  Our family is not YEC, and while I'd love to have church history integrated into general history, I don't want something like what you get from AO.

 

So I'd love to hear any thoughts on those questions.

[nixpix5]

If I can hijack a bit, I have used some other SCM things and liked them and am a CM educator myself, but I've hesitated over their history. I don't feel like I have a good sense of how religious it is, and how theu approach that aspect. Our family is not YEC, and while I'd love to have church history integrated into general history, I don't want something like what you get from AO.

 

So I'd love to hear any thoughts on those questions.

I completely understand. We are not YEC either. They don't seem to take a hard position. I don't recall it being an issue for us but again, we used it as an extra to BP and SOTW. The thing to keep in mind though if using it as your main curriculum is the scheduled books. Some of those books will take a YEC approach (The True Story of Noah's Ark for example). That is all stuff that is read about in the first 12 weeks or so.

 

Whenever I stumble upon these things I either choose a different book, skip it, augment it or just explain to my kids that some Christians agree to disagree on some things and we explain why we believe what we do. It is minimal in this curriculum if you see it at all. The African Geography that goes with it and is scheduled is neutral.