Who uses Biblioplan?

[Hoggirl]

This was suggested as an alternative to my previous question about using TOG only for its history component. Does anyone here use Biblioplan? How do you like it? Do you use it for three days per week as they suggest? How much time on each of those three days (not counting the read-aloud)? I was thinking perhaps of trying THIS next year. Goodness, it will be amazing if I ever figure out history for next year! :o I was thinking perhaps of doing Biblioplan for the three days as they schedule it, doing one day for writing about history, and one day for "fun" - either listening to Diana Waring CDs or doing a project. Is THIS the plan I am so desperately seeking???? :eek:

Thanks again for putting up with my perpetual inability to make a history decision!

[Ali in OR]

We are using Biblioplan now for our grammar rotation. For the next time through, we may use it again (with the 5+ books, much more independent work, writing and/or outlining) or we may use TOG which I haven't really researched yet.

 

Because I'm using it for grammar level, I may not be too much help for your decision. We're in year two and so far I've done everything as a read aloud--i.e. dd does not have independent work. We use SOTW and the Usborne Encyclopedia of World History. Last year for ancients the Victor Journey Through the Bible was another reference book we used a lot and enjoyed. We did k-2 readers last year and are doing both k-2 and 3+ this year. We did maybe half of the family read alouds last year and we're doing most of them this year. We don't do writing other than an occasional copywork sentence. We do a few narrations and we use the SOTW AG for mapwork and coloring pages and books to get from the library. We keep a timeline and are lucky to update it monthly!

 

I think the authors of Biblioplan have done a nice job of putting together a full, interesting, and well-balanced history course. It's a good fit if you like reading a lot of good books. There is no commentary, so if you are looking for that you would need to add something like Truthquest or go with TOG. I like the idea of having the TOG teacher notes, but realistically, I don't know if I would have time to implement TOG the way it deserves. It might add a lot of stress to my life! And not sure how much beyond history I would use. Let us know what you decide.

[Kimber]

I am using Biblioplan this year and I am so grateful for it. We had all of the spines and I just substituted our own readers rather than buying more. I had previously planned our year with Sonlight modern readers.

 

I don't do the mapwork nor the writing exercises. My daughter is loving History of US, and I just have my 8 yo son read a little bit less.

 

I like how it's organized. I like the unit study type approach. I didn't want to read all of SOTW 4. I didn't want to read all of the History of US. But I did want to focus on the major points of the modern age, and Biblioplan is helping us to accomplish that with little effort. We're currently in WW I for 2 weeks and then WWII, and so on.

 

It's saved history for me this year.

 

Now next year I'll be using TOG. I already purchased it. I want the philosophy script for my oldest child. She loves ideas and this will be good for her. I wanted the teacher's notes. I will look at the writing ideas and try to modify CW Homer B to incorporate their ideas. I plan to use the literature suggestions and am waiting for my year 1 resdesign to come in before I purchase books for next year. I will use their lists. One negative--I preferred how Biblioplan ancients is organized by culture to the method that TOG uses for Ancients. But I still decided to go with TOG.

 

I had thought of using VP but I really need the Teachers notes and I didn't like the overly casual tone of Truthquest. It just struck me wrong. I am sure those are great, but for me it was more of a personal preference.

 

I also like having lots of choices to pick and choose from so this is why I've decided to go with TOG. I don't think it will overwhelm me because I'm looking at it as more of a resource to plan our year rather than as our plan for the year.

 

Btw, we do Biblioplan 4 days a week because sometimes 2 or 3 spines or used on one day. We just divide it up over the 4 days to make it a little lighter. I really needed Biblioplan for this year, because I was trying to do too much, and I am organizationally challenged. I couldn't pull it all together. Biblioplan has saved history for this year.

[Kimber]

By the way, we spend only about 30 minutes per day, 4 days per week on it.

[KIN]

I am also using Biblioplan this year. I'm using it much like Ali in OR explained. We don't do any writing prompts or timelines. We haven't done many read alouds this year either. My oldest (2nd grade) is reading the 3+ readers on his own and is loving history! He loves to come and tell me about his books and how they relate to what we read in SOTW. We are pretty much only using SOTW as our spine. I am doing this in 2-3 days a week b/c of only using SOTW. We are doing the Middle Ages. I use the SOTW activity guide along with Biblioplan. My boys color the picture while I read the chapter and then we do the mapping together.

 

I purchased year 3 for next year along with many of the K-3 and 5+ book suggestions - they look great! I'm excited for next year.

[coffeegal]

We use Biblioplan also with 5th, 4th, 3rd, and prK children. We're all enjoying it. My oldest outlines the Kingfisher pages on his own, and I read aloud from some of the books scheduled during the classtime. Our Biblioplan classtime is usually around 20-30 minutes 3 times a week. In addition, each child spends some time doing their assigned reading. My oldest usually has 100 pages a week assigned, while my middle 2 children have 50 pages. The books are well chosen and my children enjoy the literature. The entire family has enjoyed the family read alouds in the evening and the books have sparked family discussions. It's been a wonderful way to include my dh in our schooling. We started a timeline in January, the one Biblioplan offers, and it's been a wonderful way to review the people and stories we've already covered. All in all, I LOVE Biblioplan. :D

[WTMCassandra]

Waving: We do! I used it for grammar stage, and I am beginning again for logic stage using the higher readers. I don't do the writing prompts--we use CW. I do mapwork and some activities from SOTW AG. I fit in as much history as I can each day, and a "week" in Biblioplan simply takes as long as it takes! ; ) I just progress through it at my own pace. I am a big Biblioplan fan for grammar and logic stages. We added an outlining workbook this year, and when they finish it, I will start them doing outlines from Kingfisher WTM-style.

[WagsWife]

We love it! We do three days a week, and those days are jam packed, without doing much, if any writing. We probably spend 90 mins on history but that does include the Bible readings, resources books, mapping and the read a louds. They do their assigned history reading for "seat work." Part of why it takes us so long is because I have a 12yo, 9yo and 7yo, so I use almost all the resources Biblioplan suggests so that each of them are getting it on their level. Normally you would just pick one or two. HTHs

[Hoggirl]

This sounds like this might be a good fit for us, but we shall see. I guess history is hard to figure out because there are so many good choices!

 

Thanks, again!

Cynthia

[Soph the vet]

We have used Biblioplan for three years and I am planning on continuing with the fourth year next year. Love it. Don't try to do everything on each day or you will go crazy. We read everything, skip Kingfisher often as my oldest is 9. We do the SOTW activity sheets while I am reading aloud. We've found most books at the library or purchased some from Rainbow. We spend about 30-40 minutes 3x per week.:)

[WagsWife]

Most of the books BP calls for, you can get through your library or library loan. However, I had a really hard time finding the books for The Nation of Israel unit. For whatever reason, our library system, which utilizes many libraries in three counties, only had about three of the books I needed. By time I realized it, I had already spent my budget for school. We ended up having to stop history for awhile so I could save up the money to purchase the books used through online sellers. Just something to keep in mind when planning what books you need to buy. That being said, we love this program and I never regret buying books :)

[wtmviolet]

This was suggested as an alternative to my previous question about using TOG only for its history component. Does anyone here use Biblioplan? [..]

 

I love it; my full review is at http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/reviews/curriculum/reviews.aspx?id=475

[Donna T.]

We added an outlining workbook this year, and when they finish it, I will start them doing outlines from Kingfisher WTM-style.

 

 

 

 

WTMCAssandra, could you tell me what outlining workbook you are using and how it is going?