World History?

[OneStepAtATime]

DD has decided she would like to do some sort of World History this coming school year to solidify her understanding of such.  We did World History before but she was just really going through the motions.  At the time history just didn't seem to make much sense to her (no sense of the passage of time or historical connections).  Since then she has started to be more interested/have a better grasp.  She was hoping for something done on-line that would be more self-paced but have some accountability.  I looked at Switched on Schoolhouse but it really seems pretty boring.  She will already have a pretty full load so she doesn't want anything too intense.  She has a strong interest in art and has done Art History.  She enjoyed it immensely and will be taking another Art History course this fall regarding the Ancient Egyptian time period.  Still, she wants World History to run alongside it.  She doesn't want Mom led for this or I would probably do something with Great Courses.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Or maybe we could do a Great Courses course coupled with something else she could do on-line plus a book or two for reading (like historical novels?).  We have an art history based great course but I can't remember which one.  I'll have to find it...

Edited February 23, 2018 by OneStepAtATime

[PeterPan]

The only history I've ever understood is the VP cards. What year is she? She could take either 1 year or 2 to work through them, depending on what you're going into next and how it sets you up.

 

VP does (or used to do?) an online transitions class that goes through all the cards in a year...

[OneStepAtATime]

She's going to be Junior/Senior this coming year.   I will look into VP.

 

[PeterPan]

Does she like art and the art history? Does she want a lot of detail or more of a big picture? Have you looked at any of the K12 texts? 

 

You can kind of alternate, going through 10 cards, then reading a book on the music of the time, the art of the time whatever she connects with. Then do another 10 cards and then go through another spine or some fiction, something to flesh it out memorably.

 

Has she ever made a timeline? My issue was that nobody ever explained to me that things were happening CONCURRENTLY. Somehow I took the whole timeline thing very literally, like it was a line, nothing overlapping, kwim? So any process that let's her figure that out can be good. 

 

History people like the story of history, the narrative, the details. Does she LIKE the details and want them? Or is she asking for help to get the chronology organized in her mind?

 

Walch Powerbasics has interesting assignments in their world history workbook. You could use something like that to flesh out a lower level approach (straight facts) and pump it up with more analysis, more application, more synthesis.

 

I'm definitely not saying use the VP elementary sequence alone. I'm saying it's a really good organizing tool as part of an overall approach that is balanced out with other ways to bring in analysis, synthesis, etc. Like she could do the cards, do the extension reading on the topic, and then read something modern day about that topic or geographical location (sort of a where are they now...)

Edited February 23, 2018 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

I just saw some Primary Sources kits at Lakeshore Learning. That's another way to pump things up with a more streamlined approach. So you'd go through 5 or 10 cards, then write essay responses to primary source activities, do extension reading, then do 5-10 more cards. Several major publishers have these primary sources things. They can be really cool.

 

Primary Source Documents at Lakeshore Learning

 

Search Our Catalog | Carson-Dellosa Publishing

 

World History I Student Workbook and Answer Key (033219) Details - Rainbow Resource Center, Inc.

Edited February 23, 2018 by PeterPan

[OneStepAtATime]

Does she like art and the art history? Does she want a lot of detail or more of a big picture? Have you looked at any of the K12 texts? 

 

You can kind of alternate, going through 10 cards, then reading a book on the music of the time, the art of the time whatever she connects with. Then do another 10 cards and then go through another spine or some fiction, something to flesh it out memorably.

 

Has she ever made a timeline? My issue was that nobody ever explained to me that things were happening CONCURRENTLY. Somehow I took the whole timeline thing very literally, like it was a line, nothing overlapping, kwim? So any process that let's her figure that out can be good. 

 

History people like the story of history, the narrative, the details. Does she LIKE the details and want them? Or is she asking for help to get the chronology organized in her mind?

 

Walch Powerbasics has interesting assignments in their world history workbook. You could use something like that to flesh out a lower level approach (straight facts) and pump it up with more analysis, more application, more synthesis.

 

I'm definitely not saying use the VP elementary sequence alone. I'm saying it's a really good organizing tool as part of an overall approach that is balanced out with other ways to bring in analysis, synthesis, etc. Like she could do the cards, do the extension reading on the topic, and then read something modern day about that topic or geographical location (sort of a where are they now...)

She never connected with history AT ALL, as in it made no sense to her and held no interest for her, until she started taking Art History classes that included actually learning how to do the art they were studying.  It was amazing how suddenly connections were made that were never made before by simply focusing on the images being created in that time frame and then being taught to link those images to the history occurring in general during that time period.

 

We had done timelines but that meant literally nothing to her conceptually when she was younger.  Now?  It might mean more.  I agree, most history material doesn't seem to be good at making it clear many things happen concurrently.  Or that what happened before, even hundreds of years before, can affect what is happening in the time period being studied. 

 

As far as I can tell she processes primarily in images.  Basically she is always kind of translating from spoken or written language into images.  Unlike me, who actually sometimes even sees in my head the words others are speaking.  I am so text/language based.  She is not.  Details might work but details tied to images would work better.  She does like music but music tends to create images in her head that she links the music to.

 

On a side note, she has some sort of mild synesthesia.  Certain words have a taste to her.  Sometimes that helps her remember things.

[PeterPan]

Yes, history approaches are usually developed by history lovers, and having lived with these people (ugh), I can tell you they like narratives. They like details, the stories, the fractal (never ending detail) nature of it. For someone like me, that means it's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to wrap my brain around!

 

So the shortcircuits that by reducing everything they need to know to a sequence of cards with no more than say 10 details per card. Boom, done. I can remember a sequence of cards. The cards have pictures of classical art, btw. So VP as the spine makes the history finite, quantified.

 

Yes, that is exactly what you should be doing, letting her explore history through her particular interests. So maybe take the VP cards and find engaging resources in a variety of genres at a reading level that is appropriate to her, and use those with the cards. I'm being vague here, sorry. I have pictures in my mind. Like explore a variety of genres. For instance, my stepfather, who was a curator at a museum, had this book on how art thieves and art forgers work. She would like that, so you pick a time period (range of the VP cards) to assign that to. Then you find some weird book that is a romance or a book of poetry or I don't know that happens to involve art history. A variety of genres, things intelligent people read. Get the books on audio for all it matters.

 

For writing, she can make a response essay log, yes. You could get in her writing a totally different way that is easier to keep track of. I'm really in the idiotproof camp, honestly. so me, I'd just do response journal for the reading and then do current events writings weekly for a country/region featured in the cards. So like while doing the cards for Egypt, hello, read and write about news events in Egypt.

 

I'm just kinda idiotproof like that. That's the kind of thing I did with my dd, because I could keep track of it. Maybe you're looking for something more sophisticated, like a curriculum with prompts? Closest thing would be Oak Meadow's world history. You could look at it. 

 

Yes, once my dd was old enough to sort it out, she realized she was having synesthesia. But my dd is a history lover, hehe. Temple Grandin talks about thinking styles. I think that's totally legit to say the visual is strong for her.

Edited February 23, 2018 by PeterPan

[OneStepAtATime]

Thanks.  I am definitely taking note and thinking this through.  Your support is very helpful.

 

I must admit History was so boring to me in school.  I did not understand why my parents loved history so much.  Then I started learning it with DS, who REALLY gets history, and it was so much fun.  But he loves the narrative and the tapestry and the connections and was able to help me see those.  It wasn't just some boring linear list of dates and events.  DD never could see those connections, though, and she got so frustrated and kind of demoralized that we were having fun and it didn't make any sense to her.  Doing Art History opened up things for her that had never made sense before and she loved it but honestly it was also really fun for me, too.  I hope we can recreate that fun now.  She wants to do a lot of this on her own, though, so I don't know how much she will let me be involved.  We do a lot of stuff together already.  

 

Thanks for the ideas.  I really appreciate it.

[Pen]

Don't know anything about online with accountability.

 

But suggest looking at KhanAcademy videos on history including art history, and using a lot of history related documentaries. They get particularly good once in the 20th century with actual footage available, but can still be good for things like Greek and Roman times as recreations and explanations. "Connections" and others by Burke may be more suited to your son, but your daughter might also like them, and it is a different way of thinking about history. "How We Got to Now" PBS series.

 

If she has not been through SOTW, going through it, probably on audio, might be worthwhile even though she is old for it. It would give at least some sense of the span of history from nomads to end of USSR.

 

National Geographic has some good well illustrated history books.

 

I think the Critical Thinking Company's books on world history (only available for the earlier parts when I last looked) might be approachable for her age and stage. She could do the written work and correct it herself.

 

I like JM Roberts and Arne Westad's Penguin World History (very long and also available in audio forms), but they may be way too hard for her even in audio form.

[OneStepAtATime]

Thanks Pen.  I will look into those and talk it over with DD.  I appreciate the feedback.

[geodob]

Perhaps you could look more broadly at human history, starting with the Neanderthals?

Where just 2 days ago. It was announced that scientists had discovered cave paintings made by Neanderthals, 64,000 years ago.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/neanderthals-artists-cave-paintings-decorated-shells-ancient-humans-discovery-a8223341.html

[OneStepAtATime]

Perhaps you could look more broadly at human history, starting with the Neanderthals?

Where just 2 days ago. It was announced that scientists had discovered cave paintings made by Neanderthals, 64,000 years ago.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/neanderthals-artists-cave-paintings-decorated-shells-ancient-humans-discovery-a8223341.html

Ah, that's very interesting!  We haven't done much with truly ancient human history.  She might really find that fascinating.

 

I was also considering blending World and American History, starting with World History and as we hit the discovery of the Americas then just keep going but include more details on American History since she has not done as much with American History.  Plus, as PeterPan pointed out, things happen simultaneously but at least when I was in school American History was treated like this thing that happened separately, in a vacuum, and World HIstory was "other" but in fact much of what happened in the United States and North America was occuring because of what was happening elsewhere.  SWB materials would work as part of that.  I was considering using art in general (including architecture and music) as the jumping off point, though. 

 

Theoretically we would have two years to cover the material.

[PeterPan]

The thing is, don't go all history on her. Like don't start doing narrative history, just because she's finally interested in some piece of it. Stick to small chunks that fit exactly what she's engaging with. Don't try to teach her history. What she's really wanting to do is build her own internal timeline using something she finds interesting enough to create pegs with. 

 

Have you looked for a timeline specific to the history of art?

[PeterPan]

VP usually has art books to go with the cards listed by year in their catalog. You can look for fiction or adult level books on those people/topics. Or use movies. Like there's a Charleton Heston movie on some art dude. Surely you're learning some history in that. Then you create virtual fieldtrips or travel brochures or look at then/now books for the place/thing.

 

Don't try to do to her (by creating some big paradigm and progression) what her brain is trying to do for itself. Figure out how her brain is trying to organize the material, and roll with that.

 

[PeterPan]

Art History Timeline  Ok, see ths chart? In the 4th column it gives you the big history words (historical events) you could hit. Then you could look at TOG to see what they sell for those years or think about what movies. Like I look at that list, and I think you could find interesting movies for almost all those. 

 

WTM in the upper levels I think says to do parallel timelines so they can see relationships. So you can make/buy a big history of art timeline together but have more lines running for tech, wars, economic systems, social systems, whatever interests her. Then she can see the relationships between them. You know the Orson Welles comment in The Third Man about the development of art...

 

A Point of View: Are tyrants good for art? - BBC News

Edited February 24, 2018 by PeterPan

[OneStepAtATime]

Art History Timeline  Ok, see ths chart? In the 4th column it gives you the big history words (historical events) you could hit. Then you could look at TOG to see what they sell for those years or think about what movies. Like I look at that list, and I think you could find interesting movies for almost all those. 

 

WTM in the upper levels I think says to do parallel timelines so they can see relationships. So you can make/buy a big history of art timeline together but have more lines running for tech, wars, economic systems, social systems, whatever interests her. Then she can see the relationships between them. You know the Orson Welles comment in The Third Man about the development of art...

 

A Point of View: Are tyrants good for art? - BBC News

Hey love the chart.  I already have a copy printed out to look over and see how we can use it.  Thanks for the ongoing suggestions!  

[Pen]

Docu film:

 

Art Made the World

[PeterPan]

The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) - IMDb

 

That's the movie I was remembering. You'll find movies for almost every event on that list. When I used to have a lot of health problems, I sat around watching tons of movies. :D  So literally, like you'll find high quality, engaging movies, something with big stars (not cheesy). 

[OneStepAtATime]

LOL.  DD and I are going to become couch potatoes.  :)

[PeterPan]

Cultured couch potatoes. :D

[OneStepAtATime]

Cultured couch potatoes. :D

You betcha!   :laugh:

[Pen]

By the way, I saw your planning for next year thread on the middle and high school challenges area, but am replying here to that thread and this. HighNoonBooks has books for US History, US Government, Civics, and some books (though less) for World History and World Cultures that are meant for high school and junior high school students who have to have US History etc. to graduate high school (or pass citizenship exams), but are not reading at a high school level. (no economics books sfaik) Most sets have high school level content at around 5th grade reading level. Some sets are set up like graphic novels with color graphics to tell part of the story. We have never used them, but they are supposed to be excellent for people who need them, or supposedly even just for adults who want a basic good review but are not history buffs and don't want to deal with a whole dense textbook. My guess is that your dd would be able to read these on her own without mom assistance.

[OneStepAtATime]

By the way, I saw your planning for next year thread on the middle and high school challenges area, but am replying here to that thread and this. HighNoonBooks has books for US History, US Government, Civics, and some books (though less) for World History and World Cultures that are meant for high school and junior high school students who have to have US History etc. to graduate high school (or pass citizenship exams), but are not reading at a high school level. (no economics books sfaik) Most sets have high school level content at around 5th grade reading level. Some sets are set up like graphic novels with color graphics to tell part of the story. We have never used them, but they are supposed to be excellent for people who need them, or supposedly even just for adults who want a basic good review but are not history buffs and don't want to deal with a whole dense textbook. My guess is that your dd would be able to read these on her own without mom assistance.

Sorry I didn't respond directly earlier, Pen.  I am out of town and internet is erratic.  Thank you for the response.  Actually DD reads at grade level.  Decoding and fluency are really good now.  Her eyesight and processing speed issues can cause her to fatigue while reading long passages, though.  She does better with larger print and lots of white space and no distractions while she reads, but most reading material is not presented in that format. 

 

I hadn't thought about High Noon books for those subjects, honestly.  I will definitely look into it.  Having things to read that she doesn't have to work as hard at might be great supplemental materials.  I really appreciate your suggestion.

[Pen]

The HN books probably have bigger white space between lines (sort of like Divergent) and line length that tends to make them easier to visually track, than many books. But I don't think the fonts are large by their 4th and 5th grade reading level books. --------------------

 

The Critical Thinking Co book I mentioned did have largish print.-------------------------

 

The type size in the Hakim US History series was also big as I recall. If your dd did not feel talked down to by it's tone, that could be a pleasant option to just read and might help with that sense of the sweep of time since it is written for people who might not yet have studied a lot of history.

[Guest2]

We are kind of enjoying watching homeschool connection videos . There are Memoria Press books and that go with them. (Or at least the one we are doing right now. )Phillip Campbell is pretty good. There are quite a few in the series. We started with Ancient Greek history , but there is one before that which would prob ly fit the time frame. It is Egypt/Persia/Mesopotania though, so if might not be what you are looking for.

You can pick and choose time periods. It is a really nice lunchtime activity with a bit of reading and an online quiz. My kids are not big history buffs, but the one we are watching holds their attention. The reading assignments are fairly short but review some of what is on the video and help to solidify the learning. I know that I am learning a lot:)

 

Edit after rereading op post. Somehow, I missed the part about Egypt.

Edited March 9, 2018 by Silver Brook

[ktgrok]

 

As far as I can tell she processes primarily in images.  Basically she is always kind of translating from spoken or written language into images.  Unlike me, who actually sometimes even sees in my head the words others are speaking.  I am so text/language based.  She is not.  Details might work but details tied to images would work better.  She does like music but music tends to create images in her head that she links the music to.

 

On a side note, she has some sort of mild synesthesia.  Certain words have a taste to her.  Sometimes that helps her remember things.

 

What about using documentaries then? Ken Burns ones are very visual, often using still pictures that the camera just pans over.  (I think they actually call that the Ken Burns technique now, lol)

 

There are SO many, that you could do a great year of just ken burns documentaries, hitting the big events and maybe using a timeline with it. 

 

Otherwise, Notgrass is a history text that doesn't have too much complicated language, has a workbook you can use or not, has ideas for projects for more creative types instead of just papers and such, and has a great companion book full of things like songs, poetry, letters, photos, etc. 

[suenos]

Hi OneStep - I don't know how old your DD is - so these might be too below her level - also, they wouldn't be comprehensive - but you might check out the YouTube channels - the'd be a fun supplement at least:

 

Crash Course World History   and/or Extra History 

 

Crash Course World History has a free curriculum to go with it:  http://thecrashcourse.com/curriculum/world-history.html