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I love the 4-year history cycle as outlined in WTM, and this has been a constant in our homeschool since the beginning 8 years ago.

For those of you who adhere to the 4-year cycle, how do you fit in an extra study?

For example, I love the idea of Notgrass for a year for my rising 6th grader and letting the rising 4th and 2nd tag along.  Or possibly doing SL Core F (the Eastern Hemisphere study). Or doing a fun geography and cultures year with all of my kiddos.

Where do you add those in?  How do you decide which year to replace in the 4-year cycle?

(We're currently doing bare bones Biblioplan, and I don't feel like I can add anything else to our day.  With 1 child in private school, 3 homeschooled kiddos, and a 15-month tornado, I'm already doing school solidly from 9-4 most days. I can't add in one more thing and still stay sane.  So I'd have to replace something.)

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I haven't replaced anything, but I have scaled back or added to for what I call big history years. 2 years ago in the cycle for us is an example. At that time in the WTM we were up to year 8, logic stage modern history.  I wanted to do a more American History focus, but didn't want to totally neglect World History since an understanding of what what was happening in the world would make the American side make more sense. But at the same time, I wanted to cover state history since it would fall into American History time period. 

So we stuck to the WTM cycle, but scaled back on the world history part. We did  not stick totally stick to doing the whole logic stage work- reading the whole encyclopedia and outlinining, etc. I still read SOTW aloud as an intro to most of our topics, but not all chapters. Also I wanted to add in a JackDaws packet as talked about in WTM. So we stuck to the ideas of WTM and even some of the work, but no way day in and day out could we outline the KHE every week, do a geography coloring book page every week, read additional books and write summaries of World History, American History, and State History. So we did one big course. We did one month of a Jackdaws portfolio which covered the Revolution and Constitution. We read relevant chapters from SOTW and a few other books. No outlining or summaries there. We did activities from the Jackdaws. 

We did monthly field trips around our state. The kids wrote speeches for a co-op speech class and gave presentations on state history. We learned our state song by checking out a CD and playing it in the car. We created a separate state history notebook.

So now, in high school, state history is not going to be a one semester class instead of something else. Because we did such an in depth logic stage state history, now it is just ongoing. We did a field trip recently. I had the kids make a notebook page on the topic and add to that state history notebook we created back then. When we get back to modern history, we will read some state history alongside (or do one semester state and one American or something.)  My state also requires a government credit, so we will add that on to our American History year too. I don't really intend to separate stuff. When we are up to American History we will stop to read and study the constitution, that type of thing. We will read government texts or our chosen spines alongside it. I will separate it all out for credits, but the chronological stuff just keeps going and overlapping. 

We will add to our history notebooks over the summer with flyers and pictures from our vacations and field trips. Mine have taken little classes at state convention on government that were a couple days' worth of government on how a bill becomes a law. I plan to do some studying and visit our state senators when our state homeschool group holds a capital day. I may have my dd shadow a senator for a day. They complete girl scout badges which include a govenment one at every level. In the end that will all add up in little bits to their required government credit.  I do not plan to do a separate geography credit. We just study that alongside history.

 

***** ETA my plan for high school credits will be a 3 years of World History, 1 ancients, 1 Medieval, 1 Renaissance, then 1 American History semester, 1 state history semester, and 1 government semester. The state and goverment studies will be accumulated hours over the course of more than one year.   That is the plan. It is possible that we end up doing a lot more literature and instead give a Great Books credit for Renaissance than history credit that year on top of the English credit for literature and composition and grammar. We will see how the year pans out. And I need to review the scholarship requirements that we are going for to make sure that one semester of Am. is enough or if we need a full year and so on. But as of right now, halfway through high school that is the plan. My dd has 2 World History credits 1 Ancients, 1 Medieval so far and accumulated hours for Am. Government and State history. Spreading those out over the next two years as we go makes those easy to do. 

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We also use Biblioplan.  We schedule our family read aloud (usually from BP's Family Guide) at bedtime along with a daily Bible reading.  We schedule history 3 days per week.  We use SOTW audio CDs, SOTW Activity Guide for discussion & maps, and the Family Guide for independent book selections.  My high schooler reads the Companion on her own.  We end our lesson with quiet reading time from the "literature readings" section of the Family Guide. 

I have managed to fit in Memoria Press' Classical Studies in our scheduled literature time slot 1-2 days per week.  Two of my kids are going through D'Aulaire's Greek Myths and two are using their Book of Ancient Greeks/Iliad/Odyssey study.  It's not a full program like SL, but it's fitting into our day okay. 

My tentative plan for history next year is to use SOTW & maps on day 1, Kingfisher/Usborne with outline/summary on day 2 (or another writing assignment), and an activity or two on day 3 (timeline/video/project).  We'll see how it goes!

 

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2 Girls Mommy - That was such a thorough explanation! Thank you! My brain is slowly thinking through middle school and high school.  It was very helpful to read how you've planned.

MerryatHope - "Do what works for your family"  Yes! Totally agree. ? Just trying to think through what that might look like in practical terms.

Holly - Oh my... How in the world do you tackle all of the history (and accompanying activities) at night? By about 4pm, I am done with the day and can't fathom taking that on the evenings.  So you're looking at moving away from BP next year?  Or adding the Day 1, 2, and 3 plans into the BP mix?

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We just do a read aloud and Bible reading at night.  We do 3R's in the morning and alternate history & science in the afternoon.  I'm exhausted by 4 too!  lol  We don't have TV (except streaming), so I don't mind reading in the evenings.  It only takes 30 minutes tops. 

I think for next year we'll just use the Family Guide and Companion, so we'll lightly be using BP.  I purchased a bunch of different BP books this winter because I wasn't sure what we'd like.  We haven't used many of them so far, except the guide & textbook.  I prefer the maps & coloring pages in the SOTW activity guide. 

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I’m only planning to get through the 4 year history cycle twice with each child. We did a little US History here and there the first few years and then started SOTW when they were 4th, 2nd, 1st, and K4. (I think. It might have been the year before.) We’re finishing SOTW volume 4 today, so it’s taken 5, or maybe 6, years to go through SOTW. Next year we’re doing US History with Notgrass - Exploring America for the 9th grader, and America the Beautiful for the younger 3. Then, my tentative plan is for my oldest to use History Revealed for her last three years of high school (Diana Waring’s three year world history course). I’d like to do a world geography year with my younger three for 2019/2020, maybe MFW ECC. That’ll bring me to high school with DD #2 and I’m thinking she’ll do HR for 9th-11th, then Notgrass US History for 12th. This is all tentative, of course. I can really only plan one year at a time.

Basically, if I cover some US and some World history in K-8th and then again at a high school level in 9th-12th I’m happy. If I my goal is roughly 8 years of world history and two years of US history, that allows two extra years for spreading things out (SOTW in 5 years instead of 4, for example), or doing a something different for a year like civics, geography, or world religions and cultures. I like that Diana Waring’s world history is three years and Notgrass has a one year course that could be stretch to two. Sonlight has a lot of options too. There’s lots of flexibility for fitting it all in. 

 

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History is not a favorite subject in my house, especially with my ds. So after finally finishing SOTW 4, I decided we all needed a break from history and decided to do world geography in 5th. In 6th, I combined ancient & middle ages to "catch up". I wasn't really happy with the outcome that year. I feel like ds didn't really learn anything. For 7th & 8th, he's back with SOTW 3 and 4. In high school, I plan to go the traditional route of 1 year American, 1 year world, and 1 year gov/econ. 

With my dd, I started off in 1st with a light American history and then started the cycle in 2nd. We are going at a slower pace to make sure we have time to read all the good books, so I expect we won't be finished with SOTW 4 until about 6th grade. That leaves 7th and 8th open for either American + World history or, what I'm leaning towards - American and world geography. 

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On 5/22/2018 at 9:46 PM, Holly said:

We just do a read aloud and Bible reading at night.  We do 3R's in the morning and alternate history & science in the afternoon.  I'm exhausted by 4 too!  lol  We don't have TV (except streaming), so I don't mind reading in the evenings.  It only takes 30 minutes tops. 

I think for next year we'll just use the Family Guide and Companion, so we'll lightly be using BP.  I purchased a bunch of different BP books this winter because I wasn't sure what we'd like.  We haven't used many of them so far, except the guide & textbook.  I prefer the maps & coloring pages in the SOTW activity guide. 

 

Ah!  Okay, I understand now.  I think I read your first post with very tired eyes, and just didn't catch that you only did the read aloud and Bible portion in the evenings. ?

Yes, I really like the maps and coloring pages better in SOTW AG as well.  The maps are so crisp and clean.  Even my 1st grader has learned a TON of geography using those maps!

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On 5/23/2018 at 9:13 AM, 2ndGenHomeschooler said:

I’m only planning to get through the 4 year history cycle twice with each child. We did a little US History here and there the first few years and then started SOTW when they were 4th, 2nd, 1st, and K4. (I think. It might have been the year before.) We’re finishing SOTW volume 4 today, so it’s taken 5, or maybe 6, years to go through SOTW. Next year we’re doing US History with Notgrass - Exploring America for the 9th grader, and America the Beautiful for the younger 3. Then, my tentative plan is for my oldest to use History Revealed for her last three years of high school (Diana Waring’s three year world history course). I’d like to do a world geography year with my younger three for 2019/2020, maybe MFW ECC. That’ll bring me to high school with DD #2 and I’m thinking she’ll do HR for 9th-11th, then Notgrass US History for 12th. This is all tentative, of course. I can really only plan one year at a time.

Basically, if I cover some US and some World history in K-8th and then again at a high school level in 9th-12th I’m happy. If I my goal is roughly 8 years of world history and two years of US history, that allows two extra years for spreading things out (SOTW in 5 years instead of 4, for example), or doing a something different for a year like civics, geography, or world religions and cultures. I like that Diana Waring’s world history is three years and Notgrass has a one year course that could be stretch to two. Sonlight has a lot of options too. There’s lots of flexibility for fitting it all in. 

 

 

I really appreciate you typing this all out! It helps me wrap my brain around what my possibilities are with my multiple ages to consider.

I'm going to put your plan in a spreadsheet (just as a framework), and then see what that translates to for us.

I, also, really have my eye on some type of world geography course! Trying to research and find one that might fit for us.

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22 hours ago, Milknhoney said:

History is not a favorite subject in my house, especially with my ds. So after finally finishing SOTW 4, I decided we all needed a break from history and decided to do world geography in 5th. In 6th, I combined ancient & middle ages to "catch up". I wasn't really happy with the outcome that year. I feel like ds didn't really learn anything. For 7th & 8th, he's back with SOTW 3 and 4. In high school, I plan to go the traditional route of 1 year American, 1 year world, and 1 year gov/econ. 

With my dd, I started off in 1st with a light American history and then started the cycle in 2nd. We are going at a slower pace to make sure we have time to read all the good books, so I expect we won't be finished with SOTW 4 until about 6th grade. That leaves 7th and 8th open for either American + World history or, what I'm leaning towards - American and world geography. 

 

Any ideas on what you'll use for world geography? I'm just researching options now, especially for my rising 6th grader.  I can adapt it to fit my rising 4th and rising 2nd.

Thank you for replying! SUPER helpful to see what your plan through high school looks like.

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1 hour ago, MamaHill said:

Any ideas on what you'll use for world geography? I'm just researching options now, especially for my rising 6th grader.  I can adapt it to fit my rising 4th and rising 2nd.

 

I used Trail Guide to World Geography with my ds. I'm not sure whether or not I would recommend it. I found it extremely frustrating, although it got a lot better once I learned that I needed to buy the recommended atlas (that's where all the answers to the questions are... so not any atlas will do). It would have been even better had I owned a set of encyclopedias. I will probably still use it again with dd just because I already own it, but I might break down and buy an encyclopedia CD-ROM. It has its good points too, so if after looking at all your options you want more information about it, let me know!

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1 hour ago, LauraBeth475 said:

Would a summer study be a good way to add in those extra topics for your family?

Good idea! We’ve used summer studies to get in subjects that don’t seem like they’d need a full year. I try to keep it light and fun. This year we’re doing Beautiful Feet Geography as an intro to next school year’s US History study. We might not get through all of it but we should be able to make it through the US Geography part. Maybe something like that would help you (original poster) get in some of those “extras”. 

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Milknhoney - I'll take a look at Trail Guide.  I've looked at the in the past and decided that it wouldn't work for us, but I don't recall now what my reasoning was. ?  I'll let you know if I have questions once I look over it again. THank you!

LauraBeth and 2ndGen - I LOVE LOVE the idea of doing a lighter-type study over the summer.  Typically, we take off 6 weeks during the summer, and then school the rest.  However, we have just moved in the past 3 weeks.  While putting our house on the market and the actual moving process, we lost weeks (and I mean weeks) of school time.  So sadly (for me!), we are doing heavy school throughout the whole summer. Boo.  On a typical year, that would be a great suggestion for us! I'll tuck it away for another year when I'm not trying so hard to play catch up. ?

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  • 2 weeks later...

We came to homeschooling late and began in 7th grade.  We allowed my daughter the decision of whether or not to homeschool each year, so we took things on a year by year basis.  I'd describe our homeschooling as WTM inspired; however, I elected to do a three year run through world history.

In 7th grade, my daughter covered Pre-history to about AD500.
In 8th grade, my daughter studied the time period AD500 to about AD1700.
In 9th, she did an at home WTM inspired world history study of the time period from 1700 to 2000.  

Ninth grade was the last year she did history at home.

In 10th, she took an out of the home AP US History class which used Bailey's American Pageant.

In 11th grade, my daughter had an out of the home AP Comparative Gov't and Politics class.

Her interests in high school led her to emphasize foreign languages at the expense of history; there were only so many hours in a day! Her high school record looked like this:

9th: World History from 1700 to 2000 (at home, the third year of her chronological sweep through history)
10th: AP US History (out of the home class)
11th: AP Comparative Politics and Government (out of the home class)

You might not classify it as history, but she also did

12th: Art History (quarter long class at the community college)

We had access to excellent AP teachers at a free homeschooling resource center, and that was part of what decided our history choices during the high school years.

Regards,
Kareni

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On 6/5/2018 at 12:54 AM, Kareni said:

We came to homeschooling late and began in 7th grade.  We allowed my daughter the decision of whether or not to homeschool each year, so we took things on a year by year basis.  I'd describe our homeschooling as WTM inspired; however, I elected to do a three year run through world history.

In 7th grade, my daughter covered Pre-history to about AD500.
In 8th grade, my daughter studied the time period AD500 to about AD1700.
In 9th, she did an at home WTM inspired world history study of the time period from 1700 to 2000.  

Ninth grade was the last year she did history at home.

In 10th, she took an out of the home AP US History class which used Bailey's American Pageant.

In 11th grade, my daughter had an out of the home AP Comparative Gov't and Politics class.

Her interests in high school led her to emphasize foreign languages at the expense of history; there were only so many hours in a day! Her high school record looked like this:

9th: World History from 1700 to 2000 (at home, the third year of her chronological sweep through history)
10th: AP US History (out of the home class)
11th: AP Comparative Politics and Government (out of the home class)

You might not classify it as history, but she also did

12th: Art History (quarter long class at the community college)

We had access to excellent AP teachers at a free homeschooling resource center, and that was part of what decided our history choices during the high school years.

Regards,
Kareni

 

Kareni, it's incredibly helpful for me to read how others choose to sequence their studies.  Thank you so much for taking the time to list yours! 

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15 minutes ago, MamaHill said:

Kareni, it's incredibly helpful for me to read how others choose to sequence their studies.  Thank you so much for taking the time to list yours! 

You are quite welcome, MamaHill.  Wishing you well as you go forward!

Regards,
Kareni

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