Country Girl Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I am having a hard time figuring out what to use for history next year. My ds will be 7 and in 2nd grade. This year we've been doing a light year of Am. History. I'm not really set on a time period (although see my other question about this at the bottom), I'd be willing to do Am His. again or start into the chronological 4yr (or 3-yr) cycle. What is more important to me, is finding a curriculum that I can work with and that will be interesting. My ideal history curriculum.... 1. Even though I love the idea of using real books, I don't have very good access to a library. So, realistically, I need a text/storybook format that contains most of the needed information. I want to be able to sit down on the couch and read an interesting account of history. I would love it if it also included suggested supplemental reading for those times I can get to a library or when I decide to splurge and buy a book to own. 2. Discussion/narration questions 3. Map and timeline activities 4. Optional activities for those extra ambitious times I feel like cooking an authentic dish, building a model of a pyramid, etc. but that could be skipped whenever I didn't want to do them:rolleyes: SOTW looks like it would be about perfect, format wise, but I'm skeptical about using it with my son. From some of the things I've read, I think some of the content may not fit what I'm looking for. I don't think we are ready to get into the specifics of ancients gods/goddesses, Greek mythology, etc. I don't mind talking about the fact that there are other gods that people believed in, I just don't really want to study the specifics of them. Any suggestions on a curriculum that might fit the bill? My other question pertains to the time period we will study next year. My son has expressed an interest in studying knights, castles, etc. In my mind, I can rationalize studying Am His. or doing a chronological (4-yr rotation) study, but starting in the middle :eek: This just seems crazy to me, but then I'm not 6 :D So, what are your thoughts on starting somewhere in the middle of the 4-yr rotation. The positive I see is that it is interest led and might make it more enjoyable (for the both of us). Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I know you have reservations, but I think SOTW would be perfect for you. Within most of the ancient cultures that are studied, one or two stories that were integral to the world view of that culture are told. They're presented as stories told by that culture, and you can easily filter how your child views them. There aren't a lot of details about Greco-Roman gods -- a little bit of information, but if you wanted very much, you'd need a supplemental book (which you could easily skip at this point). And Christian children tend to do a great job of understanding the difference between ancient polytheistic religions and the Hebrew monotheism that is the basis for their faith. Anyway, I think you should look more closely at SOTW. Sometimes when I read reviews at Amazon, places like that, I'm thoroughly convinced some of the reviewers have never even *seen* the book they're talking about, much less read it. ;) This seems to be especially true for reviews of SOTW, lol... As for "starting in the middle" with a 6yo, I think it's totally okay. :) You'll go back through history several times over, and he'll get whatever he missed. Most kids, even when they've done a very chronological study of history in grades 1-4, don't have a really solid grasp of that chronology till they're a little older anyway. I think chronological history is a *nice* way to do history -- but it's not the only way, and especially not in the early elementary years. Why not start with something he's dying to learn? Now if you skip to the middle ages, you might want to look for something other than SOTW, or you may find yourselves "out of your depth" in a year or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 My first inclination was Sonlight, because they have the real books and spines for you so you don't need acess to the library. They also include great plans, discussion questions, maps and timeline activities, but not a whole lot of hands on projects. My second thought was SOTW and the AG with it, but then you have the library problem. You could easily skip the chapters on gods/goddesses, since there are 42 chapters and if you do a chapter a week you will have 6 extra chapters. After considering the two, I'd suggest what we are doing next year, blending the two! You could order a Core from Sonlight and instead of their spines(such as CHOW), use SOTW along with the AG. It's a little work on your part, but might solve the problem. We are doing Core 1 with SOTW 1 next year and I'd be happy to share what I've put together so far if you decide to go that way. Then where to start...I don't think it matters at this age your just trying to fill him with information. If he enjoys castles and knights, start with SOTW-2 and Core 2, just make sure you cover the four history rotations over the next four years. Hope that helps, PM if you have more questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakven Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 personally, i'd suggest you go ahead and use SOTW and just omit the offensive chapters. I dont' think that would affect the flow of the curriculum. I personally, found SOTW a LOT easier to use than sonlight, but then i come from a place of schooling lots of olders with some youngers also so reading aloud so much was hard for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Have been struggling with that same issue here... I will have third grade and second grade... You might want to look at Heart of Dakota: Bigger Hearts program. This is an American History program- it is not classical and does not include world history- however, it does basically teach from two or three storybooks for the core of history: A First American History, Stories of Great Americans, The Story of the Wright Brothers and their Sister, and Journeys in Time. You will not approach gods/myths/etc. It includes timeline and notebook ideas, etc. It is just another option for you to consider. Regarding Knights, etc. You might want to look at Yesterday's Classics and just pick out a history book of that time period that would cover those things in story form to add into your history time? Just a thought... or you could look at Ambleside online and see what read alouds they suggest that correspond to that time period... As an added thing to research- if you want: Living Books Curriculum sells a Middle Ages study guide that you could purchase and use as a stand alone for that time period- but that would not meet your goal of using basically one spine. Just some thoughts! Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Do SOTW2 for the middle ages and be done with it. He's interested, so it's the right time. He'll be interested in pyramids and mummies at some point later, and you can do those then. You do NOT have to do things totally in order. Kids that age have little sense of time and just enjoy it all as stories. I'd study the middle ages while his interest is ripe!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I did a year of 'interesting bits from history' before I started SOTW. We did knights and castles plus Ancient Egypt. Then the next year we started at the beginning of SOTW 1. The bits and pieces year just whet his appetite. I didn't use a curriculum for that: one big trip to the library for each topic and you are set for weeks of fun (so long as you can renew on-line). Some tips for middle ages: Castle by David Macauley and Castle Diary. For Egypt there are tons of books, but the picture book Pepi and the Names was fun. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted February 15, 2008 Author Share Posted February 15, 2008 Thank you all for your thoughts and opinions! You all made me feel better about SOTW. It really is exactly what I'm looking for in format. From your comments, it seems like it wouldn't be that hard to work around any material I don't want to cover. Either that, or I could just start with Middle Ages and "be done with it" like Oh Elizabeth said. That would take advantage of my son's interest and give me the program format I'm looking for. Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I think you will LOVE SOTW!!! I loved having the chapters in the book on what others believed because it allowed us to talk about the differences. You don't have to "study" the myths (although you won't get much of that in SOTW 2), you can just give an overview. SOTW lends itself to do that easily. I always sing the praises of SOTW because I credit it with giving my kids the love of history that they have now (3rd and 5th). It is a great program!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 We managed to "skip" the actual gods and goddesses and so on....so much so that I wondered if I'd done them a disservice. (After all, literature is peppered with references to them) All in good time... We did study the Bible alongside Ancients, as closely as we could. So the kids got an excellent grounding in the Old Testament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 My 6 yo is not fond of studying the gods and goddesses. She barely tolerates me reading about them. I think it's good practice for her to understand that others believe other things. She always reminds me of her opinion on the gods and goddesses every. single. time I read her a story about them. I wouldn't have to read them to her, but her sisters like to hear them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted February 16, 2008 Author Share Posted February 16, 2008 Thanks everyone for their thoughts on this issue. I'm still trying to figure everything out for sure but everyone's input has been helpful! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happykids Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 It has almost everything you're asking for and is written in a way that captures the kids' attention. ~Sabrina in NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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