SOTW 4 yr history cycle with 2 children?

[Gwenny]

How does everyone deal with history when you have 2 children. We haven't even started history (dd is 5) but I am already wondering how to do it when my ds (now 2) starts school. When my dd is on the modern era, my son will start 1st grade (age 6 by then).

 

Do you just start the 1st grader on modern times along with the 4th grader but watered down a bit? Or do you do two different time periods, Ancient and Modern? Is the modern SOTW too intense for a 6 yr old. I know we are no more violent than in the past, but the violence doesn't sound as bad when it is farther in the past.

 

I know a woman who also has kids 3 years apart, and she said she did the 4 year cycle in 3 years so they could start back on Ancients with her youngest. Her daughter wasn't nearly as interested in the modern times, so they skimmed through it at a faster pace. She plans to add 1 yr of American History for her daughter for the last yr.

 

Will I be cheating her if I do something similar? Or is it even possible to get through in 3 years? It seems so many love it and struggle to keep it 4 years instead of longer. I think we will probably do a lot of the extra projects and I don't want to skimp on it.

 

Thanks for any advice you might have,

Gwen

[Garga]

You fold the younger child in with where the older child is. Even though the younger won't have learned the earlier history, she'll still be learning in order from whatever point in hx you start. Then, you'll go back and start at the beginning. Most kids can understand that.

 

I read that somewhere in something written by SWB. Can't remember in which book.

[swellmomma]

I am figuring this out as I go. I teach my older 2 together, this year they are doing ancients, ds now 5 will do it in 2 years(we are not starting gr 1 with him until he is 7) by then they will be onto SOTW3. I have not tried to teach 2 different time periods at once, but I am sure it can be done with little stress. My bigger worry is once the 4th starts school. The older 2 will be doing medieval through Trisms, ds will be in SOTW4 and my littlest one will be doing SOTW1. I figure if I can figure out how to teach 2 time periods at once, 3 should be a peice of cake, at least by the time dd starts the cycle I will have been through it twice already.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

How does everyone deal with history when you have 2 children. We haven't even started history (dd is 5) but I am already wondering how to do it when my ds (now 2) starts school. When my dd is on the modern era, my son will start 1st grade (age 6 by then).

 

Do you just start the 1st grader on modern times along with the 4th grader but watered down a bit?

 

I have three kids (5 year old Kinder this year, 4 year old Pre-K, and 2.5 year old). So, with my first and last, I'm in a similar situtation. The Well-Trained Mind advocates folding the younger kids in as you cover history. However, that would make my youngest Kinder and 1st for Early Modern and Modern. Those are some pretty rough eras in history. In fact, Story of the World 1 was written for 1-4, SOTW 2 for 2-5, SOTW 3 for 3-6 and SOTW 4 for 4-8. I've protected the innocence of my older two and I feel the need to safeguard my little guy's heart a little longer. However, as a homescholing mom of three with a mere three year age difference between first and last, I have a strong desire to keep them in the same historic era.

 

For me, the solution has been to have my older two do two years of American history before starting the four years of world history with SOTW. So, my two oldest will do American history for 1st/K and 2nd/1st. Then we'll do Ancients at 3rd/2nd/K, Medieval at 4th/3rd/1st, Early Modern at 5th/4th/2nd and Modern at 6th/5th/3rd. Since my oldest is somewhat sensitive and my youngest seems quite brazen already, I think this will work out well for me.

 

Also, this gives me a chance to do another 2 year study of American history with my kids using Hakim's Story of US. Then my oldest will still have time for another 4 year world history cycle. So, instead of doing three four year cycles, I'll do two 2 year American history cycles and two 4 year world history cycles. I'm pretty happy with that, especially when I think of all the fun my kids will have being on the same page in history.

 

Good luck finding a good plan for yourself.

 

Kristina

[Rhondabee]

When my dd gets into 1st grade, we'll be in Year 3 of the history rotation. What I'm most likely going to do is use the Usborne History book - possibly even the white one with blue lettering (the old one) for her spine, rather than SOTW. And, supplement with lots of picture books from the library - there will be tons and tons of library books about culture and everyday life and simple biographies, as well as books that will deal with war in a non-frightening way.

 

You can easily use SOTW with your older one, while using Usborne with the younger (or both) - and the Activity Guide will give you the corresponding pages. Then, when you get back to Ancients, start SOTW with your younger.

 

btw - my boys are three years apart, and I often have to do lessons separately with them even when they are using the same materials (both are using SOTW-4 this year) because they just are not on the same level of thought. It is more time-consuming for me, but I prefer to meet each of them where they are. It makes for more peace for me. YMMV

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

my boys are three years apart, and I often have to do lessons separately with them even when they are using the same materials (both are using SOTW-4 this year) because they just are not on the same level of thought. It is more time-consuming for me, but I prefer to meet each of them where they are. It makes for more peace for me. YMMV

 

That's a really good point to make. Keeping my kids in the same era will make my life easier in that I (as teacher-mom) will only have to keep track of one historic era at a time. That means less of my brain power has to go toward teaching about two separate historic periods, which leaves more of my brain power to give individual time and attention to each child's ability level in the one era we're all studying simultaneously.

 

Also, supplemental materials to support SOTW can be chosen according to age and maturity. I can do picture books with my youngest and more in depth reading with my older kids, although my guess is that everyone will enjoy the picture books. I know I still do!

 

Kristina

Edited November 19, 2008 by Alte Veste Academy

[keptwoman]

DS (9) will be covering Modern when DD is in Gr 1.

I've decided to just hold her off for another year and start her history in Gr 2 at Ancients when DS will be on the 2nd go around.

[swellmomma]

Here's a bigger question on all that. I can see folding the younger one into the rotation, but what do you do when not only are you looking at different grades but different stages as well, by the time my youngest is in teh grammar stage my 3rd will be in the logic stage andmy oldest 2 in the rhetoric stage. With 4 years between #2 and #3 and then another 4 year until #4, there is 9 years between my oldest and my youngest, so the spread is wide. How do you fit everyone into studying 1 time frame at the same time, while making sure not only are you guarding the little ones from getting too much too soon but also ensuring you are providing enough challenging material for your olders? I do not anticipate my olders being able to be fully independant in their studies, though they may surprise me by then.

[Rhondabee]

I already have separate history assignments for my ds's - who are technically both in "logic" stage this year (5th and 8th). And, they don't necessarily work on history at the same time during the day.

 

We have had Read Aloud Time together in the past, and we do have family discussions about things. But, usually my oldest works fairly independently (too independently, sometimes!); and my younger needs lots of hand-holding as we move from simply narrating to outlining and writing coherent paragraphs.

 

I didn't ever think my oldest would be able to work independently, either! But, here we are. At some point, he figured out the routine, and then he realized he could work faster if Mom wasn't helping him. Big motivator! Also, the older they get the more independent reading and writing they do, and the longer their assignments take to complete. So, the times when both my boys are working - reading, writing, or doing math - I play with my daughter or (yikes!) even clean. Those will be the times in a few years when I sneak in her math or reading or history or whatever.

 

I'm sure the solution will come to you when the time arrives =)

[LindaOz]

I started the history rotation with my oldest two together and then folded in dd#3 when she was ready. I did the same for dd#4 but she really hasn't kept up with where we were in history and wasn't getting a lot out of it. So, recently, I separated #4 from the others and put her back in SOTW 1 and it is going SO much better. The sections are the right length for her, she's more interested and we can discuss and narrate just together.

 

DD#5 is doing early Australian history at the moment and may start SOTW next year. If so, she will start from the beginning. So, I have three separate history cycles happening but I'm finding it doable and much better being able to meet them on the level they are at.

 

Just my thoughts

Linda:001_smile:

[keptwoman]

Here's a bigger question on all that. I can see folding the younger one into the rotation, but what do you do when not only are you looking at different grades but different stages as well, by the time my youngest is in teh grammar stage my 3rd will be in the logic stage andmy oldest 2 in the rhetoric stage. With 4 years between #2 and #3 and then another 4 year until #4, there is 9 years between my oldest and my youngest, so the spread is wide. How do you fit everyone into studying 1 time frame at the same time, while making sure not only are you guarding the little ones from getting too much too soon but also ensuring you are providing enough challenging material for your olders? I do not anticipate my olders being able to be fully independant in their studies, though they may surprise me by then.

Thats the same as the spread in our house. 9 years.

Both boys are doing Middle Ages this year. I have worked out what they are doing so that they are covering vaguely the same things at the same time. But they work completely seperately. However the bonus of having them both studying the same time period is the conversations that happen which wouldn't happen if they were learning about completely different periods. So that's why I will continue to do it this way. They will all end up working on completely different programs but the alignment in time period will help create discussion.

[Melissa in Australia]

I have been homeschooling for 4 years, so I started everyone off in SOTW ancients. the older ones just do a little extra, with kingfisher etc. next year ds5 will join in for the start of ancients, dd8 and ds11 will start SOTW over again. and the older two ds 14 and ds13 will move on to the rhetoric history , study of great books etc..

This way everyone will be in the same time roughly. I wouldn't be able to handle having everyone in a different history time period.

[prairiegirl]

I keep everyone together. I don't have the time nor the energy to do two seperate history times. We were doing Vol.3 with SOTW when my ds (my middle one) was in Gr. 1. He was not ready to do history at that time. So I waited until this year --Gr.2-- to fold him in. We are finishing up SOTW 4 right now. I'm glad that I waited because he is handling history well now. I only require that he listens to the reading and then gives me a short narration.

 

If you are concerned about doing Modern History with your Gr. 1 child, then I would just wait until the next year to do Ancients with him.

[sagira]

My two children are four years apart. We're going to have ds (my oldest) doing SOTW1 with no company next year (dd will be 2), then SOTW2 (dd 3), then a sloooower SOTW3 focusing more in-depth on American History and Florida history (ds 8-10, dd 4-6), then SOTW4 when ds is 10-11 and dd 7-8. I think I will have dd listening in, but not actually doing too much history until she's 8 and will start SOTW1 while ds starts up his second cycle of history at 12 with likely either Geurber and Landmark books or HO2: Ancients. At different levels, but same historic period for the whole family.

Edited November 19, 2008 by sagira

[WTMindy]

My kids are two grades apart and I started folding ds in at the very beginning. He listened to me read SOTW when he was 3 and he liked it. He also wanted to do narrations because his older sister was. So I would write one word and he would trace it and then draw a picture about it. He loved to do all the projects too. So, don't think that you have to wait until first grade to fold him in. Just bring your youngest in and do whatever he can at that point. I found that my kids didn't remember too many details from the first rotation anyway, but they did get a sense of history and they learned to love history. I liked bringing my youngest in to whatever we were doing that he could also participate in!

[Melissa in Australia]

You totally messed it up! You should have planned this properly and had your kids exactly 4 years apart like I did. I am sorry, your kids simply can't have a classical education now. (I am so totally joking if you didn't pick up on that!):lol:

 

.:D

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[NancyNellen]

Just fold them in as they come. That's what we've done with absolutely no problems and you will be so much happier teaching one period at a time. The last thing you'll want as they get older, and their subjects get tougher, is to have them in different time periods. That'll make for one psychotic Mommy (well, I would be psychotic, at least!) :-)

[NancyNellen]

Sorry, Brandy...I meant this for the OP. Not sure how it ended up under your post.

[Mommy22alyns]

My girls are 2 years apart, and I don't really want to fold Sylvia in when Becca is hitting Modern history. Plus, Becca would still be on the young side for that era of history. I have a little time to cross that bridge when I get there, see what new curriculum comes out, but I'm considering a year of American history before starting over again with Ancients.

 

Sylvia is actually getting some of the "fun stuff" in history now, but nothing cohesive yet since she's still young. She can spot pyramids and squeal, "Ancient!!!" :lol:

[runningirl71]

DS (9) will be covering Modern when DD is in Gr 1.

I've decided to just hold her off for another year and start her history in Gr 2 at Ancients when DS will be on the 2nd go around.

 

:iagree: Dd was in 2nd grade when we started ancients and now finishing up SOTW 4 in 5th grade.

 

SOTW 4 is more advanced/deeper than the previous three volumes in the series. It is definitely geared toward 4th to 6th graders, imo. BUT I did hear that there were supposed to be supplemental activity papers for youngers to go with this volume in the future. Maybe by the time your child is in 1st, these will be out. :)

[Laura Corin]

My boys are 3 1/2 years apart by age, probably a year or two more by ability. I tried to teach them history together, but I felt that I was wasting too much of Calvin's time by trying to pitch things to a level that both could profit from. I now teach them separately.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura