MFW Rome to the Reformation with 8th, 6th, 3rd and 1st?

[Quiver0f10]

I am considering MFW for next year for my middle kids and having my high schoolers do something completely different. My 1st and 3rd graders I am not too worried @ as they will hit this stuff again, but I am wondering if MFW will be enough for the 8th and 6th graders?

 

If you have used this with multiple ages, I'd love to hear how your day/week went.

 

Thanks!

Edited November 24, 2008 by Quiver0f10

[Quiver0f10]

:D Any opionions on MFW?

[cbollin]

When I did Rome to the Reformation, my oldest was not in jr. high yet. Here are some thoughts on it with older kids from a good friend of mine whose 8th grader is doing RTR, while his older sister is in MFW's High School World History program that is being piloted this year (high school year 2). (She's not on this forum, so I called her and asked her ideas)

 

*remember to work on writing skills (more outlining and notebooking from it)

*make good use of book basket

*use some of the project ideas/report ideas from the beginning of the chapters in Streams of Civilization. It is suggested in the MFW manual that jr. high kids do a short report each month (either oral presentation or written) so, there are built in report ideas right there in that book.

*8th grader will need to be in jr. high science instead of the elementary science in RTR that the younger kids will like a lot. (Body Book, and then Apologia Astronomy)

*and to "increase'" Bible for 8th grader they don't add academic stuff, but instead add in other things such as service projects with high school group they are in, and she is having her son read other religious books that meet more of discipleship goals and such.

****

 

Scheduling:

I've used MFW for many years. I have 3 kiddos. Much of the program can be taught together in grades 2-8, and then I have time to work on 3 R's as needed with younger kid. Some years, I've started with middle child to work individually while oldest either did independent stuff or watched youngest child. Then they come together for group work in MFW. Then middle is usually done and then I work with oldest.

 

 

I also use the MFW recommendations for language arts and math and try my best to stick to the suggested time boxes that are in the manual. In the introduction section of each manual, there is a suggestion for how long to spend and a flow to the day that helped the author and her family to follow so they got as much done by noon as possible.

 

-crystal

[stephanie]

I'm doing MFW RtR right now with my 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 7th grader. I may not be the best person to answer, but we do the readings as scheduled-altogether, then we may do something related to history like last week me made a greek omelet. Ds13 reads books related to the time period. Right now he's reading Famous Men of Rome, and he really enjoys it. We do what we can, but I definitely notice an increase in their knowledge since we've started MFW. We do it Mon-Thurs. I try to follow the schedule, but have had to tweak it a bit to fit our schedule. I've also added in 50 Famous Stories Retold, and The Children's Plutarch-Tales of the Romans/Greeks. In the end it all comes together to make a nice combo of history. Hope that helps ya!

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you, both. We use IEW for writing and I would continue that. My 8th grader is going to be doing either BJU Earth & Space or their physical science next year. I don't know if I'd have my 6th grader in his own science or follow along too. He really likes science so I would have to see how it works out. Right now we are planning on TOG but I am trying to figure out a plan B just incase that doesn't work out.

[Donna A.]

Stephanie mentioned the Famous Men of Rome book... I also recommend Famous Men of the Middle Ages. Beautiful! The VP cards are really nice, too.

 

In RTR there are assigned passages from the book of Acts read for Bible, some verses for "everybody" and then more verses for "advanced" students. Oldest dd and I, however, read straight through instead of just passages. You know how some WTM'ers outline Kingfisher or something else? You could have your 8th & 6th graders outline the book of Acts. Wish I'd done that, but I just didn't think of it. Hhmm, I could have her outline James this year, though....

 

There's a board game called "The Journeys of Paul" which I wish I'd known about a year ago. It would've gone nicely with the Acts/early church study.

 

Part of RTR is learning Latin roots, but if you have enough time and energy and haven't already done so, it might be a good time to start a Latin program. My oldest has done Word Roots on the computer, too. It's in a game format and she really enjoyed it. Much better than the workbook. ;)

 

None of our "additions" were necessary or time consuming... just pure enrichment. I didn't add anything for the other two, except for an occasional extra notebooking project (i.e., written narration) from one of the book basket books. (Or coloring page for the youngest.) I just do that when it's been a little while since we had a notebooking or mapwork assignment in the TM. (My girls have loved the mapping assignments in all the MFW programs, btw!) Basically your olders will do all the same things as the youngers, but more of it. Longer Bible passages, longer book readings (esp Streams), longer reports, etc.

[Quiver0f10]

Stephanie mentioned the Famous Men of Rome book... I also recommend Famous Men of the Middle Ages. Beautiful! The VP cards are really nice, too.

 

In RTR there are assigned passages from the book of Acts read for Bible, some verses for "everybody" and then more verses for "advanced" students. Oldest dd and I, however, read straight through instead of just passages. You know how some WTM'ers outline Kingfisher or something else? You could have your 8th & 6th graders outline the book of Acts. Wish I'd done that, but I just didn't think of it. Hhmm, I could have her outline James this year, though....

 

There's a board game called "The Journeys of Paul" which I wish I'd known about a year ago. It would've gone nicely with the Acts/early church study.

 

Part of RTR is learning Latin roots, but if you have enough time and energy and haven't already done so, it might be a good time to start a Latin program. My oldest has done Word Roots on the computer, too. It's in a game format and she really enjoyed it. Much better than the workbook. ;)

 

None of our "additions" were necessary or time consuming... just pure enrichment. I didn't add anything for the other two, except for an occasional extra notebooking project (i.e., written narration) from one of the book basket books. (Or coloring page for the youngest.) I just do that when it's been a little while since we had a notebooking or mapwork assignment in the TM. (My girls have loved the mapping assignments in all the MFW programs, btw!) Basically your olders will do all the same things as the youngers, but more of it. Longer Bible passages, longer book readings (esp Streams), longer reports, etc.

 

Thank you! I can't rememebr from the sample pages, but does MFW have maps like the KQ ones? You mentioned assignments so I am assuming there is map work to be done throughout the year.

 

We are using Latin For Children, which we do plan to continue and I'd like to add in Elementary Greek next year.

[Donna A.]

I'm not sure what KQ is? But yes, Streams and Victor Journey are used for mapwork (I can't remember what else), and the maps to be labeled are in the appendix pages at the back of the TM. My girls really got to know the area well.

 

The sample pages online really don't do justice to what all the TMs include. :glare:

 

Editing to say I've never felt the need to supplement the mapwork at all.

[Quiver0f10]

I'm not sure what KQ is? But yes, Streams and Victor Journey are used for mapwork (I can't remember what else), and the maps to be labeled are in the appendix pages at the back of the TM. My girls really got to know the area well.

 

The sample pages online really don't do justice to what all the TMs include. :glare:

 

Editing to say I've never felt the need to supplement the mapwork at all.

 

Sorry, KQ is Knowledgequest, but basically I wanted to know if the maps are included, which you answered LOL. Thank you so much. I am really liking what I have seen and read @ MFW so far and need to pray over it some more.