Moonhawk Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 I need to rework what I wanted to do for American History. So, looking for a more student-independent or teacher-minimal approach. Any recommendations? I've been reading some past threads, and Cathy Duffy reviews, but I haven't seen too much that doesn't rely on the teacher to a medium-heavy extent. Most of the books I'm finding are either high school level, or for grades 3-4. I can/will still add in book readings and movies to the appropriate time period (Johnny Tremain, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc) but I can't rely on me to pull things together in a teacher-intensive way or do the building from a spine as I have always done in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) NM. I just realized you said grades 6-8. Well, America the Beautiful by Notgrass was by far my most ho-hum choice for history for my kids. My youngest used it. It is totally open and go though and all you need to do is check the student guided note workbook. I don't think we did tests. There are suggested lit selections you can add. It is decidedly Christian. Edited January 17, 2023 by cintinative 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) My youngest did the reading and journal for the 3rd-7th version of Oh Freedom largely on his own in 5th grade. I checked in often for discussion time and we watched the recommended movies together. Before handing him the schedule I went through the whole thing ahead of time, highlighting things, making notes, and scratching out what I didn't want him to do. Build Your Library levels 5 and 6 are US history and could also be completed the same way by those ages. Edited January 17, 2023 by SilverMoon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nm. Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) I have one doing intermediate BF early American history followed by modern history. She also has an American history newspaper journal from Funschooling for researching and writing. It’s going great! She opens the manual and follows the directions. I just order the books in the guide from the library & pick up extras when I’m there for her newspaper journal. My 6th grader has an American History Timeline Journal- it’s a lot less writing but plenty of more topics/people. He’s using it as a supplement. also heart of Dakota has been really independent for me. they have revival to revolution and missions to modern marvels that have a lot of American, but also world in it. Edited January 17, 2023 by Lovinglife123 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bean Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 All American History can be done that way. One of mine did both in a year just reading and doing the notebook. I never looked at it except to check the quizzes which are in the notebook. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisha Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 We are doing Joy Hakim's Concise A History of US (4 volumes instead of 10). I have him read, then at the end of the week (or daily if you need to check in more often) tell me 3 interesting things they read about and 3 events that happened in that weeks readings. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skctgbrlis Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 CLE’s Changing Frontiers is very independent and the Light Unit workbooks are excellent. It’s marketed for 8th grade. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 We did Critical Thinking Co.'s American History Detective when I wanted a relatively independent American History to run alongside our more in-depth World History. It is definitely a get 'er done approach, but it covered a fair amount of cultural stuff also. It is listed as high school grades, but I scoff at that, middle school was fine. Read a three page section, answer two pages of multiple choice questions, providing the best supporting sentence, write a short response to a critical thinking prompt. Answers in the back. Very easy to supplement with outside reading if desired because it is very chronological and culturally focused chapters are clearly labeled. There are two volumes, both set up the same way. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 We have done Hakim's 4 volume concise set too. I developed a worksheet set of questions and short essays to use alongside, but I think it would be fine to just have them write down important facts a la WTM. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bean Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 23 hours ago, Green Bean said: Share? Sure! Anyone who wants it, just pm me your email address 😊 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bean Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Momto6inIN said: Sure! Anyone who wants it, just pm me your email address 😊 Just did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bean Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 1/18/2023 at 7:37 AM, skctgbrlis said: CLE’s Changing Frontiers is very independent and the Light Unit workbooks are excellent. It’s marketed for 8th grade. How balanced is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoeless Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) We read through all of the big set of Joy Hakim in about 5 months, (kiddo is a bookworm). I didn't require any output beyond discussion. He's now working independently on year 1 of US history with Guest Hollow. It's definitely from a conservative point of view, but he's also reading Zinn along side it. He periodically has a "Wait, what did he just say?" moment when reading either Zinn or the G.H. books, and it's making for good discussions on how history can be presented from different perspectives. ETA: Guest Hollow says it's for High School, but we're using it for 8th. It is adaptable for Middle School. Edited February 19, 2023 by Shoeless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nm. Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) Nm. the journal my 6th grader is using and I’ve loved for him is on super sale Funschooling journal. Helps keep me on track for him, I don’t require a lot of output. Edited February 17, 2023 by Lovinglife123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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