neesek Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I am starting to look ahead to next year, and as always I find myself overwhelmed by all of the history resources out there. :001_smile: I will have a 4th grader and a 2nd grader. This year we are loosely using Biblioplan Ancients with SOTW, the VP cards and Vos. It looks like there are several programs out there for the middle ages. Here are some options I have seen: Biblioplan Medieval - Reformation SOTW 2 w. AG MOH 2 VP MARR MFW RtR (We are covering Rome this year, so may not work) TOG 2 Easy Classical - combines VP and SOTW Some other combination? WP - Quest for Middle Ages (too much for a 2nd grader?) What are your thoughts? Do you have anything that you have loved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 We had a great year with SOTW 2. We used the AG, and I added in a few selections from Famous Men. I like the look of MOH, but plan on using it for our second rotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I adore SOTW and think the Middle Ages book and AG is fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 As I said on another thread, I wish I had used this all the way through. Primarily b/c ds retention from this year is superior to other things we have done. SOTW 2 would be a good choice as well. I would not do MOH volume 2 for that age. It is a LOT meatier than volume 1. I love those, too, but not for that age. Volume 2 is a tad dry. My vote is VP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 We're covering the Middle Ages this year. I'm using Story of the World, Vol. 2 coordinated with the parts of Sonlight Core 2 that coordinate with it! So, that means we also read from A Child's History of the World and some other titles. We've read a good bit from Famous Men of the Middle Ages. Both my first and fourth graders love SOTW. Well, they love all of it really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 We did all the SOTW books through Volume 4. I am glad I did for the continuity of it all. Once we finished, we hit some bumps, but I think we have settled on History Odyssey. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Well I can tell you the ones you DON'T want. ;) VP MARR VP MARR VP MARR Is that a good start? The MARR cards are nice in theory. They balance over the three portions of the middle ages. They hit the church history you're wanting to cover. They give you flexibility. BUT, they give you too much flexibility and spend way too much time on boring church history stuff that you won't care about for this age. SO, I wish, wish, wish I had LISTENED to the advice of the woman who went before me (the one who WARNED me!) and done SOTW2. I didn't. Don't do like me. Do SOTW2 and finish the year happy. No, WP QMA is not age-appropriate. Nor is MOH2. Ask me how I know. (I own them both.) Why would you bother with TOG for those ages? SOTW2 will get you there so nicely, so discretely. Just do it and move on. BTW, if you want the coolest, absolutely coolest option for american history (once you finish using SOTW2 for the middle ages), check out WP AC. Your dc would be at such a delicious age for it, and you could do the all american combo they have of the upper and lower levels. I've concluded TT that they use are just perfect for this 4th/5th grade age-range. It's when the writing skills are finally good enough that the dc can really get into it. My IG hasn't even come yet (should arrive tomorrow?), but I've been pouring over the TT stuff getting things ready. I was overwhelmed by TT for a year, a full jolly YEAR, before I looked at the WP AC IG and things clicked. So we'll see how it goes, but it's the most perfect thing I've found for this age-range, which is really kind of a tricky age to find american history curriculum for. So that's my two cents. Do SOTW2, then do WP AC and listen to SOTW3 and 4 on audio if you want. It will be great. Have your kids been enjoying SOTW1? My dd is one of these odd birds who doesn't like SOTW, which is one of the reasons I didn't use SOTW2 when I was advised to. Adores history but doesn't like SOTW, go figure. But she likes the Famous Men books and will read them for pleasure. I think you could piece together a middle ages study using the Famous Men books or other things, but why? If SOTW is working, stick with it. The only other option that looked remotely workable for my dd would have been the Middle Ages text from CLP, I think written at a junior high level. But that's just overkill for the ages of your kids, kwim? (6th grade text maybe?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Alfred Academy Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 We are doing the Middle Ages now and using TOG. However, I am pretty much using SOTW and AG (maps and some activities) as my spine (TOG has it scheduled out) and TOG's literature selections. I think the Famous Men of the Middle Ages is a great addition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbielong Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I LOVED LOVED LOVED SOTW 2! We are using MOH 2 for our second rotation, but still reading the corresponding SOTW stories (and using the SOTW activity guide for literature). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAM Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'm using SOTW II with a 2nd grader and loving it. The AG is really great and even though we're only on chapter 3 (we're taking it really slow) we've done a lot of great activities I wouldn't have thought of doing myself...the literature suggestions are good too. DD is hooked on calligraphy & bookmaking now b/c of books I checked out to go along with chap. 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neesek Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 I finally have a chance to respond. :001_smile: Thank you all so much for your responses. They have all been very helpful. It sounds like I definitely want to stay with SOTW 2. Now I just have to decide if I want to use a scheduling program like Biblioplan to tie in other resources. We went with Biblioplan this year because I liked the way they integrated the Bible readings, and the way they tied in age-appropriate reading for the different age groups. Also, I liked the way they studied ancient history by culture, rather than chronologically. That has worked well for us. If you have used the VP cards for this time period, do they tie in pretty well with SOTW 2? My kids have loved SOTW, but they have also enjoyed the VP cards and memorizing the song for OTAE. If we don't do the whole VP program, do you think it is still worth doing the cards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neesek Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 I am a MFW fan. I really like how the study of Rome was incorporated with Bible in particular. You could condense it a bit though especially since I don't love their spine (Agustaus Caesar's world) for that age group. Once past Rome they use SOTW which is just perfect for my current 4th and 2nd graders. The real question is; why do you want to change things? What isn't working about what you are doing now? If it is working why change? I am a stick-with-the-plan kind of person. I want to know where I am going, jump on that train and stay put so I try to only revisit a choice if it isn't working. It is not so much that I want to change, but I have found that as the ages of my kids change, certain programs may not be the best fit. I did MFW Adventures with my ds in 1st, and we loved it. We tried ECC last year for 2nd, and made it about halfway through the year, and gave up. I actually purchased CtG first for this current year, then sold it again because I just didn't think it would work for my dc at this time. I haven't totally given up on MFW, but it just hasn't been our best option the last 2 years. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neesek Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Well I can tell you the ones you DON'T want. ;) VP MARR VP MARR VP MARR Is that a good start? The MARR cards are nice in theory. They balance over the three portions of the middle ages. They hit the church history you're wanting to cover. They give you flexibility. BUT, they give you too much flexibility and spend way too much time on boring church history stuff that you won't care about for this age. SO, I wish, wish, wish I had LISTENED to the advice of the woman who went before me (the one who WARNED me!) and done SOTW2. I didn't. Don't do like me. Do SOTW2 and finish the year happy. No, WP QMA is not age-appropriate. Nor is MOH2. Ask me how I know. (I own them both.) Why would you bother with TOG for those ages? SOTW2 will get you there so nicely, so discretely. Just do it and move on. BTW, if you want the coolest, absolutely coolest option for american history (once you finish using SOTW2 for the middle ages), check out WP AC. Your dc would be at such a delicious age for it, and you could do the all american combo they have of the upper and lower levels. I've concluded TT that they use are just perfect for this 4th/5th grade age-range. It's when the writing skills are finally good enough that the dc can really get into it. My IG hasn't even come yet (should arrive tomorrow?), but I've been pouring over the TT stuff getting things ready. I was overwhelmed by TT for a year, a full jolly YEAR, before I looked at the WP AC IG and things clicked. So we'll see how it goes, but it's the most perfect thing I've found for this age-range, which is really kind of a tricky age to find american history curriculum for. So that's my two cents. Do SOTW2, then do WP AC and listen to SOTW3 and 4 on audio if you want. It will be great. Have your kids been enjoying SOTW1? My dd is one of these odd birds who doesn't like SOTW, which is one of the reasons I didn't use SOTW2 when I was advised to. Adores history but doesn't like SOTW, go figure. But she likes the Famous Men books and will read them for pleasure. I think you could piece together a middle ages study using the Famous Men books or other things, but why? If SOTW is working, stick with it. The only other option that looked remotely workable for my dd would have been the Middle Ages text from CLP, I think written at a junior high level. But that's just overkill for the ages of your kids, kwim? (6th grade text maybe?) My dc have really enjoyed SOTW. My dd actually says that history is her favorite subject. We do have the CDs, and I particularly like that. It has been very helpful to let them listen to the CD while I am chasing around my 2 yo! So what do you think about combining the VP cards with SOTW 2? As I said in my previous post, they have really enjoyed the cards and the memory song as well. One final question, what is TT? I will check out WP for that program. I have not spent much time looking at their programs lately. If you are doing it now, I will make sure I get your final opinion of it next year when I am looking at American history! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 So what do you think about combining the VP cards with SOTW 2? As I said in my previous post, they have really enjoyed the cards and the memory song as well. I was wondering if you had thought any more about this. I have been thinking about this possiblity for next year as well. Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 And, the recommended books in the AG that we purchased or borrowed were so good that I really started kicking myself for not having used the SOTW1 AG as much. With SOTW1, I was interspersing the text with Biblical history, getting the IR books from the AG, but accepting whatever topical library books I could find about any given chapter. With SOTW2, I stopped interspersing Biblical history (duh, it was done) and started getting the specific RA books recommended in the AG, and wow, they were so much better than what I could find on my own. DD is 12 now, and we still return to those books when we want to cover a topic again. They are not at her current level, but they are good enough and advanced enough to give a good foundation for more indepth studies. One thing to keep in mind about SOTW2 is that the material itself is pretty scattered. This was a confusing time in history. We start to know information about more cultures and more areas of the world. Kingdoms rise and fall pretty fast once the Roman empire pretty much bites the dust. So it can seem a bit chaotic. I have not seen a good treatment of that period that is not chaotic, though--it's just that that is what the history actually was like. Remember that SOTW is not a visually oriented program. I hunted for a great pictoral text about the Renaissance, and ended up buying a beautifully illustrated coffee table book about that period that I will treasure forever. There are other ways to handle that issue, but I'm really glad that I went with that one. Also, as a Lutheran, I wanted more about the Lutheran reformation, but to put it into more context than a straight life of Luther would do. "Rats, Bulls, and Flying Machines" filled that job extremely well. It is definately not a Lutheran book, but I felt that its treatment of the Reformatoin as well as what happened beforehand was very well done. It covered the Renaissance as well--an unexpected fringe benefit. I recommend that supplemental text to everyone, now. I think that you'd do very well to focus on SOTW2 and the AG next year. Your children are the perfect age for it. Add in the CD's for SOTW1 and SOTW2, and you'll have them reviewing the material until they practically have it memorized. I'm amazed at how much my DD still enjoys those CDs now, at 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Biblioplan Medieval - Reformation - no familiar with it - no opinion SOTW 2 w. AG - best option for those ages imo MOH 2 - too much for your 2nd grader VP MARR - not familiar with it MFW RtR (We are covering Rome this year, so may not work) - not familiar with it TOG 2 - good, but probably overkill for your kids' ages Easy Classical - combines VP and SOTW - no opinion Some other combination? WP - Quest for Middle Ages (too much for a 2nd grader?) - too much for your 2nd grader - uses MOH2 as a spine If you've enjoyed SOTW this year, stick with it. I usually add to it with books from the VP and SL catalogs so we have lots of additional reading. There are extensive book lists in the AG, though, so if you have a good library you could just use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 So, we always put together our own stuff. My will-be-11-year-old son will be doing the middle ages and Renaissance next year, and our plan is to use the Houghton Mifflin text Across the Centuries as a spine. I'm adding some extra reading, both factual and some historical fiction for flavor and fun, and we'll toss in our usual assortment of Netflix documentaries/movies and field trips and projects. I'm really looking forward to the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnllj7 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I think it is a personal preference, I love the Veritas Press Cards, how you can hang pegs on the learning, and have lots of books of choice to choose to go along with it. I love SOTW 2, however, it does not have enought "christian" "Reformation" stuff for me, but it is still good. I love TOG it is great, but very expensive to get all the books, and they weren't in my library. But I would say they are all great. It would definately be a personal preference on how you want it taught to your children. GOd bless, nancyt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarinesWife Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Veritas' MARR level is difficult. My 10 year old and I do a lot of talking and discussing and reminding and so forth. There is sooo much there. My 7..turning 8 this week..son is doing it with us but he's lost. I see his eyes just glaze over. The books are good. Get some of the books. I would still get the cards and use them for review.. Oh and I love the Famous Men series. Very good. We enjoy reading those so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dymphna57 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I feel like a Native American reading about a discussion on Early American History that doesn't mention all the injustices suffered by my people and my culture. As a Catholic, I think that it is important to have a balanced view of this time period and that is one of the many reasons why it is difficult to cover. Don't forget that the Protestants wrote this the way they wanted it to be not the way it was. You might not want to include it in your reading lists for younger students, but you should at least acknowledge another point of view. two cents Just wanted to say something, I hope that this only contributes to the discussion and doesn't sound inflammatory. Peace, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neesek Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 This has been so helpful. Life has become very chaotic in the last couple of weeks, so I have not been able to do any more research. I think I am definitely going to start with SOTW 2 and AG. I will probably also buy the VP cards for memorization and use them as they tie in, but not make them our main focus. It is interesting that Biblioplan schedules both Rats, Bulls, and Flying Machines, and the Famous Men books that several of you recommended, so it is still on the possibility list too. You have all been very helpful. Thank you so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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