Melissa in CA Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) I LOVE TOG! I have slowly been gathering our next years non-library books for Y2 from various sources. Today in the mail I received four new ones and they are PERFECT! Perfect. Perfect. Perfect! My son immediately began thumbing through them and fell in "book-love." :lol: One of them, "Picture This! Hamlet," is RIGHT up his alley. As a wanna-be comic artist, having TOG choose a graphic novel of Hamlet was absolutely perfect for him in every respect. I had to snatch it from his greedy little hands and hide it away. ;) Their (TOG's) choice of "Dangerous Journey" was also a perfect fit for him in that it is very visually appealing. Such rich pictures for such a fabulous story. Yes, I would like for him to one day read the actual "Pilgrim's Progress," but for now he will thoroughly enjoy "Dangerous Journey." ;) I just really love how TOG incorporates so much variety, and so many books with beautiful illustrations. [gushing sigh :lol:] I am so very glad that I decided to give TOG a try. What a rich experience it has been. As much as I enjoyed SL's books in the past, TOG's History selections are far superior in my opinion..and we have loved every Literature selection too. Way to go TOG! Wow, we have not even finished Y1 and we are already chomping at the bit to begin Y2...Summer break? I DON'T THINK SO! :w00t: Sorry, I don't mean to gush...honest ;)...but as I mentioned in another unrelated post, we are definitely "history-happy" right now. :D [ETA...Wow, I think I got a little smilie happy. Yesh.] Edited February 27, 2009 by Melissa in CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Thanks, Melissa, for your objective review. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Thanks, Melissa, for your objective review. :lol: :lol: Why, you're so welcome my dear! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 It's great when things just fall together and WORK! We're planning to use TOG for logic stage, Lord willing-I've been poring over the site and forums for years and it is a truly amazing curriculum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Melissa, I feel the same way....even if I do use it in a SL way. ;) :lol::lol::lol: Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Is there a place to see samples of TOG? Smiles, Shalynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Is there a place to see samples of TOG? Smiles, Shalynn Shalynn, Here is the sample for year 1 And here for year 2. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I feel the same way....even if I do use it in a SL way. ;) Heather Heather, I'm curious about this. How do you use Tapestry of Grace "in a Sonlight way?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Heather, I'm curious about this. How do you use Tapestry of Grace "in a Sonlight way?" Tapestry is written in a classical block schedule, so most people read the History on Monday, the Literature on Tuesday, do mapping, timeline and hands on Wednesday, do discussion on Thursday and writing on Friday, or some variation of that. I break everything into daily pieces like SL would. We read a little history daily, map one or two places, do one or two timeline figures, ect...everything daily vs. doing it once a week. Thus I spend more time than most in the planning stages (I love planning!). :D Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Tapestry is written in a classical block schedule, so most people read the History on Monday, the Literature on Tuesday, do mapping, timeline and hands on Wednesday, do discussion on Thursday and writing on Friday, or some variation of that. I break everything into daily pieces like SL would. We read a little history daily, map one or two places, do one or two timeline figures, ect...everything daily vs. doing it once a week. Thus I spend more time than most in the planning stages (I love planning!). :D Heather Very interesting Heather! I didn't realize there is a certain way one is supposed to schedule TOG. :confused: I schedule out our weeks just as you do...the SL way! LOL I guess after so many years of SL it's 2nd nature. ;) I honestly can't imagine my son reading all his history on one day, all his lit on another day, all his bible..etc. Yikes! :001_huh: He would not like that at all! Is that perhaps a TOG Classic version type of scheduling? TOG Redesign doesn't seem to lead you toward any certain way to schedule out your week. We are given what is to be completed in the week, and left to our own on when and how to complete it. I schedule it very much like a SL week... a little bit each day. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 What is the difference between TOG Classic and TOG redesigned? Is that like "Old SL" and "New SL"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 What is the difference between TOG Classic and TOG redesigned? Is that like "Old SL" and "New SL"? I honestly don't know. Will someone who has used both please stand up? :D I DO know that I looked at TOG years ago, before the Redesign, and it confused me so much that I was not at all interested in pursuing it. Then, last year, I heard about the Redesign and decided to have another look-see. At first glance it appeared to be too much to take in, but after downloading the 3 week sample and really looking at it, I fell in looove. :001_tt1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Very interesting Heather! I didn't realize there is a certain way one is supposed to schedule TOG. :confused: I schedule out our weeks just as you do...the SL way! LOL I guess after so many years of SL it's 2nd nature. ;) I honestly can't imagine my son reading all his history on one day, all his lit on another day, all his bible..etc. Yikes! :001_huh: He would not like that at all! Is that perhaps a TOG Classic version type of scheduling? TOG Redesign doesn't seem to lead you toward any certain way to schedule out your week. We are given what is to be completed in the week, and left to our own on when and how to complete it. I schedule it very much like a SL week... a little bit each day. :D Yea! Glad I am not the only one. Well I am always posting how TOG takes more time to schedule, and I have had a few people who use TOG in a block schedule call me on it because it doesn't take them much time at all. There is no way we here could manage to read all that history in one day either. (Imagining the glazed set of the eyes.) I also tried doing the mapping all in one day, but that didn't work for me either. They were in tears. Do a little each day and suddenly they love mapping. :001_huh: Nope it isn't a classic TOG thing. It is laid out pretty much the same way as redesign but with out the color coding and the writing folded in. It is a classical idea I think. Doing history a couple times a week and science a couple times a week, but for longer "blocks". It comes up on the boards here now and then...though now I don't know where I got the idea it was a classical thing. Maybe because most the WTM people I know tend to do science a couple times a week and science a couple times a week vs. doing it daily for smaller periods of time (RB, CM style)? Not that it matters. :D Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hey Heather, I was just looking at the TOG 3-week sample pages for Y2 and noticed that they now include, at the bottom, a link to a sample schedule...and guess what? They schedule things like we do! :w00t: Perhaps you and I are smarter than we think! ;) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 What is the difference between TOG Classic and TOG redesigned? Is that like "Old SL" and "New SL"? Classic is very similar to Redesigned. The samples of Classic were horrible to look at, because the PDF files all had white pages and once you printed it out you couldn't tell what part was which. But in person the overview pages are yellow, the Student Activity Pages were blue, the Teacher Pages were white the Writing is a salmon color, ect... In Redesign they went to a multi colored system. Each level (as in LG-R) has a color, and then there is one color to designate all levels, so where with the classic you had to read the headings to figure out what level you were dealing with (though they always start with LG and work to R) in the Redesign all you have to do is look at the color on the page. Beyond that the Writing portion was a separate section in classic and is now part of the weekly schedule in Redesign. In Classic the discussion/logic questions were generic so that someone could use any book on the topic. In Redesign the questions are more specific to their first choice books. You can still substitute books, but you might not be able to answer a few questions. I was told the D level work discussion took a jump up, and the R level literature. As I understand it they have also worked on leveling out the work. In the classic sometimes you will have a light week, and then the next week will be really heavy with work. I understand on of the goals of the redesign was to make each week relatively the same as much as they can. Oh the sections of the Teachers Manual directly from the Encyclopedia are yellowed in the redesign and not in the classic (it is all white pages with black text-no distinction). I would also say that overall the book list in redesign is larger than in the classic. BTW I own year 2-4 in classic and year 1 in redesign. I haven't actually done year 1 yet, just started some planning, so some of the above is based on observation and some on what I have been told. Yes it is a little like old and new SL, LOL! Though TOG isn't upgraded yearly. Which reminds me the classic really doesn't have RA's. Now and then in the InDepth section they will recommend a book as an RA, but you have to be paying attention to catch them. In redesign they are much clearer and there are more of them. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hey Heather, I was just looking at the TOG 3-week sample pages for Y2 and noticed that they now include, at the bottom, a link to a sample schedule...and guess what? They schedule things like we do! :w00t: Perhaps you and I are smarter than we think! ;) :lol: I was wondering how in the world the block schedulers do it. Though my dh would be a block scheduler. He starts something and HAS to finish it NOW. While I do three things at once little pieces at a time. If I don't I tend to only do something I enjoy doing and procrastinate on that which needs to be done, LOL! By doing three at once I can do two need to be done things and one fun, so that everything gets done and I get a break for the things I would rather not do. I really must go look up their sample schedules... Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 You will love year 2! We just finished up the second unit of year 2 (dd read the Hamlet you are talking about :-)) and I have really loved it also. I love the fact that there is a menu and I can pick and choose what works for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 this thread is so encouraging! After pulling together my own history for years, I'm really looking forward to TOG Ancients for 5th grade-it will be so nice to have everything there I could possibly need (and more), and prune back to make it what I want, rather than try to pull it all together myself from scratch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 this thread is so encouraging! After pulling together my own history for years, I'm really looking forward to TOG Ancients for 5th grade-it will be so nice to have everything there I could possibly need (and more), and prune back to make it what I want, rather than try to pull it all together myself from scratch! Yes, be sure you are willing to "prune back." There are certain aspects of TOG that I don't even look at because I know we don't have the time to add them, and If I look at them too much, I will feel like we should add them. ack! :lol: Just. Don't. Look. It's my method of guilt free schooling... My main money & time saving advice... Stick to the primary resources page. Don't even LOOK at the extra/supplemental resource books unless you absolutely HAVE too. I did that a few times and ended up getting unneeded books. The primary resources really do cover everything. I thought reading the extra supplemental books would add in more/different good stuff...nope....just the same stuff in a different book. Was very redundant. My son would roll his eyes and say, "Yeah, I know that stuff mom, I just read all that in my history books." :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy in ME Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I will just reiterate how important it is to pick and choose what works for your family. We started last year with TOG year 1 and only made it through the first unit. It just seemed all consuming. Well, after a year of fumbling around we are soooooooo happy to be back with TOG. I now have gained the confidence to use it my way and the boys are loving it. My HS is now the way I have always envisioned it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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