just a couple more TOG questions

[trisharog]

First of all, I feel badly for asking TOG questions over here when they have a website but I am finding their message boards confusing. I cant figure out which section to ask particular questions in.

 

But as for my real questions:

 

1. I looked at the sample evaluation for both UG and D as my son will be in 5th grade. It had interesting questions but no paragraph form questions. I have been making my own tests this year using SOTW and ds10 has made real strides forming paragraphs that include an opening sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence. I saw a sample question that required answering with a few sentences, but nothing that looks like you must answer in complete paragraphs. We will be doing IEW's US History next year for his main writing but I want him to have test questions in all subjects that have a few paragraph questions.

 

2. What exactly is the substance of write aids? I am definitely going to do IEWs US History so would it be overload to use this as well? Again, even on the sample weekly writing activites( I dont think it was write aids but just what is included on week to week) it did not look like real paragraph writing was required.

 

3. I want to do read alouds but it isnt really scheduled. I know I can do them on my own, but it will delay us and we wont be on the schedule of discussing a literature piece with the historical week we are on. I guess this is a minor issue.

 

4. Are the map aids more upper level that SOTW AG? I the AG to be too elementary for my ds10.

 

5. How much Bible content is involved? Do you do a separate Bible curriculum with TOG. My son loves Biblical history and I want to be sure we are getting plenty of Bible in as well. We will be doing Year 2 Unit 3 & 4 and year 3 Unit 1 and maybe 2. If I should supplement Bible with this TOG any suggestions as to what would tie in nicely with these units?

 

I really appreciate your responses. I really think this is going to be a fit for us as I love to go deep but I am want to make sure that it is the right fit if I am going to invest so much $$ on it. I only HS one child a year so the big benefit of HS several kids at a time does not apply to us .

 

Thanks

Trisha

[WTMindy]

First of all, I feel badly for asking TOG questions over here when they have a website but I am finding their message boards confusing. I cant figure out which section to ask particular questions in.

 

But as for my real questions:

 

1. I looked at the sample evaluation for both UG and D as my son will be in 5th grade. It had interesting questions but no paragraph form questions. I have been making my own tests this year using SOTW and ds10 has made real strides forming paragraphs that include an opening sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence. I saw a sample question that required answering with a few sentences, but nothing that looks like you must answer in complete paragraphs. We will be doing IEW's US History next year for his main writing but I want him to have test questions in all subjects that have a few paragraph questions.

What you are looking for would probably best come in the dialectic history questions rather than the evaluations. There are not many open ended essay questions like you are describing in the evaluations for UG or D. So, you might not find the evaluations part that valuable, but it is just an extra.

 

2. What exactly is the substance of write aids? I am definitely going to do IEWs US History so would it be overload to use this as well? Again, even on the sample weekly writing activites( I dont think it was write aids but just what is included on week to week) it did not look like real paragraph writing was required. Yes, it would be overload to do both. I started out using Writing Aids and it just didn't really fit with us.

 

3. I want to do read alouds but it isnt really scheduled. I know I can do them on my own, but it will delay us and we wont be on the schedule of discussing a literature piece with the historical week we are on. I guess this is a minor issue. I always read some of the kids books to them. I usually read some of their in depth history to them, and maybe one of the extra literature books to them. Starting in year 2, there are scheduled read alouds.

 

4. Are the map aids more upper level that SOTW AG? I the AG to be too elementary for my ds10. They are different levels of the maps. Most are more detailed than SOTW.

 

5. How much Bible content is involved? Do you do a separate Bible curriculum with TOG. My son loves Biblical history and I want to be sure we are getting plenty of Bible in as well. We will be doing Year 2 Unit 3 & 4 and year 3 Unit 1 and maybe 2. If I should supplement Bible with this TOG any suggestions as to what would tie in nicely with these units?Year 1 has a lot of Bible since you are covering the Ancients. You will definitely get plenty in year 1!! Year 2 has a lot of church history in it. I don't know about the Bible/church history in year 3 yet. I think you will get enough church/Bible history but if anything I would include more of a devotional aspect to TOG. It is mostly from an academic perspective.

 

I really appreciate your responses. I really think this is going to be a fit for us as I love to go deep but I am want to make sure that it is the right fit if I am going to invest so much $$ on it. I only HS one child a year so the big benefit of HS several kids at a time does not apply to us .

 

Thanks

Trisha

 

We have loved TOG and have felt it was worth every penny for our family (only 2 kids. :-)) Let me know if you have other questions.

[Karenciavo]

1. I looked at the sample evaluation for both UG and D as my son will be in 5th grade. It had interesting questions but no paragraph form questions. I have been making my own tests this year using SOTW and ds10 has made real strides forming paragraphs that include an opening sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence. I saw a sample question that required answering with a few sentences, but nothing that looks like you must answer in complete paragraphs. We will be doing IEW's US History next year for his main writing but I want him to have test questions in all subjects that have a few paragraph questions.

I only purchase the rhetoric evaluations and have my dialectic son answer the applicable questions and essay questions.

 

2. What exactly is the substance of write aids? I am definitely going to do IEWs US History so would it be overload to use this as well? Again, even on the sample weekly writing activites( I dont think it was write aids but just what is included on week to week) it did not look like real paragraph writing was required.

The Year 2 sample has a section on paragraph construction and, depending on the level, students are scheduled to write papers requiring paragraphs. I'm guessing that I don't know what you mean by paragraph writing.

 

3. I want to do read alouds but it isnt really scheduled. I know I can do them on my own, but it will delay us and we wont be on the schedule of discussing a literature piece with the historical week we are on. I guess this is a minor issue.

As Mindy said they are scheduled in Year 2, they are also scheduled in Year 3.

 

5. How much Bible content is involved? Do you do a separate Bible curriculum with TOG. My son loves Biblical history and I want to be sure we are getting plenty of Bible in as well. We will be doing Year 2 Unit 3 & 4 and year 3 Unit 1 and maybe 2. If I should supplement Bible with this TOG any suggestions as to what would tie in nicely with these units?

After Year 1 there is no Bible content per se, students may be referred to specific Scripture for their consideration, but they are not studying Scripture. Year 3 focuses a lot on missionaries since there was such an explosion in the 19th century.

[siloam]

1. I looked at the sample evaluation for both UG and D as my son will be in 5th grade. It had interesting questions but no paragraph form questions. I have been making my own tests this year using SOTW and ds10 has made real strides forming paragraphs that include an opening sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence. I saw a sample question that required answering with a few sentences, but nothing that looks like you must answer in complete paragraphs. We will be doing IEW's US History next year for his main writing but I want him to have test questions in all subjects that have a few paragraph questions.

 

I agree that you will see more paragraph type questions in the Student Activity Pages, or look at the answers in the Teacher Notes (I think they re-state the question there).

 

The writing program also teaches paragraphs starting at the end of the 2nd level I think...maybe the 3rd. It actually spends a whole year on paragraphs before moving into essays.

2. What exactly is the substance of write aids? I am definitely going to do IEWs US History so would it be overload to use this as well? Again, even on the sample weekly writing activites( I dont think it was write aids but just what is included on week to week) it did not look like real paragraph writing was required.

 

1. It explains the different writing forms.

2. Has some teach hints (not every form, and some will be long some short).

3. Has example (again not for every form, but for most and many from real TOG students).

4. Has rubics for grading your students writing.

5. Has many graphic organizers.

6. Has a CD that will include print sheets you can give your children to explain the different forms on their level.

 

The first half of the year in writing is generally used learning new things, and the second half applying them to projects. For paragraphs they teach topic sentence, supporting sentences, conclusion. Then they also have the child write a descriptive paragraph, compare and contrast paragraph, informative paragraph, ect...so the child is both thinking about paragraphs and content. If I didn't love Classical Writing and own it before TOG I would have no problem using TOG writing. I used it for about 6 months while my oldest needed help with paragraph writing, which is why I know so much about that portion of the program. :D

 

3. I want to do read alouds but it isnt really scheduled. I know I can do them on my own, but it will delay us and we wont be on the schedule of discussing a literature piece with the historical week we are on. I guess this is a minor issue.

 

I still do RA's but I don't overly worry about them lining up with our history. Actually it has been really freeing, to be able to do RA's that aren't history. But by all means do RA's, but don't focus on reading a book a week. Do one over 2-3 weeks, then when you are done pick out another title. You won't have an RA for everything you study, but neither does SL.

 

4. Are the map aids more upper level that SOTW AG? I the AG to be too elementary for my ds10.

 

The mapping can be pretty in depth, so I think your 10yo will do fine. He can always do a higher level.

5. How much Bible content is involved? Do you do a separate Bible curriculum with TOG. My son loves Biblical history and I want to be sure we are getting plenty of Bible in as well. We will be doing Year 2 Unit 3 & 4 and year 3 Unit 1 and maybe 2. If I should supplement Bible with this TOG any suggestions as to what would tie in nicely with these units?

 

I have done part of year 2 (Unit 4) and we are on week 27 of year 3. There isn't a lot of Bible, so you would need a separate program.

 

It is more focused on Church history and missionaries. I don't know what you would use to "go with." I use Bible Study Guide for All Ages and love that, but it wouldn't go with it.

 

Heather

[trisharog]

Thank you all soooooooo much! I am rather giddy about this program. I borrowed a unit of classic from a friend and just cant believe that it is all laid out for the teacher. This is my first year to HS and I have worked so hard to pull it all together. I have done a pretty good job but it has been so much work. To see a program that goes into so much more depth with out the mom having to do all of the research is enough to make me click my heels together:)

I am going to order the redesigned with map aids, pop quizzes and evaluations. Yee Haw!(I am originally from Alabama). Only bummer is I have to buy two units each from year 2 and year 3 because of where we are in history. This means that I have to buy map aids for the entire year from both years but can buy pop quizzes and evaluations separately for each unit. Maybe I should try to see if there are any of these extras on the boards. Even if I have to pay full price it will be worth it.:D

Thanks again!

Trisha