SOTW How do most use it?

[gevs4him]

The Story of the World, Vol. 1 .....

has really plagued my interest, but on their site they do not have a sample of the activity book( is there one any where I can look at?) - Do most people use the activity book and tests? And what are any thoughts for using it with a 6/7 yr old boy? He loves maping and we have used K and 1 Abeka Hist.

Blessings

Lisa

Wife for 23 yrs. to Guy, dd 18, ds 6

[tricia]

My boys simply read the chapter, and do the activity pages. On the activity pages they have other resources and page numbers to be read for each lesson. I really like. It makes for great independent work.

[mcconnellboys]

If he likes to do activities and/or coloring, then you might want to get the activity guide. It also includes loads of extra book titles to go along with each chapter, for not just history, but also literature and read alones.

 

We are using the tests for logic stage. I don't think I'd use those at all for littles. Just read and have fun! Engender a love of history!

[Sunshine State Sue]

Here's a bit from my review which can be read in this thread:

 

The activity guide is a priceless resource, and we used every bit of it. That is what made the program so rich. Ds used the coloring pages while I read. We used the review questions usually verbally, but one year, I used the review questions to give my son practice in writing complete sentences. Doing narration and summary paragraphs helped with writing, although this was my son’s least favorite part. The map work was helpful. We borrowed many of the supplemental books from the library. We even read most of them. The activities and projects were fun and really helped to bring history alive and be remembered. We met with other families 2x a month to work on projects. Besides gathering the library books and project supplies, there really is no other preparation needed.

[nova mama]

We color or label maps and do narration, but not the activity guide. I get activity ideas online or from library books, like Living History: The Hands-on Approach to History. The Great History Search (Usborne) is also fun for them to look at while I'm reading.

[Starr]

:iagree: My ds loved this starting in first grade!

[hsmom27]

We also love it, but because of the Activity Guide.

 

Monday -we read the chapter(s) the first day.

Tuesday - we do the narration exercises, map work, and coloring page.

Wed. - we read the recommended pages in the Usborne and Kingfisher Encyclopedias.

Thursday - we do the hands-on activities suggested in the book.

Friday - we do more activities and take the "test". I just call it a review, but I give it to DS to do alone for a few minutes. Then we go over it together so we can talk about anything he missed.

 

He almost never misses anything though, so I will probably drop that for next year. I also check the recommended books out of the library and we/he read several of those over the week.

 

This probably sounds like a lot, but really it takes very little time each day. And my DS is one who learns much better through short constant repetition, than a couple long sessions each week. History has become DS's favorite subject. In short, if you're going to try SOTW, I think you have to have the Activity Guide. I think I'd suggest that in place of the text, if you only wanted to buy one. HTH

[patchfire]

We use it, though we don't spend as long on history as WTM recommends.

 

At that age, I'd read the chapter, we'd talk about it (though not a formal narration - I wish I had done formal narrations at least part of the time), and then we'd do the map work and the coloring page out of the activity guide. I also used the activity guide for the supplemental history & literature recommendations. Overall, we didn't do any hands-on activities, but I still found the activity guide to be a worthwhile purchase for each grade level.

[mommylawyer]

My dd6 is finishing up her first year with SOTW 1. We both loved it!

 

The activity pages are a must. I wouldn't bother with the tests - too much pressure on something that turn something potentially quite fun into just another task.

 

We did history two days per week, usually by splitting up the chapters and reading one part of the chapter on one day (and doing the corresponding activity pages and mapwork) and the rest of the chapter another day (with activity pages and additional suggested project in the activity book).

 

There is a great, FREE, supplemental source for SOTW 1 here. I'm using some of the pages (narration page, project page) for the notebook I'm compiling for SOTW 2.

 

The activity book also includes suggestions for additional books - I've found that to be an invaluable source.

 

I hope this helps you decide!

[gevs4him]

Appreciate all the input - it looks like such a good read.

Thanks

Lisa :)

[Veritaserum]

I like the Activity Guide. For ease of scheduling, I've started using Pandia's History Odyssey. It utilizes History Pockets and its own maps. There are free samples on their website. :)

[Lovedtodeath]

Using SOTW in a laid back home... You can see how we use it here. DD hates read alouds and likes to be very independent. She also likes picture books. I like to put the book suggestions into Amazon and see what else comes up in the same category. Most of the SOTW AG suggestions are for ages 9-12, so I do my Amazon search with 4-8. I have found some real gems that way.

 

Her interest was first peaked by a Good Times Travel Agency book and she is reading like crazy. What is really surprising is that she really didn't read much on her own before we started unschooling history. She carried Story of the Romans off to the bathroom yesterday. I am not worried about it being chronological. She is only 6. We will get it all in order next time around.

[sagira]

Here's how we're going to be using SOTW 1 in First Year this September:

 

Day 1: Read chapter out loud and narration

Day 2: Mapwork, Usborne History Encyclopedia entry

Day 3: Historical nonfiction or fiction reading

Day 4: Book of Centuries (timeline book), activity or project

[Chris in VA]

I'm a "flow-y" person--I do about a chapter a week of SOTW, and pick one of the sections for my dd to narrate, but not on a certain day, and sometimes we do more or less. Now, in 4th grade, we will do SOTW 3, and I will probably get some of the tests and ask for more narrations. I definitely think it's richer with the AG. There are even suggestions for more activities via other books, most of which can be found at a library. We are adding in a little more American history.

 

I hesitate to put down "we do this" exactly day by day, because we might do mapwork first, or not do the coloring page, or do history everyday instead of 2-3 days a week, depending on the topic and the activities. I can say that I would not do SOTW without the AG, esp in the first year, because I think the AG is so much fun!!!

[Lovedtodeath]

 

Heck, one could probably live without the SOTW text and just use the activity guide!

:iagree:I thought I would mention that when we do start reading SOTW, it will be after looking at the Encyclopedia because I would rather have pictures in my mind for the reading.

[tinkgumby]

Am I the only one here who bought the Activity Guide with the best of intentions and never gets around to using it? :001_huh:

[Lovedtodeath]

Well, there are some people that only listen to the SOTW audio.

[gevs4him]

Thank you to all that has replied - we purchased SOTW, vol. 1 and Ancient Civilizations history pockets - these are great! Kicking around the idea of adding the study guide. Would think it would make a complete study.

 

Lisa

Blessed wife for 23 years and mother to dd18 and ds6

[Brindee]

We went through the reader and the Activity Guide. We LOVED the Activity Guide! We did so many of the neat projects, and my kids learned so much! We had a full history curriculum for my 6, 9 and 11 yo's, just varied the depth of their assignments. We built a nomad shelter in our back yard, made masks, made clay tablets and wrote on "papyrus" in cuneiform and hieroglyphics, built Lego pyramids, made a tomb for the Pharoah with pictures on the walls of the gods, and things they put in when they put the pharoah in that they made out of clay, made a timeline on the wall (for the visual effect) and in books, acted out stories, labeled and colored maps, coordinated the history in the book, with Biblical history on our timelines, cooked food from Africa, plus lots of other things! To me, the history without the activity guide would not have been nearly as interesting or memorable; my kids still bring up different things they did that year, and remember a lot of what they learned! That's been our favorite year of history ever!

 

Also, don't forget to take pictures of the projects and things they do! Great to look back on!

[jesiwins]

here is a free resource to schedule sotw 1. We are planning on using it next year!

 

http://bringinguplearners.com/mosaic-myths-maps-and-marvels/

 

Jesi

[caitlinsmom]

We really love SOTW . We have the book, cd's and the activity book. We use all three. The kids liked it most when I would read the story on Monday, do the activity, mapwork, and coloring pages on Wednesday. Then throughout the week we would listed to the story whenever they wanted. It got to the point this year that we listened to the CD's compleatly through at least 7 times! They love the cd's the most and we listen to them whenever we are in the car.

I went throught he activity guide before the school year and just put a check by the things that were simple and fun. Everything we have done has been a hit.

 

Good luck in your desicion. :)

[Brindee]

Just wanted to add: I don't know if they had the tests or cd's when we were using it??? Anyway, we didn't use either one of those. Even though we didn't use the tests, as I said earlier, my kids remember that year of history very well!

[Penelope]

We do almost all of the maps, plus periodically use our wall maps and globe to find the countries we are studying. I do have him narrate but I don't use the comprehension questions in the AG.

 

We do the occasional coloring page, but not many (ds isn't very interested in coloring). I get as many of the supplemental books as my library has available, and we go through a few of them a week. Especially the ones he can read himself.

 

Activities-- well, we have done a couple, but I have an infant and a preschooler and I am just happy that we cover some history, science, and lit. at all every week, kwim? :) Especially as my preschooler isn't too interested in our studies or activities and wants activities of his own.

[Lovedtodeath]

And what are any thoughts for using it with a 6/7 yr old boy?

Honestly? I would go for a program designed for a 1st grader, rather than just the AG, which is multilevel and would require more planning as a result.

 

I am creating 2 levels. One that concentrates more on picture books, and as a result may cost more if you aren't wanting to use the library, and another that is still age-appropriate, but has fewer books (each book with more pages, kwim?). All books are available new from Amazon.com, and are preread with notes and/or comprehension questions when appropriate. Websites have been selected (some in the Usborne Encyclopedia are also too advanced for 1st grade). It includes mapping and notebooking pages and a few notes that are additional information for the teacher. I am trying to be original. It is secular. Let me know if you want a sample.

Edited May 1, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[2_girls_mommy]

There is a great, FREE, supplemental source for SOTW 1 here. I'm using some of the pages (narration page, project page) for the notebook I'm compiling for SOTW

 

This is amazing! We are on chp. 32 of vol. 1, and I wish I had had this the whole year.

 

Do you know if anything like this exists for vol 2?? Thanks for the link.

[2_girls_mommy]

We do history about twice a week. We read sec.1 or sec. 1&2 if there are more than 2 sections in a chapter the first day. The girls color the coloring sheet as I read. Then we verbally do the questions from the A.G. Then I write down dd's narration. She copies it in nice handwriting for her notebook. When we started the year, she only had to copy one sentence, but her handwriting abilities are better now.

 

We read the supplementary books at different times, sometimes we will look at one or read a short one after this. Then throughout the week we read them as bedtime stories, and dd reads a lot of them to herself.

 

The 2nd session of history, we do the same as above, and also the mapwork. We don't always do a hands on project. But the ones we have done, we love. They are usually just something we do in free time or as our art for the week, depending on what it is.

[laylamcb]

I used SOTW1 this year with a 6yo (and her 4yo brother listened in). We did all of the mapping in the AG; very little is required for that. I'd say the mapwork took her all of 5 minutes at the MOST per map. And it was totally worth it: By the end of the year she could locate all of the rivers and most of the cities and empires that we'd discussed.

 

Generally she colored any available coloring pages while I read the chapter. We added in a few really awesome supplements: D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, Black Ships Before Troy, The Wanderings of Odysseus, Theras and His Town, and The Orchard Book of Roman Myths.

 

We didn't do any tests at all. I don't see the point of that for a 1st grader, but that's just me. I'm coming from the "Let the history just wash over them so that they learn to love it" school of thought.

 

We didn't do many of the projects just because I'm not crafty. I'm COMMITTED to doing the SOTW2 projects, though! :001_smile:

[momtolgd]

We like to do an entire chapter in one sitting. We listen to the audio of it while following along in the book. They do the coloring pages while listening. After each section we go over the questions from the Activity guide (orally, we don't write narrations at this point for that since we do narrations in WWE.) At the end of the chapter, we do the map pages together. Then we look at referenced pages of the Usborne encyclopedia. If I got any extra books, we read them sometime that day as well, and then they are free to read them again by themselves through the week. Occasionally we will do a project (they love them, but I don't always get to buying the supplies for every one.)

 

My kids love history, and it works best for them to have one longer session than to break it down into bits every day. For now, that's the best solution for us.

[gevs4him]

My son loves maps and if I am reading into everyones replies corerectly - we need to get the AG. And thank you to everyone who has given my sites to check out - this is going to be such a help - I am sooo excited:hurray::hurray:

 

Blessings

Lisa

[Impish]

We have volume 2, as its what I happened to stumble upon, lol! We're just using SOTW, the activity guide and the Kingfisher encyclopedia. Diva reads, does the activities that appeals to her (and that we have the supplies for, lol...some are waiting a bit!) and moves on. I picked it up on impulse, having heard so much about it only a month or so ago, so it wasn't really a planned part of our year, so I'm using it as a lovely 'bonus' material...Diva is enjoying it completely and learning loads.

[Mommy22alyns]

I use it along with History Odyssey, but that could be overkill for some. I have to make myself do lots of projects and crafts - Becca loves them and gets a lot out of them. She also loves map work. Coloring pages, eh. I have the tests but have not used them - she's probably too young for them (we started at age 5) and we use the review cards frequently now.

 

We do history 3 days a week. She reads one section of a chapter out loud and we do the review questions and a narration, followed by either map/coloring work or a project. I intersperse extra readings in as read-alouds at night or independent reading throughout the day. We work in the pertinent UILE readings on other days. I really just wing it in mixing together HO and SOTW - I plan about 3 weeks at a time and just pick and choose which things we do.

[MIch elle]

There is a great, FREE, supplemental source for SOTW 1 here. I'm using some of the pages (narration page, project page) for the notebook I'm compiling for SOTW

 

This is amazing! We are on chp. 32 of vol. 1, and I wish I had had this the whole year.

 

Do you know if anything like this exists for vol 2?? Thanks for the link.

 

 

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/fancy.htm#workbook2

[2_girls_mommy]

Mi chelle, thanks so much for trying. I was so excited. But when I click on the links on the page, nothing happens. The first one to SOTW 1 says it is no longer there, but the ones for SOTW 2, just don't do anything for me... Maybe they are in a format I can't read, because it just shows a red x??

 

If anyone else has links for these, could you post? I would love to have something nice for SOTW 2. I think I will start a new thread too. :)