swimnactmom Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I need a secular world history (not world cultures)program for 7th grade. I have to cover ancients through the 1700's or so. I know it's ambitious to cover so much in just one year. We just finished a year of world cultures and we need to focus on history this year. The secular middle school curriculum I have seen is more world cultures oriented than world history oriented. I did find Global History but that seems to be high school level. I really wanted something a little less intense for 7th grade. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 K12's Human Odyssey vol 1. - covers from Prehistory to the 1400's - not quite as far as you want, but close. I really, really like this text. There's also Vol. 2 covering 1400 - 1914, and vol. 3 is basically the 20th century (and I'd guess the first bit of the 21st). I was able to get vol. 1 very inexpensively used on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 You could look at either Van Loon's The Story of Mankind or Gombrich's A Little History of the World. Both cover Ancients to Modern, but, because they were written in the early 20th century, they stop at about WWII, and their modern coverage is pretty light. You can preview them at amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 You might take a look at History Odyssey (Pandia Press), level 2: http://www.pandiapress.com/history_odyssey.htm They use The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (1999 edition or 2004 edition) and The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon (updated 1999 edition) as spines. Pandia Press has free samples of History Odyssey up on their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I second the K12 Human Odyssey suggestion. Volume 1 is a very good survey course from prehistory through the Middle Ages. I bought a used copy on ebay for about $25. I also highly recommend two series published by Oxford University Press: The World in Ancient Times (9 volumes) and The Medieval and Early Modern World (7 volumes). Each set includes volumes on specific topics (Greece, Rome, Medieval Europe, etc) as well as a volume of primary sources that goes with the set. The Medieval set also includes volumes on Exploration and Science & Revolution. The sets are expensive to buy new, but you can pick up most of the volumes used on Amazon. Amazon also carries the student guide and teachers guide for many of the volumes. The TGs are excellent and include chapter summaries, topics for discussion, assignments, etc. Both series are aimed at grades 6-8, and they are very well done. I especially like the emphasis on primary sources, daily life, etc., not just dates & battles. Jackie PS: I like Gombrich's A Little History of the World (we have the audiobook), but IMHO it's too basic for a 6th grader and would not constitute a year-long history course without a LOT of additional reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 History Makers by TRISMS. asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimerinkydo Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Next year we are going to study Ancients through Middle Ages as well. I've decided to use K12's Human Odyssey am in the process of deciding what other resources to use along with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 We are covering Ancients through 1800 in one year (7th grade) and will go up to present next year (and include American history in there too). We are using K12's Human Odyssey, Spielvogel's World History (not Human Odyssey, the other one), and Boorstin's A History of the United States. The K12 books are truly outstanding and they're wonderful for middle school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa in MO Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 How can you find K12 Human Odyssey used on ebay. Can someone provide an ISBN # or a publisher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 How can you find K12 Human Odyssey used on ebay. Can someone provide an ISBN # or a publisher? K12 is the publisher. There are some used copies available through Amazon Marketplace, and the ISBN is there in the listing if you want to check for it on other used books sites: http://www.amazon.com/Human-Odyssey-Prehistory-Through-Middle/dp/1931728534 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 It is very difficult to find these books used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 It is very difficult to find these books used. Hmmm... it might go in waves, or maybe it's demand from here... I had no trouble finding a like-new copy for less than $10 when I first heard of this book here, and there were multiple copies for that price both at Amazon and Alibris (I see there are less now, but there are still some). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I would use the Story of the World books as a spine, possibly on audio, and carefully selct his corresponding reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 It is very difficult to find these books used. Try Follett Book Services as well. They carry lots of used books for great prices. Every used book I have purchased from them has arrived looking like new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Oak Meadow's 6th grade social studies covers the time period you're after. http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/overviews/6ov.pdf I used Sonlight Core 6 for that time period. I had to adapt for religion, but it didn't require all that much work. The religious books are marked in the catalog, so I didn't order those books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Does anyone know where I can get volume 2 of the K12 history book? Amazon doesn't seem to have it. I can't find the ISBN either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Thank you Eliana!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I should have qualified this--The first volume is fairly easy to find used, the second somewhat less so, and the third even less so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 We'll be covering World History this coming year. My will-be-5th grader will be using Van Loon's The Story of Mankind and my will-be-10th grader will be using DK's Illustrated Guide to World History. This book is just terrific! And HUGE! I bought it at Border's. It was originally priced at $50, but the book was on sale and, combined with my 20% teacher's discount, the price went down to around $25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I've come to think that these are the best choice out there for secular middle school history. They're not enough for some kids - my eldest used Spielvogel's Human Odyssey, but dd#2 used these with a lot of (self-chosen) supplementary reading & ds will be starting the first volume next week...) Eliana, How do you *do* history with these books? What does a lesson look like, and what kind of work do you require from your students? Do you have your children write outlines? Keep a timeline? I have the first volume, and I've been reading aloud to my 6th grader from this book as well as reading from other texts. But his output is much lower than his input, at this point. I am wondering what history looks like for folks who use text books. And thank you for the ISBNs! I've been searching and searching! Nicole [ETA: Oh, no! Was this a hijack? I did not mean to hijack the thread! Sorry!] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 bump. would love to know the answers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 bump. would love to know the answers ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I'm curious too :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimerinkydo Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I've decided to use 12's Human Odyssey volume 1 next year with a 6th and 7th grader and I'm trying to figure out how to use it. Here are my rough ideas so far. I'm sure we will end up doing less than this, I always come up with more ideas than we have time or interest for. First of all I will break the book into "unit studies" by grouping similar chapters/cultures together: Sumer/mesopotamia, Babylon, Egypt, India & China/Eastern cultures, etc. Each child makes a 3-prong notebook for each unit. My rough ideas for each unit: Introduction to Unit: First watch a movie or do a quick project or do a mystery in history activity (from teacher-created resources). These kids say they don't like history so it will be necessary for me to generate interest in that culture before we begin. Then read (and outline?) encyclopedia pages and select topics of interest to research. Mark dates on timeline (we make index cards and stick them on the wall along the ceiling). Mapwork - find culture on a map, globe and atlas. Mark major cities and settlements on a blackline map to put in notebook. Library Research: Park ourselves at the library for a morning and use library books as a source to: 1) Choose a biography to read from that culture 2) Choose a Unit project (craft, cooking, etc.) and make a list of supplies needed 3)Find books about the culture and begin answering questions about that culture. (there are some questions on page 48 of the k12 text, from that I will make up my own generic list of questions to be used with every unit.) Unit Assignments: 1)Keep a booklist of books you read about the culture 2)Read (and outline?) the Human Odyssey chapters for the culture 3)Answer assigned questions about this culture (the list of questions I make) 4)Choose 1-2 of the above questions and make a notebook page on each 5)Read choice of biography and make a notebook page 6)Read assigned historical fiction ... narrate, discuss, etc. 7)Unit project 8)Write a unit summary...make it a travel guide to that culture or something? Some way to have them tell others about what they learned about that culture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Eliana, How do you *do* history with these books? What does a lesson look like, and what kind of work do you require from your students? Do you have your children write outlines? Keep a timeline? I think I was the one who started this K12 HO craze- I had no idea so many people were using it now! I am glad people like it. I bought it by accident but really like it. The way I have used it is to make up my own program just using it as a spine, and along with some AO books and ideas. Our year is divided into four 10 week terms so I divided our Ancient Year (with my then 12 and 13yos) into 4 sections.(1) Pre-history/Early civilizations, (2)Egypt/India/China and early religions (the book covers these well), (3)Greece, and (4)Rome/Early Christianity. We read books from AO Year 6/pre7, like Geurber's The Story of Greece, The Story of Rome. We didnt outline- we did that with other subjects. Usually, I would set the kids a weekly assignment- for example, tell me the story of the Buddha. Sort of narrations, although I had my older one do some more in depth essays. I had them do maps. We read relevant literature. It wasnt especially rigorous or structured- I just kept them reading, discussing, and writing. History is our favourite subject and we do a fair bit together (reading aloud/discussions). We are now doing the Medieval section of the book for our Medieval Year. They are just reading it along with other books, including SOTW2 a 2nd time. They are outlining Usborne (for ds13) and Kingfisher (dd14) encyclopedias- I have lined up the relevant pages. I am aligning it with IEW Medieval Writing lessons, adding mapwork (an enlarged map of Europe) and a major project. Dd14 is making a medieval book, with a story, calligraphy and artwork. Ds13 is building a castle and maybe a town for his Warhammer figures. This is along with HEO year 7 which is the medieval year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I'm planning on using K12's HO as a spine over the next few years, but we haven't gotten there yet (I was hoping to start this fall, but with the pace of our current studies it might be more like the new year, as in 2010). This is how I'm imagining it... I'll read HO aloud (I have two older kids plus a younger that will all listen in, so this is easier for me). Then, the older two will read relevant sections from The World in Ancient Times, and the younger one will read a different non-fiction book on the same period. They'll all read historical fiction at their level about the time. I'll probably throw in videos and field trips (probably to the relevant section of the art museum, as for ancients there's not much else to visit) I honestly haven't given a ton of thought to output. In my perfect world, the older two (they'll be 6th grade in fall) would also read the relevant section in Spielvogel's Human Odyssey (which I also have on hand) and answer the end-of-chapter questions. But that may be over the top. We'll see. If that doesn't work out, I'll probably have them write papers - I did buy IEW's Ancient History Lessons. And I'm sure we'll discuss - and reading it aloud will promote that, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 You could look at either Van Loon's The Story of Mankind or Gombrich's A Little History of the World. Both cover Ancients to Modern, but, because they were written in the early 20th century, they stop at about WWII, and their modern coverage is pretty light. You can preview them at amazon. Gombrich's A Little History of the World is written very conversationally. I love his style. He gets the important parts of history in, and I came away knowing a little more than what I learned from SOTW. As far as it being secular... well, I will start another thread, and link it when I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I'm only just now catching these replies, weeks late. Thank you! Peela, what is AO? Eliana, your comments are very helpful. I will think on what you all have said. I may have more questions later. I did find the level two book through interlibrary loan and am excited to get to have a peek. NM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Coming in a little late here, but you can order it directly from K12. Just call them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Peela, what is AO? I'm not Peela but AO is Ambleside Online ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 We are using Sonlight Core 6 next year for 8th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I did buy a used copy of K12's Human Odyssey vol 1. which covers from Prehistory to the 1400's from Amazon:) I found it to be a nice text when I looked through it. My ds is a little young right now. Just doing a little advance planning;) Currently we have SOTW and Usborne's Internet Linked World History both of which are good as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I did buy a used copy of K12's Human Odyssey vol 1. which covers from Prehistory to the 1400's from Amazon:) I found it to be a nice text when I looked through it. My ds is a little young right now. Just doing a little advance planning;) Currently we have SOTW and Usborne's Internet Linked World History both of which are good as well. I'm tempted to do this as well, to get K12's History Odyssey already (look at my siggy ;)). It looks really interesting to me. I can always ask for a gift for Christmas :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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