SCM Discussion Forum

1. 

   LindseyD.
   Member

   Just wondering if there are going to be any changes to Module 4 in the near future?

   I am finalizing my book purchases for our upcoming year and am wondering if you are replacing Famous Men of the Renaissance & Reformation as well as Famous Men of the Middle Ages. Also, will the family handbook be updated or re-released any time soon? If not, I'd still like to buy whatever spines you're going to recommend, if they differ from what's already recommended.

   I am one of those people who has already expressed a dislike for Greenleaf's Famous Men books, but since I have a total of ZERO experience teaching this time period, I think I'd like to follow your recommendations.

   Thanks so much!

   Lindsey

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post
2. 

   Sonya Shafer
   SCM Team

   Lindsey, the revisions for this year do not include the Middle Ages/Ren/Ref module. One clarification I would like to highlight: I would probably recommend using those Famous Men books only for grades 4 and up, maybe 7 and up. The younger ones will have enough if they just read the other books listed, and they'll probably enjoy them a lot more. Hope this helps!

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post
3. 

   Dawn
   Member

   Thank you for clarifying. I too am doing module 4 next year. We have been enjoying Guerbner books the past 3 modules as our spine so we may stick with that, but I plan to use all other resources listed in curriculum guide.

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post
4. 

   Richele
   Member

   We use Christine Miller's "The Story of the Middle Ages" and "The Story of the Renaissance and Reformation" in place of the Greenleaf's FM books in Module 4. Miller's are the revised and expanded editions of Guerber's 'The Story of Old France' and 'The Story of the English.' Our boys are 8 and 10 and, in retrospect, I think I could have just simply replaced the Famous Men stories with James Baldwin's retellings of famous stories and people for these ages or, as Sonya suggested, only used the other resources. We will use Christine Miller's (aka Guerber's) when we go through the module the second time in more detail.  

   We have so enjoyed all the other resources in this module and the other SCM modules though. To think we may have never read "Adam of the Road..."

   Best,

   Richele

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post
5. 

   LindseyD.
   Member

   Great! Thanks!

   Sonya, Next year, I'll have a 9.5-year-old and a newly 8-year-old; so you would recommend that I skip the Famous Men books altogether and simply read the other books? Although Guerber's books have been steps above the Famous Men books in writing style and interest level, I still feel my kids' eyes glaze over during those readings. I'm sure they would enjoy the other suggestions much more than a spine. At some point, I'm hoping they grow out of that.

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post
6. 

   LindseyD.
   Member

   Also, I meant to add another related question to my last post and forgot.

   We have already completed map drills of the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean coastline, and Europe. My kids LOVE map drill, so we get through them pretty quickly. I noticed Europe and Asia are the recommended map studies for this module. Should we repeat or start something new? And if so, what?

   Thanks again!

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post
7. 

   Sonya Shafer
   SCM Team

   Yes, Lindsey, for your dc's ages I think I would skip the Famous Men books. 

   For map drill, you might do some close-up studies of European countries where the stories take place. I really like this technique described by my friend who learned it when she attended British schools growing up. You might also take some time to read about the European families included in Hungry Planet and Material World. I think the key will be taking those countries they now know on paper and helping them see the people and vegetation and lifestyles and such there, so the maps will come alive. Just some ideas.

   Posted 3 months ago # Report Post

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