My soon to be high school Freshman needs a survey of world history that he can complete in one or 2 years. I woukd like to continue with cm methods, but he is a reluctant reader.
Beautiful feet has a two year World History literature pack for intermediate and highschool level students (can count for literature, world history, and geography highschool credits). Perhaps you could get the books on audio, or read them togheter. I have not used this kit, but it looked good online. It comes with a study guide, but you could simply do narrations instead. We are going by the SCM curriculum guide and are doing Ancient Greece and Rome; these can count as world history also.
I, too, have a freshman and she is also a reluctant reader. I want to geo/world history together over next 2 yrs but not sure where to start! Have been using My Father’s World, then Switched on Schoolhouse last year, which was NOT a fit for her.
December 13, 2013 at 6:05 pm
Anonymous
Inactive
Just curious, has anyone combined any of the SCM guides to accomplish a survey of world history in two years for a high school student?
If you’d like to use SCM, there are other threads in which combining modules 1-3 are discussed. I believe this has mainly been done by dropping the Bible days in the guide. Others have combined modules 5 & 6 by only using the world history lessons and leaving the American history studies for another year. I am not sure how I’d condense module 4. We completed it last year and wouldn’t want to miss any of it in order to combine it with another module. It covers MA/Ren/Ref. There’s so much in that span of time that it’d be hard for me to figure out much to delete. You might look at the spine suggestions and use those with a timeline/book of centuries, only a few books, or utilize several audiobooks versus reading.
If you aren’t going to need ancient history as part of what you consider world history credit, I’d suggest
Year 1 module 4.
Year 2 modules 5&6 world history portions.
This would get your 2 years of World History credit.
Year 3 modules 5&6 U.S. history.
Year 4 Finish up with a crash course in the ancient world, combining modules 1-3.
Utilize family read alouds, or audiobooks for main studies. Look at the books listed in grades 4-6 & 7-9 to choose which best fit reading levels and practice reading as much as possible. Reluctance may just need encouragement by way of skills practice and a discussion on the need for growth in this area. I’m not suggesting this will be an overnight change. But, recognizing an area that needs improvement as being an opportunity for growth versus an insurmountable problem might be the one thing to work on for the year. The “needs improvement” grade can be changed to “satisfactory” with just the right book. That may mean dropping back a level, or two while listening to books that are above reading level.
HTH,
Becca<><
December 15, 2013 at 8:31 pm
Anonymous
Inactive
Thanks for all the suggestions Becca! We actually have covered the middles ages, renaissance, and reformation pretty well. What I want to do is a survey of world history but focusing some extra time on ancient history and also modern history. Does that make sense? My plan up to this point is to use a world history textbook as a spine and spread it out over two years. But I was curious if anyone had tried combining the SCM guides to complete only a world history course in two years. It sounds like it could be do-able. 🙂
BF’s World History study is good! Notgrass also does a world history study. MFW uses the Notgrass text as a spine to cover World History in two years. Our dd used this study and it was great!
Here’s a couple of posts on how we did it. It may give you some ideas or a jumping point….
Story of the World on audio would be a good supplement to any World History program. We like using it because it gives us an opportunity to be learning while we’re on the road.
December 15, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Anonymous
Inactive
Melissa, Thanks for sharing the links. I’ll try to read them here shortly. I actually was thinking about going with MFW for the next two years: Ancient History next year and World History the following year. I’m drawn to it because of the fact that they have it already all scheduled out for you and right now, I need simplicity. 🙂 But……….in both of those years, there are books we probably wouldn’t use and some books my daughter has already read. So I would end up needing to tweak the schedule that comes with it. So I think, if I’m going to be re-working the schedule and typing out new schedules, why pay all that money? I can just schedule out the books I want to use. The other reservation I have is that I am thinking my daughter may not care for the Notgrass text which is what MFW uses.
I have looked at Beautiful Feet. Their two year program is both American and World History. My daughter is finishing up American History this year so she won’t need that. I’m sure I could just use the World History part. I do have a question. How are the BF guides structured? Do they have commentary that helps tie in all the components of history since you’re reading living books and not a text? Or are they just guides for each book that is read? Does that make sense?
Jawgee,Thanks for the suggestion; but we have already used all of the Story of the World books. In fact, I just pulled them all out recently to use with my younger daughter and my high school daughter said “Oh! I used to LOVE those books!” 🙂
December 15, 2013 at 11:31 pm
Anonymous
Inactive
Melissa, I just read your posts. Very helpful! And I also just went and looked at Beautiful Feet Books. Their high school US & World History course is modern history. It starts around 1860. I want to start with ancient history. So that wouldn’t work as a stand alone program. I’d have to supplement it in order to cover up to 1860.
December 17, 2013 at 12:03 am
Anonymous
Inactive
Becca,
You mentioned that there are other threads that discuss combining Modules 1-3. I did a search but I’m not finding anything. Do you happen to know of any specific threads you can point me to? Thanks!
Mrs.K….BF does have an Ancient History guide. We used parts of it and really loved their book choices. Here’s a link to their suggested scope & sequence, not that you need to follow it, but it gives quick links to all their guides and book choices.
Also, Notgrass is not your typical text. It’s written to the student in a conversational manner. I would classify it as more of a living book spine. Another great spine may be H.A. Guerber’s history series. She starts with The Story of the Ancient World. We much prefer these over the Greenleaf Press Famous Men… series. Here’s a link…
I liked the ease of MFW when starting high school in that the lessons are written to the student, foster independence and it’s basically open and go. I had younger kids, k & 1st, at the time and needed something planned. We definitely tweaked it and to be honest, it is over priced, lol. If you are considering, I would purchase the lesson plan book used and get books from the library or second hand when possible. One good thing, is that it does hold it’s value for resale.
Have you looked at Sonlight? We used their Core 100 in 8th grade and our dd really loved their book choices as well. I personally wouldn’t bother with the instructor guide as I found them rather cumbersome. But, you may consider finding a spine and adding books off their list.
Thanks Melissa! I have looked at the options with BF and Sonlight. As far as Geurber’s books go, I have several of them and my daughter has already read from them in previous years. At this point, she would probably find them as well as a some of the Sonlight books for the world history core too easy. She is used to reading some college level books.
Yesterday evening, my daughter and I talked about options and she said she would prefer using the BJU textbook for World History even over Notgrass’s book. So we’re just going to plan on using the BJU text.
I am considering using Streams of Civilization for a spine for 2 years of world history. There are two books, that look like they are meant to each take a semester. But I think we would use one per year and make the readings shorter – adding in lots of living books – mostly audio books for my ds.
Here is a link to Volume 1. Under “Related Products” there is a link for Volume 2.