Name: Teach Them Diligently (Branson)
Start: 2025-05-15T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-17T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Branson, MO

Tagged: Joshua through Malachi, My Father's World

This topic has 6 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 9 months ago by sheraz.

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

Author
Posts
June 14, 2011 at 3:22 am
kara
Participant
Hi. I really hope Sonya responds to this as well:) I used My Fathers World last year for K and 1st grade. While I used it and enjoyed it, I really appreciated the work of your book Sonya, Genesis through Deuteronomy. I actually felt God working in “my heart and life” as I homeschooled my kids. We actually got way off of our curriculum due to be finding Exodus so fascinating and drawing closer to the Lord. I feel so torn right now. I have bought MFW for second grade but continue to feel pulled to do all of CM and use the next edition of Joshua through Malachi and ancient greece. The drawback I have to this is isn’t ancient greece kind of deep for a second grader? And if I use the books in chronological order, my kids will not have American History until 5th grade!!!!! Is this what everyone CM does? I am so confused by this because I know the books are intended to go in order but when do they learn AMerican History? I just need to know if I have things turned around or if I am just confused. THis is such an important question for me because all of the other parts of the CM method would fall around what we would be studying for Bible and History. Has anyone else ever used MFW for second grade or has anyone ever used JOshua through Malachi for a second grader? Like I said above, we did get through Genesis through Deuteronomy for 1st. Please Help! I will take all of the feedback that I can get.
June 14, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Sonya Shafer
Moderator
Hi, kara –
Different people teach American History in different grades. There is no right or wrong time to teach it. I’ll be happy to share with you how I go about it, and hopefully, that information will help you figure out what you want to do.
I’ve chosen to teach history in chronological order, beginning with creation. That puts a whole lot of history before the U. S. began. But I want to lay the foundation and show all the events leading up to the beginning of America.
I’ve also chosen to put the emphasis on Bible history alongside the ancient world. That means we spend more time covering those years because there is a lot of Bible history to read and ponder (Genesis through Acts). During those three years of study, the emphasis is on the Bible accounts. Mythology is very much downplayed for the younger children so they can get a solid foundation in the one true God.
In the Joshua through Malachi and Ancient Greece module, the children read and narrate Bible accounts three days a week, do geography of the Middle East one day a week, and read about famous men of Greece one day a week. Your second grader will also listen to and narrate several Aesop’s fables during the second and third terms.
This module is set up quite a bit like the Genesis through Deuteronomy module. Probably the biggest difference is the addition of the Famous Men of Greece book. I don’t recommend reading all the beginning chapters on the myths and false gods. We start at the legend of Hercules, with a discussion of legends thrown in. You might want to look at an online preview of that book to see if it will be a good fit for you.
Hope this helps!
June 14, 2011 at 2:53 pm
suzukimom
Participant
Another thing to keep in mind if you want to do the modules is that you can really start at any module you want and rotate through….
June 15, 2011 at 1:01 am
lgeurink
Member
One reason I have chosen SCM over other choices is that I feel the balance of history is more acurate. Yes, US history is important, but we have only been a country for a few hundred years and world history a few thousand. What turns me off of some history programs is so much emphasis on the US, frankly there are cultures and people out there who know a lot more than we do and have more experience and lessons to teach. I want my kids to have an accurate world view in light of history, not just rah rah USA with a sprinkling of other people and places. I know not everyone agrees, even in the homeschool group I am a part of but I am okay with that-being different, doing things differently. That is one reason we homeschool, so we can teach our kids what we feel is most important, not what somebody else thinks is most important. Choose what you believe is the right choice for your family, regardless of what other people are choosing for their families.
June 15, 2011 at 1:26 am
MamaSnow
Participant
Just another idea for you if you want to keep going with the SCM modules in order, but want to add in some exposure to US history now is to add some good US history books to your read aloud time (historical fiction, biographies, etc) or audiobooks/dramas to your car time or whatever (my kiddos like audiobooks at rest and bedtime). Then you aren’t necessarily adding a lot of extra stuff to your schedule, but you are giving some basic exposure to US history before you reach Module 5 if that’s something that’s important to you. That’s sort of the approach that we’re taking in our family anyhow.
HTH
Jen
June 15, 2011 at 3:09 am
blue j
Participant
Agreeing with what everyone else has said and piping in to say that often in the schools, around here at least, are so US-centric that the children have no real notion of the world at large. This is a sad. There is no reason why your children need to have US history first. They will be able to understand that there were other civilizations before we came to be a country and will be able to understand better how our country came to be with the background of the earlier world civilizations. I hope you followed that… God has perfect timing, and it becomes more apparent, in my opinion, when things are studied chronologically.
With that said, you don’t need to teach it that way. The CM police will not come and get you if you choose to do a study in a different order, nor will your children be harmed in any way if you should choose to do so. Relax, pray, and do what you think would be best for your children.
All the best,
~jacqleene
June 15, 2011 at 4:44 am
sheraz
Participant
I have found that I love the way we are doing history chronologically, starting with module one. I also find that the only time I really “feel” the pressure to do US based history first is when I am researching curriculum sites. =) Boy, all the pretty books and that slogan “Your kids have to learn this in 4-5 grade, or they will never learn it” sure helps me to question myself! I agree with everyone about reading books on the side. They will make the connection just as easily, and you are not always second guessing yourself!