Help choosing guide(s)…

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  • forbygrace
    Participant

    I’m planning to use SCM next year for my rising 11th, 9th, and 7th graders.  How should I choose a guide?  My oldest needs the last two guides, but doesn’t that leave my other two in an odd cycle?  We come from using HOD and/or SL over the last several years.  Each of my students has been doing their own level/guide for years.  I’ll admit after 15 years of homeschooling and graduating two students, I’m having trouble figuring out the best plan for my three left to teach. 😉

     

    I love the looks of SCM, especially because of the focus on Scripture, and the simplicity.  I feel like we’ve WAY overdone history in the past, and this feels much more balanced.  I’d love your thoughts or advice on our situation and possible scenarios.

     

    Thanks and blessings! 🙂

    HollyS
    Participant

    I totally agree with you on history being overdone with many homeschool programs out there!  We used HOD for a few years when my kids were young and I remember history taking all day long!   SCM is very nicely balanced!  My high schoolers spend less than an hour each day, including their independent readings.  My younger ones spend less time.

    In your situation, I’d be likely to consider what my high schoolers needed credit wise and go with that, since they have less time.  You really can start with any guide.  I have 5 kids, and have come to accept that it’s not going to line up nicely for most of them.  😂 Mine are 11th, 9th, 7th, 4th, and K.

    forbygrace
    Participant

    Thanks, Holly! 🙂  Yes, history has definitely taken up a huge chunk of our day.  Now, we love history here, but there’s so much that needs to be done in a day, so more balance is really needed. I’m glad that SCM is more balanced.  That’s a much needed breath of fresh air! 😉

    My dilemma is this….my older child will be in 11th grade, and needs US History for her history credit (as well as Gov/Econ, but that can easily be worked into those two years).  So naturally, we could use the Early Modern guide, followed by Modern.  Only problem, though it works great for my 9th grader, my youngest would still need to repeat those guides in her 11th and 12th grade years for high school credit.

    This has brought me to wonder if we shouldn’t just combine the younger two, and have my older one do the Early Modern more on her own.  Then my younger two could start in Matthew/Ancient Rome and then just move forward from there.  I’d love to combine everyone and enjoy those family time discussions, but my (then) 9th grader is finishing SL Core H this year, and my (then) 7th grader is finishing SL Core E this year.  So I wonder if it would be too repetitive to do those time periods again??  This is why I wondered if I shouldn’t do two separate groups.

    I’m probably making this harder than it has to be, but you know homeschool moms just have to look at it from every possible angle.  Lol! 🙂  Do you think if we all did the Early Modern Guide that my youngest would still find it interesting in four years?

    I watched Sonya’s video on possible places to begin, and found it very helpful.  She recommended in one scenario, after the older one graduates, just beginning from the Matthew/Ancient Rome guide (because it was a more natural break) and moving on from there for the next student(s).  Is that the consensus here, that it’s best to keep everyone in the same guide, or do families do multiple guides? (These questions make sense if you consider I’ve used HOD for a long time! :))

    Thanks for your help! 🙂

    Karen Smith
    Moderator

    Just so you know, our history guides each have a page in the back that shows what to award for high school credit for history, geography, and Bible if the student completes all of the assignments for grades 7-9 or grades 10-12. Your 7th grade student would not need to repeat Early Modern and Modern in grades 11 and 12 because high school level work completed in middle school can be included on a high school transcript.

    CrystalN
    Participant

    I am in a similar situation with my similarly aged kids. I have have a rising 11th, 9th, 6th grader. It wouldnt be a big deal except we are in a PSP which requires a world and an American history credit to graduate, which means someone is going to be “off.” I thought I had it figured out. I was going to let my oldest do EM and Modern, while my youngers start in Rome. My oldest could sit in on the readings with us and use that time toward Bible/Church history. Not ideal, but a workable plan. Until my middle says she absolutely must do the entire cycle, just dreadful to skip Egypt and Greece. I really dont want to try and smash 6 modules into 4 years. But I really want to start in Egypt as well. So back to square one. If you have to answer to a PSP like me who wont count 7/8 grade classes you could just add American on the side over the high school years. Split the EM/Modern books over 4 years. Maybe even leave some out, do mostly the American selections. A 4 year history plan is much tidier to try and fit in that diabolical box. But 6 years is so much more enjoyable. I hope you can figure it out. Let us know what you decide, maybe I will use your plan!

    forbygrace
    Participant

    Thank you all so much for your replies! 🙂

    In pondering my situation, it’s my heart’s desire to do family studies while we still can, so I’ve decided to do the Early Modern guide for everyone.

     

    I do have a question regarding the Stories of the Nations/America…books. They are listed under family read aloud books, but on the website it says for grades 1-6.  Do I read them aloud to all the kids, or just the younger ones?  Or is it meant to read to everyone?

    Just trying to wrap my mind around how best to start using SCM, so any help or tips are very appreciated! 😉

    sarah2106
    Participant

    Family books I read to everyone, they are not long readings and it is fun to read as a family even with older kids.

    1st-3rd I read aloud to younger and if older want to listen in they are welcome to.

    4th-6th they usually read on their own, sometimes I read the book depending on the book and my child’s ability to read it.

    7th and up they read on their own.

    Tamara Bell
    Moderator

    We recommend the Stories of….books to be read as a family.  The reading/comprehension level is younger than grade 7 however when reading it as a family everyone is afforded a brief overview of an event/person.  The grade level individual suggested books are what will go into greater depth at an appropriate level/detail.

    forbygrace
    Participant

    Thank you all so much for your helpful replies! 😉

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