How to do history with two grades

I’ve known families to do history separately, beginning each child in Ancient times when they reach K or 1st grade. AO is set up this way. I’ve never used it as the idea of running so many separate classes for my kids sounds overwhelming. Still, if you only have a few children I’m sure this can work out and mom still stay sane.

I’ve known families who keep everyone together in history and give them age appropriate books for the current year’s time period. This is what Simply Charlotte Mason’s approach is. I adore it and this is what we do. I have seven children ages 11, 7, 6, 4, 3, 1, and 7 mos. We all have things in common to talk about and act/play for history because we’re all learning about the same time together. I cannot imagine beginning each child separately based on their age, instead of just finding books that are easier or more difficult for a topic. It’s easy to go to the Viking section of the library and grab a picture book, easy chapter book, and more meaty chapter book to use with my different age groupings. (And if you use SCM’s guides they’ve done the picking for each age group for you – even easier!).

The SCM modules 1-6 are chronological if you choose to use them. They are very nice with a family book for everyone and books for each of four levels of kids: grades 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12. The other option is to use a book like All Through the Ages by Christine Miller to put together your own family based study.

Yes, we’re generally chronological at my house. There always seems to be an interest pop up during the year that doesn’t fit (like Ancient Greece when we’re in the middle of the Civil War) and I usually just get books for the child who is interested to pursue the side topic on their own.

I have to admit that I’m doing the AO method….  I like the idea of the SCM, and the guides are wonderful…. but I was having some problems with the kids being at the same level.  We didn’t like Famous Men of Greece…. and also, I have been having some health issues, and if I was sick, school didn’t get done.

I have setup the AO readings that have audiobooks so that my kids can listen and read along with the book.  There are some that don’t have audiobooks – those we either read together, or they read independently.  

It took some tweaking (the first week was a disaster, even though a lot got done) – but now we start school, I do reading and math with my 4yo who is begging to do school – while the kids do independent stuff.  I do 1 reading together with one of the 2 older kids, then do math with them (we do RS which requires me… Math-U-See would be more independent, but I like RS) – and then they can play or do handicrafts, etc.