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How To Review History
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I had asked this question in my question about BOC, but thought maybe it should be it’s own post. We have been using TQ History for a few years. We are currently finishing up studying about the Romans. As much as we discuss and narrate after each reading, even I am having trouble keeping track of all the emperors and dates and battles. How do you know what is important to remember?
The fact that my children (or me) cannot remember the specifics on Alexander the Great, or the Punic Wars even though we covered them mean that we are failing or needing to change what we’re doing?
I thought our timeline (they each have their own) would helps them remember things, but they don’t enjoy using them anymore (not sure why?). So, we really don’t refer back to them unless we are putting new figures in it. We don’t lapbook, just not my thing, and I’m afraid the children wouldn’t enjoy it either. So, I’m not sure what to do to review and seal the information we’ve learned? How much is it really necessary to know? I’m sure my expectations are a bit off. Just would like to hear from some of you about this.
Many Blessings,
Betty
Funny, I’m replying to my own post! Well, I did what I should have done first and that was talk with my children (my dh already said he doesn’t have an opinion but is very supportive of whatever would work for us).
My children wanted to go back to illustrating their history readings. I made a page with several lines in three sections (top, middle, bottom). Then on the left side of each section, I inserted a blank text box, like 2×2 or so.
They drew a picture of Polycarp and added their own narration. I am beyond thrilled. Each of their picture reflects their personalities and each narration included different details. Wonderful!
I also talked with the children about BOC. They would much rather do that than use a timeline. Cool! Now I just have to figure out how make one. I’d like to use a spiral notebook form and paper without lines, per their request. It would be easier for them to take it with us when we travel.
If you have any other suggestions, please send them. I’m in a re-evaluating mode here!
Blessings,
Betty
What is BOC? I am not familiar with that. I think your idea about illustrating their narrations with the paper you create is a great idea!! I am going to use that at some point. I want to use a timeline starting this summer which one did you use?
Shelly
oh BOC is book of century’s ok now I know what you were asking about. We haven’t used that yet. But we will when my dc are older.
Betty, what did you decide about how important it is to remember it all? We are also using TruthQuest and love it. Sometimes I get kits from Hands and Hearts to go along with out studies. I used it for the Egyptian study and I also have one for Greece and one for Rome. Personally I don’t expect her to remember dates and such from history. I want her to get an overall picture and that’s enough. Her interstet leads toward animals and the study of animals (thank goodness for Apologia Science!). I think her life work will center around animals so history is not something I emphasize.
I, too, don’t emphasize dates as much. Instead, I try to help the kids form a relation with characters in history. I want them to have “ah-ha” moments and feel like they know a historical figure somewhat personally after we finish reading about him, rather than just recognize the name. Of course, they can’t form a true relation with all the historical figures of all the ages, so we do have to pick and choose who we will spend time with and allow the children the freedom to connect more with some than with others.
Another concept that might be helpful is the three-pronged “review” that Charlotte used: immediate narration, pre-reading review, end of term exam. The blog posts on CM-style Assessment will give details.
I’m so glad you thought to ask the children! It’s so much easier when they’re with you and what you’re doing.
Thanks Sonya, I will read those blog posts. I can’t tell you how invaluable your Seminar DVDs were to me! I thought I knew all I wanted to know about teaching CM style, but you brought up some really useful ingredients that I had yet not added to our studies.
Yesterday, I also did our first map page just like you described on the video. It was great and low stress.
I am thinking that when we’re done studying the Romans, we may have a review week, do a quick overview of Roman history. Maybe we can do some type of project or scrapbook page or poster (though I hate to make things that just take up space). I will read the assessment posts as well.
I too, feel that the dates aren’t so much as important as the people of history and to understand what a culture believed and what was their downfall. Studying Roman history in light of our present political circumstances has been so enlightening. You can almost see where we are headed unless God intervenes. We are repeating history in so many ways.
Anyways, I think what I would like the children to be able to do is to have an intelligent conversation about history and the lessons we can learn from it and to analyze it from a Biblical worldview.
Off to do some more reading.
Blessings,
Betty
I have ended up deciding that some dates are important and others are less so. Of course I really, really love history myself, read a lot of it and have some “dates” down myself, but my children–not so much. I think there are things we should have some idea when they happened. The Civil War, for instance. Do you know how many Americans don’t have any idea WHEN the Civil War happened? But Polycarp–well. For Rome, I want my kids to have some basic idea of the general years of the Republic, the Empire, and the Fall of Rome. (And Christ, of course, but that’s pretty easy to remember with our dating system, lol) Anything else is gravy. I’m much more concerned with what do they KNOW of Rome? Really understand? What was Augustus Caesar really like? Constantine? Now, I do want them to know the basics of when. I don’t want them thinking the Empire co-existed with the builders of the Pyramids or something. But I don’t care if they memorize the “year” so much.
As for how to tell what matters in each period–really, the simpler the better. I know of a writer who says you just need to know seven dates, and everything else can sort of “hang” on that. Now, it’s funny because I don’t myself remember which seven he said, but when we are studying, I think about that. What was really, really critical?
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