Middle Ages History help for a British family please!

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  • June 7, 2012 at 5:52 pm
    Inky
    Member

    I’m a British mother planning next year’s history programme.  Last year we studied Ancients (using Susan Wise Bauer’s History of the World as our spine), which I know isn’t CM, though (I feel bad admitting it here!) we loved it.  My 6 year old daughter says “History is my favourite subject”. My own school experience was dry history textbooks that made almost no sense to me.

    SO given that I know almost nothing about history, I’m looking for quite a bit of guidance with a curriculum/booklist.

    Here is a list of my dilemmas:

    1. I’ve looked at Vol 2 of Story of the World, but seen that on Amazon.co.uk it gets a 1 star review for apparent errors/lack in British and European History – which is important to us given we are British.  I’m also feeling increasingly drawn to more stricly CM approach (having just read Hearing and Reading, Telling and Writing which is WONDERFUL – thank you Sonya).

    2. So I’ve looked at SCM Mod 4, but have one or two reservations.  First, I am unsure whether my 6 year old will cope with ‘Fifty Famous Men’, and especially as my other daughter (4 years old) loves to sit and ‘do History’ with us, I want to resepct her needs.  I don’t want something that will be so way over her head so that by the time she reaches Grade 1, she dislikes history

    3. Another reservation I have about the SCM Mod 4 list is that – although I don’t mind buying one or two American books – I struggle with the idea of buying ONLY American books, reason being the American spelling, which I worry my children will absorb and then become confused / demoralised with  all the unlearning they will have to do.  Also, given that much of the Middle Ages History occurs in Europe, it makes sense for a British family to use British books.

    4. But I’m not currently living in the UK, so am limited to browsing on the internet.  And so many of the books look like twaddle / textbooks / encylopaedias. You know – lots of lovely colourful pictures, but short snippets or dreary compliations of facts.

    5. I realise that most of you are not British  –  but I’d love to have ANY good recommendations suggestions – and especially any British books (or books that are published both in Britain and America, so I can purchase the British version)

    Thanks very much

    Ruth

    June 7, 2012 at 5:57 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    Have you looked at “Our Island Story” (“An Island Story” is the same book from the US) – it is British History, and is used with Ambleside Online for several years as a history spine)

     

    June 7, 2012 at 6:35 pm
    Rachel White
    Participant

    Fifty Famous Men is definitely good for your 6 yr. old. I think it goes best alongside, or afterwards, Fifty Famous Stories Retold and Thirty More Famous Stories Retold.

    Our Island Story may be over the 6 yr. old’s head; I don’t know. It’s recommeded in yr. 1 at Ambleside ONline. However, it’s a great choice now or later according to whatever you may think. You can skim these online to find out before you but if they would be suitable. After that Our Empire Story, also by Marshall.

    Our Island Saints by Amy Steedman is an option for the 6-10 crowd

    Yesterday’s Classics has these:http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com/catalog/displaycatalog.php?catalog=world

    Have you looked at History of the World by Hillyer, reading the parts that are specific to Middle Ages England? The Guerber Middle Ages books would probably be over their heads as a spine.

    Also, at Heritage HIstory there are many books to choose from; both for a Kindle to be downloaded and to be read ont he computer. Or you can just skim thorugh the site to gather names of books and see if you can find them at your library or for sale. YOu’ll have to look up the ages for them, too.

    British History:http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage.php?Dir=civ&MenuItem=british

    European Middle Ages Histoy:http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage.php?Dir=civ&MenuItem=european

    They have a Curriculum CD you can buy that has all the books on it that can be used as ebooks or on a Kindle; the book links are color coded acording to beginner (green) intermediate (Brown) Advanced (red):

    http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-store.php?pid=hcc_hcc_british-middle-ages_1

    http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-store.php?pid=hcc_hcc_young-readers_1

    (Our Little Saxon Cousin and Our Little Norman Cousin would be enjoyed by the 6 yr. old plus all the great legends of England)

    http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-store.php?pid=hcc_hcc_british-empire_1

    Dover has many coloring books to choose from for Middle Ages study, Castles, Kings and Queens, etc., some simpler tha others. Found at the Dover site and here.

    and – http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Castle-Village-Coloring-History/dp/0486265420/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

    Not history related directly, but for poems you have so many choices: A Child’s Book of Verses and the A.A. MIlne Poetry books are so very British, as you well know!

    When you start doing dictation in 2-4 years w/your oldest, SCM has a British spelling version.

    We have many Canadians here and at least one other Brit (Hi Linda!! Who’s missing the shire), so I’m sure they can give more advice about how they handle the spelling issue and other great Brish books fopr you so you can pass down your nation’s heritage.

    Blessings

    June 7, 2012 at 7:55 pm
    missingtheshire
    Member

    Ruth, Hi I am from England as well but now live in the US. Because we were a military family we moved around a lot, and our girls were in public school until 5th grade, after which we started homeschooling. Because we have been living all over, most of our curriculum has been US based and the girls have used the US spelling so that was not an issue for us. However I understand where you are coming from and the need for British books. The books by H.E. Marshall are very entertaining and good reads, I have most of them on my shelf – however you should be aware, they are not always accurate and they do mix fact and myth rather a lot. They are however excellent for giving a youngster an interest in history and a love for the subject. Lady Antonia Fraser the historian credits Our Island Story as being the catalsyt for her becoming a writer in the field, so they are worth having on your shelves. For older children The History of England by Charles Dickens is a lovely book and I would have that on the shelf – we really enjoyed that. Apart from that I cannot think of anything suitable for your age group. Sory I could not be of more help. Linda

    June 7, 2012 at 9:07 pm
    Rachel White
    Participant

    Oh, I forgot about The History of England for Children by Dickens! That one would be wonderful for her dd’s ages. I bought one used at an antique store.

    read for free: http://www.dickens-literature.com/A_Child’s_History_of_England/index.html

    audio version:http://www.amazon.com/A-Childs-History-of-England/dp/B002C4A2E6

    or:http://www.amazon.com/Childs-History-England-Charles-Darwin/dp/1420933752/ref=pd_cp_b_0#_

    A Short History of England by G.K. Chesterton covers from Roman rule to WW I (don’t know age appropriateness):

    http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-England-G-Chesterton/dp/1604246081

    free audio:http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/book/a-short-history-of-england-by-g-k-chesterton and at Librivox here.

    free read:http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20897/20897-h/20897-h.htm

    HTH

    June 7, 2012 at 10:37 pm
    Inky
    Member

    Rachel,

    Thanks for all your brilliant thoughts and time.  I really like the idea of Our Island Story – its on my shelf waiting till they’re old enough – but I’ve just pulled it down and I think it may work.  I haven’t had a chance yet (kids round my feet and a baby…) to check out your other links, but I’m looking forward to doing so when everyone’s in bed….!

    Linda

    Thanks very much – the Charles Dickens book looks great! I hadn’t thought of that either.

     

    I’ll post again if I have any questions later on….

    Blessings, Ruth

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