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need to scale back or simplify history – opinions please!
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I’m planning for next school year and am temporaily stuck on a decision. Help would be greatly appreciated!
My children are 6 and 8.
I will be spending extra time with ds 8 working thru Diane Craft’s Brain Integration Manual and phonics program. Right Start Math already requires extra teacher prep than other programs (and no, I am not switching, because it works for us right now).
DD 6 is just starting, so she will be learning to narrate and need help with handwriting. To summarize there is not yet much that either child can do independently.
We had been working through the history modules (we would be starting module 3 Ancient Rome) and doing American History lightly along the side. The choice to teach both was something my dh and I made a couple of years ago. I stopped with Greece part way through last year and kept going with Bible only because we covered as much in Ancient Greece as was appropriate for my son at the time and it was too much for me to do 2 histories. At this point my husband feels strongly about continuing with American History.
DS 8 does best by being immersed in a subject with lots of visual aids, ie. science works really well for him when we read from the main book, have an additional picture book, and watch a video.
So, here are the options I’ve come up with, having a hard time deciding which would be better:
1) Continue teaching World and American History simultaneously but without the modules. Follow Linda Fay’s CMH schedule instead. (For American History substitute with A Child’s First Book of American History instead of This Country of Ours.)
2) Drop World History entirely and continue with American History only. (dh votes for this option, I’m having a hard time letting world history go) My son has recently asked, “Where did the alphabet come from?” and “When do we get to read about castles?”
3) Or I could drop World History, continue with American History and have one of our family read–alouds be historical fiction from the time periods we skipping in world history.
So, fire away with some opinions please! (I am at work this morning and will check back this afternoon. Thank you in advance!!)
I don’t think it really matters, but I would do whatever felt simplest since they’re still so young! I like a plan, but am not familar w/Linda Fay’s…if that appeals to you that might be a good option. SCM modules 5 and 6 do cover both World and American and you could start w/module 5…and maybe just add in a few books on older topics of interest to the kids? I wouldn’t stress too much over it…you have lots of time to cover history:) Blessings, Gina
I was thinking just going to Module 5 and getting World and American History for that time period at the same time. I was all distressed about order and having things laied out and I decided to let it go because if we do a rotation one of the kids is going to not start at the beginning. We started with Module 5 last year (for my oldest 1st grade year) and it went really well, but this year we are going back to Module 1 because of conversations we have had lately so I hope to do 1-3 over the next 2 years and make a 5 year rotation, but as I said before… trying not to stress over it. We have plenty of time!
My kids are the same ages, 8 and 6. I don’t follow the modules, because I like things simple. We just read through each book, a chapter at a time, once or twice a week. If I needed to scale back our history, I would simple focus on the ‘spine’ (whichever one you choose), and take out the additional books. For example, we are using Synge’s series as our spine. We do 2 chapters a week. They are short and take less than 10 minutes each to read aloud and narrate. 20 minutes a week, no planning or extra work required. We also do some historical fiction, and the occasional extra book (such as “Pyramids” by David MacCauley when we did Egypt,) but those are extras that could be left out if needed.
If that even seems like too much, you could just find some audio versions of some history books and just listen in the car or during lunch or quiet time. No planning, no narration, just enjoy. This would keep that world history element, without taking time from other things that are more important right now.
Joanne
You could just do American History officially and give your son books to answer his questions for fun reading 🙂
Tara
I would go with option 2 and as Tara said get some other fun books for your Ds when he has questions.
I would probably stick with American history and just add in some world history books for fun (you could try looking at the options for grades 1-3 fro the other modules you haven’t covered if you’d like to do the read alouds without the guide. There are several picture books listed in the Visits to… series that could appeal as well. See what the library has that might interest him and put together a book basket, maybe.
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