New to SCM and need history help

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  • smidgenofsoul
    Participant

    I am new to CM style of teaching and could really use help deciding what to use for history. Too many choices and not enough decision making. I need to keep things as simple as possible as I have children ages 3, 5, 8, and 13.  I currently own Story of the World 1 with activity book and Beautiful Feet’s Early American History for primary grades, both unused. I know either choice would work great for my younger children but what to do with my eldest. She has had minimal history up to this point.  I want to primarily focus on American history but incorporate world history as well. BF has a program called Early American and World History for grade 7 (would need to purchase) and my youngers could use one of the owned programs above. This puts me doing two separate programs. My eldest struggles with reading and would need lots of hands on help and possibly readalouds. I worry I’ll be overwelmed with two separate programs.

    I like the look of CM’s Stories of America/Nations but this would require buying more when I already have books unused. Its worth the investment if this is the best option but I don’t want to waste money if onother option is equally as good with books already owned.

    I’ve considered beefing up SOTW but am unsure how to be sure my 7th grader is learning enough. I “think” I could beef up BF’s Primary Early American History using their reading suggestions for the intermediate level without purchasing the guide. I have access to a great library that has most of the books. The Intermediate’s grade level is up to 6th grade and technically she is in 7th albeit she is not grade level in history. Would its recommended age bother you?  Because it only teaches American History, I would not have the world history I wanted unless I used SOTW 1 or another program. Part of me says focus on American History by beefing up owned BF’s Primary EA History, comparible with the intermediate level, and add SoTW 1 and activity book as is as a bonus. Would this be too complicated or too much?

     

    Wings2fly
    Participant

    Welcome! I recommend studying the same time period. So if you want to use BF Early American (which we used and loved), then add in world history from the same time period, either with BF Foster books, SCM Stories of the Nations 1 or SOTW 3. If you get the audio CD set for SOTW, then your grade 7 could read along with the audio. And you could add other books and read along audio for that time period. Check your library, LibriVox, and Audible for audio versions for your oldest. Recommended ages do not bother me. Teach the child, not the curriculum. Either way, make it enjoyable. Try to add in a field trip to help make history come alive. Museums, live performances, re-enactments, festivals, even online tours and websites. Check out Mount Vernon and Williamsburg websites.

    smidgenofsoul
    Participant

    Thanks for the advice. I believe you are correct, teach the child, not the curriculum. I struggle with this.

    I have decided to use  BF’s Early American History and keep with the same timeline for world history.  I know it isn’t necessary to do both the same year but I want to. Wink  Now I have to choose, SoTW 3 or CM’s Stories of Nations. Both I would have to purchase.  I like the preview of both. Which would you suggest? Does SoTW have to go in order? My middle child is only in 2nd grade and if we use SoTW 3 this year with her older sibling, I could circle back around to SoTW 1. From the advances my eldest made last year, hopefully this year will be more of the same, I could see her not needing as much help next year freeing me up for my youngers.

    smidgenofsoul
    Participant

    So now I guess the question is  Story of the World 3 or CM’s Stories of Nations for 2nd grade- 6/7th grade.

    Wings2fly
    Participant

    I see no problem doing SOTW 3 first and keeping a family timeline on the wall or in a book. Your 7th grader should have their own Book Of Centuries or timeline book to keep the time periods straight and to keep as their own. I am partial to SCM Stories of the Nations because it is what I used. But I know families who use SOTW and are very happy with it. If you need the audio CD set to go with the book for your 7th grader to read along with, then you would need to go with SOTW since no audio is available for Stories of the Nations.

    smidgenofsoul
    Participant

    Thank you Wings2fly. I think I am going to go with Story of Nations. The samples seem very nice.  It combined with Beautiful Feet Early American Intermediate history will give me what I want and I can stop looking. Since you have used Stories of Nations, would you suggest the printed or pdf? My computer is set in the school room so I can read straight from it but wonder if that will get old after a bit. Is there any way to get it on a kindle reader?

    Wings2fly
    Participant

    I have the printed book and it worked nicely for me.  But you can print out the pdf.  And you can load it to your kindle, but it is pan and scan.  Landscape helps though.  You can try loading some of the free ebooks from SCM or the sample to see how it looks first.  I think Doug was going to make the ebooks available for kindle at some point.  I prefer the kindle ebooks over pdf, but I prefer print for school.  I do like to read from my kindle to the kids at bedtime with the lights out though.  It really is a matter of personal preference.  But shipping is rather high for a small order here.  It may depend on your budget.  I usually order several items at one time to help ease the cost of shipping.  I never ordered anything here I didn’t like.  I love the Picture Study portfolios.  Wink  Check your pm too.

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