Going to be new to SCM this fall, I am trying to decide whether to start at the beginning or with Modern.
We are finishing Masterbooks America’s Story Vol 1 next week and will continue into volume 2 for the rest of the year. I am not sure how far we will get. Volume 2 starts at 1850ish and goes through early 1900s. I suppose there is a chance I could read Volume 3 to them over the summer to get through and start at the beginning with Genesis this fall. However, they wouldn’t probably remember a whole lot doing it that way.
So, what do you think would be best? My kids using it would be 3rd, 6th, and 8th this fall.
Well personally I’d look at the big picture, mainly where my 8th grade child would best be placed looking towards graduation, and then just place everyone together from there. If you’re planning on doing SCM from here on out this child will have 5 years and since there are 6 modules one would have to be missed (and that is ok!) all the other kids will get at least one year in each module regardless.
It isn’t too hard to condense Egypt and Greece if you want to fit all 6 modules into your oldest’s 5 years. Egypt and Greece together cover the whole old testament so the break is a good one anyway.
The following is probably what I’d do to keep a somewhat relaxed pace. It probably won’t get you all the way through Greece but you could keep up a similar schedule and finish Greece with Rome next year. Thereby doing 3 guides in 2 years. You can also go a bit longer or combine some Bible lessons to further condense the first 2 guides. You’d have to look at the Bible lessons to decide where to further combine. Just keep history and geography up to Bible the pace.
You could read Bible every day. Do this right away in the morning or before bed perhaps.
Then keep up with Bible pace by doing all the history and geography lessons that are scheduled during those Bible lessons.
If I did this I might make a chart for each week for example
Week 1
Bible lessons 1-5
Geography lessons  none
History none
Week 2
Bible lessons 6-8, 10,11
Geography lesson 9
History lesson 9
Week 3
Bible lessons 12,13,16,17,18
Geography lessons 14, 19
History lessons 14, 15, 19
Week 4
Bible 21,22,23,26,27
Geography 24
History 20,24,25
Week 5
Bible 28,31,32,33,36
Geography 29,34
History 29,30,34,35
Week 6
Bible 37,38,41,42,43
Geography lessons 39,44
History 39,40,44,45
You can probably see the pattern once you have the guides in front of you. There is catch up and exams scheduled into the guide too…its pretty flexible. As you can see the first few weeks are a little different.
Also some of those history days won’t need you its independent reading for grades 4-12 and on other history days you read the family read aloud and only grades 7-12 have extra reading. Many of the geography lessons are very short too. So doing 2 a week isn’t too hard.