Opinions on TOG4/Choosing Year 3 or 4

[Ginger]

We are using SOTW3 this year--we're currently just hitting the 1800's. I am wanting to use TOG next year. But year 4 doesn't start until 1900. What do I fill in the gap with? My children are 10 and 7. I decided against using SOTW 4 with them next year because I've heard the content is too heavy and it just frankly isn't as interesting as the other years. Will I encounter the same thing with TOG? I could technically just start TOG 3 now, but I hate to invest in two cores (3 and then 4) and things are going smoothly with what we are doing right now--so I just don't really have the desire to change. Any opinions or suggestions? Thank you ;-)

[Janis in DE]

I did TOG 3 last year and we are just starting Unit 4 of TOG 4. Ideally, if it were me I would want to do Units 3 & 4 of year 3 and Units 1 & 2 of year 4. If you skip year 3 you miss the Civil War and Victorian England, both were really good. Units 1 & 2 of year 4 covers WWI & II. I know it is a lot of wars, but TOG give you lots of things that will interest younger kids. Any way you could borrow 1/2 of year 3 from someone? The redesigned versions of these aren't out yet. Year 3 is just beginning production to be released unit by unit starting this summer. The last two units won't be released till about 2009.
They do sell by units, or maybe you could get a good deal on a used set.
Janis in DE

[Jasda]

Have you looked into the Well Trained Mind method?

[siloam]

Ginger,

I was able to purchase year 3 classic for $85 with a reproducible CD. If I were in your shoes I would pick up a used year 3, then move on to year 4.

Heather