Anyone doing history cycle 4 next year--1850 thru modern?

[Ginger]

What are you using? I'll have a 5th grader and 2nd grader. We've used SOTW 1-3, but might want a change of pace next year as I've heard SOTW4 is not very interesting.
It seems like so many people are always talking about cycles 1-3, but I know there have to be some doing 4. What are your fav's?

[Kelli in TN]

We will be on year 4 next academic year too. We are using SOTW.

[Heather in NC]

I disagree...we are doing SOTW 4 right now and we LOVE it!

[WTMindy]

SOTW 4 also!! I learned so much from it and my kids (who were 4th and 2nd grade at the time) liked it too. Susan said that Peacehill Press is writing a "younger sibling pack" for SOTW 4 which sounds great. I don't know when that will be released, but it might be good for your younger.

[cajun.classical]

We'll be covering this time period next year using Truthquest HIstory American History for Younger Students vol. 3. We love Truthquest History.

[cbollin]

We're in that time frame this year with 6th and 3rd grader. Using MFW 1850-MOD which includes SOTW vol. 4. We like it. 6th grader is using the outlining and writing from an outline in the activity book. Timeline is awesome. We pick and choose activities. SOTW itself is well liked around here. We're adding in more US history with a Children's Ency. of American History (DK)

-crystal

[Narrow Gate Academy]

We're also using TruthQuest AHYS 3 to cover this period next year. It's simple to follow. It has lots of wonderful living books from which to choose, and my kids are loving it.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Hmmm. From what I've read, I think that when people say they're having a hard time with SOTW 4, or say their kids are too young for it, what they mean is that the time period isn't as interesting as those in earlier volumes -- so much war, battles, more wars, more battles. And, having to look at the uglier events in our own recent history is disturbing. Don't give up on SOTW. The book is not the problem; the subject matter is. Perhaps bringing in more resources to stress the positive events is all you'll need, keeping SOTW as your spine.

We're using SOTW 4, and it isn't significantly different than the earlier volumes. It may seem a little more disjointed, jumping from one country to another, but that's because there was so much happening all around the world at the same time. And, all those happenings influenced the happenings in other countries. The world became a much smaller place in the last 160 years (figuratively speaking). Countries stepped on each other's toes more readily. Part of the settling in process (which is still going on) was war. Lots of war in lots of places. You could choose to teach modern history without teaching about the wars, but you'd be leaving out a major chunk of history. Perhaps there is a different resource that sheds a different light on the events.

This, of course, is just my analysis based on my reading, and my guess as to what you've read. It may not apply to your reasons for not wanting to use SOTW. Maybe some of it will be of help to you.

Blessings,
Suzanne

[LizzyBee]

We're using SOTW 4 this year, and I actually like it better than vol 3. I almost switched to something else because of the negative comments when it first came out, but I am really glad I didn't.

[Stacy in NJ]

My dss will be 9 and 11. I'm planning on using SOTW IV with the AG and only minor supplementing. We used SOTW I and II as complete history curriculums, used SOTW III as a supplement this year to American History. I enjoyed our year off from SOTW, but will also be glad to return to a pre-planned curriculum. I will have my older son do the outlining and writing via the AG, while my little guy will just do short narrations and the mapwork.

[Tami]

AHYS III and Joy Hakim's series that fit this time period. TruthQuest is literature-based and extremely laid-back, interesting, and enjoyable. I throw lit in a book basket and dd reads to her heart's content. We use the library and find treasures there!

I have schedules on my blog, if you are considering TQ.

[strider]

We are looking forward to SOTW 4. We have enjoyed the rest of the series immensely.

[mcconnellboys]

I agree. I've learned a ton from it, myself. I'm very glad we did it!

Regena

[prairiegirl]

WE just started SOTW 4 with my 8 yr. old. We are loving it. I would not call it boring. The Activity Guide is different than other years, but it is geared to Gr. 4 and up so it makes sense that it would be different. We are only on Chp. 6 but we are having a great time getting to know David Livingstone and Abraham Lincoln.

Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)

[Tami]

AHYS III and Joy Hakim's series that fit this time period. TruthQuest is literature-based and extremely laid-back, interesting, and enjoyable. I throw lit in a book basket and dd reads to her heart's content. We use the library and find treasures there!

I have schedules on my blog, if you are considering TQ.

[katilac]

I am using SOTW IV with a 2nd grader and a 4th grader, no problems.

Like Suzanne said, the issue raised most often is that it's a more difficult time period to study, and more disturbing. Personally, I don't see how it's any more disturbing than the wars, plagues, beheadings and so forth in the previous volumes!

It is closer in time, of course, which bothers some people, but I find that kids make little distinction between thirty years ago and three hundred years ago.

There aren't as many coloring pages and super easy activities as earlier volumes, but that's easy to supplement, or simply have the 2nd grader draw his own picture. My 2nd grader enjoys the map work, they both answer questions and discuss, they both do some of the activities, and the 4th grader does the outlining and reads extra books sometimes.