Story of the World -- HELP

[Mogster]

My friend is just finishing up her first year of homeschooling. She is considering using SOTW next year for a 3rd grader. He has had no history thus far. She is stressed about which book she should start with. She would like to start at the beginning, but is concerned that he will not have any American history until 5th/6th grade. Any suggestions?

[Lenora in MD]

I would definitely start at the beginning. Not doing American History until then is not a problem. If she is really concerned, then she could add in some of the D'Aulaire books maybe.

[Pam in MA]

We started homeschooling when my oldest was in fourth grade. We started at the beginning with SOTW 1. One of the reasons I started homeschooling was I thought that our PS system but too much emphasis on American history, to the exclusion of everything else, and that our general population does not have an understanding of how our country fits in the context of world history. If you look at a timeline of world history, how big a chunk of the history of the US? I think that much of our education in this country is too America-centric, to make up my own word! Additionally, I have found, now that we are finishing up the last year of SOTW, that although my kids came later than many to American History, they have a much deeper understanding of what they have learned. We have read Joy Hakim's series alongside SOTW 3 and 4 to give them further depth. They remember information well because we had the time to go into each topic in more depth, read more books, etc. So there's my soapbox speech.

As an aside, they have done standardized testing every year and scored very well on the social studies portion. . . none of the tests that they've taken seem to require much specific historical knowledge.

I think you have to decide what your overall philosophy of history is. . . TWTM follows a four year cycle so you either buy into that or not. Don't use SOTW if it doesn't agree with your methodology.

[MelissaMinNC]

So, I would start at the beginning, even with a 3rd grader. On the other hand, I'm not married to the idea that all reading has to correlate with the time period being studied, so I would probably have some American History biographies or historical fiction as read-alouds or book basket books. Come to think of it, this is what I do, LOL. We're doing Ancients this year, but as free-reading/read-alouds, we've done Little House in the Big Woods and George Washington by the D'Aulaires, along with a whole mish-mash of other stuff.

Just my .02,
Melissa

[ArwenA]

Another vote for starting at the beginning. I just love the 4 yr. cycle.:)
Adding in American history books wouldn't be a problem.

[Ali in OR]

Another vote for starting at the beginning.

To make sure dd wasn't totally ignorant of American history while we wait to get there in SOTW, every year I have checked out "What your __grader needs to know" books by E.D. Hirsch from the library. We read through the American history section (and a few other sections just for fun), and that's her quick intro to Am History.

[Carol in Cal.]

It is so great to learn American history in context!

At the same time, I would buy all the Jean Fritz books I could find, and use them as readalouds.

[nmoira]

I'd start at the beginning but: (1) just read the books for the first two volumes; and, (2) go year round with history, starting this summer. There's nothing so crucial in the first history iteration that requires indepth study (it's great to supplement with literature and more stories, but not necessary), but it's nice to have the chronological flow. The books are gentle enough that it needn't seem like a burden to keep going until "caught up."

[Pencil Pusher]

It is so great to learn American history in context!

Yup. We read about the govt of Athens last year, & this year, ds7 overheard dh & I talking politics. He asked some questions & concluded, "That's like the Greek government we studied."

Dh & I got all excited, explaining that YES, in fact, it IS.

Now this year, we're reading about the Magna Carta. By the time we really get to the US next year, it will look completely different than it did to me (until I was in college, lol). And suddenly, the US doesn't look so all-important. It's just part of a developing idea of democracy. *How* beautiful!

[MelissaMinNC]

I'd start at the beginning but: (1) just read the books for the first two volumes; and, (2) go year round with history, starting this summer. There's nothing so crucial in the first history iteration that requires indepth study (it's great to supplement with literature and more stories, but not necessary), but it's nice to have the chronological flow. The books are gentle enough that it needn't seem like a burden to keep going until "caught up."


Oh, this is a great idea! I might change my vote to this, but I don't really think there's a wrong way here.

:)
Melissa

[sweetTN]

This is our first year of homeschooling dd (3rd grade). We began at the beginning with SOTW and it is working out wonderfully. Since we plan to hs year round, I don't think we will be all that far behind...eventually:). I would definately vote for starting with SOTW 1.

[Lori in MS]

You could also get the cds. My son loves SOTW. We started SOTW when he was in 3rd grade. He listened to the whole book on cd in one summer. And has since listened to it at least 5 times. We are doing SOTW 3 this fall but he has already listened to most of it.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Suggest to her that she get a bunch of books from the library this summer that will expose her dc to American History. There are tons of them! Just light stuff, bedtime material, biographies, etc. Then, start SOTW I in the fall, with the regular school year.

[Testimony]

I feel that my sons have a better understanding of American history than learning only about American history. They understand so much about the colonial period, the American revolution, the War of 1812, and World War II. I think that you can do the series and maybe pick up some library books about American history. There is so much in the library.

Blessing,
Karen
www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[katilac]

I'll chime in with start at the beginning. American history (or what passes for it in the school system) is so pervasive that it's hard to miss it even if you try!

I don't think it's crucial to supplement, but it's easy enough to get relevant read alouds for Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc if she wishes.

Also, exploring the New World and the early colonies are covered in volume 2, so really, his American history will begin in 4th grade.