The 5 + 1 history rotation got me thinking...

[Cornerstone Classical]

Is any one going to devote a yrs study of their state? Here where I live ps study it in 4th and 8th... What are you planning to do?

[cin]

Our schools do it in middle school, maybe 7th gr? I plan on doing a summer unit when the girls are both old enough to take part...2 birds with one stone....Maybe 5th and 8th grade, or 6th and 9th. Of course, right now I'm planning for k4 and 2nd grade, so by then, who knows.

[Plaid Dad]

I plan to do state history for one semester in place of geography, probably when we reach the Colonial period and American Revolution in our history studies (approx. 6th grade). Because we live in Massachusetts, there are a lot of historical sites from that time that we can visit, so I'll try to tie the two subjects together.

[Cornerstone Classical]

... Because we live in Massachusetts, there are a lot of historical sites from that time that we can visit, so I'll try to tie the two subjects together.

How lucky are you??

Yes, I was thinking doing our study in grade 4 either a semester or the whole year. If I do the whole year thing I'm going to have to make some adjustments RIGHT NOW!

[Beth in Central TX]

No, I don't plan to do a whole year on Texas history; although it's a requirement in all public schools for 7th grade I think; at least that's how it was for me. I will devote some of our time to the history of Texas when we get to the late Renaissance/early Modern time period in history during the logic stage. I envision a small unit study with a trip to the Bob Bullock museum in Austin and the Alamo (and other missions) in San Antonio.

[Wendy in ME]

I am planning to squeeze it in because I have to not because I see any real academic value to spending time learning about one of the most messed up states in the country. I am thinking about maybe just a summer unit just to get it done.

[Cadam]

What is the academic value of it? For some really cool states I could see it but I grew up in CA and had years and years of CA history. To what end? I now live in a different state and while my CA knowledge is interesting it just isn't that relevant. If you are going to do state history why the state you happen to be in? Why not the rest of the states?

We will do a summer of Oregon history and go to some cool places at some point but that's just because we can. If we ever take a road trip down south I will spend that time doing CA history, just because we can. I might be more enthusiastic if I was somewhere that figured prominently into the beginning of the country or something like that. You can only do "Lewis and Clark" for so long kwim?

[Sahamamama]

I agree with Cadam -- what's the point of a whole year spent on one state? Here on the East Coast (New Jersey for us), yes, we do have great places to visit for colonial, Revolutionary, and Civil War history (even some for WW1 and WW2). But I just can't imagine spending a whole year studying the history of New Jersey, and I was born and raised here.

If we're going to "take a year off" the history cycle, then we'll study world geography, wrapping it up with the geography of US and Canadian regions. Growing up, I learned a lot about my own state, and next to nothing about Pennsylvania (5 minutes across the bridge), and even less about Canada (hello, up there). :001_smile: I always thought of Canada as something like the moon -- far away and cold, man.

That's why I suggested the +1 (see previous post) -- a separate year of world geography and culture study in between history cycles. Hope that helps.

[Sahamamama]

Sorry to bug you, but you've given me good advice a few times. Do you live in Mass? For some reason, we thought you were in Montana? :confused:

[Testimony]

not a whole year and I would not take off. What I have decided to do is since we are recycling Story of the World in 5th-8th again, I would add some state history one year probably around 6th or 7th grade. I think one semester would be good. Most towns around here teach the state history around fourth grade.

Blessings to you and your family,
Karen
www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[Jenny in Atl]

I think state history is still a requirement for graduation in my state (could be wrong). I do plan on teaching it, but I don't think it will take a whole year. I'll most likely add it to our main history for that year (Early Modern) and (Modern) either next year or 11 & 12th.