SOTW4: What happens when the younger child joins in?

[beansprouts]

This is a spin-off from the eager 4 year old thread: Quite a few people mentioned that they would not begin the SOTW series too early because then the child would be in volume 4 at a tender age. I had the same concerns with my own early learner. We are managing to avoid the modern era this time around by delaying it until dd is in 8th grade. However, I have two more children whom I will want to fold into our lessons as they are able to participate. We are beginning the history cycle again this coming year and when we return to volume 4 I will have an 8 1/2 year old and a 6 year old tagging along with my 8th grade dd. How would you handle this situation?

[Beth in Central TX]

Next year, I'm going to let my then 7th & 6th graders move forward in the Renaissance & Reformation era, and I'm going to start over in Ancients with my 1st grader. The older ones will be more independent, so it shouldn't create too much additional work for me. I think my youngest would be lost in SOTW Vol III.

Some homeschoolers continue to fold their youngest ones in the history cycle. The young ones will see that cycle at least two more times before they graduate. Either way will work. Like you, it bothered me that my young one would be in over his head.

[Anne/Ankara]

We started Ancients in first grade, as WTM recommended, with a six year old and a four year old listening in, and the younger child participated to the best of her ability and interest. This was no problem throughout the past 8 years (yikes!), with the older child getting a bit more detail out of the history/science studies than the younger one.

Even Year 4, Modern History, hasn't been a problem because I chose not to concentrate all our energies on studying all the terrible wars of the period-- rather we really looked at the cultural contributions of the time (music, art, people, scientific advances). So it wasn't too "heavy" for seven year old, grammar stage kid.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

[Kelli in TN]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.


Thank you. That is all. Just thank you, thank you, thank you.

[beansprouts]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

That would be perfect. Thank you! :)

[Kalah]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[nmoira]

My 3.5 yo was listening to the cd's awhile back with her sister (we were doing a final listen to wrap up Ancients). During the Assyrian chapter, she said, "Mama, I think they're going to kill everybody." Wait, wait. "Yup, they killed everybody." I'm in no hurry to get to Modern History with my 6 yo, let alone my 3.5 yo. We're going to do 2 years on Medieval... the girls will probably come up with some great games based on what we read.

[Kalah]

That's a cute story, though. Sounds like something my little one would say! I can imagine how you felt hearing those words!
We're starting Ancients again next year. By then my youngest will be 5.5. We'll see how it goes. I think you've got a great idea, doing Medieval twice. As this is my favorite period in history, maybe I'll follow your example!

[Old Dominion Heather]

Sweet! nt

[nmoira]

That's a cute story, though. Sounds like something my little one would say! I can imagine how you felt hearing those words!It was pretty funny... she said it in a deadpan voice. The idea of death isn't a new one to her -- she's played with older sis and her friends "hunting food" a la Little House in the Big Woods, dragon hunting, fighting knights errant (as dragons), etc. for years. Just this morning the were raining thunderbolts (manufactured from huge pipe cleaners) on monsters and disobedient and disrespectful villages (as gods). I'm not sure who it was that decided girls were the more delicate sex.

[Arch At Home]

With that maybe I should hold off starting SOTW 4. My oldest even could use a younger pack.

[Laura Corin]

But I started Hobbes over with his own cycle when he reached age six. I now have Calvin on SOTW 3 (we took a year off to do Chinese history) and Hobbes on SOTW 2.

Laura

[nmoira]

But I started Hobbes over with his own cycle when he reached age six. I now have Calvin on SOTW 3 (we took a year off to do Chinese history) and Hobbes on SOTW 2.My younger girl probably won't be starting until age 7, as she doesn't share her sister's academic inclination. If I can time it right, I can have both kids on the same part of the cycle, but one iteration apart.

[beansprouts]

But I started Hobbes over with his own cycle when he reached age six. I now have Calvin on SOTW 3 (we took a year off to do Chinese history) and Hobbes on SOTW 2.

Laura

I am willing to hear anything ;) How do you keep up with multiple children in different history cycles?

[Laura Corin]

Well, I only have two children! Calvin does a lot of his history on his own. He reads all the books, then we come together to discuss his assignment for the week. It does mean that I am not as intimately involved in his history as I used to be, but it's going okay.

Laura

[Cadam]

It's one of the reasons I am going with MFW. They have a pack of books to use with the younger siblings when you get to SOTW 4 with big ones

[Debra in CO]

Oooh, that sounds fabulous!

Debra
Mom of five, ages 2-10

[nmoira]

Oooh, that sounds fabulous!What does?

[CleoQc]

we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4.


Woohooo!!!!:D

[WTMindy]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

Susan, I really, seriously think I love you!! And my kids are finished with all four years (which we loved.) But, what a fantastic idea!!!!

[Karin]

...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)


THANKS!!!! My kids love SOTW, but getting the work and reading level right was more work.

[Karin]

I am willing to hear anything ;) How do you keep up with multiple children in different history cycles?

My eldest hates history, so she does it on her own. We don't even discuss it much. She's done with SOTW, but will do SWB's high school spine starting next year. My second one does all the reading and work on her own. We do some discussion, but not regularly enough. Actually, she's between SOTW books at the moment as she finished early and we can't afford to buy the next one until later this spring, so she's continuing with US history.

My kids only do 2 rotations through history, though, not three. They start the first one later, which is why I'm doubly glad about the new materials coming out. Well, my middle one might do 3 rotations just because she really loves history.

[Pencil Pusher]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

Bless you!! I've been dreading this--mine will be 4th & 1st in another year.

[Oak Knoll Mom]

Bless you!! I've been dreading this--mine will be 4th & 1st in another year.

This is actually why I gave SOTW the old heave-ho this school year. I bought into the whole "fold in your younger kids" line and then was disappointed when I found out about the warning against using SOTW 4 with younger siblings. I asked several times what the recommendation would be for dealing with younger kids as I would have a 4th, 3rd and K5 by that point. I never got a response so I decided that instead of dreading what I would do, I'd just go ahead and do something about it now before we had too much invested in SOTW. I switched to Sonlight and am very happy with my decision!

If I had know about the planned younger sibling packs at the beginning of this school year, I might have stuck with SOTW.

[Colleen in SEVA]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

Has anyone heard more about this? :)

[Arch At Home]

Yes...I tracked it for almost a year. We even temporially substituted a state/presidents study for SOTW 4. At Peace Hill Press the project has been put on indefinite hold. We have recently started with SOTW 4 with my 2 and 4th graders. It is going well as in the past we didn't much of the extra and I have been able to adapt the map work for the younger.

[Elle M.]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

Does anyone know what ever happened with this?

[linders]

Of course, isn't that always the answer? But it depends on the child. I've started 20th c. and my youngest is 7. Yes, some of it is horrific, but really, no more so than much of earlier history (just more immediate). And there are some lovely picture books you can add in - for example, Patricia Polacco's "The Butterfly" addresses the Jewish persectution and holocaust in a gentle, hopeful, yet realistic way.

I would hesitate to have 2 history tracks going, just for simplicity. And SWB says a new youngers pack will be out!

[Elle M.]

Of course, isn't that always the answer? But it depends on the child. I've started 20th c. and my youngest is 7. Yes, some of it is horrific, but really, no more so than much of earlier history (just more immediate). And there are some lovely picture books you can add in - for example, Patricia Polacco's "The Butterfly" addresses the Jewish persectution and holocaust in a gentle, hopeful, yet realistic way.

I would hesitate to have 2 history tracks going, just for simplicity. And SWB says a new youngers pack will be out!

But she said that three years ago (funny how she prefaced it with a "dare I say..."), which is why I bumped up this old thread...to get an update, if possible. I commented on her blog in hopes of getting her attention there if not here.

[WendyK]

But she said that three years ago (funny how she prefaced it with a "dare I say..."), which is why I bumped up this old thread...to get an update, if possible. I commented on her blog in hopes of getting her attention there if not here.

Oh I was so excited until I read the dates on this thread. I would love the younger child pack because I will have this very predicament soon.

[Mommyfaithe]

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

Well...I have been doing this....folding my youngers in from day 1. We are in SOTW 4 right now, and while it would have been so nice to have it laid out for me, I am really not having any trouble at all doing SOTW 4 with my 1 & 3rd graders along with my 7 th grader.

We read a chapter or only a section per week. They can easily follow the map work as they have been following along since SOTW 1, even though they were not officially "doing" school. I have them all narrate...taking turns from youngest to oldest...adding more details as we get older. They all do a coloring page. They youngers copy a sentence from our reading, the olders outline using the outline forms in the AG. I have my high schoolers use the outline as a jump off point and add in two more levels. My middle schooler does a one level outline. The older kids write summaries or narration assignments from the outlines.

We all do read alouds together....this year focusing on westward expansion in the US, inventor biographies, with some classic literature thrown in such as The Secret Garden when learning about the British in India.

I was worried about using SOTW 4 with my little guys, but they aRe really enjoying the book and the study. It is not over their heads or too bloody etc.

I split this volume into 2 years, and we will be covering the twentieth century next year and keeping our focus on immigration, invention and technology.

I love STOW. It has been a constant in our homeschool week for the last 5 years and I see it being a constant for the next 5 years as well. Thank you so much Dr. Bauer, for all of your dedication and hard work. You make my job easier....Nd so much more satisfying.

Faithe

[WendyK]

Well...I have been doing this....folding my youngers in from day 1. We are in SOTW 4 right now, and while it would have been so nice to have it laid out for me, I am really not having any trouble at all doing SOTW 4 with my 1 & 3rd graders along with my 7 th grader.

We read a chapter or only a section per week. They can easily follow the map work as they have been following along since SOTW 1, even though they were not officially "doing" school. I have them all narrate...taking turns from youngest to oldest...adding more details as we get older. They all do a coloring page. They youngers copy a sentence from our reading, the olders outline using the outline forms in the AG. I have my high schoolers use the outline as a jump off point and add in two more levels. My middle schooler does a one level outline. The older kids write summaries or narration assignments from the outlines.

We all do read alouds together....this year focusing on westward expansion in the US, inventor biographies, with some classic literature thrown in such as The Secret Garden when learning about the British in India.

I was worried about using SOTW 4 with my little guys, but they aRe really enjoying the book and the study. It is not over their heads or too bloody etc.

I split this volume into 2 years, and we will be covering the twentieth century next year and keeping our focus on immigration, invention and technology.

I love STOW. It has been a constant in our homeschool week for the last 5 years and I see it being a constant for the next 5 years as well. Thank you so much Dr. Bauer, for all of your dedication and hard work. You make my job easier....Nd so much more satisfying.

FaitheThanks for the tips. ;) I think this is exactly how I will do it with my two.

[Elle M.]

Yes, thanks for the examples of how to do it with younger siblings - I'll keep that in mind. Still, I'd love to see the supplement if it's still coming out...

[Colleen in SEVA]

These are the coloring pages for SOTW4. They can be downloaded/printed (these are different from the Student Guide, which includes the maps and outlines):

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/volume-4-coloring-pages.html

[LAS in LA]

It was pretty funny... she said it in a deadpan voice. The idea of death isn't a new one to her -- she's played with older sis and her friends "hunting food" a la Little House in the Big Woods, dragon hunting, fighting knights errant (as dragons), etc. for years. Just this morning the were raining thunderbolts (manufactured from huge pipe cleaners) on monsters and disobedient and disrespectful villages (as gods). I'm not sure who it was that decided girls were the more delicate sex.

Ever read "The Female of the Species" by Rudyard Kipling? :D

[Rivka]

My 3.5 yo was listening to the cd's awhile back with her sister (we were doing a final listen to wrap up Ancients). During the Assyrian chapter, she said, "Mama, I think they're going to kill everybody." Wait, wait. "Yup, they killed everybody." I'm in no hurry to get to Modern History with my 6 yo, let alone my 3.5 yo. We're going to do 2 years on Medieval... the girls will probably come up with some great games based on what we read.

I started reading this thread without realizing that it was three years old. My first thought: "Oh, that's how old nmoira's kids are! ...Wait, and her sig says they're doing what?!" I went through a whole chain of reasoning about why, if your 3.5-year-old was doing MEP 2a, you wouldn't list her age in your sig for fear of people's reactions. Then I saw the date. :D

[nmoira]

I started reading this thread without realizing that it was three years old. My first thought: "Oh, that's how old nmoira's kids are! ...Wait, and her sig says they're doing what?!" I went through a whole chain of reasoning about why, if your 3.5-year-old was doing MEP 2a, you wouldn't list her age in your sig for fear of people's reactions. Then I saw the date. :D:lol:

DD the Elder is accelerated, and this in fact is why I didn't include ages... but not *that* accelerated. I have a hard enough time keeping up with them as they are. :tongue_smilie:

[pgr]

Yes, thanks for the examples of how to do it with younger siblings - I'll keep that in mind. Still, I'd love to see the supplement if it's still coming out...

:iagree:

Thank you for resurrecting this thread!

As someone just starting with SOTW 1 with my eldest and eventually two littles that will be following her, I appreciate the ideas on how to make it all work.

I'd also love to hear about the supplement, should it ever come to fruition.

[Gracily]

Does anyone know if the supplement is still on hold?

[CleoQc]

Does anyone know if the supplement is still on hold?

Well, there *is* a supplement. It's simply colouring pages for the younger kids, not extra activities. I have no clue if that was the original intention or not.

[Elle M.]

Are you referring to what's in the AG? Or is there an additional download of more coloring pages?

[CleoQc]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/volume-4-coloring-pages.htmlStory of the World, Vol. 4 Coloring Pages PDF (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/volume-4-coloring-pages.html)

And take a look at this page Volume 4 materials (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/history-and-geography/story-of-the-world/volume-4-the-modern-age.html)

The AG contains this description: Due to the intended age level and the subject matter contained in the book, the Activity Book for Volume 4 does not contain coloring pages.

[Elle M.]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/volume-4-coloring-pages.htmlStory of the World, Vol. 4 Coloring Pages PDF (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/volume-4-coloring-pages.html)

And take a look at this page Volume 4 materials (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/history-and-geography/story-of-the-world/volume-4-the-modern-age.html)

The AG contains this description:

Thanks. I just received it and didn't yet look through it, so I didn't realize that. Kind of a bummer to have to pay $8 extra for what was included in all the previous AGs. My soon-to-be 4th grader does really nice coloring, and with illustrations of this caliber, it's definitely not too babyish.

[Ritsumei]

It was pretty funny... she said it in a deadpan voice. The idea of death isn't a new one to her -- she's played with older sis and her friends "hunting food" a la Little House in the Big Woods, dragon hunting, fighting knights errant (as dragons), etc. for years. Just this morning the were raining thunderbolts (manufactured from huge pipe cleaners) on monsters and disobedient and disrespectful villages (as gods). I'm not sure who it was that decided girls were the more delicate sex.
:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Halcyon]

YAY! This is such a wonderful idea :)

I say this with fear and trembling, because it's always a risk to say what you're working on before it's done...but we're developing a "younger sibling" pack for SOTW 4. It has 1-2 grade age appropriate coloring pages, maps, questions, projects, and reading lists. Should make it much easier to teach multilevel. (Eventually we hope to develop "older sibling" packets for Ancient and Medieval Times and another "younger sibling" pack for Early Modern.)

It should be ready before late summer...I'll keep you posted.

[CleoQc]

YAY! This is such a wonderful idea :)

You do realize that SWB posted this back in 2008, right?