Should I switch from Ancient Times to Medieval?

[deeva58]

I have a 6 year old who has progressed quickly through 1st grade and has begun 2nd grade this semester.

However, for Story of the World, we are using the first book - Ancient Times.
Is it preferable that she should use volume 2, Middle Ages for her 2nd grade year so that she stay on the repetition "track" (1st-4th/5th-8th/9th-12th grades respectively)?

If so, should we work through the book at a quicker pace in order that we get to volume 2/2nd grade...or does it really matter that we are using volume 1 this year? If it doesn't matter, I'd like to take our time through Ancient Times. We are having so much fun with it...but I just didn't want to throw the sequence "off track" by spending too long on any one volume...

Please help. :001_huh:

[nmoira]

I see no advantage to rushing through history with my 6yo and would actually prefer to put off 20th Century history until she's older (I think of us as inching toward the Holocaust). She finished Ancients this last spring, and I'm planning on spending about 1.5 years on medieval, then a year each on Early Modern and Modern. Since we don't match science with the history cycle, it's not a big deal. However, we do a great deal of enrichment with higher level supplemental readings, typically historical fiction or biographies.

[mktkcb]

Nope, definitely take your time and enjoy Vol 1. If I were you, I would mentally separate out the skill areas from the content areas. Allow yourself the whole year to enjoy the content areas, and go at your dd's pace in the skill areas. Relax. You're allowed to do this LOL! You won't be off track - after all, your track is what you decide it should be :o). HTH,
Kayleen

[Donna]

My 6yo is doing what basically amounts to 3rd/4th grade in other subjects but I just started Ancients with her in Sept. (prior to that I had her listen in to her older brother's history lessons (Ancients then Medieval) when interested). There is so much information to cover in the Ancients and we aren't sticking to just SOTW (the Ancients work she is doing would probably suffice for most children's second rotation). It may take us 1.5 years to cover it all because some subjects she is really getting into so we are going off on tangents but that is the beauty of homeschooling...you can tailor the child's schooling to their individual needs rather than following artificially set guidelines.

[Shari]

You've gotten good replies so far. I agree with the poster who said that it's good perhaps to take a little longer with Years 1-3, because Year 4 Modern is a lot to digest for the average 4th grader. All the wars, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, the Holocaust .... it's really terrible some of the things that happened.

Our first time through the cycle, we skipped a formal study of the modern period and did a year of Geography instead. I used readers and biographies from the lists in WTM Year 4 as our Literature requirements that year, so ds was familiar with those people and some of the events.

But, to answer your question specifically, no, I would not rush through the Ancients to start the Middle Ages. Take time to do lots of extra crafts and reading and coloring pages. Enjoy the luxury of being able to do it all! 'cause it may be one of the few times in your homeschooling life you'll have time hee hee :lol:

[deeva58]

Thanks so much for the replies and suggestions.

I believe each one of you are right...I will simply take my time through Ancients. It's just too much fun.

[lovemyboys]

Thanks so much for the replies and suggestions.

I believe each one of you are right...I will simply take my time through Ancients. It's just too much fun.

Honestly, we hooked up with another homeschooling family and we all enjoyed the Egyptians so much that we did lots of projects together and stayed in ancient Egypt for an inordinately long period of time.

So much so, that we skimmed some of the other areas. But as SWB says, in these early years, you're instilling a love of history more than anything else.

Fwiw, I've tried a couple of times to stick too rigidly to a schedule or to the history/science combo and it's not worked out for us here.

That said, if you do SOTW in one year, you do have to keep up a steady pace with it to stay on track. Ds here are nearing the end of the cycle and we've enjoyed it all.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

If there is not enough "meat" for you in Ancient Times and you feel that you would finish too early I would drop by the library and start adding extra books. A biography here, a DK supplement there, maybe some books on relevant art from the kids or adults section. You could also try to get a hold of some Dover coloring books. Of course you could also look for some book list ideas from Biblioplan, TOG, etc or check out Paula's Archives (http://www.redshift.com/%7Ebonajo/SOTWmenu.htm) (be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for more ideas). Choose the books that strike your or your child's fancy or where they seem more deeply interested.

[Starr]

It's so nice to get started homeschooling and be really enjoying it. I think your instincts are good, Mom. :)