Switch from WTM style to boxed curriculum -- placement question

[Shari]

We are switching from a loose WTM-type program to boxed curriculum next year. Apart from feeling that I will be a pariah on these boards ;), I have some practical concerns about placing my students in our new program, esp history. To date, we have used TOG and are currently in Year 2 working on the Middle Ages. I hope to get to Shakespeare before we break for the summer. When we start our new boxed curriculum (BJU), one of my students will be studying the Ancients (again! we just did this last summer/fall), and one will be studying US History from the Constitutional Convention to the Civil War (he has no previous US history that he remembers). :blink:

So, do I just place them at grade level and let that be that? Or try to do some sort of prep over the summer? I tell myself that if they were going into tradtional school, they would start wherever the rest of the class was regardless of previous learning. I just hate to leave some big gaps with one, and review material that has already been thoroughly covered with the other! grrr WWYD?

[Mallory]

If I were going to switch to curriculum in a box, probably part of the reason would be that I want someone else to take over some of the planning and scope and sequence. And in that case, I would probably just do things as written and not worry about it. ;)

I don't know that much about BJ though, is it possible to use a different grade level of history? Or maybe it is worth doing everything except history through BJ and you plan history????

[Shari]

The one I'm concerned about is my younger, who has had almost NO American history. Our last trip through the 4 year cycle, he was in K during the Pilgrims / Colonial America / American Revolution, and had no recall of the importance of any of these events during a Mom administered pop quiz yesterday. The BJU book for his grade starts with the Constitutional Convention -- which will of course make no sense if you don't know what came before it. :glare:

Of course, we've still got the summer to fill in some holes. I was thinking of getting the Liberty's Kids videos to watch. Pretty accurate and no stress.

[Peggy in Va]

The one I'm concerned about is my younger, who has had almost NO American history. Our last trip through the 4 year cycle, he was in K during the Pilgrims / Colonial America / American Revolution, and had no recall of the importance of any of these events during a Mom administered pop quiz yesterday. The BJU book for his grade starts with the Constitutional Convention -- which will of course make no sense if you don't know what came before it. :glare:

Of course, we've still got the summer to fill in some holes. I was thinking of getting the Liberty's Kids videos to watch. Pretty accurate and no stress.

First of all, your younger ds is just that, young. If he doesn't know about pre-Constitutional Congress history he really will be o.k. in the long run. Don't stress about this. I know, it's very easy to say, but completely different to follow.

The way I see it is you have several options. You could, I assume, just get the 2nd grade social studies material from BJ and go over that. Or, if you want a single book, you might consider A First Book in American History by Edward Eggleston. If you not familiar here's a link to it at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/First-Book-American-History/dp/0965273547/ref=pd_sim_b_1

If you'd rather have individual books, you could go to your library, you may already have some at home, and get books that cover those periods in history that you are concerned about.

Some that you might want to consider are: D'Aulaire books (Leif the Lucky, Columbus, Pocahontas, Washington, etc.)

The Meet ...... series. These are Landmark books but are aimed at a younger audience. Meet George Washington, ...Ben Franklin, T. Jefferson.

Jean Fritz Books

If You Books (If You Sailed on the Mayflower, If You Lived in Colonial Times, If You Signed the Constitution. There are several in this series.

Others you might want to consider are, Squanto-Friend of the Pilgrims, The Thanksgiving Story, The Matchlock Gun (French and Indian War).

You might want to check out this list of Books to Supplement History at Paula's Archives.

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/history.htm#UCOL

Regardless of what route you choose, breathe and relax. He'll be o.k.

HTH

[Tabrett]

I see in your siggy that you are going to use the DVD's from BJU. Would you be opposed to using SOTW 3 AG with all you dc in stead of the box history. Do everything boxed except history? You would only be teaching one subject and it would be one lesson for everybody. I think SOTW AG is less complicated than TOG.

[MomZ]

Honestly I think he will be fine. :) We started using BJU history when dd 13 was in 5th grade. We also had to "jump right in". BJU does a fantastic job of introducing things and I think your kiddo would do fine. You could definitely do the Liberty's Kids videos over the summer, or even read books on early history if you feel that he needs that first. I've never used BJU's DVD's, but I think you are really going to like BJU! It's a great curriculum. :)

[Ellie]

I say go with your dc's grade levels and be done with it. They'll be fine.

[Tammyla]

:iagree:

I say go with your dc's grade levels and be done with it. They'll be fine.