Can someone help me compare these History curriculums?...

[Sue G in PA]

This year, we used/are using MOH1 for Ancients (w/ Diana Waring audios and act. suggestions to supplement). I'm looking ahead to next year...the Rome - Reformation period...and wondering exactly WHAT curriculum will best fit our needs. I want something more Christ-centered/focuesed than SOTW but I'm not against using SOTW to supplement, KWIM? Help me decide btwn:

MOH2 - I've heard this is more meaty and challenging than MOH1 and might not be appropriate for my youngers (1st - 3rd graders) w/out modification

MFW Rome to Reformation - uses SOTW2, Victor Journey, Streams of Civilization, etc. plus includes Science, Bible, etc. Could I use this with my dd11 (then 12) and ds9 (then 10). Would it be meaty enough? PLUS, I already have so many of the books in the Basic package!

Diana Waring's Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries - NOT for my youngers, but more for my 2 older dc and just use another curriculum for the youngers? I think I'm in love with the style of Diana, just don't know if *I* can pull it off.

I'm so confused with all the options I have and all the age levels I have to teach (ages/grades for next year: ds5(K/1st), ds7 (2nd), ds9 (3rd/4th), ds10 (5th and dd12(7th)) not to mention my dd3 and newborn. I don't want to teach all different curriculum and would like the olders to be mostly independent. I don't want to have to significantly modify difficult curriculum to fit the needs of the youngers, either. I just need the perfect fit for ALL of them (excluding the K/1st grader b/c he'll be working through finishing MFW K and then MFW 1st. Okay, any suggestions/reviews/recommendations for the *perfect* history curriculum? TIA...I realize I'm asking a lot :D

[Lori in MS]

MFW Rome to Reformation would be perfect for your children. The book basket list is extensive with books for all levels. If you have a 7th grader (is your 12 yo 7th grade?) they do their own science (such as Apologia general) and have other assignments for 7th (MFW suggests using PP guides during the year). If you already have a lot of the books you could just get a TM. It is worth it for the weekly plans and the book basket list, plus the Appendix notebooking pages to photocopy. there is a MFW used curriculum yahoo group and you could ask if anyone is willing to sell just the TM and the books you don't have.

[Sue G in PA]

I see it uses SOTW, which I like, but I do want something like MOH that is more Christ-centered AND more challenging for my older dc (5th gr. and 7th gr.). Is there another component to the MFW curr. that meets those needs? Thanks

[Lori in MS]

Yes, it is very Christ centered and Biblically integrated. While studying Rome you also study the life of Christ and Paul through reading Luke and Acts. You also study how the Bible came to be. Church history is interwoven as well using Trial and Triumph which contains short biographies of Christian martyrs.

There are also memory verses assigned from Romans, I Corinthians 13, Phil 2 etc.

I have been very pleased with the Biblical content but I have only looked at samples of MOH so it's difficult to make a direct comparison.

[Lori in MS]

As far as a more challenging history "spine", MFW uses Streams of Civ 1, which is a 9th grade text, and Augustus Caesar's World. It uses Usborne's Medieval World as well, but I have very easily added Kingfisher History Encyclopedia for my older ones, although it isn't assigned. (They use Streams of Civ for the older ones but my kids wanted some color so I added Kingfisher).

As I said there are a lot of book basket books/independant reading books listed to check out at the library for the older ones. For Rome Francis Schaffer's book was recommended How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Fall of Western Thought and Culture. That the World May Know DVD series is also recommended. These of course are not a part of the package, but it is nice to have a list of suggestions of DVDS, audios, and books.

[Chris in VA]

Another suggestion is to use Winter Promise's Medieval program. I wouldn't bother with the Jr. High supplement, just get the 4-6 and you'll be fine.
It uses MOH and schedules in lots of wonderful books (can buy some, get some at the library, or just purchase all of them--I'd suggest looking on paperback bookswap for cheap copies, or buy used). It also includes notebooking pages, but I'd skip the timeline stuff, as it's so easy to make your own (we just find pictures on yahoo images and put them in order in a construction paper booklet) and much cheaper.

You can skip some of the books and still have plenty to do. I'd find most at the library, if I were you.

Hope this helps.

[Angel]

We are using RtoR this year with my 8th grader and 1st grader. We are loving it! I love the Bible aspect and the books that we are using. It is easy to fold my little one into the history and Bible. She thinks it's fun and it's giving her great "pegs" for later. My older dd and I have had some great discussions, especially as we watch the church grow from the time of the Acts to how it splits into different denominations. We've also been able to recently discuss all those countries who "turned" Christian and what that really meant. By the way, Streams of Civ. is quite meaty enough in my opinion.

The older dd doesn't do the MFW science, she is currently doing Apologia General Science. The little one does the MFW science, though we finally omitted the Janice Van Cleave book about the human body because it was just consistently over her head.

We kept the cost down by getting most of the books from the library on my teacher card. That enables us to keep them for two 6 week periods at a time, usually enough to finish what we need it for. Oops, just saw you have most of the books in the basic packaga...even better!

I wish that I would have found MFW earlier for my oldest, but I plan to start my younger dd on Adventures in 3rd grade and take her through the whole elementary series.

HTH
Angel

[Cadam]

I think MFW meets all of your requirements. I am using it next year and I am looking forward to it. I think it is the easiest program to fit all of your kids into. Even the first grader can join in some of the projects and all. With two little ones I would be looking for something easy for mom. MFW fits the bill.

[Donna A.]

Oh yes, RTR is definitely meaty enough for 5th & 7th graders! MFW recommends it through 8th grade, in fact, and there's plenty of text quite advanced enough for older elementary students. I started it with my oldest at age 11 and finishing it at 12-1/2.

The MFW packages "build" in intensity and number of assignments through the years, which is why you'll notice that if you're using ECC, for example, they have additional texts recommended for use with junior highers. But with RTR, you don't have additional texts recommended because it's all there. Anyone who thinks MFW is too "light" hasn't used it beyond the first 3 years or so. LOL.