I spent a lot of time researching and praying about what to do for logic stage history. I wanted to remain true to the Well Trained Mind (WTM) recommendations but at the same time, I wanted to do a full year of American history. We are still going through The Story of the World (SOTW) because I keep going off to supplement with extra things on American history. I didn't want to feel this way for the logic stage and the rhetoric stage, so I came up with a plan to do it all!
I really love Notgrass' America the Beautiful. Not only is it written for Christians, it is easily adaptable to the WTM style using outlining, timelines and primary sources. So I knew that I wanted to do the program but how to fit it in with also studying the 4-year Ancients to Modern, I had no idea! Until.......I came across K12's Human Odyssey history program. This program covers history in the chronological format and story form as The Story of The World did. The best part? It covers it all in just 3 years! So, in case you haven't figured out my plan yet, here it is:
5th grade - Notgrass' America the Beautiful
6th grade - Human Odyssey Volume 1
7th grade - Human Odyssey Volume 2
8th grade - Human Odyssey Volume 3
This will put us on track to restart the cycle by 9th grade (if we choose to do so) and also let me get American history out of my system. We will still cover American history throughout Human Odyssey but I probably won't feel like I need to supplement it as much as I did with SOTW.
I'm adding in the recommended encyclopedias, atlas, globe, geography, etc. that the WTM suggests as we go through Human Odyssey. Human Odyssey will be our story and then K will also look up what we are studying that week in the encyclopedia and other sources. She will find it on the atlas and globe, do an outline map, write it on the timeline, outline and put it in her notebook. In essence, we are doing both the WTM rec's and my way - love it! I don't have to add most of this in with Notgrass because it already weaves in the timeline, maps and writing.
*By the way, you don't need to pay $300 for the 3 years of Human Odyssey, I got all of mine for $50 total on Amazon by buying used! They do have the teacher guides for the first 2 books and student workbooks but from what others have said, you don't need those and they include some things that are only accessed online that you won't be able to access unless you pay.
Hi, I'm following many of the recommendations in the TWTM as well but I'm a little confused about something and I was wondering how you understand this. Ms. Bauer says that students will write narratives, summaries, reports, and outlines for their history and science study. I understand outlines but I'm wondering what the difference is with the others. The differences seem subtle to me so I need more clarification and I need to know when to use each. How do you understand this or will you have your child write outlines only? I appreciate your thoughts.
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