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October 6, 2007 - by Terri Johnson,
author
of Homeschooling ABCs (www.homeschoolingabcs.com
) -
dedicated to helping new homeschoolers gain the
confidence and the necessary skills to successfully teach
their children at home.
History Recommendations
Choose a Great History Program for Your Family
Part I Recording
Part II Recording
I get asked all the time which history programs I recommend and
why. Well, I have done quite a bit of research (with my own
children as the guinea pigs in many instances) and have some
great recommendations for you.
I have recorded this talk as an mp3 download for your
convenience. Either you can listen to the recording right here
on our site just to the right, or you can download it and
listen to it later at your leisure. I have also placed the
transcript from the talk below (just scroll down a bit) as well
as a printable version that you can print now and read later. I
have included for you links to all of the products that I
recommend below. So take some time to consider the strengths
and weaknesses of each one as you decide which program would
best fit your teaching style and the ages as well as learning
styles of your children.
Please feel free to write if you have any questions:
terri@knowledgequestmaps.com.
Blessings to you on your educational journey,
Terri Johnson
Knowledge Quest, Inc.
Links to products mentioned in Part I mp3
recording:
The Story of the World
Biblioplan for Families
Tapestry of Grace
TruthQuest History
Sonlight Curriculum
ADDENDUM for Mystery of History added (scroll to bottom of
page)
Transcript of Part I mp3 recording
follows:
Printable version
Choose a Great History
Curriculum for Your Family
Hi, this is Terri from Knowledge Quest. Today, we’ll be talking
about choosing a great history program for your family.
Hopefully as a result of this discussion, you will be able to
pick a program that will be a great fit for your family at this
stage in your children’s education. So, if you would like to
take a moment and grab a cup of hot tea or coffee and get
comfortable, go ahead and do that and we’ll get started.
First, let me tell you a little bit about Knowledge Quest. We
sell historical outline maps and timelines and other
supplemental history products because we believe that history
makes sense using maps and timelines.
Funny thing is… my most frequently asked question is which
history curriculum I recommend to go with our products.
My short and sweet answer is anything chronological in nature
that incorporates lots of great living books.
You see, history is my favorite subject. But that hasn’t always
been the case. I remember sleepy afternoon classes with a
teacher that emphasized facts and figures, dates and names.
Frankly, I still have not memorized the terms of office for our
U.S. presidents. And I am sure that I ever will. I do, however,
know their order (or used to, at least) and their approximate
time period in office, but come on… history does not have to be
so dull!
We have been homeschooling for 8 years now and I have taught
history using a Well-Trained-Mind approach. This is a book
written on classical education by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise
Bauer. We tackle history chronologically, read tons of great
books, record significant events on a timeline, label
historical blackline maps, outline key events and assemble
everything into notebooks.
Sometimes, we even make lapbooks or do a project or two. We do
not “need” a history curriculum. But let’s be realistic… it is
easier to stay on track and move forward when I do not have to
come up with everything on my own.
And this is where a good history program or plan comes into
play. I have used 3 curricula primarily over the years, but
have a pretty good handle on about 5 and I will share my
thoughts and opinions on each.
THE STORY OF THE WORLD
First, I would like to talk about the Story of the World series
written by Susan Wise Bauer. For two reasons primarily - 1.
because it is an excellent stand alone program for younger
students and, 2. because so many other curriculum writers
incorporate it into their program or plan, or even base their
program around it as a “spine”.
Let me define the world “spine”. Spine just basically means a
book or series of books that all of the other reading
selections and activities are based from. So, if I say that the
Story of the World is the spine of a program, it is the core
reading text which dictates what will be studied and when.
The Story of the World is a four-part series. It is a
chronological narrative of history in story format beginning in
ancient times and concluding at the end of the 20th century.
Susan Wise Bauer writes in a very engaging manner and leaves
the reader wanting more, which is just what we want when we are
teaching history, is it not? The narratives are geared toward
elementary students, but can be enjoyed by older ones as
well.
These books are incorporated into four of the history programs
that I am going to discuss today. So that says something about
the quality, or at least popularity, of the books right there.
If so many curriculum writers are assigning them as central
reading in their programs, they are obviously well-liked and
approved of by many.
The narrative books are a stand-alone product. However, the
publisher - Peace Hill Press - has provided activity guides
which turn the series into a complete history curriculum.
Included in the activity guides are suggested reading lists,
discussion questions, hands-on activities, map work, coloring
pages and more. If your children are in 1-4 grades, you would
not need anything else.
There is one complaint I have often heard about Story of the
World and that is that it does not seem to come from a
Christian world view. Well, I am acquainted with the author and
I can tell you that she is most definitely a Christian. She is
married to a pastor and their family is very devote and
committed to the Lord. Her faith aside, she has tried to write
from a neutral stand point, leaving out theological commentary.
She believes that religion and religious matters should be
taught to children by their parents and their church leaders.
Basically, she has left the parents room to teach history
through their own theological grid, rather than hers.
What does this mean for you? Basically, you would just need to
add in your own teaching of your religion as you go. For
example, teach your students your beliefs on the origin of the
world before diving into the books. Teach your children how God
orchestrated events - they did not happen by chance - as you
progress through the series. Read your Bible as you study
ancient history and record events on a timeline so you can see
how world history events lined up.
BIBLIOPLAN FOR FAMILIES
This brings me to my next selection for you to consider -
Biblioplan for Families. If you are looking for a history
curriculum guide that combines Scripture with the study of
ancient civilizations, or one that teaches about Church history
and the lives of great Christians while studying Medieval,
Renaissance and Reformation history, then Biblioplan may be
just the ticket for you. This plan maps out your reading
selection, while integrating quality historical literature with
Biblical and secular history in a format that is easy to follow
and requires minimal parent preparation. In fact, this program
does your Sunday evening planning for you.
Biblioplan for Families came into being because the authors,
Susan Finck-Lockhart and Kristin Walker, liked the concept of
the Well-Trained Mind, but wanted to make it practical and easy
for families to use. This plan breaks your history studies into
3 days a week and tells you which books and how many pages of
each should be read on each day. Biblioplan includes reading
selections from the Bible, Story of the World (as well as other
history spines), age-appropriate readers and family
read-alouds. It includes map activities, significant timeline
dates and writing exercises.
Like Story of the World, Biblioplan for Families divides the
whole of recorded history into 4 time-periods, meant to be
studied over the course of 4 years. The 4 plans are geared
towards 1-8 graders, plus they have published a high school
supplement so that the older students may use it as well. Each
plan retails for $24.95, which is a very economical price for a
history program. Using your local library heavily, you would
only have to buy a few core books necessary to use the
course.
TAPESTRY OF GRACE
The next history program that I would like to recommend to you
is Tapestry of Grace. In some aspects, this is similar to
Biblioplan, but is oh-so-much-more! Tapestry of Grace is
certainly much more than a reading plan. This curriculum
includes teacher notes, background information, discussion
questions, student activity pages, hands-on projects, map work
and geography assignments, significant timeline dates and more.
There is an optional writing component that corresponds to the
history studies as well.
Like the others discussed so far, this curriculum is also
broken down into 4 time periods - Ancient, Medieval, 19th and
20th Centuries. Each time period is mean to be studied over the
course of one year’s time. Each plan has a teacher’s manual and
student activity pages that are divided into age group. There
are lessons directed specifically to lower and upper grammar
stage students (K-5), dialectic (6-8) and rhetoric (9-12). Let
me explain these classical education terms here briefly - they
are not as scary as they sound.
The grammar stage of a child’s education is when his or her
brain is most receptive to and capable of memorizing and
regurgitating facts. If there was ever a time for rote
learning, this is it. A grammar stage student’s brain can
easily absorb and memorize such things as the order of U.S.
presidents, or the kings and queens of England, multiplication
tables and the list of prepositions, to name a few. This does
not mean that this is all we do with our grammar stage
students, but if we are aware of this window of incredible
absorption of facts, we can use this knowledge covertly to our
advantage.
The dialectic, or logic, stage begins around the age of 10 or
11, about 5th or 6th grade. This is when the student begins to
take all of those facts that he had learned during the grammar
stage and begin to assimilate them and make logical connections
between them. The brain begins to work in such a way that he
can see and understand the relationships between processes and
events. A timeline becomes a critical tool at this stage
because the logic stage student can grasp the cause and effect
of historical events in a way that he could not before.
The rhetoric stage comes next at approximately the time your
teenager is entering high school. She has learned her facts and
figures, studied the relationships between them, and now she is
ready to argue her point of view. This is a time of analysis,
critique and argument. Teenagers are now ready to express
themselves, so let them do it in a constructive and supervised
way. Let them express their opinion on what the great
philosophers had to say, or the 19th century theologians, or
the 20th century politicians. Press them to agree or disagree
and have them tell you why. Papers should not be merely
reporting facts any longer. They need to be saturated with
their opinions supported by research and logical
conclusions.
Tapestry of Grace teaches differently to these three stages and
yet they all study the same time period in history, just at
different levels and with different requirements. The umbrella
of progressing through history chronologically and at the same
pace covers all of your children with suitable lesson plans for
each.
This is the strength of Tapestry of Grace - all of your
children, no matter their ages or levels, can be studying
history together. This program is especially well suited for
larger families and co-op groups. This is not to say that you
cannot use it with smaller families, you certainly can, but it
seems to be more enjoyable in groups. Tapestry of Grace is more
expensive than the others being mentioned here today at $150
per year plan, but definitely worth the price tag when you
consider all that you get.
TRUTHQUEST HISTORY
There are still two more curricula that I would like to share
with you. The next one is Truth Quest History by Michelle
Miller. She has written a 10 volume history curriculum covering
Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, Renaissance,
Reformation and Exploration, The Age of Revolution, Parts I,
II, and III and American History for Young Students, Parts I,
II, and III.
The first seven that I listed are geared for students in 5-12
grade and the American History series is written for younger
students in grades 1-5.
Unlike Biblioplan for Families and Tapestry of Grace, this
curriculum does not map out your days or your weeks. It does
not tell you what books to read (although it does give you some
wonderful suggestions). So what does Truth Quest History Guides
offer you? Truth Quest is a beautifully written commentary that
takes you chronologically through the story of world history
from a Christian point of view. This is a hands-off, no guilt,
you-can-do-it history program that would best suit the teacher
that does not require hand-holding. It is a laid back approach
to history that fosters fascinating discussion, self-learning
and a desire to dig deeper into the topic. Using the books
already on your shelf or available from your library, this
would be an inexpensive option for you. Each program costs
between $24 and $34.
SONLIGHT CURRICULUM
Finally, I would like to tell you about Sonlight Curriculum.
This is the only program I am recommending that is not
completely chronological in its approach. It does tackle
history chronologically in some core packages, but at lightning
speed and then it goes back to studying history “out of order”.
Sonlight is a literature-rich program that covers way more than
history - although history is its cornerstone subject. The
beauty of Sonlight is that you can purchase an entire core
package and you get everything that you will need to teach the
program for the year. There is no need for last minute dashes
to the library for required books or to the hardware store for
some little item necessary for the science project - everything
down to the paper clip is included.
This curriculum was written originally for overseas
missionaries and military families who do not have access to
all that we do here in the States. But the concept of having it
all put together for you with nothing else to buy appeals to
many of us here in the U.S. also, even though we have stores
and libraries on every corner.
The books that Sonlight carries and incorporates into their
program are delightful. Whether we buy a core package or not,
we always buy readers and read-alouds from Sonlight every year.
Sonlight covers all grade levels from kindergarten to high
school with age appropriate reading and writing exercises.
The teacher’s manuals are jam-packed. I always tell people not
to feel guilty if they do not cover all that is listed there.
It really is a lot.
This curriculum is the opposite of Truth Quest History. If you
would like a program that holds your hand and tells you what to
do every single day, consider Sonlight Curriculum.
I hope that this has been a helpful discussion for you. These 5
programs are the best out there in my opinion. There are two
others worthy of mention, but I am not familiar enough with
them to give them my whole-hearted stamp of approval. They are
Mystery of History and Veritas History.
I have included links to all of the programs that I have
highlighted for you today. They are located here:
The Story of the World
Biblioplan for Families
Tapestry of Grace
TruthQuest History
Sonlight Curriculum
Also above, we have Part 2 of this series which is titled
“History Makes Sense Using Maps and Timelines”. Round out your
history program with the use of historical outline maps and timelines. Most
history program recommend them, but not all will tell you why
or what to do with them. I will! Listen to mp3
recording above.
God bless you on your educational journey. I wish you the
best!
ADDENDUM for Mystery of History
I have had several people write to me this past week asking me
what my opinion is of Mystery of History. First of all, let me
just say that I hadn't received my review copy of Mystery of
History in time for my audio history recommendations. And
second... well, here was my reply to those that asked:
Thank you for writing. I just received my review copy of
Mystery of History, two days after I put together the audio for
the website. As I took some time to peruse the first volume, I
was struck by something unusual. Its strength is also its
weakness! It is an all-in-one-volume,
you-don't-need-anything-else kind of book. This makes it
simple, sleek, easy to use and comprehensive. It also leaves
you as the teacher without the need to incorporate living books
into your history studies. I think that it would be all too
easy to just do the work in the manual and leave out the
reading of historical literature, biographies and plain old
fascinating historical fiction. This removes a critical aspect
of history study, in my own opinion.
I think that as long as you realize that this has been left out
and make some adjustments to the program by reading aloud or
assigning some historical texts, biographies and literature
alongside the volumes, you will have a great program to follow
and use. This will also allow you to get different "takes" on
the same historical events. Again, I believe this is essential
when studying history because we cannot trust one person to
interpret all of history for us. The author has an extremely
good understanding of historical events and the sovereignty of
God, but we must be careful when we only listen to one, unless
of course, it is the One. I hope that this makes sense.
I realize that Mystery of History is a favorite of many, but I
just ask that you use caution when following this type of a
course of study written from one author's perspective without
the addition of living books. Living books written by other
authors that are passionate about their subject matter provide
a second look at the same material giving our students more to
think about and grapple with. This is especially important when
they reach the logic and rhetoric stages of learning. Still,
filter everything that you read through the grid of scripture,
but enjoy the voices of many historians when you study this
subject we call history.
I hope that this addendum has been helpful to you. If you have
any other questions or comments, feel free to write to
me.
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