Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login
Across Time and Place
 4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Subject Topic: Teaching American History without a text Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message << Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
albeto
Forum Pro
Forum Pro


Joined: March 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 105
Posted: Feb 27 2010 at 12:51pm | IP Logged Quote albeto

We have CHC's "From Sea to Shining Sea" but I'm finding that extracting information from a non fiction source is simply not working for dd 12. I found a book from Amazon that teaches American history through literature and I'm thinking we'll do visual time lines on the wall, movies, "Liberty Kids" DVDs, etc. I figure for now it will be an introduction, but would that be enough? Will she get the idea of *why* people reacted to events they way they did without me explaining (read, boring lecture)? What about my ds who is almost 15? He's resistant to any and all formal schooling (text books about non interesting topics are useless and he even gets himself worked up and can't comprehend a 5th grade biography if he knows he "has to")? How can I be sure they understand enough to equal a high school education?

For example, we're reading "Calico Captive" now, which takes place during the French and Indian War, but it doesn't really do anything more than give a reference of time - pretty dresses, social classes. But it takes so much time, which seems to me like it's "extra" but not the main way to learn. Which is why text books are so helpful, imo, to explain what happened. But I guess that would be the job of the time line?

How can I make a time line stick in their memory? Or is there a better way?
Back to Top View albeto's Profile Search for other posts by albeto
 
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
Posted: Feb 27 2010 at 1:09pm | IP Logged Quote guitarnan

You can learn a lot of history through good literature. Living books, DVDs and timelines sound like a good approach. I would suggest, perhaps, for your son, that he be asked to consider the idea that he won't always be able to pick and choose what he reads in life (even if he opts not to go to college), so it is a good idea to learn to read and understand some nonfiction.

Having said that, there are other types of nonfiction besides textbooks. There are magazine articles, websites (previewed by parents), oral histories...and field trips are also an excellent way to reinforce historical concepts. (Many of our local historical sites have homeschool days and programs.)

It sounds to me, from what you write, that reading textbooks doesn't play to your children's learning styles, and perhaps a timeline (on the wall - visual), DVDs (visual), field trips (kinesthetic/hands-on) and so on would be easier for your children to understand and remember. I think it's worth a try.

(Side note: My dd learned almost all her elementary school science concepts from Magic Schoolbus and Bill Nye DVDs. She remembers nearly everything. When we hit the Constitution in From Sea to Shining Sea, guess what I did? Went out and bought the Schoolhouse Rock DVD!)

__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
Back to Top View guitarnan's Profile Search for other posts by guitarnan Visit guitarnan's Homepage
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: Feb 27 2010 at 1:14pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

Oh.. go over to this thread how to use a book of centuries Chari just posted a huge amount of information on teaching history without textbooks.

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
albeto
Forum Pro
Forum Pro


Joined: March 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 105
Posted: Feb 27 2010 at 1:33pm | IP Logged Quote albeto

Thank you!
Back to Top View albeto's Profile Search for other posts by albeto
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  [Add this topic to My Favorites] Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com