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myboysnme
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| Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 12:04pm | IP Logged
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Hello, everyone. I would appreciate some wise counsel. My son is a 9 yo 4th grader. He wants to study American history this year, so I decided to order Core 3 from Sonlight thinking it would be nice to have the schedule. Reason being, I am not the most organized person in the world, and I thought it would be nice to just check things off. However, I just don't think it is going to work for us. It is important to me to add in the Catholic worldview, and I think I would just feel more comfortable using a Catholic spine and adding in living books. Also, he is a bit behind in reading, so he can't really read the Sonlight readers on his own yet.
I am considering purchasing From Sea to Shining Sea as the spine and adding extra books along the way. This would also help me to include my very eager just turned 5 yo into the mix. Although, he wants to learn about Egypt.
Right now, what I am trying to decide is whether to take advantage of the Sonlight return policy and just send everything back. I admit, I am feeling a little bit guilty, but if I don't return it, I just can't justify buying anymore books, and its really not working for us. As it turns out, I don't like the schedule and checking things off.
Could someone please give me their thoughts on my plan? Would it be better to use FSTSS and add books, or should I just stick with the Sonlight and use what I can and supplement from the library?
Very sorry for the length of this post. Thank you so much for any help you can give me! I originally posted this on Living Learning, but thought it should go here instead.
Blessings,
Michele
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Grace&Chaos
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Michele, We are using FSTSS as a spine for my dd 10, fifth grade. I have a long list of other books we are supplementing with as well (she has read Becky Landers, Swamp Fox, Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution, Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia, and is currently reading Johnny Tremain). So far she is enjoyng this very much. We've used the first two books in the Land of Our Lady Series and she admits she is enjoying FSTSS a lot more. I think it's because the pictures are in color and there are side notes, all which she is enjoying. She is a voracious and advanced reader so the titles I'm picking for her are middle school and older selections.
For my 2nd grader I'm not using a spine but have lined up the following (some of her reading selections are above 2nd grade level):
If You Lived ... series,
D'aulaire biographies,
Jean Fritz history readers,
David Adler picture biographies
Landmark Books Meet... Series
Literature Chapter books like (Courage of Sarah Noble, Squanto: Friend of the Pilgrims, Matchlock Gun, Little House on the Prairie Series, and several others inclduing story picture books which my younger boys (5,4,2) enjoy listening too) (I'm sure there are some good threads for specific titles on this forum)
I'm always interested in book recommendations. We've also included the Liberty Kids DVD series as part of our schedule.
I think you can take Sonlights recommended list and adjust it to your schedule as for the spine so far it is working well for us. Many of these books are borrowed from the library. There have been very few we didn't find there and had to purchase.
Just an example of how we're reading our way through Early American history. (I've set up our Picture Study, Poetry, Copywork, Geography and some science to coinside with this time period). 
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Blessings,
Jenny
Mom to dds(00,03) and dss(05,06,08,09)
Grace in Loving Chaos
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guitarnan
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We did pretty much what Jenny has outlined for both our dc, with some state history thrown in.
FSTSS only goes to 1900, so you will be on your own after that. Definitely a drawback. The publisher told me years ago that he was considering a supplement for 1900-present, but so far one has not been published.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Grace&Chaos
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guitarnan wrote:
| FSTSS only goes to 1900, so you will be on your own after that. Definitely a drawback. The publisher told me years ago that he was considering a supplement for 1900-present, but so far one has not been published. |
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This is so true  . Our year will only takes us through Civil War and Recontruction. I've been trying to figure out where to go next (as far as Catholic Spine?) I've booked marked Mater Amabalis for Modern US History and maybe going back to Land of Our Lady series. I have a year, sigh, to think about it. 
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Jenny
Mom to dds(00,03) and dss(05,06,08,09)
Grace in Loving Chaos
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amyable
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I believe SL 3 only goes to the Civil War anyway, so at least for this year that would have been the extent of your studies if you stuck with it.
Sonlight has their return policy for a reason and they are very understanding. I wouldn't feel guilty AT ALL if you got it and realized it wasn't *you*.
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The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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ekbell
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As Amy pointed out this is why Sonlight has a return policy. Better to return the books then to feel bound to an ill-fitting curriculum.
As for organizational help I know of a few guides.
The Teacher's manual
The Teacher's manuals produced for the Catholic textbook projects are very classroom oriented. For each chapter they provide goals, an overview, a list of what children should know, answer keys, additional activities, sample tests&quizzes, timeline and some additional resources.
Hand of a Child has produced a lapbook for FSTSS, The Story of America Project. You can buy an answer key with daily planning guide to go with the textbook and lapbook. I've found their lapbooks to be fairly clear and easy to use, although the child does need to be comfortable writing and it helps if the child likes making neat little books.
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Mackfam
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Hi Michele...I'm here to validate you! 
Return it while you can!
There is SO.MUCH.AVAILABLE for this period of history reading....SOOOOO MUCH!!!!
If you like using a spine, FSTSS would be good, and does have a nicely laid out TM. If you want another push, I'd even say that you don't have to have a spine to study history effectively.   You can just build a simple (but rich and wonderful) booklist for the period you want to study, have the kids read (or you read some aloud), and have them narrate back to you. Additionally, you could consider working in a Book of Centuries, and there are just SO MANY AMAZING activities, projects, movies, documentaries, and field trips that round out this period! If you feel like Sonlight isn't a good fit, rest assured, you don't need them. You can do this. Building a great booklist can be easy and doesn't require monumental organizational skills. Let us know if you'd like us to help. Otherwise...consider yourself validated. 
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Jen Mackintosh
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 6:34pm | IP Logged
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Grace&Chaos wrote:
Just an example of how we're reading our way through Early American history. (I've set up our Picture Study, Poetry, Copywork, Geography and some science to coinside with this time period). |
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This sounds so lovely!! It's exactly what I'd be doing, too! This period is a favorite to study...and is just so generous in its offerings across the ages!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Erin
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Michele
Reading your post, I'm sensing your first instinct is to return your Sonlight purchase. Go with your instinct, you'll always be much happier.
American history is so rich in choices
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Erin
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myboysnme
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| Posted: Sept 21 2010 at 9:46am | IP Logged
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Thank you so much! I feel much better. The main problem I think I was having was trying to fit myself into a mold. While I like the idea of the Sonlight schedule, it just doesn't work very well when you are replacing half the curriculum. Erin, you are right, it is my first instinct, so it is best to trust it. It is lots of fun to imagine all the other great books I can buy with that money.
I will take a look at the lapbook from HOAC. We have used some of their other products. For my little one, I have found a few things at Enchanted Learning and some other online sources.
Our Pioneers and Patriots was my other option for a spine, but I think FSTSS is a better choice for my son. It is my understanding that it is more visually appealing, which will work well for my son. I wasn't planning to buy the teacher's manual, but just use the book as a guide for myself. Sadly, I still find it hard to make connections in history between what came first and things that coincide, and I really want to add all the rich Catholic history that seems to get skipped over.
I would love some help putting some things together!
This sounds lovely to me, too. Could you give me an idea of some things that you are using? Also, could someone tell me how to pull things like this out to quote?
Just an example of how we're reading our way through Early American history. (I've set up our Picture Study, Poetry, Copywork, Geography and some science to coinside with this time period).
We have a wonderful library system here, and there is so much available. I also have Netflix and planned to use the Liberty Kids Dvds, and I also saw a Charlie Brown video, too. What other movies or documentaries work well for this period?
I am open to lots of ideas, so any suggestions are very welcome. I want to make this a wonderful year for my boys. Oh, any suggestions for things that would interest a 5yo fascinated with Egypt (although that should probably go in another thread), he is busily playing with his Egyptian Playmobil characters, right now!?
Again, thank you for the help and validation. I am moving past the guilt and making the call to return the Core.
Blessings,
Michele
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Erin
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myboysnme wrote:
I would love some help putting some things together!
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Michele
Love to help and having a great library is a wonderful bonus! I haven't much time at the moment but promise to be back, for now I started listing some of the American history books dd read at Aussie Book Threads I write over 10, but you could easily read some to a 9year old.
When I have more time I'll gather some sites together.
Be sure to check the archives for Egyptian ideas or by all means start a new thread if you can't find what you are searching for.
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Erin
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myboysnme
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Thank you, Erin for the link. I didn't know about some of these books, so I will definitely add them to my list.
Could anyone suggest some hands on activities or crafts to go along with early American history?
I will search for Egypt ideas. Today, my older son made a pyramid out of a cardboard box for his brother to play with. It was very sweet and lots of fun. This led me to my question above about crafts.
Thank you again for your help and suggestions.
Michele
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guitarnan
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We made snake sticks (dowels painted - or Sharpie'd) to look like snakes...Native Americans in the northeastern US used to make them from long twigs and race them down icy hills. (Of course, we made them and then we had no ice for two years...)
Cooking is fun - anything cornbread/cornmeal is very early American, and you can also roast corn, make cranberry sauce, bake/roast squash and pumpkins/seeds. (Fish is also very colonial, but most children don't leap for joy when a fish bake is proposed... )
Corn husk dolls are fun to make, although your son might not agree.
Anything related to fishing or archery is early American. (Including making a bamboo fishing pole, target practice, learning about animals and fish in 17th century North America...)
Birdwatching, native plant identification and nature study could also relate. If you have a nature preserve or arboretum near where you live, you have an insta-field trip...native species were here when the European settlers arrived.
On the Egypt side of things, sugar cube step pyramids are a classic craft...clay obelisks and sphinxes are also fun to create. (And you can find hieroglypic alphabet info online, I think...another fun activity.) You could also incorporate books like The Golden Goblet into your read-aloud time...
I so loved being where you are now, with my history-buff son...do enjoy this time; you are blessed to have a child who truly appreciates history.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Grace&Chaos
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myboysnme wrote:
| Could anyone suggest some hands on activities or crafts to go along with early American history? |
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We're looking through some of these for ideas:
American Kids in History
History Pockets
Little House on the Prairie Cook Book and Crafts Book
American Girl Cook Books (which we've owned for a while)I couldn't find a selling link but maybe the library?
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Blessings,
Jenny
Mom to dds(00,03) and dss(05,06,08,09)
Grace in Loving Chaos
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Grace&Chaos
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Jen, Thanks for the encouragement! It's been a great transition for us. My dds are enjoying all the great books out there. Narrating and making connections with our other subjects has been great fun. My dd really understood "Concord Hymn" by Ralph Waldo Emerson after reading Swamp Fox. Or studying Gilbert Stuart's Washington portrait and having my other dd catch the clouds and rainbow in the background to compare them to the before revolution and promise after. It is very rewarding to hear them connecting to history.
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Blessings,
Jenny
Mom to dds(00,03) and dss(05,06,08,09)
Grace in Loving Chaos
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myboysnme
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| Posted: Sept 27 2010 at 5:56pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all so much for all the encouragement and wonderful ideas. We are really looking forward to our history studies this year. I received FSTSS, and it looks like it will work great as a guide. We are reading short sections along with some of the other wonderful literature for this period. It looks like it is going to be a great year.
Michele
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Advice on Sonlight/American History needs
