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millermom1110
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| Posted: Jan 23 2014 at 10:08am | IP Logged
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I know that SOTW 1 says that it's suitable for grades 1-4, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience using it with a 1st grader. We read 1 section per day (not a full chapter, just a section), and he'll narrate and get the gist of it. So I'm fully content with that. But the activity book and test book that came with it ... I feel like that's really not first grade material. Am I wrong?
For example, we're reading about the Exodus right now. So he gets the gist of the storyline. He can basically narrate it back to me and I'll write it down while he colors a picture. He knows Moses was helping the Israelites escape slavery. He grasps some basic geography associated with the store (Nile river, Egypt, and it's touch and go whether he'll remember Canaan).
The activity book review questions seem so advanced for a first grader. For example, it would require him to memorize the terms monotheism/polytheism. We talked about how the Israelites worshipped one God, the Egyptians worshipped many. He's familiar with the terms, but he usually mixes them up if I ask him which is which. I think that's okay for now though? I don't know if it's necessary for a 6 yr old to memorize those terms, but maybe I'm wrong?
I think I've come up with my own answer...continue reading to him and having him narrate, but drop the activity book. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something here. If I should have higher expectations? 
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4 lads mom
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| Posted: Jan 23 2014 at 11:24am | IP Logged
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I think your plan sounds perfect for his age. Just exposing him to that time period and geographical areas while making some associations, some “relationships” as CM would say...all good stuff. He will then revisit this time period (at least) a few more times over the years and as he matures, the relationship he makes with this material will broaden. Does that help? 
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Erin
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| Posted: Jan 23 2014 at 5:50pm | IP Logged
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I've used it with Grade 1 children. I would do precisely what you're doing, read, narrate and maybe select some activities, but that's not our main focus.
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Erin
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jawgee
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| Posted: Jan 23 2014 at 6:05pm | IP Logged
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We used it last year with my 1st grader and my 5th grader. We really just listened and talked about things that interested us. I filled in with living books suitable for his age. We didn't do any other activities associated with it.
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Jan 24 2014 at 6:02am | IP Logged
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I really scoured the activity book and selected age appropriate activities.
Tracing routes on maps was doable. We wrote our names in hieroglyphics- that was fun. We did some coloring pages- mixing things up by painting some of the pages or tracing them (putting tracing paper over the design and using pencils).
We also built and flooded the Nile, did cave paintings on grocery sacks, did some of the dress up activities.
It was fun. I bought my activity book used and it was ancient, but I was surprised how often we used it. My dc still remember fondly when we flooded the NIle. 
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millermom1110
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| Posted: Jan 24 2014 at 7:34am | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone.
Seastar- now that you mention it, the maps and occassional activity from the book really are fun when I can manage to think ahead or occupy the littles long enough for it. I guess it's the actual review questions and test questions that really just cause frustration.
I guess when a book says that the material is for a first grader, it becomes really difficult for me to gauge ... is this really appropriate for MY first grader? Should I expect more? Should we work harder on this so that he can answer these questions? Am I doing something wrong? And then I tailspin into feeling like maybe he'd be better off in school. I KNOW that's silly. I know. I'm currently reading through the Charlotte Mason series and it's helping me gain a little confidence and feel a little bit more grounded.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: Jan 24 2014 at 9:11am | IP Logged
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I like the narration questions from the activity guides, which I use to talk about what we have read.
But for my first grader - we use Notebooking pages. I ask him what he would like to write down - he dictates to me an I write it down. He illustrates, color etc.
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Jan 24 2014 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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I also used the narration questions. The sample answers always made me feel good- my dc were narrating back way more than the examples given.
That helped me feel like I was on track.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: SOTW
