4Real Forums: 4 or 5 year history cycle?

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Across Time and Place
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Topic: 4 or 5 year history cycle?

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cheesehead mom
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Joined: Aug 08 2006
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Posted: July 20 2007 at 1:21pm \| IP Logged

Hello. I am a bit off schedule on our chronological history and wondering if I should skip ahead or just plug on! I have a 5th/6th grade boy, 3rd grade daughter, 1st grade son (4, 2, and another baby in early Nov.). I usually gear things to the older 2 and whatever the younger one wants to sit in on he can. We use SOTW (where appropriate), Furlong,2000 years of Christianity, Catholic Timline, and historical fiction. I also purchased a used copy of Sea to Shining Sea as a spine for the upcoming year for my older son. Anyway we are up to Lewis and Clark and reading Seaman this summer. Theoretically we should have gotten through the Gold Rush and be able to finish through modern times this year. I am thinking though, that realistically we could get through the Civil War and after, then hit the other World Wars next year. Any thoughts on this to help a rambling pregnant lady..trying to plan well with baby 6 coming next semester?? Thanks!
Laura in WI

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JuliaT
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Joined: June 25 2006
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Posted: July 20 2007 at 3:31pm \| IP Logged

Laura, I can't help you specifically with your dileema, but I thought I would share my experience with the 4 yr. history cycle.

I started the history cycle when my oldest was 5. We got through the first year relatively right on schedule. The second year was not a repeat of the first year. We were so off behind. There was no way that we would even finish half of the book (SOTW.) It caused me a bit of panic. Then reality hit. It occurred to me "what does it matter how long it takes you to get through history--4, 5 or 6 yrs.? What matters (at least it does to me) is that my children are learning history chronologically."

Since my reality of thought, I do not stress at all about how long it takes us to get through the book. I figure, 'it's all good.'

That probably doesn't help you, but I thought I would share anyway.

Blessings,
Julia
mom to 3 (8,6,4)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Juliainsk

LLMom
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Posted: July 21 2007 at 6:22am \| IP Logged

I wouldn't stress either. I think it is nice to wander of the path and take some rabbit trails along the way and sometimes those are hard to plan. That is the beauty of homeschooling. If they are really interested in one particular time period, you could slow down and really enjoy that time.

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cheesehead mom
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Posted: July 21 2007 at 7:57am \| IP Logged

Thank you ladies for your responses. Somtimes it is so helpful to have someone say it is okay to slow down and not get "x,y,z" done this year. I was leaning toward just taking it as it comes and planning enough for the school year but not everything. Stress seems to build in these middle school grades (oldest will be 11) as high school is just around the corner! Yes, there is still time to get through it all and they will of course repeat. Thank you for the encouragement!
Laura

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