4Real Forums: CHC's Tour a Country

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

Topic: CHC's Tour a Country

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

StephanieA
Forum Pro

Joined: May 11 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 394

Posted: March 16 2013 at 7:28pm \| IP Logged

CHC's Tour a Country

This looks interesting. Has anyone ordered this and what do you think? Would it be too simple for a 4th and 7th grader? I don't want to do much work on gathering information since I am thinking it would be a fun program to read through this summer. I would like to just pick it up and go with it. Or is it a skeleton program that requires the teacher to gather resources?

Thanks!
Blessings,
Stephanie

pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star

Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028

Posted: March 16 2013 at 9:35pm \| IP Logged

It is a skeleton program. I know that they now sell it separate (use to be only in their lesson plans), but I think it is just still a guide. I needed more hand holding or at least book suggestions and this didn't have it.

__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch

SeaStar
Forum Moderator

Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068

Posted: March 18 2013 at 6:44am \| IP Logged

I agree- it is pretty much an outline.

For example, it will say:
Find out more about Catholic historical sites in Canada.
Then it leaves you to find out more on your own.

There are a few books suggested for the countries- maybe 5-6 per country, and there are blank forms provided for your student to fill out a report on each country.

Overall, I didn't find it too helpful in general. After a couple of countries I stopped using it as a reference. I was also signed up for LIttle Passports at the time, and that was fun- very exciting to get a package in the mail each month- but again, that was not a very complete program either.

In the end, it always came back to us searching on line and the library website for books and info about each country.

__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)

SQUILT Music Appreciation

SallyT
Forum All-Star

Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489

Posted: March 18 2013 at 8:42am \| IP Logged

Would this be something that an older child, say in 7th or 8th, could do as a research course? I know it's been part of their elementary plans, but I wonder if something like this could be translatable into a more independent research course for middle school. When my now-9th-grader was in 7th, we used the outline of their World History plans, where the child was supposed to make a history book by doing research on one of a choice of topics weekly. He really, really liked that, and it helped him develop excellent research skills. The papers he wrote that year were very short, but it was one a week, which was also very good for him.

My next in line will only be in 5th grade next year, but I'm thinking ahead a bit, and reading this makes me wonder whether we might not get some use out of the Tour a Country thing at an older age. What do you think?

Sally

eta: I see the original question was about the appropriateness of the program for a 7th grader. I'll be really interested to hear what people think (because my immediate idea was to make it the kind of thing where you have an older child who can bear the burden of searching out information independently!)

__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully

SeaStar
Forum Moderator

Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068

Posted: March 18 2013 at 5:00pm \| IP Logged

Absolutely- an older child could use the program as a research project.
The framework gives just enough help to get you going, but you have to do much of the legwork on your own.

IMO, a 3rd grader needs extensive help from a parent, even if just to research and fill out the provided travel brochure. An older kid could have a lot of fun with this... especially if you threw in some good travel dvds, ethnic food, etc.

__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)

SQUILT Music Appreciation

SallyT
Forum All-Star

Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489

Posted: March 18 2013 at 5:17pm \| IP Logged

Yes, that's my line of thinking -- *I* am not going to do all that work! :) But last time around I found a project like that to be useful for the kid doing it on so many levels. He was already kind of a research hound, but the history project gave that impulse some much-needed focus.

My next one likes geography, and while we may not be ready by 7th grade for another full-blown pass at western civ/ history, per se, I could imagine a history element as part of a world tour . . . hmmmmmm . . .

Sally

__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully

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]

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