Okay first off I though I had made a thread like this before, but cannot find it. Forgive me if there is another and you already tried to help me. I searched for and could not find it. I probably walked away from the computer and it timed out in the middle of typing it up, or the computer got hijacked by a 4 year old sneaking to play webkinz. (Yep the current battle these days, added a password so she cannot do this) I was wondering, How do others use SOTW. I enjoy this curriculum and the flexability it gives. We enjoy going off on research tangents on the internet then coming back and doing some of the questions in the book. What I am not sure about is the fact that my student does not seem so be retaining the smaller details. She remembers the larger concepts, but not the names and so forth. I am wondering if I should break things up in to smaller chunks and hit these topics daily so the more separate times and repitition will perhaps make her remember more names etc. How do you use SOTW and what is your students retention of details like? Thanks
They don't need to remember all the small details! She's getting the idea, she'll remember the projects you did and the things you read in general so that when she's older and has this again it comes back to her and will make it easier to remember the next time around! We did like you are doing. We went on tangents the kids were interested in. Found a mummy and tomb on National Geographic Kids website that we could make....and did. We did so many things not in the Activity book, but also did a lot in them. The more they explored, read, built and researched the things they were interested, the more they retained! Yet, if I asked them now, they wouldn't remember everything, but they'll remember that history was fun, and when it comes around again, things WILL jog their memories!
We let it take us where it takes us LOL. We spent so much time on the first couple chapters because dd was so in love with Ancient Egypt, she also really enjoyed Ancient China and we spent a lot of time on that. We actually didn't get very far, but she's only 1st grade and we just went with the flow when it came to history. She can tell you a lot about ancient Egypt and China though!
We love the CD's. My kids remember quite a bit since it's written like a story and they remember more and more each time we listen. They're great for the car. We live 11 miles from town, so we can usually get a chapter on the way in and another on the way home.
Retaining details is great. However, it is not essential. It is better to be familiar with an overall time period. You would be surprised how much more a student knows about history when the focus is about the time period and not names and dates. Although....if you find a way to implement names and dates...that is awesome. Try planning a game. Make your own bingo game...quiz game...or even hopscotch and use dates on the hopstoch board....instead of throwing a stone roll a die with an event and skip that date on the hopscotch board. That part can just be fun and games...IMO.
www.timelinesetc.com has packets with little stories and timeline figures. It also has a "poem" that lists names and events and dates. It's a fun thing. The child can learn the poem, and cover a lot of history in it.....well, you'll have to look at it and see, it's hard for me to explain.
Very cool site, Deena, thanks! There is a timeline that would be perfect for what I am teaching next year. (or should I say learning myself...I never taught ancient times and must admit never paid much attention to it in school...never liked it...lol...I think I will appreciate it more now as I already love history anyway.)
We use the Audio CDs and the activity book, and also read through many of the suggested reading books and pick and choose activities from the book. We often listen to the CDs in the car, but also, my DD really enjoys kicking back at lunch time and listening to the CDs - especially when we've had a particularly busy week. For retention of information (my daughter is weak in retention) I have her make up a couple of questions from each chapter and put them on little slips of paper. We keep them in a big oatmeal tub that she decorated. From time to time, we'll take turns picking out the questions and answering them. It has helped her tremendously. A little fun with history: The other night we watched Jeopardy together and she was so thrilled to be able to answer the question: "Who trained Bucephalus?" The contestant didn't get the answer, but my dd was so excited to be able to answer!
Perhaps I was unclear, by names and details, I mean things like Nile River, and Pharoah. Urggg, I dont expect her to bark back personal names and every city mentioned. LOL I think that what we will do is do the reading one day and some questions another, and a matching game or something and alternate so we cover history more times each week. Perhaps this repeated exposure might help. Tues Thur only is not working.
I didn't notice it was an audio cd book as well. I just ordered it as a CD (I'm selling my paperback version as that didn't work for us) so that on these 2 hour plus car rides we can actually do a little school work. I can pair that up with Latin in the car. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT BEFORE
