we did that last year and LOVED IT!!!! we built shelters, dressed like Egyptians and just had fun! my children listened to the chapters on cd before bed and really looked forward to learning! this year we are doing MFW Cultures and Countries, so basically a thorough geography year and we are also studying "close to home" like i saw above and doing NH history....
We're doing MOH starting with ancient this year. The plan is to do all 4 periods 3 times before graduation, although we might just do ancients twice and take a year off to intensely study geography (semester) and civics (semester). That'll be upper middle or high school, though. Not an issue right now.
We are doing Time Travelers series, starting withe New World Explorers. DS is in 3rd grade and this is the first year we're not doing community-based SS. We plan on using their full curriculum, which I believe runs up through the Industrial Revolution. From there we'll start with Mystery of History, which is in timeline format that starts from 'beginning' of time to present day.
Not that odd... :lol: That's what we are doing. This year is local history. The problem is we're done with it already. The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia sounds like a great reference book too!
This is my thought-process as well. My 2nd grader will be leaving his private school next month to begin homeschooling (my oldest son, age 12, began home education in Sept, and my 10-year-old daughter will finish out this year at the private school and begin HS next year--her choice). We live in a city steeped in American history, and besides visits to the Betsy Ross house and the Liberty Bell, my kids' knowledge of Philadelphia's role in American history is lacking. I want to focus more intently on our local history this year.
Our history chronological, American history, twice Dc#3 & 4 were too young to remember much from the earliest time periods when ds#1 & 2 were going though them the first time (although dd told me yesterday that she remembers mummifying King Cluck during our ancient Egypt study). Ds#1 & 2 have gone/are going through world and American history a second time with online classes. We're using Veritas Press 1815 to Present. Next year we may start Mystery of History, Vol 1. I used that with the older kids, and I'm looking forward to using it again. My sons loved it when they used it before. I should have used the second book, too. There are quite a few additional helps (folderbooks, Illuminations, Challenge Cards) for it now, so I think I'll enjoy it even more. Ds#1 & 2 also used Story of the World at the same time as MOH, but they didn't care much for that, so I probably won't use much from it other than some project ideas. If all goes well with MOH1 for dc#3 & 4, I'll probably use all four volumes of MOH. I may wait another school year to start MOH, though. I haven't decided yet. We may do a 50-states study next year.
We’re learning about Rome and Greece. My son really likes stories about Greek mythical creatures like the Scylla, the Minotaur, and the Hydra. Also he likes to study Roman battle strategies, the weapons they used, and the countries they conquered.
I did not read everything I just wanted to give my response. Gracie is doing 2nd grade work and we are covering American History with focus on Explorers and Colonies. 3rd grade we will focus on the revolutionary war, 4th grade pioneers, civil war and indians, 5th grade Texas History. From there we will delve into World History unless she goes to public school which dh and I have discussed. She has said she wants to be on the dance team like her sister so we will cross that bridge when we get there.
We also live in a city steeped in American history. In fact, we live in a state steeped in American history. We don't even need to do a state history curriculum, because Virginia is so much a part of American history. We have so many historical sites in Va, and my family loves to visit them. We don't even need to do a special local history study, because our town (Jamestown/Williamsburg) is so much a part of the beginning of our country. One of the first English churches in America was almost in what is now our backyard. Our family vacation last year included a visit to Philadelphia. We toured Franklin Park and Independence Hall, and we saw the Liberty Bell, of course. We took a carriage tour and learned things during that. We enjoyed our trip.
