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Sotw?

post #1 of 47
10/11/10 at 10:12pm
Thread Starter 
I've heard conflicting things about SOTW. I've heard a few complaints about its accuracy, ans other basic attributes important to a history text. But I notice many many people seem to use it. Are the negatives overblown? Are the good points worth the problems?

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post #2 of 47
10/11/10 at 11:52pm
SOTW is a huge hit in our house!
Personally, I don't see any more "inaccuracies" than one might find in their local school's history text, or in random library books. (Ahem... We did the chapter on Vikings today, instead of celebrating Columbus Day!) Every historian has their biases.
Since we use SOTW as a spine, and follow up most chapters with other resources, I don't worry too much about my kids picking up any gross untruths. Combine that with their ages (when they're more theme oriented, vs. remembering all of the nitty gritty details), and it really isn't an issue for me at all.
I don't let my *12yo* use it as a whole History course, but he enjoys taking part in the lessons.

The biggest benefit it's had here is simply grabbing the kids' attention. I never liked history, and worried about that rubbing off on them. Instead, their enjoyment has rubbed off on me. Now if I could just find the time to finish The History of the Ancient World...
post #3 of 47
10/11/10 at 11:53pm
We like it - I definitely don't see it is the definitive word on any historical time period, but for introducing the basic stories and timeline to my boys in early to mid elementary, I think it is just fine. We use it through History Odyssey, so we are also reading from the Usborne Encyclopedia and sometimes from A Child's History of the World (or Children's - can't remember right now). I wouldn't probably use it past elementary age, especially as the main spine for a history program, but for it's purpose (introducing younger kids to the story of history), I like it and think it is beneficial.
post #4 of 47
10/11/10 at 11:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyFullHouse View Post
Now if I could just find the time to finish The History of the Ancient World...
Oh my goodness - that has been sitting on my shelf forever! I started it and then put it down and then moved and then forgot about it ... it stares at me off and on, taunting me!

Sorry for the interruption to the original question, just had to comment on that.
post #5 of 47
10/12/10 at 12:14am
I got the complete SOTW ancient set to start - with the Usborne World History and Usborne ANcient History encyclopedias.
I have switched over to History Odyssey, which uses SOTW and the Usborne books. I like the HO time line better - ALOT better. I still use the SOTW activity guide though - since we already have it and some of the ideas are fun. Loving the HO time line and activities though. HUGE hit - DS begs for history on a daily basis the audio book of SOTW gets alot of use around here too.
post #6 of 47
10/12/10 at 1:55am
We really like it. I have all 4 books.
post #7 of 47
10/12/10 at 8:45am
I am interested in hearing about this as we are considering it for next year. I want something with less work for me pulling everything together!!
post #8 of 47
10/12/10 at 11:00am
We're on our fifth year using SOTW. We went through all four sets and now we're back in Ancient History.
post #9 of 47
10/12/10 at 3:43pm
I would not want to homeschool without SOTW. She has put everything together for me. All I have to do is put the recommended reading lists on hold at the library the week before. Awesomeness.
post #10 of 47
10/12/10 at 7:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by naturegirl7 View Post
I got the complete SOTW ancient set to start - with the Usborne World History and Usborne ANcient History encyclopedias.
I have switched over to History Odyssey, which uses SOTW and the Usborne books. I like the HO time line better - ALOT better. I still use the SOTW activity guide though - since we already have it and some of the ideas are fun. Loving the HO time line and activities though. HUGE hit - DS begs for history on a daily basis the audio book of SOTW gets alot of use around here too.
Can you explain a little bit more about what you like about HO vs. SOTW?

We've been using SOTW [vol 1, our first year HSing], and I like it for the basic gyst, but we supplement with a LOT of outside reading where possible. We're STILL reading books about Egyptians weeks after "finishing" that chapter!

It's a little weird to me as a non-Christian to have the Bible stories set in the chapters between "real" history, but I try to use that as a teaching moment about culture, legend, myth, etc. and talk about what we can learn from the story even if we don't take it as literal truth.
post #11 of 47
10/12/10 at 7:34pm
I do use SOTW quite extensively but I'd be lost and somewhat frustrated without History Odyssey. We love HO passionately!!!
post #12 of 47
10/12/10 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mama Rana View Post
Can you explain a little bit more about what you like about HO vs. SOTW?

We've been using SOTW [vol 1, our first year HSing], and I like it for the basic gyst, but we supplement with a LOT of outside reading where possible. We're STILL reading books about Egyptians weeks after "finishing" that chapter!

It's a little weird to me as a non-Christian to have the Bible stories set in the chapters between "real" history, but I try to use that as a teaching moment about culture, legend, myth, etc. and talk about what we can learn from the story even if we don't take it as literal truth.
History Odyssey uses a different timeline than SOTW. Because of this, you jump around in SOTW quite a bit rather than reading it through in chapter order. The first time through HO, this bugged me greatly. But, I am now okay with it. (We did HO Level 1 Ancients when ds#1 was 1st grade, and then HO Level 1 Medieval Times in 2nd grade. We fizzled a bit and had to finish Medieval times in the beginning of 3rd grade. But, I keep ds#1 and ds#2 together for history and I didn't want to start Early Modern and then Modern times with ds#2 only 1st and 2nd grade. So, we started over again at Ancients - it's more fun anyway!)

With History Odyssey, you use the Usborne Internet-Link Encyclopedia of World History as your main spine and then use SOTW and CHOTW (Child's History of the World), or either/or as additional spines. Also, History Odyssey is very low-key on crafts. Most lessons involved reading the appropriate pages/chapters, looking up a word in the dictionary (like tyrant or dictator), and doing a map. They do have a good supplemental reading list, and also list supplement books that can be used for hands-on projects (for instance the Evan-Moor history pockets books or other books that have crafts and activities from various civilization. There aren't really any coloring pages though with HO.

We use HO, but I also buy the AG for SOTW - I like the narration questions to use while reading SOTW and I also like the coloring pages. It's a bit of money for those two items, but we do utilize them and will so at least 2 more times through history, so I figure it's worth the money.

You can download and try out the first so many lessons of History Odyssey from the Pandia Press website (the same is true of their REAL Science Odyssey curriculum) to get a feel for how it is set-up and what it involves.
post #13 of 47
10/12/10 at 9:09pm
HO has no answer key. After several yrs of SOTW, I switched to HO this yr for my 7th grader. I have no way to know if he's answering the questions or narrating correctly. Since I bought it, I'm going to use it this year. But I'll never use it again. I just can't function without an answer key. I don't have time to look up, research, and read every single thing my ds does to see if he's answering & understanding stuff correctly.

HO is not a hit around here.
post #14 of 47
10/12/10 at 10:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mama Rana View Post
Can you explain a little bit more about what you like about HO vs. SOTW?

We've been using SOTW [vol 1, our first year HSing], and I like it for the basic gyst, but we supplement with a LOT of outside reading where possible. We're STILL reading books about Egyptians weeks after "finishing" that chapter!

It's a little weird to me as a non-Christian to have the Bible stories set in the chapters between "real" history, but I try to use that as a teaching moment about culture, legend, myth, etc. and talk about what we can learn from the story even if we don't take it as literal truth.
I'm a secular person too Mama so for us, HO has been a better fit than SOTW alone because there are so many suggested supplemental readings. It did make me laugh that I recently has so many biblical story books in my shopping cart recently...

HO does break SOTW up. You will lose "the flow" of reading SOTW as a chapter book. But what you gain is a deeper understanding of each lesson because you gain multiple perspectives. We hit the library once or twice a week with the HO lesson book. We get what we can from the library and sometimes order the rest if it's available.

I can't fathom needing an answer key but I'm an avid reader. So far, nothing has been new to me. But we're only halfway through our first year. I do love history as well so I just planned on reading along with them.
post #15 of 47
10/12/10 at 10:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyLittleWonders View Post
History Odyssey uses a different timeline than SOTW. Because of this, you jump around in SOTW quite a bit rather than reading it through in chapter order. .
Is HO not chronological then? If it is, what do you mean about "jumping around"? Like jump from page 84 to 76 to 98 but all within the same time period?

I have a 3 year old, so I don't even know SOTW beyond having read WTM and having seen it mentioned on MDC and WTM forums, but I always assumed we'd us HO as we're secular--but I don't want to use it if it's not chronological!
post #16 of 47
10/12/10 at 11:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Holiztic View Post
Is HO not chronological then? If it is, what do you mean about "jumping around"? Like jump from page 84 to 76 to 98 but all within the same time period?

I have a 3 year old, so I don't even know SOTW beyond having read WTM and having seen it mentioned on MDC and WTM forums, but I always assumed we'd us HO as we're secular--but I don't want to use it if it's not chronological!
I was under the impression that SOTW isn't strictly chronological.
post #17 of 47
10/12/10 at 11:09pm
Thread Starter 
Has anyone used the audio version?
post #18 of 47
10/12/10 at 11:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by zjande View Post
HO has no answer key. After several yrs of SOTW, I switched to HO this yr for my 7th grader. I have no way to know if he's answering the questions or narrating correctly. Since I bought it, I'm going to use it this year. But I'll never use it again. I just can't function without an answer key. I don't have time to look up, research, and read every single thing my ds does to see if he's answering & understanding stuff correctly.

HO is not a hit around here.
I have heard that about Level 2 - I was planning on using it when ds#1 hit that age (and keeping ds#2 in Level 1 but the same time period) but now I'm not sure. I might have to do history with ds#1 at that age along the WTM lines.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Holiztic View Post
Is HO not chronological then? If it is, what do you mean about "jumping around"? Like jump from page 84 to 76 to 98 but all within the same time period?

I have a 3 year old, so I don't even know SOTW beyond having read WTM and having seen it mentioned on MDC and WTM forums, but I always assumed we'd us HO as we're secular--but I don't want to use it if it's not chronological!
SOTW goes by civilization moreso than chronologically, whereas HO goes chronologically. So, you will jump around chapters in SOTW if you use HO. HO's main spine is the Usborne encyclopedia, and that goes chronologically. The writer of HO then had to jump around in SOTW to have SOTW line up with the timeline of the Usborne encyclopedia. Hopefully that makes sense.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegoat View Post
Has anyone used the audio version?
We have the print books and the audio books. Two words: Jim Weiss! That man can tell as story, let me tell you, even if he is just reading the words off a page. Sometimes ds#1 and I will try to "read" SOTW like Jim Weiss. We don't use the audio as the main reading, but often the older two boys will listen to the audio book while building Legos (at least when they aren't listening to Percy Jackson ).
post #19 of 47
10/13/10 at 12:03am
It is aimed toward younger children, as in grade school age. It is not meant for high schoolers who are needing more in depth facts. I think it is excellent. It tries to bring the children in and does include some historical fiction. But there are no historical lies.
post #20 of 47
10/13/10 at 11:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Holiztic View Post
Is HO not chronological then? If it is, what do you mean about "jumping around"? Like jump from page 84 to 76 to 98 but all within the same time period?

I have a 3 year old, so I don't even know SOTW beyond having read WTM and having seen it mentioned on MDC and WTM forums, but I always assumed we'd us HO as we're secular--but I don't want to use it if it's not chronological!
Both go in chronological order but since there are things happening at the same time in history, HO follows a slightly different order. For instance, we've been doing ancient Egypt for weeks. HO had us skip to Stonehenge and now Crete for a bit and then we'll finish less ancient Egypt in a few weeks. SOTW would have had us stay in ancient Egypt.

Make sense?

I started researching classical education when my kids were 2 and 3 too!! Hope to chat with you in a few more years.

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