SOTW vs. History Odyssey--help me out

[heatherdeg]

Since I'm looking for SS and science curriculum next year and I saw references to Science Odyssey, History Odyssey & SOTW.  But when I went to look at History Odyssey, one of the books required was SOTW.

So... can someone compare and contrast this for me?  If you're "doing" SOTW, are you doing a subset of History Odyssey?  Is there more to SOTW than just the book?  (I'm not familiar with either of them)

TIA!

[bass chick]

We have just started SOTW. My understanding was that History Odyssey used the SOTW read aloud book in some of their lessons. I heard that SOTW was from a Christian view (cross referencing the bible) and that History Odyssey was totally secular. I have yet to find any chapter that is religously bent in SOTW, but they have mentioned the city of Jericho. Like I said, we just started it.

I believe SOTW was developed first and History Odyssey was written afterwards, using some of the SOTW text.

In SOTW, we read a chapter (or portion of one), do narration and answer questions verbally, talk about what we read etc. We have the activity book that outlines all that for us. We also look in our local library to see if it carries any of the additional reading suggestions (both fiction and non-fiction) and do some of the activities (map work, crafts, coloring etc). We also read from the Usborne history encyclopedia, which we also own. I really like the Usborne encyclopedia. It is internet-linked so we can find computer activities to do if we are so inclined to. It just further cements the information into their minds. It also cross-references the Kingfisher history encylopedia. All these are suggested in the SOTW activity book.

I really like SOTW so far. For a history idiot, it is proving really interesting to me!! I wish I'd have learned history like this. SOTW is not a subset of History Odyssey.

SOTW has 2 books for each year....the read aloud text and the activity book. The activity book has the narration exercises, additional reading suggestions of encyclopedias, history books, and fiction, as well as hands-on activities, crafts, mapwork, & coloring pages.

I have heard fabulous reviews from both History Odyssey and SOTW.

[MyLittleWonders]

We use both - History Odyssey is the lesson plans for history. It uses the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History as its main spine, and then most every lesson uses the SOTW book as well. History Odyssey gives you the chapters/pages to read and gives you a list of supplemental books/stories to read. It also has great maps for almost every lesson. 

The SOTW activity guide is another great resource. It has maps (though I think the HO maps are much better and easier to "see" as they aren't as cluttered in my opinion), coloring pages (which my boys love), narration questions, supplemental reading ideas, and I believe it also gives the Usborne Encyclopedia pages for each SOTW chapter. 

They are organized differently. HO is organized by the Usborne Encyclopedia, which tends to go more in chronological order. SOTW is organized more by region. So, if you use History Odyssey as the curriculum/lesson plan, you will jump around in SOTW as you read through Usborne. It can be a little annoying as some of the chapters in SOTW start with, "Do you remember when we read about Rome and how ... " and you may not have read that chapter yet, or such. But, I prefer, usually, the way HO lays it all out. But, I do buy both the HO curriculum and the SOTW activity guide (we do love the coloring pages and I really like having the narration exercises right there too). 

On Pandia Press's website, you can do the "try it before you buy it" option for HO. I think you can download something like 10 lessons, and that should give you a feel for the way it is put together. HTH 

[PGTlatte]

SOTW is not a subset of History Odyssey.  SOTW is a standalone program that can be purchased with its own activity guide and test questions book for each volume.

History Odyssey is a program by a different author, that plans lessons using multiple books as resources.  SOTW is one of those books. Someone who is using SOTW as guided by HO probably would not also use the SOTW activity guide or test questions, just the SOTW book and the other resources that the HO program calls for.

You can preview the activity book for SOTW volume 1 at Amazon, and you can preview the Ancient program of HO at the Pandia Press website. 

[heatherdeg]

Thanks, all.  VERY HELPFUL!!!!  I did download all three free trials for HO (and the two trials for their science curriculum).  And I like the idea of doing both together.

I had been thinking of following the Core Knowledge sequence, but it jumps around and starts with our presidents, etc.--which I think is fine, but I know my ds7 will be far more into the ancient civilizations at the moment and I'd rather go with what he's into!