Yesterday, I told how I would set up my ideal history/social studies plan for younger children. I am now finding myself rethinking my history/social studies plan for my two older children. I have a great resource. It comes chocked full of activities, lesson plans, a textbook, the quizzes and tests - everything. The best part is that I had it already sitting on my shelf. So, when it came to putting together the plans for this school year, I did not worry about this subject.
Now, I am reconsidering.
History is my personal favorite subject. I just love it. I did not start homeschooling my kids, so the plan that I have suggested before for the younger kids, is not really geared towards the older ones. Or is it?
I find that in the past two weeks, the one subject that I could care less if we get to most often is history. That just is not right! I love history, so if I am dreading doing the subject each morning, what must my kids be feeling? Especially, Anna who has a known history "phobia".
I think I am going to "chuck" my great history resource. It is too textbook-y. It does not really allow for exploration. I think I am going to go back to my original idea of how to teach history to kids. I have a great book that I had bought for my own entertainment a while back. ( "Essentials of American History") It is told in a more conversational way. It is brief and to the point. I talks about some of the lesser known aspects along the way of our nation's history. I like it.
I recorded the series on the History Channel this past summer titled "America: the Story of US". I think I am going to return to my original plan to use it in our studies. It may be missing some points that I feel need to be addressed. It may also take a view of certain events that I feel need to be looked at from other angles, but all in all, I think it is a great tool to grab the kids' attention. If I show a section of each show, the parts that I want to address that day, then it will visually put things into perspective and get them thinking of the actual times past. Then we can address the issues from other angles and view points. I will also be encouraging the timeline. I do believe that a basic timeline is a valuable tool for learning history and placing things chronologically in order. I may use some form of 'notebooking/lapbooking' as well, but I will have to feel that one out as we go. I also like the interactive notebook system, and will continue to use that. I have a few books with reproductions of 'original' sources from various aspects of history. I think it is an important part of learning to study history as well. The primary source materials are as important to understand and study for history as writing your experiment's observations carefully are for the study of science.
I thought about giving away the stuff that I have been using, but I think I will hold off on that for a little while to see how this new approach works. Wish me (and my kids) luck. I really want history to be something to them and to show them the meaning and importance of where we as humans have been. I would love to spark the interest in them that I have and I really do not feel a standard issue textbook is going to achieve this.
I will let you all know how things go with the changes.
heidi
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