I was just curious if any of you use a textbook approach to History or Science?

Last year we used SL Core 1 with SOTW and this year we are using Heart of Dakota. I did enjoy it, but am wondering if a textbook approach might be more suited for me.

I have 3 children and am expecting our 4th in about 4 weeks. I just feel like everything I do with my dd(7) is teacher intensive. I feel like I need to simplify.

This is what we are using this year for my 2nd grader (my 3 and 4-year-old go to preschool):

Abeka 2 for LA (not for writing, spelling, or handwritting)
A Reason for Handwriting
All About Spelling
Writing with Ease
CLE Math (which I love!)
Heart of Dakota (History, Bible, Poetry)
God's Design Science

I was just looking for something that would be a little more independent in History and Science.

My thoughts for History would be:

SOTW audio CD w/ Activity book
Abeka
or CLE

Science:
Abeka
or CLE

Any thoughts? Would switching to these make my life any easier or maybe not? :-)

Thank you!!!

I was using HOD and now I have switched to A Beka for these subjects. Right in my family's life reading all those books for my three children takes alot of time, not that it isn't worth it. I have scaled back to texts because we are moving and it's nice to have the oldest read, answer and then we can discuss the sections/chapters later on. I also am just focusing on reading with my middle child. Sometimes just taking a year of making it easier is worth it. If I didn't change our ways my children would be back in PS

I had used Sonlight for a long while, last year did FIAR and then tried up with SL again this year. I just couldn't do it.
When I was pregnant with my soon to be 6 month old, last thing I wanted to do was read to the kids (I know terrible Mom here LOL).
My kids at the time were 5, 7 and 2. Going to be 6 and 8 in a few days and almost 3 now.
I actually gave Abeka history 2 a try and I like it well enough. Now of course the literature girl in me does add my own spin on things. For instance right now we are doing a rabbit trail if you will on the Pilgrims after reading about them in Abeka. So we'll be reading about them in The Story of the Pilgrims for awhile before picking up Abeka again. But I have been pleased with it. For science, I didn't really find a text based program that fit us. I have Apologia but wanted to save that for a bit later. I do have SL science on the shelf but have not felt moved to pull it out. We finished up using CLP's nature readers and I opted to use The Complete book of Animals instead. That is going great and the kids love it.
I have a couple of things saved for science maybe for next year too that I like the looks of, maybe they might interest you:
http://www.eequalsmcq.com/ClassicScienceLife.htm
http://www.explorationeducation.com/

We were using CLE math for a bit but I felt that the lessons were a bit long with the time I have to work with, so we went on to Developmental math which was fine (and is self directed) but just went back to MUS today.

For LA we use and love SL. I don't think any text based program has been as easy as their LA to pull off for us. It's nice to have it all in one place and not have to jump from book to book to book.

Good luck to you!
~Melissa~

>We finished up using CLP's nature readers and I opted to use The Complete book of Animals instead.<

Oh Melissa I was thinking about you the other day. We use the Complete Book of Animals with my 3rd grader as a part of her Science and I noticed that you can also find corresponding stories in CLP Nature Readers. I don't know why that made me think of you. I was gonna come on here and tell you but looks like you already know. How funny!

We started textbooks this year for both history and science. I'm a CM-er at heart and love the literature-based programs.

However, we have several reasons it doesn't work here. First, TIME! lol. Our 2yo ds is very active and needs my attention. He's already not napping some days. Secondly, one of my boys has auditory processing issues, so if any reading aloud is done it must be short and sweet. Lastly, while it worked to combine the two middle guys for the past few year, this year I really see their academic abilities differing. The elder of the two is just more inquisitive and logical, wanting to dig deeper. (They're 9 and 12.)

So, we chose to go with CLP history texts and BJU Science and like both. BJU Science is excellent, imho, teaching to all learning styles and both boys look forward to it. Just yesterday,
9yods said he couldn't decide if science or history was his favorite subject. ;-)

Al that being said, we do miss our couch time. I have begun adding some literature to round out their studies and am awaiting the arrival of a Homeschool in the Woods' Time Traveler's cd to give them some hands-on activities. I've also found some great dvds at our library. This middle-of-the-road approach seems to give me the CM I crave without exacerbating them. I think we've almost found our groove!

Edit: Sorry! I got carried away and forgot to address your question, but YES! I think a textbook approach may give you the temporary relief your need. And when you have the time and/or desire, you can add a read-aloud or activity.

Angela :-)

This post was edited on Nov 06, 2009 06:36 AM

Well, I have sort of a long answer to this. My short answer is this: at 7 years old (with your youngers included) s/he'll learn all the history s/he really needs to know for now while sitting on the couch hearing you read books to all the children while you're nursing the baby provided you chose titles that have historical merit. There are tons of lists out there including the ones that come with the package lit based history curricula. BTDT.

We've done literature over the years for history (and sometimes for science). We really enjoyed it. The only official lit based history we've ever done was BF, as we usually just read books. No activities. No questions. And no notebooks most of the time. I think when moms think of going the lit based history route, they tend to think big name packages like SL or HOD or WP. We like to just read.

This year we've doing Rod and Staff 5th grade SS text. Well, that is, on the days that we aren't reading something else that tickles our fancy. We sure haven't gotten far in the text! We're going to keep going, but the information there isn't nearly as interesting as reading books from good booklists!

I have a 7 year old, like you do. I've found most publishers produce some really light (read: insipid) materials for history at this age. I have the ABeka 2nd grade history text, but it is really not that informative or (to me) interesting. Rod and Staff 2nd grade was really not that interesting to my boys in previous years. My 13 year old dd is doing Rod and Staff 8th grade SS. (Personally, I think it's not that interesting, but she doesn't enjoy reading enough to go through stacks of books to learn history.)

So, yes, we do some textbooks for history but we are never very satisfied with what we get out of it. We get it over with so we can read interesting books instead! LOL. I don't require them to "do" anything with the books I read aloud.

As for science....we are using Rod and Staff science (5th and 7th) right now. It's something to feel like we've accomplished something by watching those lessons numbers get behind us. I also really, really like Apologia Elementary Science books---which we just bonus read, no official lessons.

We have tried several different programs using the literature approach, which I like a lot, but it can become overwhelming sometimes. Next year I will be switching to Calvert for both of my kids.

Awe Blessedwith4 aren't you sweet to think of me : )

Great minds think alike they say LOL : )

~Melissa~