Q: What makes this curriculum different from other history curriculums?
A: First, this curriculum brings a Judeo-Christian perspective to the study of world history.
Second, it is designed with the four-learning styles in mind, bringing an excitement and enthusiasm to the study of history for EVERY learner.
Third, because we approach history studies from many different subject areas (such as geography, literature, music, art, etc.), the student will have a much broader grasp of the events and people of history, as well as a far better retention of the material. This is one form of what is often referred to as “Unit Studies”.
Fourth, this curriculum offers an individualized program which allows for the differences in students’ interests. This is not an “everyone must read these two pages and answer these questions” style of curriculum.
Fifth, since history is best understood from a chronological perspective, we start students at the very beginning, Creation, and bring them step by step over a three year period to the 1950’s.
Sixth, many families have reported to us that using our curriculum brought such joy to learning that it transformed their homeschooling entirely. Can you imagine having fun while learning history???? This is the place to start.
Q: How much time does this take?
A: For the teacher – Approx. 3 hours total prep time per chapter. That’s three hours a month! The amount of time spent with your students will vary with each family.
For the students – Minimum 3 hours per week.
Q: Is there a PLAN to follow?
A: Yes. There are many references in the pages of the books, but there is also a calendar in each unit of the Teacher Guide.
Q: Will there be gaps if we study history without a textbook?
A: Yes and no. Since every student has gaps in every subject, it is presumable that our students will, too. But since our currciulum encourages an understanding of the flow of history, students will be better equipped to fill in the gaps.
Q: Is your curriculum chronological?
A: Yes, we have a chronological overview of world history in a three year program – Creation through the Korean War.
Q: Is this curriculum usable for the whole family?
A: Yes. Our curriculum is “family friendly” – the entire family can study the same era together, but all working on their own levels!
Q: There are so many ideas! How are we supposed to do them all?
A: Our curriculum is like a buffet. No one would expect to go to a buffet and eat all the different types of food…you would be sick! A buffet is designed to provide you with option and choices so you can select what is best for you. In the same way, our curriculum is not designed for you to do everything we suggest…if you tried to, you would go crazy! It is designed to enable you and your students to select what suggestions work best for you!
Q: Why are there so many books? Is a family supposed to read them all? What if they can’t be found?
A: There are lots of books listed so you have choices and options. ANY book you want to read or can locate will provide valuable info. These books are good, if they are accessible in your region, because Diana has previewed them for you.
Q: Why do you recommend the library?
A: There are fabulous out-of-print books available ONLY through the library.
• It is cheap to use! (Free is a very good price.)
• It teaches students how to find information, which, in our Information Age, employers list as one of the top qualities they need in an employee.
Q: Why do you include art/architecture, science, music, geography, and literature?
A: First, it allows students to learn visually, auditorally, kinesthetically.
Second, it gives an integrated, “Big Picture” approach to learning, rather than isolated “factoids”.
Third, it allows more retention of information.
Q: What is your approach to history tests?
A: There is a test book we put together for the older students who are using the Student Guide . It only tests the sections that all students would likely encounter — the intro materials from the CDs and the article. We also have an answer key. However, we believe most homes school families do not need the tests.
After the first phase, in the following three phases no student will be able to fulfill some kind of correct answer for all the varied activities that are available: there are too many and cover too broad a sweep of information. They will be pursuing a particular topic which they have chosen, and the way in which they pursue is their personal choice. We believe in Education that's Relational. So, in the Teacher's Guide we teach you how to assess fairly the various sorts of presentations your students will be offering. We even provide model templates to help in your assessment.
Q: Why don’t you have the answers to the questions in the back of the book?
A: A typical textbok that had no answers would be a sad piece, but a non-typical or non-traditinal curriucum like ours requires a a different approach. When we write a definitive question, such as in the test booklet, then we offer the answer. In the Student Manual, however, we do not ask students to recite or rehearse answers to somebody else's questions.
Our DISCUSSION QUESTIONS from Phase One of each unit, are meant to more actively involve students in what they have been hearing and reading (a step which is normally absent in most curriculums!).
Asking questions here is NOT for the purpose of identifying how much students memorized from the CD's or articles!! This is NOT a test!! This is a very strategically placed opportunity for students to say, "Wow, I wonder how that works!" (or something to that effect), and then to energize them to actively become involved in looking things up, asking their own questions, formulating ideas and opinions.
Some of the questions draw students into considering what it would have been like to have lived during that time.
For instance, "The fire that destroyed much of Rome during Nero's reign caused Nero to need a scapegoat (an innocent substitute to take the blame). Why do you think he picked on the Christians? Would you want someone like Nero to be the ruler in your country? Why or why not?"
This is an open-ended question. Why do YOU think he picked on the Christians? Your thoughts on this question might be different than mine, which might be different than my neighbor's. But if it gets students really considering, even passionately defending why they think Nero used Christians as scapegoats, then suddenly they have a vested interest in learning MORE about this time period, and about Nero specifically. And THAT is my goal.
If I put answers to these types of questions in the Teacher's Guide, it would reduce considerably the "Sherlock Holmes" factor — the desire, the hunger, to discover what they are interested in knowing.
Now, let me hasten to say that students are not supposed to answer EVERY question. The point is not to see how many questions they can answer, the point is to have a rousing discussion time, where even ONE question causes students to want to become excited and eager to learn more. Having the answers in the back of the book would defeat that very purpose!
Instead of offering answers, what we do instead is train you to assess their presentations, both in the Teacher Guide and in the How-To DVD.
Q: What do I need to have?
A: (1) For Ancient Civilizations & The Bible, you NEED:
• What in the World? Volume One
• Ancient Civilizations & The Bible Student Manual
• Ancient Civilizations & The Bible Teacher Guide
Helpful extras are:
• True Tales Volume One
• Digging Deeper Volume One
Other Helpful extras are:
• Test Book Volume One
• Elementary Activity Book for younger students, K-4th grade more or less
(2) For Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries, you NEED:
• What in the World? Volume Two
• Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Student Manual
• Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Teacher Guide
Helpful extras are:
• True Tales Volume Two
• Digging Deeper Volume Two
Other Helpful extras are:
• Test Book Volume Two
• Elementary Activity Book for younger students, K-4th grade more or less
• All Glory, Laud and Honor CD, a capella hymns — historically arranged
(3) World Empires, World Missions, World Wars, you NEED:
• What in the World? Volume Three
• World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Student Manual
• World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Teacher Guide
Helpful extras are:
• True Tales Volume Three (expected Fall 2011)
• Digging Deeper Volume Three (expected Fall 2011)
Other Helpful extras are:
• Test Book Volume Three (expected Fall 2011)
• Elementary Activity Book for younger students, K-4th grade more or less (expected Fall 2011)
Q: What is covered on the What in the World CDs?
A: What in the World? Volume 1
to see the list of track titles click here
What in the World? Volume 2
to see the list of track titles click here
What in the World? Volume 3
to see the list of track titles click here
A: First, this curriculum brings a Judeo-Christian perspective to the study of world history.
Second, it is designed with the four-learning styles in mind, bringing an excitement and enthusiasm to the study of history for EVERY learner.
Third, because we approach history studies from many different subject areas (such as geography, literature, music, art, etc.), the student will have a much broader grasp of the events and people of history, as well as a far better retention of the material. This is one form of what is often referred to as “Unit Studies”.
Fourth, this curriculum offers an individualized program which allows for the differences in students’ interests. This is not an “everyone must read these two pages and answer these questions” style of curriculum.
Fifth, since history is best understood from a chronological perspective, we start students at the very beginning, Creation, and bring them step by step over a three year period to the 1950’s.
Sixth, many families have reported to us that using our curriculum brought such joy to learning that it transformed their homeschooling entirely. Can you imagine having fun while learning history???? This is the place to start.
Q: How much time does this take?
A: For the teacher – Approx. 3 hours total prep time per chapter. That’s three hours a month! The amount of time spent with your students will vary with each family.
For the students – Minimum 3 hours per week.
Q: Is there a PLAN to follow?
A: Yes. There are many references in the pages of the books, but there is also a calendar in each unit of the Teacher Guide.
Q: Will there be gaps if we study history without a textbook?
A: Yes and no. Since every student has gaps in every subject, it is presumable that our students will, too. But since our currciulum encourages an understanding of the flow of history, students will be better equipped to fill in the gaps.
Q: Is your curriculum chronological?
A: Yes, we have a chronological overview of world history in a three year program – Creation through the Korean War.
Q: Is this curriculum usable for the whole family?
A: Yes. Our curriculum is “family friendly” – the entire family can study the same era together, but all working on their own levels!
Q: There are so many ideas! How are we supposed to do them all?
A: Our curriculum is like a buffet. No one would expect to go to a buffet and eat all the different types of food…you would be sick! A buffet is designed to provide you with option and choices so you can select what is best for you. In the same way, our curriculum is not designed for you to do everything we suggest…if you tried to, you would go crazy! It is designed to enable you and your students to select what suggestions work best for you!
Q: Why are there so many books? Is a family supposed to read them all? What if they can’t be found?
A: There are lots of books listed so you have choices and options. ANY book you want to read or can locate will provide valuable info. These books are good, if they are accessible in your region, because Diana has previewed them for you.
Q: Why do you recommend the library?
A: There are fabulous out-of-print books available ONLY through the library.
• It is cheap to use! (Free is a very good price.)
• It teaches students how to find information, which, in our Information Age, employers list as one of the top qualities they need in an employee.
Q: Why do you include art/architecture, science, music, geography, and literature?
A: First, it allows students to learn visually, auditorally, kinesthetically.
Second, it gives an integrated, “Big Picture” approach to learning, rather than isolated “factoids”.
Third, it allows more retention of information.
Q: What is your approach to history tests?
A: There is a test book we put together for the older students who are using the Student Guide . It only tests the sections that all students would likely encounter — the intro materials from the CDs and the article. We also have an answer key. However, we believe most homes school families do not need the tests.
After the first phase, in the following three phases no student will be able to fulfill some kind of correct answer for all the varied activities that are available: there are too many and cover too broad a sweep of information. They will be pursuing a particular topic which they have chosen, and the way in which they pursue is their personal choice. We believe in Education that's Relational. So, in the Teacher's Guide we teach you how to assess fairly the various sorts of presentations your students will be offering. We even provide model templates to help in your assessment.
Q: Why don’t you have the answers to the questions in the back of the book?
A: A typical textbok that had no answers would be a sad piece, but a non-typical or non-traditinal curriucum like ours requires a a different approach. When we write a definitive question, such as in the test booklet, then we offer the answer. In the Student Manual, however, we do not ask students to recite or rehearse answers to somebody else's questions.
Our DISCUSSION QUESTIONS from Phase One of each unit, are meant to more actively involve students in what they have been hearing and reading (a step which is normally absent in most curriculums!).
Asking questions here is NOT for the purpose of identifying how much students memorized from the CD's or articles!! This is NOT a test!! This is a very strategically placed opportunity for students to say, "Wow, I wonder how that works!" (or something to that effect), and then to energize them to actively become involved in looking things up, asking their own questions, formulating ideas and opinions.
Some of the questions draw students into considering what it would have been like to have lived during that time.
For instance, "The fire that destroyed much of Rome during Nero's reign caused Nero to need a scapegoat (an innocent substitute to take the blame). Why do you think he picked on the Christians? Would you want someone like Nero to be the ruler in your country? Why or why not?"
This is an open-ended question. Why do YOU think he picked on the Christians? Your thoughts on this question might be different than mine, which might be different than my neighbor's. But if it gets students really considering, even passionately defending why they think Nero used Christians as scapegoats, then suddenly they have a vested interest in learning MORE about this time period, and about Nero specifically. And THAT is my goal.
If I put answers to these types of questions in the Teacher's Guide, it would reduce considerably the "Sherlock Holmes" factor — the desire, the hunger, to discover what they are interested in knowing.
Now, let me hasten to say that students are not supposed to answer EVERY question. The point is not to see how many questions they can answer, the point is to have a rousing discussion time, where even ONE question causes students to want to become excited and eager to learn more. Having the answers in the back of the book would defeat that very purpose!
Instead of offering answers, what we do instead is train you to assess their presentations, both in the Teacher Guide and in the How-To DVD.
Q: What do I need to have?
A: (1) For Ancient Civilizations & The Bible, you NEED:
• What in the World? Volume One
• Ancient Civilizations & The Bible Student Manual
• Ancient Civilizations & The Bible Teacher Guide
Helpful extras are:
• True Tales Volume One
• Digging Deeper Volume One
Other Helpful extras are:
• Test Book Volume One
• Elementary Activity Book for younger students, K-4th grade more or less
(2) For Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries, you NEED:
• What in the World? Volume Two
• Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Student Manual
• Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries Teacher Guide
Helpful extras are:
• True Tales Volume Two
• Digging Deeper Volume Two
Other Helpful extras are:
• Test Book Volume Two
• Elementary Activity Book for younger students, K-4th grade more or less
• All Glory, Laud and Honor CD, a capella hymns — historically arranged
(3) World Empires, World Missions, World Wars, you NEED:
• What in the World? Volume Three
• World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Student Manual
• World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Teacher Guide
Helpful extras are:
• True Tales Volume Three (expected Fall 2011)
• Digging Deeper Volume Three (expected Fall 2011)
Other Helpful extras are:
• Test Book Volume Three (expected Fall 2011)
• Elementary Activity Book for younger students, K-4th grade more or less (expected Fall 2011)
Q: What is covered on the What in the World CDs?
A: What in the World? Volume 1
to see the list of track titles click here
What in the World? Volume 2
to see the list of track titles click here
What in the World? Volume 3
to see the list of track titles click here