annegirl1919 wrote:as you know the history in bigger is making me wonder, as well. i'm being a super planner here, since i won't do bigger 'til not this coming school year, but starting a little over a year from now. i will have a kindergartner and a 2nd grader, so i'm thinking maybe if i involve her in lhfhg (which we never did with her either) then maybe if the history in bigger isn't getting her real excited, at least she'll be able to be getting doses of other history with her brother. -? not sure what i think of this, but i am thinking about it.
If you are working up to Bigger by going through the earlier levels of HOD, then maybe it won't be as much of an issue as it seems to be for some kids who are just entering the program.
That said, maybe some kids don't get what history is. Don't see why it is important. Most probably don't really--not at an early age. I taught history in ps for several years and felt like there all the excitement was sapped out of the story--out of HIS-story. Maybe if you could show the kids what history is--start with a history they understand--their family--you know--your immediate family--when they were born, how you and your husband met, where you guys went to school/church, funny stories from you growing up, how God led you even when you didn't know He was. Then carry it a bit further back--your parents and grandparents. What was going on when they were kids. When did your parents or grandparents get their first TV? Did you have family fight in any wars? Show pictures from photo albums or books. Then make the connection that history is just the story of our past as a country and world. It is important. It shows from where we came and has a huge impact on where we are going. History is important to us as Christians because it shows how God uses man, even men who don't honor Him, to bring about His ultimate plan. It is also important because we can look back today and see the mistakes which were made in the past. We can think about what we would have done differently and why. Then when similar circumstance arise, and they always do, we can avoid making those same mistakes. Scripture tells us that the things were written in the Bible for us as warnings (I Cor 10:11) and examples. We can and should view history in the same way--they are examples and warnings of a different kind, but the concept is the same.
I see the books that are used in many hs history programs (spines) as a skeleton--the bare bones of what happened. You can choose to just use the those spine books, but there are many, many books that can be used to add meat to those bones, to fill in gaps, to make the story come alive. I know that LHFHG has an appendix with lots of books listed by unit that can be used to supplement the reading being done in the spine for each unit. Still, there will come times when you have to slog through certain periods of history--the Gilded Age springs immediately to mind as one era I just don't like to read about--you do your best to cover it and move on. This won't be the only time you pass through the study of history. Each time you read about it you add more to the skeleton that the kids have in their heads about the American Revolution, or whatever you are studying. Their previous study gives them a point of reference--oh yeah, I remember Ben Franklin--he was the one with the kite, key, and lightning. Yes, he was a great inventor, but he was also vital to the American Revolution, here's how........ Kids who are just starting their study of history don't yet have those points of reference. They will get them and history will become more meaningful for them as they continue their study. The easiest way for them to get these reference points is through stories--which is really what history is.
Something that may help the OP's child as she listens--what if you give her certain things to listen for as you read? Maybe read what Carrie has listed as key points, and make a question out of it for your child. I'm trying to do this a bit with my son as we read the Burgess readers. They are tough going for a child who is used to Curious George and the like. I am training him to listen to these stories. It won't happen overnight, but bit by bit I see changes in him. It sounds to me like this may be part of the issue with the OP--it's a different kind of reading/listening from what the child is used to. I would say to persevere with the readings.
I feel like I'm rambling at this point. I hope I've been a tiny bit helpful. I've been down this road before--not with HOD, but with other history curricula. I would venture to say this it isn't all that unusual.
Time will tell, I guess.. I do think you will be fine just sticking with Beyond....don't lose sleep!