[Ben Crist]

We’re so excited you’re exploring our new site…and have joined the History group! We hope this provides a safe, curated place for sharing questions, tips, and resources with one another.

Reply to this post and introduce yourself, and let’s get started! How could we make this group a useful resource for you?

Feel free to reach out to me at any time about:

• this group,
• technical issues on the site, or
• more information about our excellent history series with Dave Raymond.

Sincerely,

Ben Crist

Director of Curriculum And Content

[Heather]

Hi! I’ll be using the American History series for my 10th grader this year. I am pleased that it teaches note taking skills in addition to the content. My 8th grader will be following along with the videos and I’m sure I’ll jump in with more questions soon. We are starting Monday, August 30th!

[Megan]

I’ll be using American History w our 10th grade daughter and we began on Aug 12. I am looking forward to the portfolio aspect and allowing our creative one to show what she’s learned in a format other than just tests and writing essays. I would enjoy a place to share portfolio entries and the power of “positive peer pressure” to motivate her to do her best.

[Vita]

Doing American History with my 11th grade son and 7th grade daughter. I have been homeschooling her since 3rd grade and we have done a different “brand” of history EVERY YEAR – I always feel like the rigor is missing. Dave Raymond’s classes were recommended by a friend whose (now 24 year old) son used them when he was in high school. We are on lesson 7 now and I’m already feeling like we have found our history for the rest of homeschool!

I’m still struggling with grading the exams because I’m not great about “grading my kids where they are” rather than “getting it right/perfect.” But I’m working on it!

[amberhoward1981]

Hi, I’ve been using the American History for my 9th grade son and we both really like it so far. I’m reaching out to see if anyone has a plan for exactly how to do the grading. It looks like there are point values for the portfolio and the projects on the grading sheets, but I can’t find anything else about how many points to give for the exams, essays, readings, etc. I know that I can just figure something out but I guess since I’ve never done that before I’m hoping for an example to help me out! Any Ideas?

Also, I’m wondering how other parents are handling the exams? I’ve been letting him read the questions and type the answers while I hang around in the area. Is anyone doing it orally? I thought the extra writing practice would be good for him.

Thanks for any input!

Amber

[Maura]

Hi Amber,

That’s a great question. We decided to leave out the grading percentages because families often want to adjust or add/remove some of the various pieces for their children. But, if we would assign percentages, this is something you could try:

Portfolio 25%

Projects 30%

Exams 25%

Essays 20%

I hope that helps.

[christine.butler]

I’m trying to get this curriculum to work for my son who has autism. What would be the suggestion? I think the hardest is the essay assigned and connecting and comparing two different thoughts. Ideas?

[Ben Crist]

@christine-butler , thank you for sharing about your challenge with the essay. That’s a great question, and I am interested in what others suggest. A few options that come to mind for me are:

• Add a discussion piece with your student at least once earlier in the week, as a check-in of sorts, to gauge interest and what is sticking out to him from the lectures.
• Preview each “thought” in the essay with him, where you look at model answers and reword the question to fit what you discovered in the discussion above.
• Turn the single compare-contrast essay into three smaller assignments: one on each strand of thought, and then a synthesis of the discussion you have above.

Compare-contrast essays are among the most difficult to teach students of any background and aptitude for writing, so feel free to break the assignment down into more manageable constituent parts.

[Cynthia]

Hi! We’re new to Compass Classroom this year. I have 2 kids taking American history (9th and 7th grade), and I’m in my planning stage for the year. I wondered, is there a scope and sequence document, or any suggestion as to scheduling the lessons? Thanks for any advice!

[Ben Crist]

Welcome to Compass Classroom, Cynthia! This is a great question that we get a lot, so we’ve got made a few resources that should be helpful.

1. How to Teach American History – This page gives some of our advice for using the pieces of the curriculum together.

2. Teacher’s Guide sample with scope/sequence – This will show you what is included in the Teacher’s Guide so that you can get up and running with weekly planning. You’ll have a copy of the full guide in your account.

As always, reach out here or on our help line for support. We’ve got experienced homeschool moms who can walk you through any difficult planning issues.

[Cynthia]

This is very helpful information, thank you!

[Brandon]

Hi, we’re new to Compass Classroom and thankful we found this online resource! We live overseas and it is quite difficult (and expensive!) to ship curriculum to where we live. My 9th grader will be taking American History.

[Brandon]

Also since we’re new to this forum, I’m not sure where to post or email technical issues. We tried to watch the 1.3:What is History? video today and it would disappear at about 11 seconds into the viewing.

[Ben Crist]

Hi Brandon: We moderate the discussions on these forums, but the best place to get help (technical, orders, or anything else) is on our Help page https://mycompassclassroom.com/help/

Video 1.3 in American History plays for me. Run through the brief troubleshooting list here for the best experience on our site.

Help

[Brett]

Hi! My name is Zachariah Beauregard and I am doing the Christendom course by Dave Raymond. It is very rich and interesting. I’ve really, really enjoyed it so far! Are there any supplemental materials, like books, that you would recommend to go along with this curriculum? Thanks and God bless you guys!

[Ben Crist]

Hi Zachariah! Welcome to Christendom. I think it is Mr. Raymond’s best course.

That is a really dangerous question, asking for more books 😉. Are you wanting fiction, nonfiction, or just “anything from/about this period of history?”

[Brett]

Yeah. Well, I’m just wondering what nonfiction book you would recommend on someone like Charlemagne or King Arthur.

[Brett]

Yeah. I was just wondering if you had any nonfiction book recommendations for people like Charlemagne or King Arthur? Thanks for the response!

[Ben Crist]

I’ve asked Mr. Raymond to get his direct recommendations.

[Ben Crist]

Hi Brett! Here’s Mr. Raymond’s response:

There’s Geoffrey of Monmouth on Arthur, but he’s not thought to be that reliable. There’s Einhard on Charlemagne, who was a court biographer. Norman Cantor is also helpful on the latter, so is Will Durant.

[Brett]

Thank you!

[Brett]

Dear Mr. Crist,

This is Zachariah Beauregard, student. I hope you are doing well. Thank you for answering my previous questions. I am looking for the Heraldry Guide for making the family crest. Where is it?

Thanks so much and God bless!

Zachariah Beauregard

[Ben Crist]

Hi Zachariah! We’re actually laying out the heraldry project handout this week for inclusion of the full Teacher’s Guide. Email me at [email protected] if you are needing to get started this week and I can send you another handout that will suffice.

[Brett]

OK. Thank you!

[Brett]

I don’t need it quite yet

[Ben Crist]

Zachariah—Just a quick note the the COMPLETE Teacher’s Guide for Christendom will be available at the download link in Materials for the course within the next hour.

It has a totally revamped heraldry section that should be *very* helpful!

[Brett]

Thank you so much!

[Brett]

Where is the Materials section in my Christendom course?

[Ben Crist]

On desktop, there is a Materials tab near the top of the course. On mobile, scroll past the course outline to see the Materials section. Images attached.

[Brett]

Thank you!