Hi! I will be homeschooling my 5th and 3rd graders for the first time. I’ve narrowed my history curriculum down to BJU and Notgrass. Do you prefer one over the other? Any insight would be so helpful! I’m more of a math and science lover, but I want my boys to have a great understanding of history. I’m looking for something with little prep work. Thanks!
Hi, I have no personal experience with BJU. Currently, my 7th grader is using Notgrass America the Beautiful and doing well and enjoying it. No prep work for me- he does it mostly on his own and I just check his work. Each chapter has a list of assignments at the end using workbook, timeline, maps, etc. You are not required to do all of them- your choice. It could work for your 5th grader if they are independent or you could alternatively give the lesson as a read-aloud (which I do sometimes because the book is interesting to me!) I am also using Notgrass Our Star Spangled Story with my 2 younger kids. I read them a chapter a few times a week plus there is a workbook page for each chapter, a read-aloud novel, and a few activities listed at the end of each chapter. No real prep work unless supplies are needed for a project. I’ve found it very easy to use.
I’ve used both and hands down, Notgrass would be my choice. BJU teaches many of the same topics from year to year, but adds more detail to it. BJU got very dry very quickly. I own all of the Notgrass curriculum packages. My kids loved Notgrass, would ask for it and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a very hands off curriculum with little to no planning. The only thing I do is correct their assignments at the end of the week. At the middle school level, I do use a Notgrass package for two years. We plan on completing one book pre year. For example, if you are using America the Beautiful, I will have my child read the lesson one day and then the following day do the assignments for the lesson. We tried doing both, but my kids would be doing history for over an hour and they did not grasp the lesson as well. That said, I know other families who do the entire lesson in a day and the entire curriculum in a year. It’s totally up to you and your family. That is another thing I love about Notgrass is how versatile it is!!
Great! Thanks so much!
So helpful! Thanks so much!