Bigger Extensions

[kmom]

So my dd is almost 10 and we went with Bigger this year as I already the entire set otherwise she placed skill wise in Preparing. We had completed DITHOR 2/3 and were planning to start level 4 this year. Soooo...I also got the extension books thinking she could complete them as she is a fourth grader.

The beginning of this school year began very shakily due to personal and family issues We are not as far into the guide as I had planned but we are moving full steam at this point. The problem/question....I am seeing that she is capable of reading the extension books but she is seems to be having a hard time always following the story so obviously her comprehension is not good. At this point I think I will have to use them as read alouds....should I be concerned that she is not able to use the extensions on her own? She did fine with "Pedro's Journal" and "Pocohantas and the Strangers"....she can read the history text also with no problem. Once we got to "Almost Home" she has gotten very frustrated....
I cannot tell if this is due to the reading level being to high or if she just is not wanting to apply herself. This year has been a bit of a struggle with a bad attitude from her...seems to be getting better....

So I guess my question is how do I know when it's her just not wanting to work a little harder or when it's truly over her level.

Thank you for any thoughts!

[Nealewill]

Yes asked a good questions. I know this isn't very scientific but I would go with your gut here. The extension books in Bigger are fairly challenging. My dd did Preparing last year and I think some of the extensions books would have been to difficult for her to read in Bigger (consistently). I know I read Ben and Me to my son this year as the vocabulary was fairly challenging as was some of the wording. Now my son LOVED that book, even when I had to explain to him what was going on in it. I did read the Buffalo Knife to my son also my historical fiction book for story time and I didn't find the vocab in that book to be too bad. Also, my son was able to follow along with no problem too. My dd read the Pocohantas book over the summer and she said that was fairly easy. And she read Pedreo's journal in Preparing and had no trouble there. I definitely think some of these books have harder vocabulary and some have wording that is a little bit different. I haven't read Almost Home yet so I can't tell you what I think about it. But If you dd placed solidly in Preparing, then I would say that some of the books might be a bit challenging and I would offer grace to your dd at times. I would still have here read them if she can. But if she is frustrated with one or two of them, I might help her through it. JMHO.

[LovingJesus]

Here is a link to the book reading levels that might help:

http://www.heartofdakota.com/BHFHG-extension.php

You will notice that most of the reading levels are 5.4 - 6.8 with a few 4.5 - 4.7 in the mix. The mid 4th grade level ones being Pocahontas, Toliver's Secret, and Buffalo Knife. The rest are mid fifth to a high sixth grade reading level. I always appreciate the fact HOD includes the reading levels and book descriptions for each book on their web-site; I find it helpful.

I think it depends on the child when they are ready to read the Bigger extensions. My son in Preparing right now, who is 9, might be able to read Pocahontas and that would be all for the Bigger extensions at this point in time. On the other hand, my oldest read the Bigger extensions fairly young and loved them; his reading though has always been very advanced. So I would go with what you know about your child, and do what you think is best for her at this time. It sounds to me like these books have a reading level that is too high for her at this point, and waiting so that she would enjoy them might be better. They would be considered, based on their reading levels, advanced for almost 10.

I find when they get truly frustrated it is beyond their level, but when they drag it is either too easy or attitude.

I wouldn't be concerned that she isn't able to read the extensions on her own given their reading level.

[my3sons]

I am so sorry to hear about your family going through some difficult times, and I know that this can impact a school year and how smoothly it goes. I pray you are all doing better and that you feel God's presence in healing as you move forward. You ask a good question about your dd here, and the ladies have brought up some good things to ponder. It sounds like your dd is doing well with the rest of BHFHG. A few things caught my attention as we consider dd's reaction to the reading she is doing in BHFHG...

...she can read the history text also with no problem...

In BHFHG, the history text is scheduled for the parent to read aloud. The extensions are meant to be read by students who are ages 10-11 yo, who are able to do the reading independently. By doing both readings, she is doing far more reading than was intended for her to do. So, I just want to encourage you that her reaction to reading both the Reading about History books and the extension books is to be expected especially because of her age...

...So my dd is almost 10

BHFHG has a target age range of 7-9 yo, and it looks like at the start of BHFHG and also now, your dd is 9 yo, and as such she falls in the age range that would not use extensions and would not read the Reading about History books. However, I can see you changed this because of her placement...

... and we went with Bigger this year as I already the entire set otherwise she placed skill wise in Preparing...!

I can see why you would chose to do this because of budget considerations. I am sure you decided to add the extensions trying to up the level of history for dd as she really placed in PHFHG. However, the reading that she would have done in PHFHG would have been much easier than the reading she is doing in BHFHG. In PHFHG, the parent is still reading aloud the Reading about History box, and the student is reading the SELF-STUDY DELUXE HISTORY PACKAGE: FOR THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT READER, which includes the following books...
http://www.heartofdakota.com/preparing- ... ckages.php

The PHFHG reading assignments are often short, only a few pages or so, and the book levels are much easier than both BHFHG's Reading about History books and BHFHG's extension books. In PHFHG, the parent retains the Reading about History readings and the Basic Package readings too. So, this is reaction is not surprising...

Once we got to "Almost Home" she has gotten very frustrated....
I cannot tell if this is due to the reading level being to high or if she just is not wanting to apply herself. This year has been a bit of a struggle with a bad attitude from her...seems to be getting better....

Things are getting better probably because she is approaching the age where she would actually be within the extension package age range.

So I guess my question is how do I know when it's her just not wanting to work a little harder or when it's truly over her level.

So, to answer this question, the best scenario would be to stop and just put her in PHFHG where she places best anyway. This is going to be the most well-matched placement for dd, not only in reading skills in regard to history, but also in the other subject areas (i.e. reading her science independently in PHFHG, which is assigned using books much more fitting to her reading level too). The assignments will challenge her more than the assignments in BHFHG, and that will be a better fit too. Many, many families are beginning new guides in January, with a plan to complete the guides by Dec. or by the following May (if they begin the guide half-speed). I'm not sure how long ago you ordered your BHFHG's extensions ,but if they are in good condition and it's been less than 60 days, you can return them to HOD with only a 15% restocking fee (you can receive a full refund if it's been 30 days or less). If you cannot return them, you can certainly hold onto them for when your dd is older and more able to enjoy reading them. We often order the extensions for Christmas or birthday gifts, as they are excellent books for free reading when they are older too.

If ordering PHFHG is not an option, then the next best placement option would be to have dd stop the extensions and stop the Reading about History readings and just do what a 9 yo would typically do when placed in BHFHG. DITHOR will provide the independent reading she needs to be doing. I hope something here can help! This is a wonderful time of year to make a fresh start! Either one of these changes will help the rest of your year be more full of joy and less stress for you and your dd! That is what we want in homeschooling - happy memories! Good days - and I know that with one of these 2 options, that will be your Happy New Year!!!

In Christ,
Julie

[MomtoJGJE]

I just skimmed things so if this has been said and/or dismissed as not an option then ignore me

When my kids get into Bigger I start transitioning them to reading their own stuff. I haven't done extensions because my kids have always been within the age range when we've started each guide. What I would do if I were you would be just take away the extensions as part of her school work. Have them around if she wants to read them, but not require them. Since she's already used to reading some things and she is almost 10 I would have her read either the science or the history. Both on some days when it's less reading. I've found with my kids, having them do that really gets them ready for the reading in Preparing. And I really need them to be as independent as possible at this point in our lives. Probably not the best scenario, but it is what has to happen. Bigger is a great program without the extensions... my older two were in 3rd grade using Bigger, but they scored at least 5th grade level that year with their yearly testing. So it is definitely enough for a 4th grader as is.