Intro, Bigger, and some ? about LA

[Mandy in TN]

We are wrapping up wk12 of 36 for the 2008-2009 school year, so naturally I am beginning to seriously look for next year!

This year for kindergarten we are using WP AW, CLE LA1, CLE Reading 1, Singapore PM2 (Ds has almost finished this and will then move slowly through Saxon 54.), and Kumon Math multiplication and division Level C at the Kumon Center.

Next year my then junior in high school will be studying American History, so I would like to keep my brain in one place and have the little guy also study American History. So, after looking at several other 1 year American History programs, I think that Bigger with the science, DITHOR 2/3, and continuing with Saxon and Kumon will be a good fit. I already own and like Great Americans and now, after 12 weeks of WP AW, I know that the living books science in Bigger will be a great fit for this child.

As for LA, I know that I do not want to use R&S. I am thinking that I also don't want to continue with CLE LA, although we may continue to use the readers in addition to DITHOR. He is doing fine with LA, but this child is very math oriented. He would really prefer to do more math and skip LA altogether. I was thinking about taking a more relaxed approach to LA using Queen Language Lessons next year.

And now the LA questions... After CLE LA1 which Queen Language Lessons level would be appropriate? Based on the sample at their website, it looks like Language Lessons for the Very Young may even be a step back from CLE LA1. It is hard to tell without some sort of table of contents. Again based on the sample it looks like Language Lessons for the Very Young Volume 2 may be a better fit, but it says that it is for grade 3/4. Is the rest of the book more difficult? Does it require more writing than the sample shows? Does anyone have any insight into what grammar topics are covered in Language Lessons for the Very Young Volume 1 in contrast to Volume 2? Does anyone have any advice for jumping from a traditional Christian LA program into Queen Language Lessons?

Thanks-
Mandy

[Kathleen]

Hi Mandy!

Welcome to the HOD boards! My brain is a little foggy tonight...but I'll at least bump this up to give others a chance to see it. Your question is about using Bigger with your ds who will be "1st grade" next year, right? Here's the HOD placement chart if you haven't visited it... http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php Even though your child may not fit the age range, if you truly think he "fits" in the other areas, this chart is accurate in placing your child. Just so you know, Beyond is also American History, so that could be an option for you as well.

I'm doing Bigger this year with my 8 yo who is quite advanced in many areas and we have found it to be refreshing and meaty enough to be very fulfilling. My experience so far is that HOD may not look as rigorous as text-type curriculums, but there's plenty there to engage and challenge the mind.

Let us know what you think from looking at the placement chart. THere are a lot of moms here with great experience who are great about helping you fit HOD to your family.

Kathleen

[water2wine]

Hi Mandy! Welcome to HOD. My children were doing R&S which may be like CLE. My dd 6 begged me to do Queens on the side (she wanted to start in the Summer). She has enjoyed it. I can't answer your question directly but I thought I would tell you what I know and maybe that would help.

She started it at just turning 11 and right at the end of 5th grade. I put her in Language Lessons for the Secondary Child, It was a perfect fit for her after just having finished R&S 4. It uses different skill sets than traditional programs ask them to use. The grade levels are loose estimations I believe that I read that on the website. I think if you are wanting something gentle I would go with the one they say. If you are wanting it to be more of a challenge I might go with the one just above like you are considering. But even if you go on the gentle level she will still be using a different skill sets.

I know Carrie will have an exact recommendation, perhaps. I just wanted ot let you know what I know from my small experience with Queens and say welcome.

[Mandy in TN]

Let us know what you think from looking at the placement chart. THere are a lot of moms here with great experience who are great about helping you fit HOD to your family.

Thanks, Kathleen-

Here is more info:

We did look at the online placement. We have also received the catalog. Yay!

In looking at the Bible studies in Beyond and Bigger, I was more interested in Bigger and the memory verses from Proverbs.

Although DS will officially be in first grade next year, he has an October b'day, so he will turn 7 towards the beginning of his first grade year. We are finishing CLE's Learning to Read today. On their schedule this should be finished at the end of the first semester of the first grade year. So, he will begin the second semester of CLE's first grade reading next week. He can already copy short passages and create his own sentences. From the standoint of LA, I think that he would do great in the kindergarten (but not the first grade) at the fairly accelerated private Christian Veritas Press school my older boys attended for a while.

As far as math, he is definitely accelerated. He is definitely moving into 3rd grade math by the standards of any program that I have seen.

I already own and like one of the Eggleston history books and had already planned to purchase Journeys in Time. I prefer these to the CLP history books.

However, what really has me sold on Bigger over Beyond is the science. The program we are using this year uses the One Small Square books as its spine and this living book science has been a big hit with the little man. OSS: Woods will be a repeat, but I think that he will enjoy seeing it again.

Thanks-
Mandy

[Mandy in TN]

It uses different skill sets than traditional programs ask them to use. The grade levels are loose estimations I believe that I read that on the website. I think if you are wanting something gentle I would go with the one they say. If you are wanting it to be more of a challenge I might go with the one just above like you are considering. But even if you go on the gentle level she will still be using a different skill sets.

Thanks! I see what you mean by different skill sets. Since it looks like he will be finishing CLE before the end of the year, maybe we should get LLVY volumes 1 and 2 and just start with them when he finishes CLE.

Mandy

[Carrie]

Mandy,

I just wanted to welcome you to the HOD boards! We're glad you're here! It sounds like you've done a good job of checking out the placement chart, and since your son will be almost 7 when starting Bigger, he does fall into the target age-range for that guide.

As far as the Queen's Language Lessons go, I would agree that Language Lessons for the Very Young Vol. 1 would be a definite step back from CLE's language arts 1. CLE has a rigorous language arts program, somewhat comparable to Rod and Staff in scope and sequence. So, almost anything other than Rod and Staff (or ABeka) will be a step back. The Queen's language arts series is VERY gentle, containing minimal grammar instruction, a little poetry, some picture study, and quite a bit of copywork. Many of these skills are already covered in BIgger Hearts (except for the picture study), but the Queen's would be a MUCH gentler approach than Rod and Staff. We only carry the first volume in each series of the Queen's various levels, so I can't tell you the exact difference between volumes 1, 2, and 3 of the Language Lessons for the Very Young as we don't carry volumes 2 and 3.

We carry the first volumes in the series as an option for those who wish to alternate (year by year) a more rigorous grammar like Rod and Staff with a gentler grammar like the Queen's. I would encourage you to look at volume 2 or 3 as a better fit than volume 1.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Kathleen]

Let us know what you think from looking at the placement chart. THere are a lot of moms here with great experience who are great about helping you fit HOD to your family.

Thanks, Kathleen-

Here is more info:

We did look at the online placement. We have also received the catalog. Yay!

In looking at the Bible studies in Beyond and Bigger, I was more interested in Bigger and the memory verses from Proverbs.

Although DS will officially be in first grade next year, he has an October b'day, so he will turn 7 towards the beginning of his first grade year. We are finishing CLE's Learning to Read today. On their schedule this should be finished at the end of the first semester of the first grade year. So, he will begin the second semester of CLE's first grade reading next week. He can already copy short passages and create his own sentences. From the standoint of LA, I think that he would do great in the kindergarten (but not the first grade) at the fairly accelerated private Christian Veritas Press school my older boys attended for a while.

As far as math, he is definitely accelerated. He is definitely moving into 3rd grade math by the standards of any program that I have seen.

I already own and like one of the Eggleston history books and had already planned to purchase Journeys in Time. I prefer these to the CLP history books.

However, what really has me sold on Bigger over Beyond is the science. The program we are using this year uses the One Small Square books as its spine and this living book science has been a big hit with the little man. OSS: Woods will be a repeat, but I think that he will enjoy seeing it again.

Thanks-
Mandy

Mandy,

I think you'd love Bigger...and from what you've shared it sounds like it would be a good fit for your ds. We're 7 weeks into it now and are LOVING it! I really like how HOD is laid out so you can customize the program to meet your child/family's needs. You can use your own math, phonics/reading, and LA, and it doesn't "mess up" the program. You should be in great shape. We're in a different place than the HOD guide with math, and it works great! I've not tried the Queen's books, but it sounds like you've got some help there. You were going to try DITHOR, right? We started that this year and it is a great addition to our day. It's so much fun! And, I'm learning more about literature that I didn't cover in school. And, you choose the books that will interest your child and are at the right level. It has proved to be good to get my ds thinking as we read. Just so you know with science...even though OSS: Woods may be a repeat for you, the notebooking and experiments that Carrie includes don't come right out of the OSS book. They go with the reading, but I don't think they're all in the OSS books. So, it might still seem new when you cover it. We are really enjoying the science this year! (My ds is thrilled that we're doing the experiments and activities because he loves them...and I love them because they're quick and easy and use things I really do have on hand! )

Kathleen

[Samuel'sMommy]

Hi Mandy!
I don't have any advice for you as I just have one little guy working on LHTH right now, but I wanted to welcome you to the boards. You are going to love HOD!

[anointedhsmom]

Hi Mandy,

I also don't have much in the way of advice of LA and Math but I did want to welcome you to the board. We are also in TN. Nashville area. We use Bigger with my son and we are really enjoying it.

Welcome to HOD!

[Mandy in TN]

As far as the Queen's Language Lessons go, I would agree that Language Lessons for the Very Young Vol. 1 would be a definite step back from CLE's language arts 1. CLE has a rigorous language arts program, somewhat comparable to Rod and Staff in scope and sequence. So, almost anything other than Rod and Staff (or ABeka) will be a step back. The Queen's language arts series is VERY gentle, containing minimal grammar instruction, a little poetry, some picture study, and quite a bit of copywork. Many of these skills are already covered in BIgger Hearts (except for the picture study), but the Queen's would be a MUCH gentler approach than Rod and Staff. We only carry the first volume in each series of the Queen's various levels, so I can't tell you the exact difference between volumes 1, 2, and 3 of the Language Lessons for the Very Young as we don't carry volumes 2 and 3.

We carry the first volumes in the series as an option for those who wish to alternate (year by year) a more rigorous grammar like Rod and Staff with a gentler grammar like the Queen's. I would encourage you to look at volume 2 or 3 as a better fit than volume 1.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you for the information about Queen's. I guess I need to think about that one some more between now and next spring.

Mandy

[Mandy in TN]

And thanks to Stephanie and Paige for the greetings from TN!
Mandy