more help about the "missing year"

[mamaduke]

I've been digging in the archives and faq areas with much delight and insight. I'm looking ahead at LHFHG and see that some families take 2 years to complete that one, and if I'm not mistaken, Carrie likes to do that. I'm wondering why? I like that idea for my active ds5. We'll be using LHFHG for 1st grade, and then perhaps 2nd grade as well if we just do one page per day. Wondering about that......Really no need to push academics at this tender age since he really isn't overly fond of sitting. About 45 min to an hour is about right. He could do more perhaps, just thinking options. We hope to finish LHTH and start the next guide in the Spring. If I go year round with occasional breaks for family visits and such, we could still wind up ahead.

I don't think I'll have the missing year problem (or gift depending on how you look at it) because we used LHTH for Kindergarten at age 5. So he'll be 6 in little hearts, then 7 in beyond, then 8 in bigger and so forth. Always the middle age of the span. If we stick with that plan, he'll end up finishing in 8th grade as written.

I didn't see anyone comment on ending up with their dc finishing 9th with the future guides if their age was the last number of the age span (at age 14). Would that matter, as far as shifting into high school? Do you see what I'm saying?

Also, this gets really weird for me because I'm reporting to the govt that ds is in K this year and 1st next and so forth according to age as recommended by the state form. BUT I think he is only ready for the K science and math choices in LHFHG. So we'll be using the K package for 1st, and not really sure what to do after that. Especially if I try to stretch it 2 years. Would I use the 2nd grade materials with Beyond? Or is that even an option.

I'm getting confused. Maybe it only works to stretch LHFHG if it's K and 1st, not 1st and 2nd.

Ideas? Thanks.

[inHistiming]

I think the main reason users have stretched LHFHG out to 1.5-2 years has been because their little one was on the young side and not quite ready at first for the rich curriculum content. There are many who have used it for K and 1st, using the K science and math, then moving into 1st science and math resources for 1st grade. Some have started out that way, then bumped it up to full speed once they felt their dc was mature enough to handle it.

As far as using 2nd grade materials with Beyond... it's certainly a possibility. With the way the manuals are set up it is easy to use whichever math and LA program you need to...to customize for your specific chidren. For example, I am using Bigger...with my 8 yo and 10 yo, utilizing the extension pack that is available to bump up the learning for my older child. It has worked pretty well. They are both learning, and enjoying their lessons. For math and LA, I just ordered the correct level for each child...the only thing I had to do was create my own schedule for my ds's English and Math since we were not using the later manual that has that in it. However, I have since ordered Preparing...so am able to follow the math and English schedule for his levels. It's working out fine. When we did Beyond...I used it for my daughter in 1st and 2nd grade. We did half each year...due to reading issues we set it aside after the first 15 weeks during first grade to focus on her reading...then picked back up towards the 3rd quarter of 2nd grade to complete it...so it can work for a variety of grades, styles, temperaments, etc.

As for reporting requirements, you'll need to follow your states requirements as closely as possible. However, if it's like my state, you can specify the grade for your child for the year then on the reports/curriculum list show which level for each subject dc is working in. Even kids in public school are working at various levels in various subjects, so it shouldn't be a problem. My dd is using English level 2 but is in 3rd grade...same thing for math. It has been fine. So, check with your specific state....maybe if you know any veteran homeschool moms that can help you, ask them...but I expect it won't be an issue.

Others will be along to help you I'm sure, though it may take longer than usual since Christmas is almost here....I know many are not doing school work this week, so may not be on the boards. Have a great Christmas and New Year's, and we'll 'see' you around.

[momof4]

Hi Julie,
I'm one of the moms that was thinking of doing LHFHG over 2 years. My son turns 6 next month. He is a very busy little guy and stands, jumps, bounces, runs around the kitchen thru most of his lessons (just to get idea of what he is like).

Before we started it this Fall, I could not imagine my little guy making it through all the reading for one day. At first he wasn't able. We just did Math, Phonics and 1/2 of the rest of the items each day. Within a month, he was asking for more. We switched to doing a whole day each day. Some weeks he just gets overloaded, can't focus, can't stay in the same room, etc and then we just slow it down or take a day off. We'll probably finish sometime this summer by doing it this way. I think stretching it over 2 years is a good plan, but you will might find yourself moving a little faster once you start??

Not sure if that helps with your question, but wanted to give you a follow-up on what we did since I may have been the author of one of the posts you read.

Laurie

[netpea]

There isn't one "grade level" for each manual. We used LHFHG for 1st grade and Beyond for 2nd grade, and now Bigger for 3rd grade. Some use LHFHG for K, Beyond for 1st, and Bigger for 2nd. It's just up to you. And if you only get through 3/4 of a manual in one year because you slow it down or chase down those rabbit trails, then you just start the next year (and grade level) where you left off and then move into the next manual. This program is so flexible that each family can use it differently and yet be covering the same material. Hope that helps a bit.

[mamaduke]

These replies have been helpful to myself and dh as we discuss our plans for hs. I see better now that it will work nicely if we just keep going through the guides, beginning the next when we finish one, and going our own pace for each. Since we plan to school year round with breaks when ever needed we could wind up ahead of the ps schedule, anyway. We've decided to report dc to the state as being in the grade the ages suggest. So there won't be a need to try to stretch lhfhg for two years. Just go at our own pace. Each of you who commented helped us work through my confusion. I've actually had fun looking ahead and find it hard to wait now. But we're just about to start the NT of LHTH (didn't quite make it to Christ's birth by this week, that would have been good timing BUT we're close, 2 weeks away) and we're excited about that.

We're having so much fun praising God.

[Carrie]

Julie,

I'm so glad that the ladies were able to talk through your questions with you and give you their tremendous insight! The ladies on the board are truly gracious in giving of their time.

I agree with your plan to just keep moving through the guides without worrying about stretching them out. The only reason to stretch is if your little honey is on the very youngest end of a guide and isn't quite ready for full-speed, or if you're stretching to be able to combine another little one with an older sibling who is close in age.

Reporting your kiddos as their age for the matching grade also takes care of much confusion where the state requirements are concerned. So, you're on the right track!

We're glad to have you here!

Blessings,
Carrie

[icul8rg8r]

I've been thinking about the "missing year" as well. I wish HOD Heart of Dakota had a world geography program similar to WP WinterPromise "Children Around The World" or MFW My Father's World "Exploring Countries & Cultures". I'm thinking of doing one of those two programs for 3rd grade and giving my children a fun, full year of world geography before we begin the cycle of World History. I think having a good foundation of world geography would be helpful, as well. Has anyone had experience with either program or know if HOD is planning something similar?

[Carrie]

Instead of having a "geography year", we weave geography through all of our guides, matching it with our history directly as we study it.

In Little Hearts...., it is more just an awareness of the world through the stories and history activities. Starting with Beyond, it is a once a week lesson in Geography. The people groups are also covered through the stories you read throughout the guides. All aspects of geography are covered through the years.

When you get to Bigger Hearts, geography work steps up to include map work, keys, legends, cardinal directions, and all other needed geography strands for state standards. With Preparing Hearts we utilize the globe to match our history stories and have weekly key components that are reviewed for memorization (i.e. continents, oceans, directions, longitude/latitude, time zones, tropical/temperate/polar zones, etc.). This provides a great overview of where countries are in the world and how their boundaries/ownership/names have changed over time. Routine use of the globe has been the easiest and most effective method we've discovered for kiddos to learn geography.

In the new ancients guide we will be studying the geography of the Bible lands in depth using the book Geography of the Bible Lands throughout our meeting time twice a week during the year. There will also be mapping, notebooking, and narrating included with the lessons (along with other fun activities).

It is completely up to you whether you decide to switch curriculums for a year to study geography for a year, however I will tell you that the HOD guides build well upon one another and that going from one to the next one is the way they are used best. At HOD, we do cover all of the geography standards in an interesting and effective way and love linking the study of geography to the history stories we're reading to make the study of geography purposeful.

Only you can know how best to meet your family goals each year, and I respect that, however I'll also just mention for the rest of the moms on the board that most families won't have a missing HOD year, unless their kiddos are always on the very youngest age of all of our guides. Even then, life's circumstances often cause us to get a bit behind, so it may be wise to consider waiting until you get to the "end" of the HOD guides to see whether you actually end up with an extra year or not.

Blessings,
Carrie

[funkmomma71]

Carrie,

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your thoughtful answer to this question. I had also been looking at doing WP for a year to make up for geography. I do have one question, and I'm sure you have the bases covered, will world cultures also be covered as part of the geography or history lessons? My daughter is on the very young side for the LHFHG and it has been on my mind as to what to do with the so called missing year.

Though, as you point out, we may have life challenges which would put us back or may even choose, as friend of mine has, to take year off of formal schooling and study the Bible(or something else or even nothing). I'm trying so hard to let go of my need to plan everything and be prepared for every circumstance, and the Good Lord has been remaking me in this area. LOL Just this year, I had planned a 2-3 week Christmas/New Year's break, when instead we are in the middle of packing and moving, so who knows how long it will be before we get back to a regular schedule. I certainly did NOT expect to be moving at this time and if you had asked me 6 weeks ago I would have no way! So yeah, we don't know God's plan for our lives.

Nancy

[Carrie]

Nancy,

World cultures are woven within our history studies as we go through the years. For example, in Beyond Little Hearts, you get a great feel for the cultures that the various settlers came from. In Bigger Hearts the focus is primarily on American history, so the culture of the various settlers and the Native Americans are woven within the stories.

In Preparing Hearts, kiddos get a feel for the cultures of various ancient civilizations, Roman life at the time of Christ, and a feel for nations around the world as we move into the rest of the overview of world history. Hero Tales and read-alouds help kiddos picture each culture better. In our newest ancient's guide, students will get a good, in-depth look at the cultures of those living in the Bible lands through Geography of the Bible Lands. Reading about the history of Egypt, the Hebrew people, and Greece and Rome will also bring the cultures of those countries to life. We'll continue this pattern as we write our upcoming guides.

We've found that many cultures automatically come up through the study of history. The climate, geography, religion, clothing, celebrations, customs, and details of various people groups all come out through the study of history and those details are ultimately what the study of cultures is about. We've found that without the study of history alongside it, the study of various cultures doesn't seem to "stick" or make as much sense. Your philosophy may easily differ from ours, however, and I realize the importance of following your own family goals too! I just wanted to make sure to let you know that we're not neglecting this important area!

Blessings,
Carrie