Bigger Hearts-Do you think this would work?

awanama · Post by **awanama** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:09 am

I posted recently asking if Bigger would work with a fourth grader and had great responses. I've kind of come up with a plan and wanted to know if you thought this might work. My original reason for looking at Bigger was to add some American History to our study of Story of the World.

I'm thinking I would buy the required history books and science books. I think the extension pack would add to much extra reading for my daughter on top of DITHOR. She's not yet confident enough with herself. I would then do SOTW 3/4 along side Bigger using the audio version and to flesh out science we would do Apologia Zoology 3. She loves the Apologia series but we are going to quickly run out of books at two books a year. My daughter absolutely loves history and science and this year has gone through SOTW 1 and 2 and Apologia's Zoology 1 and 2. She begs to do both everyday and I've actually had to slow her down on some of it just to get it to last through the year.

I think I would put together my own read aloud pack using recommendations from the three lists to personalize it. Then use DITHOR and put together a reader pack with the recommendations.

We would not use the Cursive because we learned that this year. We won't use the English because my dd doesn't like the religion in her English books. She says it confuses her. We also wouldn't be using the Bible, devotional book, or Hymns study. Everything else we would use.

The one thing I'm undecided on is math. We are looking for a new math program next year and I have been going back and forth between BJU and Singapore. But, I don't want to do any placement tests until this spring.

If I go with this plan, that would leave me two options for the following year if we like the HOD materials. We could go on to Preparing or we could skip it and start with the next level that would be ancients to get us on level for the math and spelling. Then at that point, I probably wouldn't need to supplement the history and science because it would be on her level.

So, if you have read my book here, what do you think? Am I crazy to add history and science?

Thanks,
Erica

blessedmomof4 · Post by **blessedmomof4** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:29 pm

I'm kinda biased, because I hate doing things that complicate my life....I'm already organizationally challenged...what I'm trying to say is, for ME, HOD Bigger is enough all by itself, as is-I got dizzy reading your plans

But if it works for you...

awanama · Post by **awanama** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:26 pm

Thank you for replying blessedmomof4. Some days I think it sounds very doable and other days I think I'm crazy. Maybe I should do my own thing next year and then take a look at HOD again for the following year. We would then have completed SOTW and ready to start the cycle over again.

Thanks.
Erica

water2wine · Post by **water2wine** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:56 pm

I am not quite following everything. But let me just say this. I think we are all different and adding for some seems like too much. And to other adding something enhances. I think HOD is very, very flexible. You can work it however you want. If you are adding I would cut it down to the minimum first and then try it. You are going to find it is a lot richer than you think and a lot deeper than it looks I guess. So think of whatever you are doing maybe first in terms of less then see if you really need more.

Sorry that is so vague but it's the best advice I can give.

blessedmomof4 · Post by **blessedmomof4** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:14 pm

water2wine wrote:I am not quite following everything. But let me just say this. I think we are all different and adding for some seems like too much. And to other adding something enhances. I think HOD is very, very flexible. You can work it however you want. If you are adding I would cut it down to the minimum first and then try it. You are going to find it is a lot richer than you think and a lot deeper than it looks I guess. So think of whatever you are doing maybe first in terms of less then see if you really need more.

Sorry that is so vague but it's the best advice I can give.

That's kinda what I was trying to say, I think you said it better

Post by **Carrie** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:14 pm

Erica,

I think it sounds like you have workable plan. By using the audio for SOTW, you can still utilize the cycle you're on with that without taking more teacher time to read it aloud. I love audio books!

It also sounds like you are a science-minded family, so if you want to add in Zoo. 3, you should be able to do it. I think it's great to keep in mind what Lourdes and Water2wine both said, and watch for balance. You don't want to overload, but it does sound like you could do what you outlined.

You may also want to consider using the Bible, devotional, and possibly even the Hymns. I, of course, am biased, but those are the parts of our guides that really are important in my opinion, but yours may vary (and yours is the one that counts!)

Blessings,
Carrie

awanama · Post by **awanama** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:32 pm

Thanks Carrie for replying. With having only one at home next year, it sounds more doable for me than if I had more at home. I am also excited to see that the package deals will be up by Monday! My husband and I are taking a trip to Springfield, MO the first of March and someone from the homeschoolreviews board told me of a place that carries your books so I can see them in person before ordering!

I think we've decided to go ahead and switch to Singapore math. We've been battling through Abeka all year and it's just getting worse. So, I might be back with questions on her placement test.

Thanks again for all of you advice.
Erica