Help! I want to do Beyond but not sure if I can!?

[wcoffey]

I am very interested in using Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory. I have 3 children, 2 which would place in Beyond, both are girls. Right know we are studing Early Am. History. In our study we have already read one book that Beyond uses, Stories of the Pilgrims. And we are about to start Boys and Girls of Colonial Days. I almost started American Pioneers and Patriots, but I stopped myself because I began to look into HOD. My problem is that my girls did not care about Stories of the Pilgrims. (Don't ask why, I know of other children who love it!) Is there other book that I can replace it with or does anyone have any other suggestions? Is Beyond going to repeat too much of what they just learned. We began our E.A.History study in Mid-October, so it is all fresh. I think that Bigger Hearts would be great but they don't place in that age group. My girls just turned 6 and 8. My 8 year old is reading at a 4.8 (plus) reading level. I like the Bigger Hearts reading list for her. What do I do? Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't even know if I am making any sence. Thanks!

[mskogen]

Welcome to the board...I know some of the ladies here will be able to offer you some great suggestions...they have been great in helping me make decisions in what to do
God Bless

[my3sons]

I am very interested in using Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory. I have 3 children, 2 which would place in Beyond, both are girls. Right know we are studing Early Am. History. In our study we have already read one book that Beyond uses, Stories of the Pilgrims. And we are about to start Boys and Girls of Colonial Days. I almost started American Pioneers and Patriots, but I stopped myself because I began to look into HOD. My problem is that my girls did not care about Stories of the Pilgrims. (Don't ask why, I know of other children who love it!) Is there other book that I can replace it with or does anyone have any other suggestions? Is Beyond going to repeat too much of what they just learned. We began our E.A.History study in Mid-October, so it is all fresh. I think that Bigger Hearts would be great but they don't place in that age group. My girls just turned 6 and 8. My 8 year old is reading at a 4.8 (plus) reading level. I like the Bigger Hearts reading list for her. What do I do? Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't even know if I am making any sence. Thanks!

Welcome to the HOD board! We started Beyond when my ds was 5 1/2 yo, and it was a great fit for him even though he was below the age range. Age is something to consider - definitely - but there are many other considerations about as equally important. Have you looked at the placement chart? It is short and easy to use, and it's accurate. Where would each of your dc place on the placement chart? Here's a link to that (the first page is most important):
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

From what you've said so far, maybe something could be worked out for combining in Beyond - or, you could start Bigger Hearts half-speed next year - but, before I jump the gun on either one of those options, could you please post a bit about your thoughts after checking out the placement chart? Also, any other tidbits about each child's reading, writing, and math would be great if you could please. Placement always takes a bit , but it's so worth the time!

In Christ,
Julie

[wcoffey]

Oaky, I did look at the placement chart (again). My 6 year old would place in Beyond. She will be entering the 1st grade. She will have completed her phonics program and will be ready for the emerging readers. She will have complete half of the 1st grade math program that we do (BJU). SHe fits right into the the Beond's catagory for Writting and Grammer, Mechanics, and usage. Now my 8 year old reads at almost a 5th grade level. So i would say that she would be ready for Draw Into the Heart of Reading. But she only likes to read facts about animals. (Nothing else!) It's like pulling teeth to get her to read anything else. (Actually, i think pulling teeth is easier. And more enjoyable for her! ) Anyways, she will be entering into 3rd grade when i woul start HOD. She will have completed BJU English 2 and half of BJU Math 3. Her favorite subject is Science so I would have to add another science program (I do have one in mind). She would really do better in Bigger or Preparing, but I don't think that I could do 3 HOD studies. One with her, one with my 6 year old, and one with my soon-to-be 3 year old boy. I would like to do Bigger Hearts but I am not sure if my 6 year old can handle it, even though she has been trying to keep up with sister since she was 2-1/2 years old. - Does this info help?

[my3sons]

Oaky, I did look at the placement chart (again). My 6 year old would place in Beyond. She will be entering the 1st grade. She will have completed her phonics program and will be ready for the emerging readers. She will have complete half of the 1st grade math program that we do (BJU). SHe fits right into the the Beond's catagory for Writting and Grammer, Mechanics, and usage. Now my 8 year old reads at almost a 5th grade level. So i would say that she would be ready for Draw Into the Heart of Reading. But she only likes to read facts about animals. (Nothing else!) It's like pulling teeth to get her to read anything else. (Actually, i think pulling teeth is easier. And more enjoyable for her! ) Anyways, she will be entering into 3rd grade when i woul start HOD. She will have completed BJU English 2 and half of BJU Math 3. Her favorite subject is Science so I would have to add another science program (I do have one in mind). She would really do better in Bigger or Preparing, but I don't think that I could do 3 HOD studies. One with her, one with my 6 year old, and one with my soon-to-be 3 year old boy. I would like to do Bigger Hearts but I am not sure if my 6 year old can handle it, even though she has been trying to keep up with sister since she was 2-1/2 years old. - Does this info help?

Thanks - and that does really help! I am thinking that you could do Bigger Hearts as it is with your older dd. Your younger dd can do all of the left side of Bigger Hearts with your older dd, but then do the right side of Beyond Little Hearts instead of the right side of Bigger Hearts. Obviously you have to customize for math and LA anyway, and this is a super easy way to do it. The Beyond right side of plans will give your 6 yo a gentle introduction to grammar and spelling lessons too. Beyond will also give you the Emerging Reader's Schedule and comprehension questions. You could skip the math box and do your own BJU. For Storytime, you could look at the Beyond Little Hearts Storytime titles and look at the Bigger Hearts Storytime titles, and just pick one of the sets to do with them both. Whatever set you choose - I'd still do the short Beyond LIttle Hearts Storytime discussion with your younger dd with whatever book you are reading because that will teach her how to orally narrate well. As your 6 yo can write more and more she'll grow into the Bigger Hearts notebooking just fine, as well as other writing assignments. Just know going into it that she'll need to grow into the writing part of it. The writing is always done on a rotating basis - so it's never over the top or too time consuming. Plus, the notebooking is just so neat! She'll definitely want to do it too. You can easily add a science if you want - though I do think you will love the science in Bigger Hearts - we sure did! You may want to just do it for awhile and then add more later if you want.

For DITHOR, I sure know what you are talking about with dc being stuck in one genre! Your dd's stuck in "animal world", and my ds was stuck in "Little House on the Prairie". That is why it's so important to do DITHOR - to get them reading different genres. I initially told my ds that he could read his LIttle House on the Prairie books whenever he wanted after school was done, but during DITHOR, we needed to have fun doing all different sorts of books together. We did do a Little House book first for historical fiction, just to kick off DITHOR with a sure success ,but after that we branched out. You could start with Nonfiction and pick 1-3 animal books to begin with, just to be sure she'll love it. But she'll have to understand she will be reading DITHOR books in a way to savor them - to linger with them - so she won't be able to blow through them. I am so glad we've done DITHOR (and are still doing it). My ds loves mysteries like Scripture Sleuth and adventures by Clyde Robert Bulla now. He also loved biographies about people like Squanto, Helen Keller, and his all-time favorite Freedom Train. He's had some good laughs reading Mr. Popper's Penguins and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle - so many great genres he would never have experienced otherwise. So, what are your thoughts now? Keep asking away!

In Christ,
Julie

[wcoffey]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Before I read your reply, I was thinking that I might do Beyond now (June-Dec.) and Bigger Later (Jan- 'til we are done with it). We usually start school at the end of June (Begining of July) and end mid-April. So, I thought that I could start with one and end with the other (or at least end with most of Bigger). But if I could take it a little slower with my 6yo in Bigger, I might just do that. Which would be better, both or Bigger? You've given me a lot to consider. Thanks! Please let me know which you think would be better.

About DITHOR- I'll have to dust it off my self and start using it! You made it sound so great. Now I remember why I bought it in the first place! Thanks.

[wcoffey]

I have another question... We already read Stories of the Pilgrims this year. Is there another book that I can replace it with?

[Carrie]

One thing that will make a huge difference in how successful your 6 year old will do in a program is how well she listens to chapter books read aloud that have few to no pictures. One thing you could consider is starting both kiddos in the unit of Beyond where Stories of the Pilgrims leaves off. This would be at Unit 19 and would begin with Boys and Girls of Colonial Days. You would teach from there to the end of Beyond with both kiddos (doing the left side of the plans and the storytime on the right side with both) and all of Beyond with your 6 year old. You would add the right side of Bigger Hearts for your 8 year olds language arts and math if needed.

This would give you a fit that would allow the younger one to grow into the skills needed for Bigger and would keep your older one from being pulled back. Anyway, just food for thought.

Blessings,
Carrie

[wcoffey]

Thank you. I will consider that. My 6yo follows along very well with our read-a-loud time. Currently we are reading Little House on the P. and she is able to narrate back to me every event and more. Again, thank you so much. these blogs are so encouraging!