How much hands on stuff in older programs?

[Mumkins]

How much hands on activities on in bigger, preparing and CTC?

[Kathleen]

I can tell you about Bigger...

Every week there is a history activity. This week we were "gold mining". Recently we set type like Horrace Greely. The geography lesson each week is really hands-on, too. Like putting the continents and oceans on a ball or balloon. There's an art project to go along with the history once a week, too.

The child makes his or her own actions to go with the Bible memory verse for the week. As you're working on memorizing it, there are great exercises to do in between. (I make sure to join in on these to get a little more exercise in the day. )

In science, there are 2 days where an experiment or exploration is done. We went outside to trace Grant's shadow this week. We're seeing how the poineers marked time. We traced the shadow mid-morning, at lunch time, and....we have yet to trace it in the afternoon because we've had heavy cloud cover move in EVERY day this week. But, Grant knew what it would do, and we finished the discussion anyway.

We love the projects with DITHOR, too. They're really hands-on and practical.

I know that there are lists of the things in Preparing on here somewhere. They look awesome!! I'm really looking forward to next year!

My ds loves all the activities this year. I love them too, because they're so easy to do. They really do use things that are around the house, and often Carrie gives more than one option so it's super easy to decide what to use. They're things that my son can do which he loves. (He doesn't want to watch me do an experiment or activity. ) And, they really help him remember the main point of the lesson.

I believe that in Preparing and CTC, there is an on-going history project each week that is divided into bite-sized pieces. I know that recently several moms wrote about their midieval dinners that their "Preparing Kids" put on.

Kathleen

[Carrie]

Mumkins,

Kathleen did a great job of answering your questions and gave wonderful examples from Bigger Hearts to give you a peek inside that guide. Here's a link to the thread about the hands-on portion of Preparing Hearts that she mentioned too:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1715

Blessings,
Carrie

[Mumkins]

Thanks ladies!

[gestep]

I love that there is more crafty stuff as they get older. So many have crafts for younger kids, which usually ends up being done by the parent. When they are actually capable of doing crafts many curriculums do not have them. Thanks for making sure it is fun for the older ones too

Gina

[my3sons]

I love that there is more crafty stuff as they get older. So many have crafts for younger kids, which usually ends up being done by the parent. When they are actually capable of doing crafts many curriculums do not have them. Thanks for making sure it is fun for the older ones too

Gina

I totally agree!!!!
Julie

[Carrie]

I agree with you! My boys really look forward to their project part of the day, and I find that they are able to do most of it independently now as they're getting older. The hands-on projects really makes history come to life for them!

Blessings,
Carrie