Starting Homeschool this fall & need help

[skhoekstra]

Carrie,
I am starting homeschool this fall with my dd who is 8(will be 9 in December) and just finishing 2nd grade and my ds who is 6 and just finishing kindergarten. One of my reasons for homeschooling is for us to be closer and for them to learn together in whatever areas they can. I am wondering if BLHFHG will be a curriculum I could combine them both in. I know it would be fine for my ds but don't know if it will be too basic for my dd. My hope is that they can do history & science together and just do english & math seperately. I am also looking for a more hands on approach rather than a sit down and do a worksheet approach which is what lead me to your curriculum. Could you give me any guidance on combining them? I don't want my daughter to be bored or fall behind by doing the BLHFHG program rather than the BHFHG. Any insights you have about the curriculum would be great. I have looked at your placement charts and am still wondering if combining them would work or not. Thank you so much for your thoughts!! Kerri

[MamaPajama]

We have not yet started with HOD, but we will be doing BLHFHG with our 6 year old son this coming year. From what I've read, if you are going combine, the best way to do it is to gear it more toward your younger and beef it up for your older. So my guess is that you are on the right track!

[HollyS]

My DC are the same ages as yours. I am planning on using Beyond for both of them next year. I went ahead and purchased the Bigger guide to use for the 3Rs (along with the suggested Cheerful Cursive and R&S English 2). After looking things over, it seems to be right on with her level. I am glad that I am using Bigger for the Learning the Basics topics...Beyond would have been a little too easy for her for math and English.

[my3sons]

Hi Kerri, and welcome to the HOD Board! The placement chart is your best friend in deciding what guide to do, so if your dc fall close to Beyond's column on the first page of the placement chart, everything should be A-o-k! Based on the ages of your dc, Beyond should be a good fit. I second Holly's plan of adding in Bigger Hearts' right side to appropriately up the LA and math. This would allow you to do all of the left side of the plans of Beyond with both dc, as well as the right side's Storytime. You could have your 6 yo do Spelling List 1, and your 8 yo could either do Spelling List 2, or use dictation level 2 in Bigger Hearts for spelling (if List 2 is too easy). Your 6 yo would have grammar in the Beyond plans every Day 5 of units, and your 8 yo can use the R & S English 2 plans in Bigger Hearts guide. Your 6 yo can do the Emerging Reader's Set in Beyond, and your 8 yo can use DITHOR's Level 2/3 plans. You can give each of your dc the Singapore Math Placement test at www.singaporemath.com to know which levels to start them in. Beyond has hands-on plans for 1A/1B, and Bigger has hands-on plans for 2A/2B. Bigger has a textbook/workbook schedule for 3A/3B in its Appendix as well. So, wherever your dc place, there should be math plans for them. I think you will love HOD as much as we have! We just finished Beyond last year (for the second time with our second ds), and it was an inspiring year of learning about American history and growing in many areas academically. You have a wonderful year with Beyond ahead of you! If we can help in any other way, don't hesitate to ask. We are a helpful bunch of gals on this board.

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

skhoekstra,

The ladies are doing a great job of talking through your options with you. The ideas they're sharing go right along with what I'm thinking as well. Feel free to pop back in and ask more questions, if you're not sure how this would work. Basically, you'd be using the left side of the daily plans in the Beyond guide and the Storytime from the right side of the daily plans in Beyond with both children.

Then, your 6 year old would use the rest of the day's plans in Beyond as written, but your 8 year old would use part of the plans from the right side of Bigger Hearts to raise the level of the 3R's and science each day. In this way, your kiddos could be combined for history/Bible/geography etc. in Beyond and have their own levels of the 3R's and science with one doing Beyond and the other doing those parts in Bigger Hearts.

For your older child from Bigger Hearts, you would add Cheerful Cursive or Italic D, English 2, dictation from the Appendix for spelling, possibly the Singapore math for 2A/2B or 3A/3B, Drawn into the Heart of Reading Level 2/3, and the science box.

In this way the next year your kiddos could move into Bigger Hearts together for many areas, with a bit added for your older child in the 3R's and science from Preparing Hearts. This plan could continue to work from year to year for as long as it fits your situation.

Blessings,
Carrie

[skhoekstra]

Thank you so much for all of the helpful answers. I think I have it figured out...sort of. I am planning on using a seperate math, so I think this list should be what I need. Could you let me know if I have it all or if I could do without something...I want to have everything I need but I don't want to get unnecessary items.

100 - Drawn Into The Heart of Reading - Teacher's Guide
101A - DITHOR - Student Book 2/3
100F - DITHOR - Level 3 BookPack - 13 set
503A - BHFHG - Cheerful Cursive
500 - Bigger Hearts for His Glory - Teacher's Guide
500G - BHFHG - Science Adder
400A - BLHFHG - Economy Package
402A - BLHFHG - God's Wonderful Works
400GO - BLHFHG - Emerging Reader Set with The Beginner's Bible

Thanks so much for your help!

[my3sons]

Thank you so much for all of the helpful answers. I think I have it figured out...sort of. I am planning on using a seperate math, so I think this list should be what I need. Could you let me know if I have it all or if I could do without something...I want to have everything I need but I don't want to get unnecessary items.

100 - Drawn Into The Heart of Reading - Teacher's Guide
101A - DITHOR - Student Book 2/3
100F - DITHOR - Level 3 BookPack - 13 set
503A - BHFHG - Cheerful Cursive
500 - Bigger Hearts for His Glory - Teacher's Guide
500G - BHFHG - Science Adder
400A - BLHFHG - Economy Package
402A - BLHFHG - God's Wonderful Works
400GO - BLHFHG - Emerging Reader Set with The Beginner's Bible

Thanks so much for your help!

Your list looks right on track! The only things I'd add would be the "Hide 'Em in Your Heart CD" - inexpensive and is a daily part of the plans - great praise time with the Lord and memory help in learning the Bible verses. I'd consider adding "Morning Bells", which is an inexpensive ($4) little book chock full of some pretty deep devotional topics. Also, if you don't have Storytime books on hand, one for each genre, I'd get the Beyond Deluxe Package Classic Set (since you will be using it with a boy and girl). Other than that - looks good to me! You are on you way to having a satisfying year with Beyond!

In Christ,
Julie