LHFHG for Kindergarten?

[hobandrolly]

Hi ladies~

I'm just brainstorming a bit...I had planned on using LHFHG for my last daughter's 1st grade year, but I see that many moms use it for kindergarten. Are you finding it too difficult for kindergarten? Are kinders understanding the history and read-alouds? I'm wondering if I should give it a try for my last daughter for her kindergarten year...thanks for any thoughts...

~Holly

[krismoose]

I think it would depend on the child in question, particularly on their interest in and ability to listen to stories without pictures, and stories about history. If you want to go slowly, the first half, roughly, is based on Bible stories with pictures, and the second half is more abstract, so a child can definitely grow into it. I found that the devotional was a bit much for my dc who was on the young side, so I'd be prepared to explain a lot/substitute/omit as needed. I went through it once with my son on the young side, and (at this point in planning ) we're actually going to do it again with him and his little sis when she finishes LHTH. I'm just going to play it by ear deciding how fast to move through it. It will really be end of K/beginning 1st for ds, and still preschool/K for dd. My son turned 6 as his "K year" started, but my dd will be 5.5 for her "K year". Knowing what I know now, I'd have slowed it down for my ds the first time around, but this way will be fine too

[MomtoJGJE]

We are using LHFHG with DD2 for what is technically her K year... she's also moving to the 1st grade options on the right side in a couple of weeks.

We'll start LHFHG with DD3 in the fall of 2011.... she will not technically be K yet, but she'll be 5 in October and will be ready for the K level right side. I'll be going half speed until Christmas with her just to space her and DD2 out more in guides, so that I'm not doing back to back guides every year. She will not need me to go half speed after she gets the hang of it.

[mamanlait]

We are using LHfHG for my 6 year old's K year. I think age might be a better indicator than school year (and, obviously, the online placement guide). My oldest dd was a young 5 year old when she started K. We didn't do HOD then but I would have waited to use LHfHG for her 1st grade year. We like using LHfHG for K, it's a great fit for us. We use the sort-of loosely scheduled Reading Lesson at a gentle pace and the Kindergarten Singapore books, etc. I own the 1st grade Math/Thinking Skills books and I know those would be way too difficult for my Ker (perfect for a 1st grader). I think the down side of using LHfHG for a 1st grader (esp. older or adv. 1st grader) might be three-fold (just my humble opinion): Math-- K math is what is scheduled and I do believe it would be too easy for the typical 1st grader. This could be adjusted by purchasing and using Beyond's Math schedule (but that is inconvenient for me, at least); the limited Storytime: my Ker has begun to enjoy this subject area so much and begs for more. It hasn't been hard for me to add-in but I know Beyond will be a nice fit for 1st grade because of the extra reading time; and Readers: I believe Readers are somewhat scheduled in Beyond if your child is ready to use those by 1st. I am sure there are just as many "pros" to using LHfHG with a 1st grader. For instance, the family who wants to hold pencil and paper school off until their kids are a bit older (I know some homeschoolers desire to do this) would find this a nice fit, or a mother who wanted to get the basics of 1st accomplished in a minimal amount of time. I can see larger families opting for this when the youngers are all ready occupied with older kids activities/books, etc, or time is limited.

In terms of understanding/comprehension...dd struggled during the first couple of weeks to get the feel for Storytime. Now she LOVES it! We recently purchased some stuffed animals to better act out the stories. "Danny Meadow Mouse" was a hard find but well worth it. She adores the Family Time Bible and begs for more. The devotional is great. It doesn't talk down to her at all...I usually ad lib a bit if a concept is a little difficult but that's more my "issue" (I need to stop this . My dd9 always sits in for the devotional time and puts her 2 cents in. This has probably been MY most favorite book in all of HOD even though I doubt my dd would say the same. It's probably the hardest comprehension-wise in the curriculum but I would not call it difficult (anything of a theological nature is sometimes hard for a 6 year old to grasp but this book does a great job of making the concepts understandable for the younger (and...um...older... ) crowd.

We have used LHTH, LHfHG, Bigger, and Preparing (NOT Beyond)-- so I could be wrong with some of my assumptions. Maybe someone else could fill those gaps in if I've assumed incorrectly.

HTH in making your decision.
Amy

dd6 LHfHG
dd9 Preparing (CTC on the horizon!...early spring start date)

[hobandrolly]

Hmmm...my daughter will be 5 years, 4 months when she starts kindergarten. I have LHFHG and I'm using it for my 1st grader. If I wait on LHFHG for her 1st grade year, she would be 6 years, 4 months old. Still a young 6-year-old. I wonder if this is why people do guides at half-pace? Lot's to think about...thanks for the comments thus far.

[Bramble]

We are using LHFHG for my boys who were 5 and 7 in August (kindergarten and second grade.) I find it perfect for the 5 yr. old and a little light for the 7 yr. old.

[LeAnna]

I think it really just depends on the child. I used LHFHG when my dds were 4.5 and 5.5, and took a year and a half to finish. They didn't understand the history in the beginning.... just learned to sit and listen. But, they grew more into it as time went on, and learned to enjoy the Burgess books, and get better at comprehension. I would also catch them picking up on bits and pieces of the history. They would mention something to daddy from time to time on something they found interesting, or grandma would ask what they are learning in school. For us, the history and the Burgess books, probably could have waited until 1st grade, but it was fine for K too. Just don't expect them to tell you everything from their reading. The reading itself might seem over there head, but they will pick up on bits and pieces, and mostly just learn to sit, listen, and comprehend and do a little narration back and forth. My kids really enjoyed the notebooking on the Burgess books. It really helped that level of understanding at a young age. They love to go back, even now, and look at their work.

This fall, I will have a ds, who is a young 6, and I'm trying to decide what to do with him too. Do I take LHFHG for 2 years, or wait until 1st grade? I'm leaning toward taking it 2 years, and doing Phonics and Math and thinking skills everyday. By doing this it gives him room to grow, mature and take it slower which I think he needs. And, then in the 2nd year of LHFHG, do the 1st grade thinking skills book.

Hope this helps a bit. Every child is different, and it's sometimes hard to know.
LeAnna

[jenntracy]

I am using it currently for my daughter who was 5.5 yrs in Sept. for Kindergarten. She does just fine. She enjoys the history. The storytime i do have to make sure that no one else is distracting her. She liked Reddy Fox and seems to be enjoying the 3rd storytime the best so far with Danny Meadow Mouse. Depending on your child's age.. you would know if it would work.

Jenn D.

[hobandrolly]

Thank you for the replies~I appreciate them! ~Holly

[my3sons]

Hi Holly! Has your dd finished LHTH? If she has, she should be ready for LHFHG. You can easily start it half-speed with her. We did that with our middle ds and enjoyed that very much. If she has not completed LHTH, does she fit more squarely in LHTH or LHFHG according to the placement chart?
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Five year olds vary WIDELY in maturity and ability, so if you get a chance to answer those few questions here, I'd love to help out more!
In Christ,
Julie

[moedertje]

I agree with the ladies. 5-year olds very so much in their level of maturity. My original plan was to wait till 1st grade with my ds of 5, but after LHTH he was ready for LHFHG. I started by doing it 3 times a week and he is doing a great job. I do his 3 R's daily so we can cover both the k and first grade fine motor and handwriting, before we get to Beyond. I will continue half pace till I feel he is ready to go full pace. My goal is to do Bigger Hearts no sooner than end of 2nd, beginning of 3rd grade. That is when the guides get increasingly more meaty.
So I would check out the placement chart as Julie suggested and start off with 1/2 pace if your dc places in LHFHG .
Success

[christina101902]

I am using LHFHG for both but taking away and adding on based on my own childs learning curve. She listens very well but a few of the items are little too wordy for my 4.5 yo. I would say give it a try for a day or two; you will know what works or doesn't. Especially if your child craves school as much as mine. I plan on using LHFHG for her first grade exactly as Carrie has written it.