Science, Cursive and Placement ?s

[shera]

I am thinking of trying HOD again. I used LHFHG and Bigger in the past but never completed the programs. I have a few questions. Can I use a different science? It seems that some LA skills are incorporated in the science curriculum and I wouldn't want to lose building those skills but I really want to try a different science that utilizes notebooking and is hands on. I'm not sure how hands on HOD science is.

Now for the placement question (which is one of the reasons I think I never completed the previous programs) My dd will be 7 in Aug, second grade has read some of the ER but not easily so I will continue with ER and ETC. She solidly fits in Beyond. My ds will be 10 in Nov., 4th grade strong reader. We just started cursive using HWOT this spring. Age wise he fits in Preparing. Reading he is independent. Writing he is just now learning cursive. Can copy passages but HATES to write. We haven't done any dictation. The LA we have used is CLE lightunits. We have not done written narrations but have done some oral ones. He has had an intro to basic parts of speech as well as basic diagramming. We already use Singapore math and he is currently finishing up 3b. So it sounds to me accept for the writing he would fit in Preparing. He hates writing and we have not done alot of it or been consistent with it. So do I put him in Preparing or Bigger? We tried Bigger 2 years ago and he didn't like the Eggleston book but I'm beginning to think it was because the book made him think.

Oh and if I do put him in Bigger, wouldn't that mean we would miss one of the levels eventually? Also, if he needs to be in Bigger I am thinking of putting dd in LHFHG but using Singapore 2a (that is where she would be) and the LA from Beyond.

Not that it matters but I also have a 2 yr old dd running around in the mix.
Hope this makes some sense.

Sarah

[pjdobro]

You can always use a different science if you want, but the science in HOD is very hands on and once you get to Bigger and up, there is notebooking in the science activities. In LHFHG and Beyond, science is done twice each week and involves a quick hands on exploration connected with some reading in a text. I would say that oral narration and notebooking are the two ways in Bigger that language arts are incorporated in science. Oral narration is done twice per week and notebooking once per week. There are two hands on experiments each week in Bigger, one which is written up on lab sheet and one which is just discussed orally. In Preparing I think the experiment with lab sheet is once each week, oral narration once each week, notebooking once each week, and questions answered once each week. I feel like the science in HOD is very hands on, but science is an area that is easily substituted if you want to go that route.

It sounds like in many ways your son would fit well in Preparing. Here is a link that talks about the amount of writing in Preparing versus Bigger: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3602 I think that would be the biggest consideration for you as to whether to place him in Bigger or Preparing. As far as the Eggleston books go, it really could just be a matter of maturity that your ds didn't like them a couple of years ago. They are written in an older style and can take a little time to get used to. You might find that it works better for him now than it did then. I don't think I would worry too much about him missing a level in the whole course of school. I understand though that we want our dc to get to experience the whole scope of all of the HOD programs, but the most important thing now is to place him appropriately now. I hope that helps a little. Welcome back to HOD!

[shera]

Any other thoughts? Please.

[my3sons]

Hi Shera! Patty did such a good job of helping you out, and I found myself agreeing with so much of what she said. It sounds like your dd will do well with Beyond, and your ds probably fits well in PHFHG. These are 2 guides that work so well to do simultaneously (we did the together a few years back and had a terrific year ). PHFHG will help your ds get an excellent foundation in written narrations, as well as creative writing within the Robert Louis Stevenson's lessons. I think this would really help your ds to grow in his writing, and yet appropriately challenge him in his reading. It would also provide an excellent transitional year for him before CTC, as he will be learning to do his science readings independently, as well as half of history readings. The science in HOD will meet the academic goals you have for your ds, and it will match the history as well. These are the skills dc learn in a rotating manner within PHFHG's science:
*Day 1: create a science notebook entry
*Day 2: practice oral narration by retelling the science story
*Day 3: write answers to five provided questions (including one Biblical application question) based on the science reading
*Day 4: conduct an experiment related to the reading and log it in a science notebook or on a copy of the “Science Lab” form found in the Appendix

Here is a link to the PHFHG Photobook, so you can see the skills that are being built by doing the scientific method, lab sheets, experiments, and notebooking... (pages 46-53 pertain to the science):
http://heartofdakotasphotobooks.shutterfly.com/30

HTH - keep asking questions until you are set! HOD is an incredible blessing in our home - I think you and your dc will enjoy it too, and you are wise to spend some time on placement, as proper placement truly makes for an excellent year - for both mama and dc.

In Christ,
Juile

[shera]

So it doesn't matter too much if my ds hasn't learned all of cursive. We are currently working through his cursive and I plan on continuing it over the summer.

Another question I have is what do I do on the 5th day with him since he has a 4 day schedule and my dd would have a 5 day. I know she won't want to do school if ds isn't but I do like the idea of a 4 day schedule.

Oh and if I switch my LA (we are currently using CLE 3rd grade), which Rod and Staff book should I order?
Thanks

[my3sons]

I wouldn't worry about the cursive. He can just finish out his HWOT cursive, and he should be a-okay. For his R & S English, you can either have him do R & S English 3, or R & S English 4. Both are scheduled in PHFHG's plans. If he has had a good foundation in parts of speech and done some beginning diagramming, I would go with R & S English 4. For the 5th day? I'm thinking a beach, some chocolate, an iced tea with a lemon... oh no, that was the 5th day I wanted! Actually, I'd either have him work on developing some handicrafts, hobbies, interests, nature journals, etc., or I'd just have dd do a 4 day a week plan, and just have her take longer to finish her guide. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[shera]

While the beach sounds fantastic I'm in the middle of a desert. So the OSS Cactus Desert is pretty much our surrounding area. I will have to ponder the 5th day. I really like the idea of a 4 day week but I'm not thrilled with the idea of dd taking longer to complete a guide.

[Carrie]

Sarah,

The ladies are doing a great job of talking through placement possibilities with you. I'm leaning toward placing your son in Preparing Hearts too, but one way to really make sure is to print out the first week of plans and see whether your son could do the boxes coded with an 'I' independently (meaning he is to read and follow the directions for those boxes all on his own). Of course, there will be a bit of a training period, but it shouldn't have to be a huge training period. Another thing to check is whether your son can do copywork daily without so much struggle. I ask because if this area is a daily battle, then Preparing Hearts may be a struggle for him too. If, instead, the battles with writing is more when it is a creative writing or an assigned paragraph, etc. then I still think your son will be alright in Preparing (as we are easing into those areas of writing step-by-step).

As far as your daughter goes, I would try to place her where she fits best on the placement chart too, as correct placment will make all the difference in the world in how well HOD works for your family. So, based on what you've shared so far, I'd place her in Beyond.

With the 5th day, you may enjoy doing something similar to what I shared in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9095

You could have your son do the 2 hour 5th day school I mentioned, and your daughter would just do Beyond on the 5th day. This would allow your daughter to finish Beyond in a year as desired.

Blessings,
Carrie

[shera]

I think I have placement down now. Beyond for dd with ER. I figure if we get stuck part way through the readers I can get others on that level for her. Then Read Alouds which would be the Deluxe Package?

For ds, I think Preparing and if I need to cut out or slow down some of the writing we can do that. But I'm a little confused on ordering. There is the history and science, which is pretty straight forward. I'm guessing he would do DITHOR level 4/5 so I need to order books for that correct? I think he could do English 4, if not I can always re evaluate and step down to English 3. In Preparing, is the Basic Package the read alouds then what is the deluxe package? If I'm reading this correctly ds would do the science independently, read DITHOR independently and then read the deluxe package books independently? Is this right?

Thanks

[annaz]

I think I have placement down now. Beyond for dd with ER. I figure if we get stuck part way through the readers I can get others on that level for her. Then Read Alouds which would be the Deluxe Package?

For ds, I think Preparing and if I need to cut out or slow down some of the writing we can do that. But I'm a little confused on ordering. There is the history and science, which is pretty straight forward. I'm guessing he would do DITHOR level 4/5 so I need to order books for that correct? I think he could do English 4, if not I can always re evaluate and step down to English 3. In Preparing, is the Basic Package the read alouds then what is the deluxe package? If I'm reading this correctly ds would do the science independently, read DITHOR independently and then read the deluxe package books independently? Is this right?

Thanks

-For Beyond, the Deluxe Package is the Girl, Boy or Classic Interest Packs on page 29 of the catalog.
-Yes, you'll need to order the books for Dithor on the Dithor pages; pg 76 in the catalog.
-For Preparing the basic package is the core and includes the Storytime read-alouds.
-The Deluxe package is the Independent History portion (see the sample at the bottom of the sample week for "Independent History Study").

Yes, the Science is independent, the Dithor reads will be independent, but you'll go through the Dithor book itself together (at some point you'll be able to do this with all kids) and yes, Deluxe Package books are independent as well. So there are two aspects of independent work in Preparing; the Indpedendent History Study and Science.

[my3sons]

Ditto to Annaz's great response! You are almost set - hooray!
In Christ,
Julie