Help with planning language arts for 4th grader in Bigger

[farmfamily]

I'm thinking ahead to the fall here and wondered if you all could help me out.

In the fall, my daughter will be just turned 9 and starting 4th grade. She will be starting Bigger so that she can be combined with her sister, but her language arts would probably have fitted her for Preparing. I expect her to be:

- finished with R & S 3
- near the end of dictation level 3
- most of the way through her second time through DITHOR 2/3 (she is starting to read from the level 4 book pack).

My question is, what should I do with her for Language arts when she does Bigger? I planned to model it after the Preparing guide (which I own), so I was thinking she would do R & S 4 full speed, but slow DITHOR and studied dictation down to 3 times a week. But I also see in that guide (which I own) that there are writing assignments based on the poetry one day per week, and there is also presumably other writing opportunities that she will not get in Bigger.

I want to keep her challenged and progressing with her writing just as she would be if she were doing Preparing, so should I add in some sort of writing assignments? Or should we continue with DITHOR and studied dictation every day as is scheduled in the Bigger guide? She loves history and always begs for more history reading (it is her favorite part of school), so I had thought of reading the extensions to her or possibly asking her to read them herself. Should I start having her do written narrations once a week? Or should I just continue with my original plan and not worry about her missing out on the writing assignments? Or other ideas?

[my3sons]

...I planned to model it after the Preparing guide (which I own), so I was thinking she would do R & S 4 full speed, but slow DITHOR and studied dictation down to 3 times a week...

I think you have a very good plan here for dd's LA! R & S English will begin to have more writing focused skills and assignments too. Bigger Hearts itself has a lot more writing in the daily plans than Beyond, and I think as a recently turned 9 yo she will have enough writing to do within that. I would switch her to DITHOR 4/5 soon, as this will further challenge her in writing. Personally, I'd wait to do creative writing and written narrations, as they are taught so nicely in PHFHG, and as the writing for dd in BHFHG will be more than appropriate for her - especially doing R & S 4 full-speed, doing DITHOR 4/5, and doing the next level of dictation. I'd not do the extensions, as they are intended for older dc, around 10-11 yo. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[farmfamily]

Thank you so much for your reply, Julie. It is really great to be able to get help here! I love combining my girls, but the only downside is the nagging feeling - have I got a good plan in place for my oldest? So it's nice to be able to get some input from someone with a lot more experience than myself.

So I will do Rod and Staff 4 full speed and dictation & DITHOR 3 days a week and add nothing else for writing.

I am sorely tempted to have her read just the history part of the extensions, though, for two reasons: First, she really loves to read, and second, her favorite part of HOD is the history. Every day when we read history she literally begs me to read more. She already did the first 10 units of Bigger last year before she was combined with her sister, and she loved the history readings then and begged for more as well. Now she will be repeating the same history, at least for a while. This time around I could either have her read the history extensions alone herself - she is a very strong reader, or I could read them aloud at bedtime if they would be entertaining enough for the other children. I already read them bedtime stories every night.

So what do you think? Do you really think it would overload her to add the extensions? Or would the content be a little mature for her? She is very sensitive to scary things.

[my3sons]

... This time around I could either have her read the history extensions alone herself - she is a very strong reader, or I could read them aloud at bedtime if they would be entertaining enough for the other children. I already read them bedtime stories every night.

So what do you think? Do you really think it would overload her to add the extensions? Or would the content be a little mature for her? She is very sensitive to scary things.

Looking at the extensions for BHFHG, I don't think maturity of content is as much of a concern as it is with the older guides' extension packages. I think she would be fine reading these on her own, though you may want to read the summaries of each of the books and see if she may be sensitive to any of the topics personally in particular. "Freedom Train," for example is about slavery, so that may be a consideration. However, it was (and remains) one of our oldest ds's favorite books of all time. "A Child's Story of America" has some mature content in it and reads a little less narratively, so that may be one to wait on. However, the other books (IMO) would probably be just fine - at least I think they would be for my 9 turning 10 yo, but then he is a boy and not at all sensitive, so I may be off in my thinking. I have 3 boys and no girls, so please take this advice with a grain of salt! I don't think I'd read them aloud at bedtime if younger dc are listening. They are wonderful books, and for your little history buff, they may be just the ticket for her free reading time! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[farmfamily]

Thank you Julie,

I really appreciate your help - I will probably be ordering the extension pack in a month or two! I'm excited to start Bigger - but we need to finish Beyond first. We are still on Unit 22 and enjoying it!