Planning on starting LHFHG but I have a few ???

[mom2boys030507]

I am planning on starting Little Hearts this coming fall with my youngest -he will be kindergarten age. However, he is already reading. He is currently working through the emergent reader list. By fall, he will also be ready to start Sinagpore Math 1A and ready to start coping sentences. So, in many ways his skills line up better with Beyond Little Hearts but I don't want to move him through the guides to quickly. I am not sure what to do for reading and writing. Do I go ahead and do those activites from Beyond and the history and science from Little Hearts? Or are there other suggestions? I am listening. I want to make sure that I don't ask to much for his development but do challenge him academically.

[creativemommy]

My son was exactly like your son when we began LHFHG 2 years ago. I didn't want him to begin with Beyond either. Now, looking back (he's in Bigger this year), I'm so glad I didn't put him in Beyond. He wouldn't have been able to do the writing Bigger requires last year.

For reading - I had him read the emerging readers, plus lots of extra books we had around our house and from the library.

For Math - He did 1A and 1B, but I didn't purchase the Beyond guide until later in the year (I was new to HOD and didn't realize Carrie's math plans were in the guide). We also slowed down if we needed to - I wasn't in a rush to finish it all by the next year.

I also chose the 1st grade science book and Thinking Skills workbook. He kept telling me the Thinking Skills workbook was too "easy" so I would always tell him, "Let's focus on following all the directions carefully since it's easy for you!" It worked.

[mom23]

creativemommy had great suggestions. You may also want to consider the spelling List 1 in Beyond. I'm also having my son copy sentences-we switch it up-he does it from Bible verses, or from the Burgess books (they occasionally have Proverb-type poems in italic print at the beginning of some of the chapters.)

[acts29stl]

Sounds like you can do LHFHG with the 1st grade options. I would purchase the Beyond guide and follow Carrie's hands-on activities for the math. As far as reading goes, there are additional title suggestions for the E.R. set. You could choose to go through those to reinforce both reading skills and the comprehension. You could easily add in copywork if you felt he needed it but one of the 1st grade options is a handwriting program so that might be all he needs. The day is pretty full with LHFHG because he'll be doing history, science, bible and storytime in addition to the 3 Rs and given his age there's no hurry to push him along